Article
Environmental Sciences
A. E. Lawman, S. G. Dee, K. L. DeLong, A. M. S. Correa
Summary: Rising temperatures and ocean acidification due to climate change pose significant threats to coral reef ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean Sea. The decline in coral reefs since the 1970s has been substantial, with few reefs still exhibiting healthy coral cover. This study uses climate model simulations to assess the individual impacts of climate stressors on corals and highlights the need for mitigation efforts to protect these ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alice E. Webb, Ian C. Enochs, Ruben van Hooidonk, Rene M. van Wester, Nicole Besemer, Graham Kolodzier, T. Shay Viehman, Derek P. Manzello
Summary: In order for reef frameworks to persist, the production of calcium carbonate by corals and other calcifying organisms must exceed the losses caused by erosion. However, this balance is currently threatened by ocean warming and acidification. A modelling approach was developed to forecast habitat persistence under different emission scenarios and to examine the effects of restoration and coral thermal adaptation. The results showed that net carbonate production declines once the threshold for severe bleaching is reached, but mitigation and adaptation can delay the switch from net accretion to erosion.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katie L. Barott, Ariana S. Huffmyer, Jennifer M. Davidson, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Shayle B. Matsuda, Joshua R. Hancock, Teegan Innis, Crawford Drury, Hollie M. Putnam, Ruth D. Gates
Summary: Urgent action is needed to prevent coral reef demise due to climate crisis. Propagating climate change-resistant corals to restore degraded reefs is promising, as demonstrated in a study showing no alteration in coral heat stress response after transplantation. Growth was found to be highly plastic, with coral metabolic rates and fitness increasing in reefs with higher flow and salinity, indicating acclimatization within just 3 months. Outplanting bleaching-resistant corals is a promising tool for elevating the resistance of coral populations to ocean warming.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Courtney N. Klepac, Katherine R. Eaton, Chelsea G. Petrik, Lindsay N. Arick, Emily R. Hall, Erinn M. Muller
Summary: The decline of coral health and loss of coral cover in Florida's Coral Reef are caused by both local stressors, such as degraded water quality and disease outbreaks, and anthropogenically driven global stressors, including ocean warming and acidification. To restore degraded reef habitats, intervention strategies need to consider the influence of ocean warming and acidification on coral health and select resistant or resilient coral species and individual genotypes. This study examined the physiological responses of threatened reef-building corals to experimentally elevated water temperatures and pCO(2) levels, finding differential responses by coral species and associated algal symbionts. High genetic variation in nursery-reared corals contributes to variable warming-acidification responses, suggesting the importance of genetic diversity in coral restoration efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shannon G. Klein, Nathan R. Geraldi, Andrea Anton, Sebastian Schmidt-Roach, Maren Ziegler, Maha J. Cziesielski, Cecilia Martin, Nils Radecker, Thomas L. Frolicher, Peter J. Mumby, John M. Pandolfi, David J. Suggett, Christian R. Voolstra, Manuel Aranda, Carlos M. Duarte
Summary: Research projected future impacts of marine heatwaves and ocean acidification on coral reefs, showing that OA may have minor effects on moderating coral responses to intensifying MHWs but could still lead to decreases in photosynthesis and survival. Rapid adaptation or acclimatization of corals to projected ocean conditions is crucial for their survival, especially under low emissions scenarios and increased reef management efforts to enhance resilience.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ariel K. Pezner, Travis A. Courtney, Hannah C. Barkley, Wen-Chen Chou, Hui-Chuan Chu, Samantha M. Clements, Tyler Cyronak, Michael D. DeGrandpre, Samuel A. H. Kekuewa, David I. Kline, Yi-Bei Liang, Todd R. Martz, Satoshi Mitarai, Heather N. Page, Max S. Rintoul, Jennifer E. Smith, Keryea Soong, Yuichiro Takeshita, Martin Tresguerres, Yi Wei, Kimberly K. Yates, Andreas J. Andersson
Summary: Using data from 32 representative reef sites, the authors find that hypoxia is already widespread on coral reefs. Under future scenarios of ocean warming and deoxygenation, the duration, intensity, and severity of hypoxia will increase, with a significant proportion of reefs facing severe hypoxia. This projected oxygen loss could have negative consequences for coral reef taxa due to the important role of oxygen in organism functioning and fitness.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Kristina K. Beck, Gertraud M. Schmidt-Grieb, Jurgen Laudien, Guenter Foersterra, Verena Haeussermann, Humberto E. Gonzalez, Juan Pablo Espinoza, Claudio Richter, Marlene Wall
Summary: The cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus in the Comau Fjord of Chile benefits from stable environmental conditions and shows high adaptability to new environments. Additionally, there is an inverse relationship between coral fitness and environmental variability.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Celia Schunter, Michael D. Jarrold, Philip L. Munday, Timothy Ravasi
Summary: The study found that in a stable elevated pCO(2) environment, both species of coral reef fishes showed a consistent brain molecular response, including the downregulation of immediate early genes. The transcriptional program was more strongly affected by higher average pCO(2) in stable conditions. The largest difference in molecular response was between stable and fluctuating pCO(2) treatments, indicating that the response to environmental pCO(2) conditions differs for organisms living in fluctuating versus stable environments.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Louise P. Cameron, Claire E. Reymond, Jelle Bijma, Janina Buescher, Dirk De Beer, Maxence Guillermic, Robert A. Eagle, John Gunnell, Fiona Mueller-Lundin, Gertraud M. Schmidt-Grieb, Isaac Westfield, Hildegard Westphal, Justin B. Ries
Summary: This study investigates the complex responses of corals to global change. The results suggest that tropical corals exhibit a reduced calcification response to increased pCO(2) when they lose their symbionts under high-temperature treatments. In contrast, a cold-water coral shows a negative calcification response to increasing pCO(2), which is partially alleviated under elevated temperature. All corals are able to elevate the pH of their calcifying fluid under increased pCO(2).
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. E. Cryer, C. Schlosser, N. Allison
Summary: The decrease in ocean pH and the presence of dissolved copper have negative impacts on the calcification, photosynthesis, and respiration of the tropical Stylophora pistillata coral. The effects are amplified when both stressors are combined.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Florita Flores, Joseane A. Marques, Sven Uthicke, Rebecca Fisher, Frances Patel, Sarit Kaserzon, Andrew P. Negri
Summary: This study found that the Great Barrier Reef is negatively impacted by the combined effects of the contaminant diuron and climate change, particularly affecting the physiological responses of corals, with photosynthesis being significantly affected. It suggests that water quality guideline values may need to be adjusted as climate conditions change.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fiorella Prada, Leonardo Brizi, Silvia Franzellitti, Stefano Mengoli, Simona Fermani, Iryna Polishchuk, Nicola Baraldi, Francesco Ricci, Quinzia Palazzo, Erik Caroselli, Boaz Pokroy, Loris Giorgini, Zvy Dubinsky, Paola Fantazzini, Giuseppe Falini, Stefano Goffredo, Katharina E. Fabricius
Summary: This study found that four tropical zooxanthellate corals from Papua New Guinea underwater volcanic vent system exhibit increased skeletal porosity and changes in organic matrix and water content under long-term exposure to OA, suggesting a common phenotypic response to environmental pressures.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Valentine Meunier, Sophie Bonnet, Mercedes Camps, Mar Benavides, Jeff Dubosc, Riccardo Rodolfo-Metalpa, Fanny Houlbreque
Summary: Over the past decade, coral bleaching events have continued to occur and worsen. Feeding corals with planktonic diazotrophs (PD) can help them survive under high temperature stress and promote their growth. PDs provide an alternative source of bioavailable nitrogen and carbon, playing an important role in the recovery of coral bleaching.
Article
Biology
Michael P. Lesser
Summary: Coral reefs are facing extreme environmental pressure from climate change and eutrophication. Changes in nutrient balance may increase coral mortality, while eutrophication can lead to shifts in coral reefs dominated by macroalgae. The effects of eutrophication are compounded by the presence of chemical pollutants, making it difficult to separate their impact from that of climate change on coral reefs.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Colleen B. Bove, Sarah W. Davies, Justin B. Ries, James Umbanhowar, Bailey C. Thomasson, Elizabeth B. Farquhar, Jess A. McCoppin, Karl D. Castillo
Summary: Global change driven by anthropogenic carbon emissions is causing unprecedented alterations to ecosystems, particularly coral reefs. A study on the physiological responses of three Caribbean coral species reveals that ocean warming and acidification have varying impacts on coral health, with different species exhibiting different responses to these stressors.
Article
Limnology
Mohammad Ghiasian, Jane Carrick, Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos, Brian Haus, Andrew C. Baker, Diego Lirman
Summary: The study examines the impacts of climate hazards on coastal cities and the effectiveness of both natural and engineered defense measures, revealing that artificial reefs can effectively reduce wave height and energy, while adding coral skeletons can further mitigate wave impacts, enhancing coastal resilience.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY-METHODS
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Florentine Riquet, Aurelien Japaud, Flavia L. D. Nunes, Xaymara M. Serrano, Andrew C. Baker, Etienne Bezault, Claude Bouchon, Cecile Fauvelot
Summary: The mustard hill coral Porites astreoides has recently experienced an increase in relative coverage across its distribution range in the Caribbean. The genetic structure of P. astreoides shows a complex spatial pattern, with both genetic homogeneity and differentiation existing simultaneously, possibly due to mixed reproductive strategies, among other factors.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Mohammad Ghiasian, Jane Carrick, Claire Bisson, Brian K. Haus, Andrew C. Baker, Diego Lirman, Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos
Summary: Coral skeletons reduce wave transmission and increase wave-energy dissipation, with the amount depending on the hydrodynamic conditions and relative geometrical characteristics of the reef. The trapezoidal artificial coral reef model was found to reduce up to 98% of the wave energy with the coral contribution estimated to be up to 56% of the total wave-energy dissipation. Depending on the conditions, coral skeletons can thus enhance significantly, through friction, the wave-reducing capability of a reef.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Melissa Melendez, Joseph Salisbury, Dwight Gledhill, Chris Langdon, Julio M. Morell, Derek Manzello, Adrienne Sutton
Summary: The study presents a quantitative approach to analyze the metabolic processes of coral reef ecosystems and demonstrates the impacts of ocean acidification using long-term observational data. The dominant metabolic processes were net respiration and net dissolution, and the net ecosystem calcification rates were found to be relatively low. The results suggest that net ecosystem production plays a significant role in net ecosystem calcification.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Javier A. Rodriguez-Casariego, Ross Cunning, Andrew C. Baker, Jose M. Eirin-Lopez
Summary: The study shows that changes in algal symbionts favoring more heat tolerant associations lead to significant modifications in DNA methylation in the coral host, suggesting a crucial role of symbionts in coral adaptation to heat stress.
Article
Biology
Ross Cunning, Katherine E. Parker, Kelsey Johnson-Sapp, Richard F. Karp, Alexandra D. Wen, Olivia M. Williamson, Erich Bartels, Martine D'Alessandro, David S. Gilliam, Grace Hanson, Jessica Levy, Diego Lirman, Kerry Maxwell, Wyatt C. Million, Alison L. Moulding, Amelia Moura, Erinn M. Muller, Ken Nedimyer, Brian Reckenbeil, Ruben van Hooidonk, Craig Dahlgren, Carly Kenkel, John E. Parkinson, Andrew C. Baker
Summary: The study conducted rapid, standardized heat tolerance assays on 229 colonies of Acropora cervicornis using coral bleaching automated stress systems, revealing a broad thermal tolerance range among individuals within the population, with highly reproducible rankings across independent tests. This suggests a potentially dominant role of fixed genetic effects in setting thermal tolerance and widespread distribution of tolerant individuals.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Li-Qing Jiang, Denis Pierrot, Rik Wanninkhof, Richard A. Feely, Bronte Tilbrook, Simone Alin, Leticia Barbero, Robert H. Byrne, Brendan R. Carter, Andrew G. Dickson, Jean-Pierre Gattuso, Dana Greeley, Mario Hoppema, Matthew P. Humphreys, Johannes Karstensen, Nico Lange, Siv K. Lauvset, Ernie R. Lewis, Are Olsen, Fiz F. Perez, Christopher Sabine, Jonathan D. Sharp, Toste Tanhua, Thomas W. Trull, Anton Velo, Andrew J. Allegra, Paul Barker, Eugene Burger, Wei-Jun Cai, Chen-Tung A. Chen, Jessica Cross, Hernan Garcia, Jose Martin Hernandez-Ayon, Xinping Hu, Alex Kozyr, Chris Langdon, Kitack Lee, Joe Salisbury, Zhaohui Aleck Wang, Liang Xue
Summary: Effective data management is crucial for oceanographic research, and this article introduces new and updated best practice data standards for discrete chemical oceanographic observations. These standards cover column header abbreviations, quality control flags, missing value indicators, and standardized calculation of certain properties. The aim is to improve current practices, promote international usage, and facilitate data sharing and permanent archiving for better research in ocean biogeochemistry.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Olivia M. Williamson, Caroline E. Dennison, Keri L. O'Neil, Andrew C. Baker
Summary: This study investigated the susceptibility and potential resilience of two coral recruits to SCTLD. The results showed that Colpophyllia natans recruits were more susceptible to SCTLD compared to Diploria labyrinthiformis recruits, and larger recruits and chimeras had higher survivorship. However, both species of recruits were unable to develop absolute resistance even after repeated exposures. This study highlights the importance of understanding the impact of SCTLD on coral recruits and its implications for reef restoration efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ana M. Palacio-Castro, Stephanie M. Rosales, Caroline E. Dennison, Andrew C. Baker
Summary: This study found significant variation among genotypes in the response of Acropora cervicornis to elevated nutrients and temperatures. Microbiome screening may help identify resistant genotypes and facilitate targeted outplanting.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Casey Harris, Nina K. Bean, Andrew C. Baker, Ruth D. Gates, Crawford Drury
Summary: This study examined the effects of parental bleaching on symbiont community composition and offspring size in Montipora capitata. The results showed that parental bleaching history influenced the symbiont community composition in parents, gametes, and larvae, and larval size was also affected by maternal effects. These findings suggest that larval recruitment from bleached parents may decline as ocean warming becomes more frequent and severe, leading to generational shifts in symbiont community.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Nikki Traylor-Knowles, Andrew C. Baker, Kelsey M. Beavers, Neha Garg, Jeffrey R. Guyon, Aine Hawthorn, Nicholas J. MacKnight, Monica Medina, Laura D. Mydlarz, Esther C. Peters, Julia Marie Stewart, Michael S. Studivan, Joshua D. Voss
Summary: Coral disease has become a pressing issue for coral reef survival, particularly in the Caribbean where disease outbreaks have led to significant coral death. 'Omics techniques have been used to study the coral immune system and develop biomarkers to improve coral disease experiments and combat future outbreaks.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana M. Palacio-Castro, Tyler B. Smith, Viktor Brandtneris, Grace A. Snyder, Ruben van Hooidonk, Juan L. Mate, Derek Manzello, Peter W. Glynn, Peggy Fong, Andrew C. Baker
Summary: Climate change is changing coral reef ecosystems by causing more frequent and severe bleaching events. Some reefs, particularly Pocillopora colonies with thermotolerant algal symbionts, have shown higher heat resistance after severe bleaching. However, this state may not be long-lasting unless global greenhouse gas emissions and global warming are reduced.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Li-Qing Jiang, Alex Kozyr, John M. Relph, Errol I. Ronje, Linus Kamb, Eugene Burger, Jonathan Myer, Liem Nguyen, Krisa M. Arzayus, Tim Boyer, Scott Cross, Hernan Garcia, Patrick Hogan, Kirsten Larsen, A. Rost Parsons
Summary: OCADS is a data management system that manages various ocean carbon and acidification data, including observations and experimental results. It aims to provide data, information, products, and services related to ocean carbon and acidification, and adopts a customer-centric approach to improve its data management practices.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emma Pontes, Chris Langdon, Fuad A. Al-Horani
Summary: Climate change and increasing sea surface temperature have worsened ocean deoxygenation, affecting the metabolic response and tolerance range of Caribbean coral species and their algal symbionts. This study found that they exhibited varying degrees of tolerance to hypoxia, providing insights into the community composition of reefs under changing climate and guiding restoration efforts.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Jenna Dilworth, Carlo Caruso, Valerie A. Kahkejian, Andrew C. Baker, Crawford Drury
Summary: The study found that historical bleaching phenotype, coral host genotype, and exposure to protective temperature treatments can affect the response of Montipora capitata to natural thermal stress. Results showed that corals exposed to laboratory pre-treatments experienced more thermal stress than expected, with significant differences observed among different genotypes. The potential acclimatization was influenced by fine-scale differences in temperature regime, host genotype, and stable differences in symbiont community composition, which underlie historical bleaching phenotypes in M. capitata.