Article
Environmental Sciences
Yu-Jia Lin, Moritz J. Heinle, Ali Al-Musabeh, Jinoy Gopalan, Thiyagarajan D. Vasanthi, Premlal Panickan, Tarek Hamade, Bruno Pulido, Thadickal V. Joydas, Barry Shepherd
Summary: An integrated survey of coral reefs in the northeastern Red Sea revealed a high coverage rate and signs of mass mortality events. The corals showed resilience to past mortality events, while predators likely controlled the proportions of sea urchins and macroalgae. Regular monitoring and careful development plans are necessary to safeguard these valuable reefs.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carly B. Scott, Anny Cardenas, Matthew Mah, Vagheesh M. Narasimhan, Nadin Rohland, Lauren T. Toth, Christian R. Voolstra, David Reich, Mikhail Matz
Summary: For the first time, this study utilized aDNA from ancient fossil coral fragments to gain new insights into the declining western Atlantic reef ecosystem. The results showed the possibility of sequencing aDNA from reef cores and comparing it with modern-day genetic variation. The study also revealed the stability of the coral holobiont over time and laid the foundation for studying the impacts of environmental stress and evolutionary constraints.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yip Hung Yeung, James Y. Xie, Yu Zhao, Hiu Yan Yu, Chong Chen, William Weijia Lu, Jian-Wen Qiu
Summary: A 2-year study in subtropical Hong Kong waters revealed that external erosion caused by sea urchin grazing is the primary factor contributing to coral skeletal loss. Controlling the sea urchin population density is crucial to reducing coral erosion.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ting Zhang, Tianran Chen, Sheng Liu, Xianzhi Lin, Shu Li, Wen Yan
Summary: This study investigates the temporal variability in reef resilience of the Nansha atolls in the tropical western Pacific by integrating paleo-ecological reconstruction, historical mortality evidence, and ecological survey data. The results show long-term stability in community structure and persistence of reef resilience, with no evidence of community shifts attributable to centennial-scale changes in El Nino variability. However, recent ecological surveys reveal a major collapse in the reef ecosystem, particularly related to strong/extreme El Nino episodes.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Meixia Zhao, Yu Zhong, Shuqi Zhang, Haiyang Zhang, Hongqiang Yang, Qi Shi, Hongqiang Yan, Haoya Tong, Weihai Xu, Wen Yan
Summary: This study analyzed the NK-1 core from Meiji Reef in the South China Sea, revealing the development model of Holocene coral reefs and the impact of coral community diversity on reef growth. Acropora corals were identified as the main reef builders during the Holocene, with their growth rate and dispersion method playing a crucial role in the vertical accumulation of reefs.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chelsea A. Korpanty, Leon Hoffman, Rodrigo da Costa Portilho-Ramos, Juergen Titschack, Claudia Wienberg, Dierk Hebbeln
Summary: Framework-forming scleractinian corals in cold-water areas are important for supporting biodiversity hotspots. This study investigated the impact of habitat variability on diversity over geologic time using sediment cores from a coral reef in the Alboran Sea. It was found that habitat spatial patterns had a significant influence on molluscan diversity.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sonya L. Fiddes, Matthew T. Woodhouse, Todd P. Lane, Robyn Schofield
Summary: This study investigates the influence of coral-reef-derived DMS on atmospheric composition and climate, finding no robust evidence that it affects regional climate. The complexities of the aerosol-climate system are emphasized, with limitations of current modeling capabilities highlighted, particularly regarding convective responses to changes in aerosol.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kristine Harrsen, Kaare Christensen, Rikke Lund, Erik Lykke Mortensen
Summary: The study found that individuals with higher education levels experience steeper decline in IQ over a 35-year period, but also have higher average IQ scores at all follow-ups. This suggests that education plays a role in cognitive decline trajectories, with those with formal school exams showing higher initial cognitive performance but faster decline compared to those without formal exams.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Susann Rossbach, Andrea Anton, Carlos M. Duarte
Summary: This study provides the first large-scale survey of Red Sea Tridacna spp. densities, showing the distribution and densities of Tridacnae in the region. Results indicate that geographical parameters such as latitude, distance to shore, depth, and reef zone, along with local environmental factors, are the main drivers for local Tridacna spp. densities.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kay L. Davis, Andrew P. Colefax, James P. Tucker, Brendan P. Kelaher, Isaac R. Santos
Summary: Global coral reef calcification is primarily driven by depth and benthic calcifier cover. Repeatedly studied reefs are experiencing an annual decline in calcification rates of 4.3% and an increase in organic productivity of 3% since 1970. This indicates a shift in essential metabolic processes of coral reef ecosystems, potentially leading to net dissolution worldwide around 2054.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rucha Karkarey, Rohan Arthur, Kirsty L. Nash, Morgan S. Pratchett, Mahesh Sankaran, Nicholas A. J. Graham
Summary: Understanding the drivers of biodiversity is crucial for conservation planning in large, connected seascapes. This study examined the patterns of alpha and beta diversity of coral reef fish along the Chagos-Lakshadweep oceanic ridge, and evaluated the influence of geomorphology, environment, and human activities on diversity patterns. The results showed contrasting patterns of species and functional diversity along the ridge, with richness and alpha diversity decreasing towards the north and being influenced by anthropogenic pressures, while beta diversity increased towards the north, along environmental gradients and geographic distance. Species beta diversity was mainly driven by turnover, while functional beta diversity was dominated by nestedness. Geographically distant reefs with high structural complexity were functionally similar, indicating the capacity for maintaining ecological structure despite differences in biodiversity. The findings suggest differentiated management needs for reef fish communities along the Chagos-Lakshadweep ridge.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Binni Qin, Kefu Yu, Xiuling Zuo
Summary: This study evaluated and improved the coral bleaching alert capabilities of two coral bleaching heat stress products, CRW and CoRTAD, and found that CRW performed better than CoRTAD in the South China Sea. However, both products underestimated coral bleaching events using common DHW thresholds. The study proposed a method to evaluate and optimize multi-source coral bleaching heat stress products.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Shou-Yeh Gong, Sze-Chieh Liu, Fernando P. Siringan, Adonis Gallentes, Han-Wei Lin, Chuan-Chou Shen
Summary: Large coral boulders scattered in Pasuquin, northwestern Luzon, Philippines, were likely broken off from the reef edge due to extreme wave events, possibly caused by typhoons. The timing of displacement was reconstructed using 230Th dating of corals found on the surface of the boulders. This study highlights the importance of extreme wave events in shaping coastal landscapes.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Peter J. Edmunds, Craig Didden, Karl Frank
Summary: The study on Porites astreoides in the US Virgin Islands revealed that from 1992 to 2001, the abundance of colonies remained relatively stable while their size increased by 58%; from 2002 to 2019, the population density of colonies increased 2.7-fold, but colony size decreased by 41%. This suggests that while the population of Porites astreoides is increasing, individual sizes are decreasing, possibly due to partial mortality and fission leading to reduced colony sizes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiuling Zuo, Binni Qin, Juncan Teng, Xiaopeng Duan, Kefu Yu, Fenzhen Su
Summary: This study analyzed the heat stress on China's coral reefs in the South China Sea and the Beibu Gulf using an optimized Degree Heating Week (DHW) threshold. The results showed a significant increase in ocean warming rate in these areas, and the optimized threshold predicted more severe bleaching events with higher frequency.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geology
Alexander F. Humphreys, Jochen Halfar, Fernando Rivera, Derek Manzello, Claire E. Reymond, Hildegard Westphal, Bernhard Riegl
Article
Fisheries
Meixia Zhao, Kefu Yu, Qi Shi, Hongqiang Yang, Bernhard Riegl, Qiaomin Zhang, Hongqiang Yan, Tianran Chen, Guohui Liu, Ziyun Lin
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2016)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dawood Shuail, Jorg Wiedenmann, Cecilia D'Angelo, Andrew H. Baird, Morgan S. Pratchett, Bernhard Riegl, John A. Burt, Peter Petrov, Carl Amos
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2016)
Article
Geology
Claire E. Reymond, Konny-Sebastian Zihrul, Jochen Halfar, Bernhard Riegl, Alexander Humphreys, Hildegard Westphal
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andia Chaves-Fonnegra, Bernhard Riegl, Sven Zea, Jose V. Lopez, Tyler Smith, Marilyn Brandt, David S. Gilliam
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Bernhard Riegl, Matthew Johnston, Sam Purkis, Emily Howells, John Burt, Sascha C. C. Steiner, Charles R. C. Sheppard, Andrew Bauman
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Niklas A. Kornder, Bernhard M. Riegl, Joana Figueiredo
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Meixia Zhao, Bernhard Riegl, Kefu Yu, Qi Shi, Qiaomin Zhang, Guohui Liu, Hongqiang Yang, Hongqiang Yan
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2016)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Bernhard Riegl, Peter W. Glynn, Stuart Banks, Inti Keith, Fernando Rivera, Mariana Vera-Zambrano, Cecilia D'Angelo, Joerg Wiedenmann
Correction
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Bernhard Riegl, Peter W. Glynn, Stuart Banks, Inti Keith, Fernando Rivera, Mariana Vera-Zambrano, Cecilia D'Angelo, Joerg Wiedenmann
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernhard Riegl, Matthew Johnston, PeterW Glynn, Inti Keith, Fernando Rivera, Mariana Vera-Zambrano, Stuart Banks, Joshua Feingold, Peter J. Glynn
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2019)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Peter W. Glynn, Brian Coffman, Karim Primov, D. Abigail Renegar, Julie Gross, Patricia Blackwelder, Nicolas Martinez, Joshua Dominguez, Jeongran Vanderwoude, Bernhard M. Riegl
INVERTEBRATE BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Peter W. Glynn, Brian Coffman, Kyle Dettloff, Joshua Dominguez, Phillip R. Gillette, Nicholas Martinez, Nicholas P. Jones, Bernhard M. Riegl
Summary: The non-native eastern Pacific ophiuroid brittle star Ophiothela mirabilis has established widespread and large populations in southeastern Florida, negatively affecting the local endemic benthic ctenophore population and potentially becoming an invasive species.
Article
Archaeology
P. W. Glynn, T. D. Dillehay, P. J. Netherly, B. M. Riegl
Summary: The discovery of a late Pleistocene coral species in the prehistoric Huaca Prieta settlement in Peru raises questions about its origin. Research suggests that it is likely that humans introduced the coral to northern Peru through overland transport.
JOURNAL OF ISLAND & COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Bernhard Riegl, Anna Walentowitz, Christian Sevilla, Rafael Chango, Heinke Jager
Summary: Island florae globally face threats from habitat loss and competition with introduced species. In the Galapagos Islands, the native tree daisy Scalesia pedunculata is being impacted by the invasive blackberry Rubus niveus. A study conducted in Santa Cruz Island evaluated the effects of Rubus niveus removal on Scalesia pedunculata and found that its growth, survival, and recruitment were negatively affected by the presence of the invasive species.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)