Article
Environmental Sciences
Dana E. Williams, Allan J. Bright, Olivia M. Williamson, Amelia Moura, Mark C. Ladd
Summary: This article provides the first reports of spawning activity by outplanted Acropora palmata colonies on reefs in Florida, USA. The observation of light spawning from A. palmata colonies in 2021 and 2022 indicates that restoration efforts for A. palmata may be close to achieving self-sustaining populations that can produce viable larvae. The gametes collected from the outplanted colonies yielded high fertilization rates and viable larvae, suggesting the potential for an increase in the population's genotypic diversity upon successful recruitment to the reef.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Harmony A. Martell, Richard C. Zimmerman
Summary: The study found that acute heat exposure leads to a more pronounced physiological decline in corals despite lower thermal doses, while placing temperature exposures in degree heating times can better compare differences in physiological metabolism. When temperatures exceed 32 degrees Celsius, the ratio of daily gross photosynthesis to respiration fell below 1 in corals.
Article
Ecology
Harmony A. Martell
Summary: Research shows that stony corals have stress memory, but the costs and benefits are still unclear. By conducting experiments, it was found that different doses of thermal stress have a linear impact on symbiont density and chlorophyll in corals, but low doses can actually increase symbiont retention, which exhibits hormesis. This study is important for coral recovery and conservation.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Madeline L. Kaufman, Emily Watkins, Ruben van Hooidonk, Andrew C. Baker, Diego Lirman
Summary: Anthropogenic climate change poses the biggest threat to coral reefs, but efforts to restore these ecosystems are helping to buy time. Research shows that lesion recovery is crucial for colony survival, with significant variability in healing observed among different genets of Acropora cervicornis from Florida reefs with varying thermal regimes. Results indicate that temperature stress significantly slows down lesion recovery, with corals from warmer reefs showing greater healing potential under heat stress compared to corals from cooler reefs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Raymond B. Banister, Robert van Woesik
Summary: An integrated Bayesian approach was used to determine which Florida reefs ranked highest in terms of Acropora cervicornis colony survival from 2012 to 2018. Results showed highly variable survival rates in different regions and reefs, with lower survival rates in reefs exposed to high wave energy and higher rates in Biscayne Bay. Spatial latent effects of low survival were detected, particularly between 2015 and 2017 in the middle and upper Florida Keys, emphasizing the need for strategic outplanting of nursery-reared colonies to optimize coral population recovery in Florida.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wyatt C. Million, Maria Ruggeri, Sibelle O'Donnell, Erich Bartels, Trinity Conn, Cory J. Krediet, Carly D. Kenkel
Summary: Genotype-by-environment interactions are crucial for the persistence and restoration strategies of tropical coral reefs. Through a transplant experiment on Acropora cervicornis, we found significant GxE effects on coral size, shape, and survivorship, with individual-level morphological plasticity positively influencing growth and survival.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Dayana Rada-Osorio, Luis A. Gomez-Lemos, Rocio Garcia-Uruena
Summary: This study aimed to document the early life history of A. cervicornis, finding that embryogenesis lasted for 63 hours and larvae began to settle 8 days after fertilization. There were no significant differences in settlement between surfaces, but survival on rugose surfaces was lower due to sediment accumulation and turf algae.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Johanna Calle-Trivino, Aaron Israel Muniz-Castillo, Camilo Cortes-Useche, Megan Morikawa, Rita Sellares-Blasco, Jesus Ernesto Arias-Gonzalez
Summary: Research has shown that in the process of coral reef restoration, the impact of outplanted coral colonies on environmental ecological function is positive, which can promote the recovery of coral reef ecosystems and enhance ecological functions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathleen Lugo Charriez, Leila Soledade Lemos, Yailee Carrazana, Javier A. Rodriguez-Casariego, Jose M. Eirin-Lopez, Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, Piero Gardinali, Natalia Quinete
Summary: A lipidomic approach was developed in staghorn corals by comparing different solvent mixtures, with the more efficient BUME method selected for extracting polar lipids. Application of this method to various coral mass samples showed non-significant differences in lipid classes and compounds, suggesting its successful potential for coral assessments under climate change context with minimal sample masses and environmental impact.
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hanna R. R. Koch, Yuen Azu, Erich Bartels, Erinn M. M. Muller
Summary: As assisted sexual reproduction becomes more common in coral reef restoration, understanding the trade-offs between reproductive output and disease resistance is crucial. This study assessed the reproductive output of A. cervicornis genets with known disease resistance or susceptibility and found a positive correlation between colony size and fecundity, as well as a negative correlation between disease susceptibility and oocyte size. These findings are important for population management and active restoration efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hanna R. R. Koch, Briana Matthews, Celia Leto, Cody Engelsma, Erich Bartels
Summary: With the decline of coral reefs worldwide, there is increased investment in restoration-based interventions, including asexual and sexual propagation. Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is dedicated to the conservation and restoration of Florida's Coral Reef and is performing critical research and restoration activities related to assisted sexual reproduction (ASR). The study aims to optimize ASR of Acropora cervicornis and provides detailed protocols and general recommendations based on years of experience in coral sexual propagation.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cheryl Hankins, Elizabeth Moso, Danielle Lasseigne
Summary: Experimental results show that the intake of microplastics by scleractinian coral is influenced by environmental factors, and long-term exposure has negative effects on their growth responses.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Karen L. Neely, Kevin A. Macaulay, Kate S. Lunz
Summary: The decline and causes of decline of Acropora palmata population have been studied in this research. The analysis takes into account site, habitat, seasonal, and annual variability, and indicates that the population trajectories and stressors of A. palmata can differ significantly between sites. The study also finds that there are notable differences in stressors between the forereef and backreef environments, and habitat should be considered as an important variable in assessing A. palmata populations.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ana M. Palacio-Castro, Caroline E. Dennison, Stephanie M. Rosales, Andrew C. Baker
Summary: The study shows that the response of different coral species to heat stress is influenced by their algal symbiont community, and higher nutrient levels may make them more susceptible to these impacts. Acropora cervicornis is highly sensitive to the combination of high temperature and nutrients, while Orbicella faveolata and Siderastrea siderea demonstrate more stable responses.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Joseph D. D. Unsworth, Dalton Hesley, Martine D'Alessandro, Jane V. V. Carrick, Madeline Kaufman, Nicolas Rivas, Diego Lirman
Summary: A primary objective of coral restoration is to develop large, sexually reproductive colonies for reseeding degraded reefs. However, Acropora cervicornis restoration usually involves outplanting large individuals spaced apart, which contrasts with the species' tendency to form dense thickets with multiple colonies and genotypes nearby. This study found that outplanting dense clusters of small, monoclonal fragments spaced closely together had equivalent growth and higher survivorship compared to large individuals, regardless of genotypic diversity. These findings support the use of dense, polyclonal clusters for cultivating large, resilient A. cervicornis colonies.
Article
Ecology
Matthew Ware, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Steven G. Smith, Dione W. Swanson, Mark Chiappone, Steven L. Miller, Jerald S. Ault
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2011)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Natalie E. Wildermann, Christian Gredzens, Larisa Avens, Hector A. Barrios-Garrido, Ian Bell, Janice Blumenthal, Alan B. Bolten, Joanne Braun McNeill, Paolo Casale, Maikon Di Domenico, Camila Domit, Sheryan P. Epperly, Matthew H. Godfrey, Brendan J. Godley, Victoria Gonzalez-Carman, Mark Hamann, Kristen M. Hart, Takashi Ishihara, Kate L. Mansfield, Tasha L. Metz, Jeffrey D. Miller, Nicolas J. Pilcher, Mark A. Read, Christopher Sasso, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Erin E. Seney, Amanda Southwood Williard, Jesus Tomas, Gabriela M. Velez-Rubio, Matthew Ware, Jessica L. Williams, Jeanette Wyneken, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2018)
Article
Zoology
Matthew Ware, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Oceanography
Matthew Ware, Joseph W. Long, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes, Matthew H. Godfrey, Donna Shaver, Simona Ceriani, Christian Gredzens, Ruth Boettcher, Dianne Ingram, Matthew Ware, Natalie Wildermann
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Matthew Ware, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jeroen Ingels, Yirina Valdes, Leticia P. Pontes, Alexsandra C. Silva, Patricia F. Neres, Gustavo V. V. Correa, Ian Silver-Gorges, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes, Anthony Gillis, Lindsay Hooper, Matthew Ware, Carrie O'Reilly, Quintin Bergman, Julia Danyuk, Sofia Sanchez Zarate, Laura I. Acevedo Natale, Giovanni A. P. dos Santos
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ian Silver-Gorges, Simona A. Ceriani, Matthew Ware, Megan Lamb, Margaret Lamont, Janice Becker, Raymond R. Carthy, Chris Matechik, Joseph Mitchell, Raya Pruner, Mike Reynolds, Bradley Smith, Caitlin Snyder, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
Summary: Efforts to focus on the most impactful disturbances at just five sites could increase annual hatchling production by 2.2-6.7% for the Northern Gulf of Mexico loggerheads. Ongoing efforts to mitigate washovers and washouts in Alabama may not be effective against tropical cyclones, which accounted for >80% of washouts in the present study. Further research is needed to understand the adverse side-effects of management actions on predation.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Tabitha R. Siegfried, Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes, Matthew Ware, Nathan J. Robinson, Emma Roberto, Joseph R. Piacenza, Susan E. Piacenza
Summary: SVCS can accurately measure sea turtle body size, with the distance between the camera and the turtle being the primary factor influencing measurement error.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew Ware, Simona Ceriani, Joseph Long, Mariana Fuentes
Summary: Wave wash-over poses a significant threat to sea turtle nests, with potential impact on hatching success and hatchling productivity. Assessment of wave exposure and identification of priority locations for protection or management strategies are crucial for sea turtle conservation efforts.
Article
Environmental Studies
Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes, Zoe A. Meletis, Natalie E. Wildermann, Matthew Ware
Summary: Conservation strategies are needed to reduce vessel strikes on sea turtles, with stakeholder perspectives being crucial for success. Results from a multi-step approach suggest that community support is more likely if interventions are voluntary, overlap with existing measures, and are accompanied by explanatory materials. Boater buy-in and compliance vary, highlighting the need to engage this demographic effectively for successful sea turtle conservation.
Article
Limnology
JJ Leichter, HL Stewart, SL Miller
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2003)