Article
Environmental Sciences
Lauriane Ribas-Deulofeu, Pierre-Alexandre Chateau, Vianney Denis, Chaolun Allen Chen
Summary: This study proposed a new method to estimate reef structural complexity, which can quantify the contributions of fine and coarse rugosities. Compared to current methods, this approach considers multiple levels of reef rugosity and provides a better understanding of the structural characteristics of reefs. Relationships were also found between reef rugosity and specific functional groups within the benthic community.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michelle C. Platz, Mauricio E. Arias, Robert H. Byrne
Summary: This paper proposes the use of metabolism measurement tools and methods to monitor changes in reef ecosystem in response to coral restoration. It provides an introduction to net ecosystem metabolism and carbon chemistry in coral reef ecosystems, and reviews five metabolism monitoring methods with potential for application to coral reef restoration monitoring.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Abigail Engleman, Kieran Cox, Sandra Brooke
Summary: The study highlights the contribution of dead coral to reef complexity and the potential implications for coral reef conservation. Dead coral maintains more varied profile curvatures and higher fractal dimensions compared to live or non-coral substrate, providing alternative insights into the mechanisms driving structural complexity on reefs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Floortje E. Roelvink, Curt D. Storlazzi, Ap R. van Dongeren, Stuart G. Pearson
Summary: The study shows that broader and shallower coral restoration projects are most effective in reducing wave-driven flooding, such as those on the upper fore reef and between the reef flat and shoreline, compared to deeper locations on the fore reef or at the reef crest. It suggests that planting more physically robust coral species in shallower and more energetic locations can increase the coastal hazard risk reduction potential of reef restoration.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
William S. Fisher
Summary: The goal of coral reef management is to provide habitat for fish populations, and it requires reliable methods to characterize reef features that contribute to fish habitat. By examining data from broad-area reef surveys, correlations were found between fish population measures and physical coral features, particularly coral colony height. Characterizing this relationship will improve fishery management tools and support assessment of the decline in the physical stature of reefs worldwide.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joshua S. Madin, Michael McWilliam, Kate Quigley, Line K. Bay, David Bellwood, Christopher Doropoulos, Leanne Fernandes, Peter Harrison, Andrew S. Hoey, Peter J. Mumby, Juan C. Ortiz, Zoe T. Richards, Cynthia Riginos, Nina M. D. Schiettekatte, David J. Suggett, Madeleine J. H. van Oppen
Summary: Humans have focused on restoring species, but little attention has been given to selecting the best subset of foundation species for maintaining threatened ecosystems. We propose a two-part hedging approach that prioritizes phenotypic traits and ecological characteristics. By applying this approach to reef building corals, we found that current restoration programs could be improved by including species with different traits.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Baruch Rinkevich
Summary: The need to enhance the adaptive potential of corals in the face of unceasing climate change and anthropogenic impacts has led to the successful approach of 'coral gardening' for restoring degraded reefs. This method is structured within a hierarchical list of five encircling tiers, focusing on the nursery phase and including activities such as coral mariculture and ecological engineering. The key importance of adaptation-based reef restoration (ABRR), which includes phenotypic plasticity and assisted migration among other classes, is emphasized for enhancing coral adaptation to climate change.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caroline B. Randi, Ana Clara Becker, Maria Julia Willemes, Chris T. Perry, Leonardo Tavares Salgado, Rodrigo Tomazetto de Carvalho, Fabio S. Motta, Rodrigo Leao de Moura, Fernando Coreixas de Moraes, Guilherme H. Pereira-Filho
Summary: Recent research indicates that the well-known South Atlantic coral reefs have ceased vertical growth and are dominated by non-coral calcifying organisms. In the southernmost subtropical Atlantic reef, calcareous algae and bryozoans play a key role in limiting erosion and maintaining the stability of the reef structure.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Baruch Rinkevich
Summary: The accelerated effects of climate change and increased anthropogenic pressures highlight the need for active reef restoration tactics, supported by ecological engineering approaches. Research in this area is limited, but future focus should shift towards creating novel ecosystems that did not exist before.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Lauretta Burke, Mark Spalding
Summary: Coral reefs play a vital role in protecting coastal areas from flooding and erosion by reducing wave energy. Research shows that 26% of the coastline in coral reef nations receive protection benefits, safeguarding over 5.3 million people and $109 billion of GDP.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiwei Li, Gregory P. Asner
Summary: Three-dimensional shallow benthic complexity provides valuable information for coral reef conservation and management, as it reflects the physical conditions and biodiversity of shallow coral reef environments. This study mapped global shallow water benthic complexity using satellite images and found that high complexity regions are mainly concentrated in areas with high benthic biodiversity. However, a significant portion of coral reef regions with high benthic complexity remains unprotected. The global coral reef benthic complexity map generated in this study can contribute to improving marine protected areas, reef conservation, and management.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Oceanography
Chhaya Chaudhary, Joan M. Alfaro-Lucas, Marianna V. P. Simo, Angelika Brandt, Hanieh Saeedi
Summary: Coral reefs are the most diverse marine ecosystem and understanding their response to climate change is crucial. Currently, there are no global predictions about potential ecosystem changes and species' climatic suitability. Predicting changes in species' suitability under increasing temperature is essential for understanding the ecosystem coherence and discrepancies.
PROGRESS IN OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Suman Nama, Ashna Shanmughan, Binaya Bhusan Nayak, Shashi Bhushan, Karankumar Ramteke
Summary: Coral reefs, as the most spectacular underwater creation, play crucial roles in ecosystem functioning and coastal community livelihood. However, marine debris poses a severe threat to these sensitive habitats and their associated organisms. Despite scientific attention, data regarding the sources, abundance, distribution, and potential consequences of marine debris on reef ecosystems are lacking. This review aims to provide an overview of the current status and impacts of marine debris, with emphasis on sources, distribution, affected species, and management strategies, as well as highlighting the adhesion mechanisms and diseases caused by microplastics to coral polyps.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Mai Lazarus, Jonathan Belmaker
Summary: Several common indices captured similar complexity facets, while an innovative family of structural diversity indices, representing the diversity of physical elements, captured distinct complexity facets not represented by existing indices. No single index was consistently superior; however, vertical relief was consistently included as a top predictor of fish assemblage structure. Interestingly, the most commonly used index, rugosity, was a poor predictor.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tim Rice McClanahan, Maxwell Kodia Azali
Summary: Current coral reef future models rely on threshold (TM) and multivariate environmental variability models (VM), with VM based on General Additive Model showing more accurate predictions for coral cover by considering significant environmental and fisheries management variables and determining that common predictive variables are weak or not significant predictors of coral cover. By comparing the predictions of the two models for future coral cover, it was found that the VM is more accurate than the TM in predicting coral cover in 2050.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
