Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lindsay Beazley, Ellen Kenchington, Michelle Korabik, Derek Fenton, Marty King
Summary: The discovery of a cold-water coral reef on the southeast edge of the Scotian Shelf in Canada in 2003 led to the establishment of the Lophelia Coral Conservation Area (LCCA) in 2004 to prevent further damage. Through the analysis of benthic images, it was found that the LCCA has been effective in facilitating the recovery of benthic communities, with an increase in epibenthic megafaunal species density and abundance within its boundaries. Monitoring of the reef structure every 7-10 years is recommended to evaluate the settlement and growth of deep-water corals.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Langenkaemper, Aksel Alstad Mogstad, Ingrid Myrnes Hansen, Thierry Baussant, Oystein Bergsagel, Ingunn Nilssen, Tone Karin Frost, Tim Wilhelm Nattkemper
Summary: Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a promising technology for environmental monitoring, but its high dimensionality and complexity make the analysis challenging. This study investigated the impact of different stressor exposure patterns on the spectrum of cold water coral through laboratory experiments. A new software tool called HypIX was developed to explore the relationships between spectral signatures and experimental parameters in hyperspectral datasets. The results showed that corals exposed to particles had a larger change rate in spectrum, and the responses varied among coral samples, indicating individual tolerance levels. The proposed HypIX workflows can provide reproducible HSI analysis results.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shuangqiang Wang, F. Javier Murillo, Ellen Kenchington
Summary: This study reassessed the distribution of the large bubblegum coral, Paragorgia arborea, in the Scotian Shelf bioregion and predicted its future situation in the coming decades. The results suggest that the extirpation of this species is unlikely in this area, and potential climate refugia were identified.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robin van Kevelaer, Daniel W. Langenkaemper, Ingunn Nilssen, Pal Buhl-Mortensen, Tim Nattkemper
Summary: Fixed underwater observatories (FUO) equipped with sensors are commonly used for recording time series data for marine habitat monitoring. This paper analyzes time series data from two consecutive monitoring campaigns, successfully applying convolutional neural networks (CNN) for the segmentation and classification of coral and polyp activities. The results show differences and similarities between the two time periods, and a time series prediction experiment using recurrent neural networks (RNN) is conducted for predicting polyp activity. Overall, this paper presents important findings for marine biology research.
Article
Engineering, Marine
Guadalupe Gimenez, Giuseppe Corriero, Sajmir Beqiraj, Lorela Lazaj, Tamara Lazic, Caterina Longo, Maria Mercurio, Carlotta Nonnis Marzano, Massimo Zuccaro, Violeta Zuna, Cataldo Pierri
Summary: This research provides a preliminary characterization of macrobenthic coralligenous assemblages in the Marine National Park of Karaburun-Sazan, Albania using video image analysis. The study reveals the species richness and distribution differences among sites and depths, and updates the species list. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of video analysis in biodiversity assessment within marine protected areas, particularly in areas with historical anthropogenic impacts.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Erik E. Cordes, Amanda W. J. Demopoulos, Andrew J. Davies, Ryan Gasbarro, Alexandria C. Rhoads, Elizabeth Lobecker, Derek Sowers, Jason D. Chaytor, Cheryl L. Morrison, Alexis M. Weinnig, Sandra Brooke, Jay J. Lunden, Furu Mienis, Samantha B. Joye, Andrea M. Quattrini, Tracey T. Sutton, Catherine S. McFadden, Jill R. Bourque, Jennifer P. McClain-Counts, Brian D. Andrews, Melissa J. Betters, Peter J. Etnoyer, Gary A. Wolff, Bernie B. Bernard, James M. Brooks, Michael K. Rasser, Caitlin Adams
Summary: Cold-water coral reefs are important ecosystems supporting diverse communities. Recent surveys off the U.S. east coast have discovered a large reef complex on the Blake Plateau, with extreme temperature shifts and strong currents. The study also reveals unexplored habitat areas suitable for coral growth.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sacha M. O'Regan, Stephanie K. Archer, Sarah K. Friesen, Karen L. Hunter
Summary: The effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is increasingly challenged by climate change. While experts have identified clear climate change adaptation principles for MPA management, the adoption of these principles remains largely unquantified. A study analyzing 647 English-language MPA management plans found that climate change is inadequately considered in most plans, with the United States showing better performance in this aspect compared to Canada. Climate change robustness scores have generally improved over time in Oceania, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but have declined in Canada.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Leila Chapron, Pierre E. Galand, Audrey M. Pruski, Erwan Peru, Gilles Vetion, Sarah Robin, Franck Lartaud
Summary: The study found that cold-water corals show changes in their microbiome, lower energy reserves, and decreased skeletal growth at warmer temperatures, while both species quickly lose their specific bacterial signature and experience reduced physiological activity followed by death at extreme temperatures. In addition, the corals' negative response to colder temperatures suggests they are living close to their thermal optimum in the Mediterranean Sea. The species-specific response to temperature change highlights the potential dramatic impact of global warming on deep-sea reef-builders and associated biodiversity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ryan Gasbarro, Derek Sowers, Alex Margolin, Erik E. Cordes
Summary: Climate change is reshaping the planet's biodiversity, and proactive management of species and habitats based on climate predictions is necessary. This study builds habitat suitability models for Lophelia pertusa, a reef-forming coral, in the southeast United States and projects its occurrence probability in the future. The results reveal the current extent of reef habitat in the region and identify key areas for conservation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cristina Cedeno-Posso, Martha Vides-Casado, Venus Rocha, Giomar H. Borrero-Perez, Andrea Polanco F, David Alonso
Summary: Corales de Profundidad National Natural Park is a unique protected area in the central Colombian Caribbean. The park's ecological value lies in the potential structure-forming deep-water coral, Madracis spp. Remote video surveys and detailed digital elevation models have identified different macrohabitats surrounding the coral formations, providing important information for the management and monitoring of this area.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Janina Vanessa Buescher, Armin Uwe Form, Max Wisshak, Rainer Kiko, Ulf Riebesell
Summary: The physiological sensitivity of cold-water corals to ocean change, particularly the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on dead coral framework, is poorly understood. This laboratory experiment investigated the effects of temperature and pCO(2) levels on the survival, growth, respiration, and degradation of cold-water coral. The results showed that warming promoted calcification while increasing pCO(2) led to decreased calcification and enhanced dissolution. Acidification initially mitigated the negative effects of warming on growth but at higher acidification levels, dissolution prevailed. Respiration rates increased with warming but were slightly suppressed by acidification. The study also found that acidification accelerated the degradation of dead coral framework. These findings suggest that long-term impacts beyond the projected levels of this century will lead to increased mortality and compromise the structural integrity of cold-water coral reefs.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diana C. Ballesteros-Contreras, Lina M. Barrios, Richard Preziosi
Summary: In 2013, Colombia established the first Deep Corals National Park, which serves as habitat for reef builders and other species. To improve the study of deep-sea coral habitats, new genetic markers were developed and tested in samples from the park.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biology
S. J. Hennige, A. I. Larsson, C. Orejas, A. Gori, L. H. De Clippele, Y. C. Lee, G. Jimeno, K. Georgoulas, N. A. Kamenos, J. M. Roberts
Summary: The occurrence and proliferation of reef-forming corals are essential for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Understanding the ratio of live : dead coral through the 'Goldilocks Principle' can help model coral growth and stability, showing how corals optimize their habitat through engineering. By utilizing particle imaging velocimetry and numerical modelling, we can investigate the future of coral reef structures and the biodiversity they support.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrey B. Imbs, Peter V. Velansky
Summary: The study analyzed the molecular species compositions of diacylglycerol ethers (DAGE) and structural glycerophospholipids (GPL) in the deep-sea coral Paragorgia arborea, providing important information for lipidomic studies of deep-sea corals.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Christina A. Kellogg, Zoe A. Pratte
Summary: This study revealed the microbial diversity of deep-sea cold-water corals, with Endozoicomonas being a dominant genus. Even genetically similar coral species showed differences in their microbiomes. The co-occurrence of Endozoicomonas in Acanthogorgia corals may be influenced by environmental factors.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
L. H. De Clippele, L. Rovelli, B. Ramiro-Sanchez, G. Kazanidis, J. Vad, S. Turner, R. N. Glud, J. M. Roberts
Summary: This study focused on two dominant ecosystem engineers at the Mingulay Reef Complex, calculating biomass, carbon stock, and turnover using a combination of biological, environmental, and ecosystem function data. Predictive mapping of the whole-reef live coral and sponge biomass was conducted, revealing their significant contributions to carbon turnover. The study emphasizes the importance of monitoring and managing surface primary productivity for the conservation of cold-water coral reef ecosystems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sierra Ison, Theo Ison, Patricia Marti-Puig, Katherine Needham, Michael K. Tanner, J. Murray Roberts
Summary: Seamounts provide oases of hard substrate in the deep sea that enhance biological productivity and diversity, but the management of these habitats is hindered by limited ecological understanding and public awareness of the pressures they face. Tourists' perceptions of seamount biodiversity are crucial as they play a key role in the Galapagos economy.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Telmo Morato, Christopher K. Pham, Laurence Fauconnet, Gerald H. Taranto, Giovanni Chimienti, Erik Cordes, Carlos Dominguez-Carrio, Pablo Duran Munoz, Hronn Egilsdottir, Jose-Manuel Gonzalez-Irusta, Anthony Grehan, Dierk Hebbeln, Lea-Anne Henry, Georgios Kazanidis, Ellen Kenchington, Lenaick Menot, Tina N. Molodtsova, Covadonga Orejas, Berta Ramiro-Sanchez, Manuela Ramos, J. Murray Roberts, Luis Rodrigues, Steve W. Ross, Jose L. Rueda, Mar Sacau, David Stirling, Marina Carreiro-Silva
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Georgios Kazanidis, Lea-Anne Henry, J. Murray Roberts
Summary: The study investigated the associations between macrofaunal hosts and epifauna in cold-water coral reefs, revealing higher diversity and richness in bivalve, tunicate, and empty polychaete tube associations. The morphology and characteristics of hosts explained a significant amount of variability in epifauna community composition. Epifaunal species richness and diversity indices were higher in associations compared to total sessile communities on coral framework. The study suggests that habitat suppliers like bivalves, tunicates, and empty polychaete tubes play a key role in enhancing biodiversity through habitat cascades in cold-water coral reefs.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Georgios Kazanidis, Lea-Anne Henry, Johanne Vad, Clare Johnson, Laurence Helene De Clippele, J. Murray Roberts
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of regional oceanographic shifts on the macrofaunal biodiversity and biogeography of cold-water coral reefs, finding that environmental gradients explained a significant amount of community composition, with interannual changes in bottom temperature, salinity, and atmospheric variability having a greater impact than static variables. Significant differences were observed in community composition, diversity, and functional traits across interannual variability in bottom temperature, with a shift towards a temperate and subtropical affinity in warmer years.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2021)
Article
Biology
S. J. Hennige, A. I. Larsson, C. Orejas, A. Gori, L. H. De Clippele, Y. C. Lee, G. Jimeno, K. Georgoulas, N. A. Kamenos, J. M. Roberts
Summary: The occurrence and proliferation of reef-forming corals are essential for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Understanding the ratio of live : dead coral through the 'Goldilocks Principle' can help model coral growth and stability, showing how corals optimize their habitat through engineering. By utilizing particle imaging velocimetry and numerical modelling, we can investigate the future of coral reef structures and the biodiversity they support.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jason Cleland, Georgios Kazanidis, J. Murray Roberts, Steve W. Ross
Summary: The study analyzed cold seep megabenthic community composition, richness, density, and biodiversity near Baltimore Canyon (BC) and Norfolk Canyon (NC) in the northwest Atlantic. It found that depth and habitat complexity were key factors driving megabenthic variability, with hard habitats around cold seeps having higher values of species richness, density, and biodiversity than soft habitats. The study also revealed the presence of marine litter, primarily from commercial fisheries, underscoring the importance of discovery science in informing spatial management of human activities in the deep ocean.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Magali Combes, Sandrine Vaz, Anthony Grehan, Telmo Morato, Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Carlos Dominguez-Carrio, Alan Fox, Jose Manuel Gonzalez-Irusta, David Johnson, Oisin Callery, Andrew Davies, Laurence Fauconnet, Ellen Kenchington, Covadonga Orejas, J. Murray Roberts, Gerald Taranto, Lenaick Menot
Summary: The study aims to establish a framework for systematic conservation planning applicable to the deep sea, focusing on identifying priority conservation networks for vulnerable marine ecosystems and key demersal fish species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Uwe Wolfram, Marta Pena Fernandez, Samuel McPhee, Ewan Smith, Rainer J. Beck, Jonathan D. Shephard, Ali Ozel, Craig S. Erskine, Janina Buscher, Jurgen Titschack, J. Murray Roberts, Sebastian J. Hennige
Summary: Ocean acidification threatens deep-sea corals, leading to rapid loss of their reef habitat. Through experiments and models, we found that cold-water corals have remarkable mechanical properties, with strength surpassing concrete and nacre. Despite future oceanic conditions, their strength remains, albeit with reduced stiffness. Our models demonstrate how increased porosity increases the risk of coral habitat destruction. These findings aid conservation and management efforts for vulnerable marine ecosystems.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Georgios Kazanidis, Adriano Guido, Antonietta Rosso, Rossana Sanfilippo, J. Murray Roberts, Vasilis Gerovasileiou
Summary: This study provides the first insight into the role of epibiosis and the 'habitat cascades' phenomenon in enhancing structural heterogeneity and biodiversity in remote and difficult-to-access biogenic habitats, such as cold-water coral reefs and marine caves. It acts as a stepping-stone for further exploration of 'habitat cascades' in habitats where scientific knowledge about this phenomenon is limited.
Editorial Material
Fisheries
Mark Dickey-Collas, Jason S. Link, Paul Snelgrove, J. Murray Roberts, M. Robin Anderson, Ellen Kenchington, Alida Bundy, Margaret M. (Peg) Brady, Rebecca L. Shuford, Howard Townsend, Anna Rindorf, Murray A. Rudd, David Johnson, Ellen Johannesen
Summary: The United States, the EU, and Canada formed a working group to study the effects of the ecosystem approach to ocean health and stressors in the Atlantic Ocean. The group found that ecosystem-based management can bring new benefits and opportunities, and emphasized the need to integrate human dimensions and engage stakeholders for sustainable development.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Johanne Vad, Laura Duran Suja, Stephen Summers, Theodore B. B. Henry, J. Murray Roberts
Summary: This study examines the impact of oil and dispersant on sponge holobionts and finds that the host sponge exhibits detoxification and immune responses, while the bacterial symbionts adapt to the changing environment by altering metabolic pathways. Additionally, evidence of hydrocarbon degradation by sponge symbionts is found, but even low concentrations of hydrocarbons can lead to sponge mortality.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Kelsey Archer Barnhill, J. Murray Roberts, Isla Myers-Smith, Mathew Williams, Kyle G. Dexter, Casey Ryan, Uwe Wolfram, Sebastian J. Hennige
Summary: The importance of dead matter in climate change and its role in ecosystem form and function has been overlooked. It is crucial to explicitly include its persistence or degradation in models considering ecosystem futures in a rapidly changing world.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. Murray Roberts, Colin W. Devey, Arne Biastoch, Marina Carreiro-Silva, Tina Dohna, Boris Dorschel, Vikki Gunn, Veerle A. I. Huvenne, David Johnson, Didier Jollivet, Ellen Kenchington, Kate Larkin, Marjolaine Matabos, Telmo Morato, Malik S. Naumann, Covadonga Orejas, J. Angel A. Perez, Stefan A. Ragnarsson, Albertus J. Smit, Andrew Sweetman, Sebastian Unger, Benjamin Boteler, Lea-Anne Henry
Summary: Ocean ecosystems are facing climate and biodiversity crises, and there is a lack of unified approach to assess their state and inform sustainable policies. This blueprint emphasizes research capabilities and cross-sectoral partnerships, and highlights priorities including integrating observation, modeling, and genomic approaches, improving ecosystem mapping, identifying potential tipping points, understanding compound impacts of multiple stressors, and enhancing spatial and temporal management and protection. International cooperation and funding are crucial to support science-led policies that conserve ocean ecosystems and transcend jurisdictional borders.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Mia McAllister, Shaun Fraser, Lea-Anne Henry
Summary: Elasmobranchs are facing global decline, and research into their populations is needed for effective conservation and management. This study investigated the population ecology of thornback ray around the Shetland Islands and found higher catch per unit effort and smaller individuals in shallow coastal areas. The study provides evidence for the use of shallow areas as potential nurseries by thornback ray and offers valuable information for conservation and fisheries stock assessments.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)