Article
Geography, Physical
Noa Weil, Mordechai Stein, Yonathan Shaked, Boaz Lazar, Amotz Agnon
Summary: A new relative sea level curve for the Holocene Gulf of Aqaba is presented based on U-Th ages of corals. The study suggests a coeval rise of sea levels in the Indo-Pacific oceans during the early to mid-Holocene, likely due to ice melting.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cassandra de Alba-Guzman, Alma Paola Rodriguez-Troncoso, Rafael Andres Cabral-Tena, Fabian Alejandro Rodriguez-Zaragoza, Jose de Jesus Adolfo Tortolero-Langarica, Amilcar Levi Cupul-Magana
Summary: Understanding the factors that determine spatio-temporal changes in echinoderm assemblages and their implications for habitat resilience requires considering biodiversity, species evenness, and species' niches. In this study tracking a Central Mexican Pacific echinoderm assemblage from 2012 to 2021, it was found that more heterogeneous benthic assemblages were associated with higher richness, diversity, evenness, and functional entity counts. Echinoderm taxonomic composition was influenced by ENSO events, with higher functional diversity observed during La Niña and SIM;a events. Conservation strategies should prioritize species with unique functional traits to maintain coral community functionality.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
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
Ilysa S. Iglesias, Jarrod A. Santora, Jerome Fiechter, John C. Field
Summary: Mesopelagic fishes play an important role in global carbon export and act as prey to a wide range of predator species. This study examines the significance of mesopelagic fishes as prey in the California Current Ecosystem, revealing their importance to economically valuable and protected species, as well as highlighting the need to incorporate them into food web models and global carbon budgets.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rodulf Anthony T. Balisco, Victor S. Ticzon, Badi R. Samaniego, Wen-Chien Huang, Benjamin J. Gonzales, Te-Yu Liao
Summary: The Palawan archipelago in the Philippines is ecologically important and has high marine biodiversity. However, there is a lack of comprehensive checklist of marine fishes in the area. This paper presents an updated checklist of marine fishes in Palawan waters, including new records and their conservation status. The findings show a total of 1,056 marine fish species, with more recorded in the Sulu Sea than in the West Philippine Sea. This checklist provides crucial information for the protection and conservation of marine fishes in Palawan and neighboring areas.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alaa El-Din H. Sayed, Mohamed Hamed, Ahmed E. A. Badrey, Rania F. Ismail, Yassein A. A. Osman, Alaa G. M. Osman, Hamdy A. M. Soliman
Summary: This study reveals a significant presence of microplastics in the surface water, sediments, and fishes of the Mediterranean and Red seas in Egypt. Higher microplastic abundance was observed at the Ras Gharib station in the Red sea and Damietta and Port Said stations in the Mediterranean sea. Additionally, the study emphasizes the need for measures to reduce plastic influx into marine settings to protect fisheries and marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Feng Wu, Youhua Zhu
Summary: This study quantitatively reconstructs the tectonic and total subsidence history of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea using paleo-water depth constraints. The results show that tectonic subsidence rates were influenced by magmatic intrusion and thermal cooling processes, while total subsidence rates had a significant impact on the formation of reef units.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Kennedy Wolfe, Amelia A. Desbiens, Emma Pietsch, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Observing and sampling cryptic species and their interactions is difficult, but important for understanding poorly described species. This study examines the red decorator crab, Schizophrys aspera, which is a newfound predator of the corallivorous Pacific crown-of-thorns seastar (CoTS). The researchers discuss the distribution and taxonomy of S. aspera and characterize its populations in different areas of the Great Barrier Reef. They also present a method to survey cryptic decapods on coral reefs and predict the distribution and impact of S. aspera in the context of CoTS outbreaks.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Uwe Zajonz, Edouard Lavergne, Sergey Bogorodsky, Friedhelm Krupp
Summary: The study focuses on the distributional biogeography of coastal fish fauna in the Socotra Archipelago and its relation to ichthyogeographic and ecoregional concepts, highlighting close affinities to a putative ecoregion in the eastern Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea coast of Oman. It suggests that the Socotra Archipelago should be considered a distinct ecoregion due to its unique marine diversity levels.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Aislinn Dunne, Darren J. J. Coker, Alexander Kattan, Matthew D. D. Tietbohl, Joanne I. I. Ellis, Burton Jones, Michael Berumen
Summary: Marine vegetated habitats, such as seagrass, mangroves, and macroalgae, provide important habitats for a diversity of fish species, including juvenile and commercially important fish found on coral reefs. This study evaluated the habitat associations of fish species in different vegetated habitats in the Red Sea and found that coral reef fish species utilized macroalgae and seagrass more than mangroves. These habitats offer different combinations of resources, suggesting that a mix of these habitats could support biodiversity and connectivity across the seascape.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Preetha Gopalakrishnan Nair, Shoji Joseph, Narayana Pillai, Vasant Kripa, Mohamed Hatha Ammanamveetil Abdulla
Summary: Microzooplankton plays an important role in transferring microbial food web carbon to small pelagic fishes along the southwest coast of India, including Indian oil sardine, Indian mackerel, and Commerson's anchovy. The diet composition varied among the three fish species, with oil sardine mainly feeding on diatoms, Indian mackerel consuming phytoplankton, microzooplankton and copepods, and Commerson's anchovy primarily relying on a carnivorous diet including copepods, fish eggs, ostracods, lucifers, and microzooplankton. The study concludes that microzooplankton provides nutritional support to small pelagic fishes in the region, but the extent varies depending on the fish species and seasons.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Naroa Aldanondo, Stein Kaartvedt, Xabier Irigoien
Summary: Growth patterns and hatch-date distributions of two mesopelagic Red Sea fishes were analyzed using otolith microstructure analysis. Lower growth rates were observed compared to other mesopelagic fish in similar latitudes, which may be due to low zooplankton concentrations and high water temperatures in the Red Sea. Maurolicus mucronatus grew faster than Vinciguerria mabahiss, and growth differences can be attributed to different vertical distributions and migration patterns. Significant differences in somatic growth between locations were also observed for V. mabahiss, with faster growth at the Kebrit location compared to the Atlantis II station. For V. mabahiss, otolith increment width at age remained similar throughout the hatching times, while for M. mucronatus, growth trajectories were dependent on hatch dates, with earlier cohorts showing higher maximum growth rates. This study provides essential baseline data for understanding the population dynamics of these fishes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Verena H. Wang, Carley R. Zapfe, Frank J. Hernandez
Summary: The study conducted a large-scale characterization of larval fish assemblages in the northern Gulf of Mexico across different depth regions, highlighting higher family-level richness and diversity in the epipelagic zone compared to the mesopelagic and bathypelagic regions. The distribution of larval fishes was mostly influenced by depth, season, and surface environmental conditions, with dominant families found in both the epipelagic and mesopelagic/bathypelagic regions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Mohamed Raafat El-Sayed, Arafah M. M. Emam, Ahmed Elsayed Osman, Mohamed Abd El-Aziz Ahmed Abd El-Galil, Haitham Helmy Sayed
Summary: An investigation was conducted on the occurrence of Psychrobacter glacincola infection in wild marine fishes from the Red sea in Hurghada, Egypt. The prevalence rate of the disease was found to be 6.7%. The recovered isolates were identified as P. glacincola through biochemical and molecular methods, and their pathogenicity and antibiotic sensitivity were studied. Clinical examination of the infected fish revealed various signs and postmortem examination showed congestion of internal organs. The findings contribute to our understanding of pathogenic P. glacincola infection in Egyptian marine fishes.
BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yifang Ma, Yeman Qin, Kefu Yu, Yinqiang Li, Yating Long, Rui Wang, Tianlai Fan, Wei Jiang, Shendong Xu, Jianxin Zhao
Summary: The study investigates the Holocene coral reef development in the northern South China Sea through a drill core, showing that the reef initiated around 7800 years BP and stopped vertical accretion at 3900 years BP due to sea level changes. The research suggests a rapid rise in relative sea level in the region between 7800 and 6000 years BP, followed by a slower rise and stabilization around 2 meters above the present mean sea level by 3900 years BP.
Article
Fisheries
Ashlie J. McIvor, Julia L. Y. Spaet, Collin T. Williams, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: This study compared the suitability of UAV surveys and BRUV surveys for estimating elasmobranch abundance and diversity in the central Red Sea of Saudi Arabia. The results showed that UAV surveys had better spatial coverage and detected a greater number of species, while BRUV surveys were more sensitive in species detection. The study also provided the first insight into elasmobranchs associated with sandflat habitats and highlighted the importance of protecting these habitats.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Freya C. Womersley, Nicolas E. Humphries, Nuno Queiroz, Marisa Vedor, Ivo da Costa, Miguel Furtado, John P. Tyminski, Katya Abrantes, Gonzalo Araujo, Steffen S. Bach, Adam Barnett, Michael L. Berumen, Sandra Bessudo Lion, Camrin D. Braun, Elizabeth Clingham, Jesse E. M. Cochran, Rafael de la Parra, Stella Diamant, Alistair D. M. Dove, Christine L. Dudgeon, Mark Erdmann, Eduardo Espinoza, Richard Fitzpatrick, Jaime Gonzalez Cano, Jonathan R. Green, Hector M. Guzman, Royale Hardenstine, Abdi Hasan, Fabio H. Hazin, Alex R. Hearn, Robert E. Hueter, Mohammed Y. Jaidah, Jessica Labaja, Felipe Ladino, Bruno C. L. Macena, John J. Morris Jr, Bradley M. Norman, Cesar Penaherrera-Palma, Simon J. Pierce, Lina M. Quintero, Deni Ramirez-Macias, Samantha D. Reynolds, Anthony J. Richardson, David P. Robinson, Christoph A. Rohner, David R. L. Rowat, Marcus Sheaves, Mahmood S. Shivji, Abraham B. Sianipar, Gregory B. Skomal, German Soler, Ismail Syakurachman, Simon R. Thorrold, D. Harry Webb, Bradley M. Wetherbee, Timothy D. White, Tyler Clavelle, David A. Kroodsma, Michele Thums, Luciana C. Ferreira, Mark G. Meekan, Lucy M. Arrowsmith, Emily K. Lester, Megan M. Meyers, Lauren R. Peel, Ana M. M. Sequeira, Victor M. Eguiluz, Carlos M. Duarte, David W. Sims
Summary: Marine traffic is increasing globally, but collisions between ships and endangered megafauna are often undetected or unreported. By tracking the movements of whale sharks and vessel activity, it was found that there is a significant overlap between shark's space use and large vessel traffic. High collision risks were observed in major oceans, particularly with cargo and tanker vessels, concentrated in gulf regions where dense traffic coincides with shark movements. This study highlights the importance of mitigating ship-strike risks to protect species like whale sharks from the impact of growing global vessel traffic.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Darren J. Coker, Joseph D. DiBattista, Michael Stat, Roberto Arrigoni, James Reimer, Tullia Terraneo, Rodrigo Villalobos, Jessica P. Nowicki, Michael Bunce, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: Understanding the dietary preferences of different species is crucial for managing and protecting biodiversity. This study used DNA metabarcoding to analyze the stomach contents of Red Sea butterflyfish species and found a higher diversity and resolution in their diet than previously known. The study also revealed significant dietary overlap among different butterflyfish species, with most of their diet consisting of hard and soft corals and symbiotic algae.
Article
Fisheries
Viktor Nunes Peinemann, Lucia Pombo-Ayora, Jesse E. M. Cochran, Fabio Marchese, Giovanni Chimienti, Mattie Rodrigue, Ameer A. Eweida, Paul A. Marshall, Francesca Benzoni, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: In November 2020, a previously unidentified anthiadine fish was discovered in the northern Red Sea, matching the species Sacura boulengeri previously reported in the Gulf of Oman to India.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Walter A. Rich, Susana Carvalho, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: Ocean warming leads to more frequent coral bleaching events, but cold stress can also induce bleaching. A rare boreal winter bleaching event was observed in the central Red Sea in January 2020, possibly caused by low tide, low temperatures, and seasonal sea level fluctuations.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Vanessa Robitzch, Pablo Saenz-Agudelo, Tilman J. Alpermann, Bruno Frederich, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: This study investigated the genetic structure and differentiation of two fish species across multiple marine biogeographical provinces in the Arabian Peninsula. It identified potential barriers to gene flow and found that genetic differentiation was influenced by environmental differences and selective pressure, with stronger structure at smaller geographical scales. These findings provide insights into how biogeographical factors shape species populations and contribute to their differing biogeographies.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lyndsey K. Tanabe, Jesse E. M. Cochran, Royale S. Hardenstine, Kirsty Scott, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: Plastic production has increased, leading to more plastic pollution in marine ecosystems. Ingested plastics can cause harm to living organisms, including sea turtles. This study analyzed the gastrointestinal tracts of ten sea turtles in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea and found that 40% of them had ingested plastics. This highlights the need for conservation efforts to remove plastics from the sea and prevent further pollution.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lyndsey K. K. Tanabe, Jesse E. M. Cochran, Collin T. T. Williams, Francesco Garzon, Ute Langner, Royale S. S. Hardenstine, Lucy A. A. Hawkes, Russell E. E. Brainard, Ameer A. A. Eweida, Paul A. A. Marshall, Michael L. L. Berumen
Summary: Understanding the movement and habitat use patterns of hawksbill turtles in the environmentally unique Red Sea is crucial for effective conservation strategies, especially with coastal development projects underway. By satellite tagging three turtles, it was found that they showed high fidelity to their foraging sites and provided the first-ever reported tracking data of hawksbill turtles in the Red Sea. Protecting coral reef habitats and implementing boating speed limits near reefs could be effective measures for the conservation of foraging hawksbill turtles.
ANIMAL BIOTELEMETRY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Roberto Arrigoni, Jaroslaw Stolarski, Tullia I. Terraneo, Bert W. Hoeksema, Michael L. Berumen, Claude Payri, Simone Montano
Summary: This study investigated the taxonomy and phylogeny of the reef-building zooxanthellate scleractinian corals in the family Euphylliidae. Through analyzing genetic and morphological data, the research demonstrated that the classification results were consistent. A previously unrecognized genus, Coeloseris, was found to belong to the Euphylliidae. Updated morphological diagnoses were provided for each investigated genus. The study showed that a combined morpho-molecular approach can achieve a phylogenetic classification of scleractinian corals.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Aislinn Dunne, Darren J. J. Coker, Alexander Kattan, Matthew D. D. Tietbohl, Joanne I. I. Ellis, Burton Jones, Michael Berumen
Summary: Marine vegetated habitats, such as seagrass, mangroves, and macroalgae, provide important habitats for a diversity of fish species, including juvenile and commercially important fish found on coral reefs. This study evaluated the habitat associations of fish species in different vegetated habitats in the Red Sea and found that coral reef fish species utilized macroalgae and seagrass more than mangroves. These habitats offer different combinations of resources, suggesting that a mix of these habitats could support biodiversity and connectivity across the seascape.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aislinn F. Dunne, Matthew D. Tietbohl, Clara Nuber, Michael Berumen, Burton H. Jones
Summary: We examined the gut contents of two herbivorous fish species (Naso elegans and N. unicornis) from coral reefs in the central Red Sea and found that up to 41% of their stomach contents were Sargassum, especially on inshore reefs close to macroalgae canopies. Little to no Sargassum was found in fish on offshore reefs farther from macroalgae canopies. Based on consumption and excretion rates, it is estimated that these fish contribute significant amounts of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to inshore reefs through Sargassum consumption. This study highlights the importance of fish as vectors of nutrition to nutrient-poor coral reefs.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biology
H. B. Harrison, L. Drane, M. L. Berumen, B. J. Cresswell, R. D. Evans, G. F. Galbraith, M. Srinivasan, B. M. Taylor, D. H. Williamson, G. P. Jones
Summary: Temporal patterns in spawning and juvenile recruitment of coral reef fishes have significant impacts on population size and demographic structure. The study focuses on the commercially important coral grouper and reveals year-round spawning activity with variable peak spawning times and no clear association with environmental cues. The findings suggest the need for additional and longer seasonal closures or alternative fisheries management strategies to maximize recruitment contribution during periods of greatest reproductive success.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Simon J. Brandl, Lee A. Weigt, Diane E. Pitassy, Darren J. Coker, Christopher J. Patrick, Matheus H. Luchese, Michael L. Berumen, Edward J. Buskey, Jordan M. Casey, Maikon Di Domenico, Marcelo Soeth, Zachary M. Topor, J. Emmett Duffy, Carole C. Baldwin, Mary Hagedorn, Lynne R. Parenti
Summary: Biodiversity inventories and monitoring techniques for marine fishes often overlook small cryptobenthic fishes. We developed a standardized, quantitative survey method (FARMS) for sampling cryptobenthic fishes in various habitats. FARMS attracted distinct communities of native cryptobenthic fishes and can be used as a complementary technique to survey fishes in aquatic ecosystems.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biology
Susana Carvalho, Hailey Shchepanik, Eva Aylagas, Michael L. Berumen, Filipe O. Costa, Mark John Costello, Sofia Duarte, Jasmine Ferrario, Oliver Floerl, Moritz Heinle, Stelios Katsanevakis, Agnese Marchini, Sergej Olenin, John K. Pearman, Raquel S. Peixoto, Lotfi J. Rabaoui, Greg Ruiz, Greta Srebaliene, Thomas W. Therriault, Pedro E. Vieira, Anastasija Zaiko
Summary: Managing marine nonindigenous species is challenging due to the highly connected marine environments that allow for the dispersal of species across geopolitical borders. Inconsistent biosecurity management across borders can lead to the spread of nonindigenous species, often unnoticed or unreported. Collaborative surveillance programs and databases can enhance early detection and information exchange, while local reference libraries, databases, and predictive modeling can aid in biosecurity program development.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lyndsey K. Tanabe, Jesse E. M. Cochran, Michael L. Berumen
Summary: Sea turtles have distinct nesting and foraging areas that are often separated by long distances. Telemetry is a crucial tool for tracking their migrations, but tagging efforts are mostly focused on a few large rookeries in a specific region. In the Red Sea, for example, turtle tagging has mainly been done in the northern part of the basin. In this study, we tagged five green turtles at a nesting site in the central-southern Red Sea and tracked their movements for several months. The turtles showed high site-fidelity during the inter-nesting period and migrated up to 1100 km to foraging locations in three different countries after nesting.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)