Coral Reef Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Stable isotope analyses are widely used to determine trophic levels in ecological studies. We have investigated the effects of carbonate removal via acidification on the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of 33 species of... more

Stable isotope analyses are widely used to determine trophic levels in ecological studies. We have investigated the effects of carbonate removal via acidification on the stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of 33 species of tropical benthic macrofauna, and we report guidelines for standardizing this procedure for higher taxa in tropical coral reef ecosystems. Many tropical benthic invertebrates are small in size, and therefore body tissue isolation (separating organic carbon from inorganic structures) is difficult and time-consuming. Literature reviews of invertebrate studies show a lack of consistent procedures and guidelines for preparation techniques, especially for carbonate removal via acidification of whole individuals. We find that acidification decreases the δ13C values of samples containing carbonate, with shifts ranging from 0.21 to 3.20‰, which can be related to CaCO3 content (assessed by a carbonate proxy), justifying acid pre-treatment. Carbonate-containing taxa benefiting from acidification included Amphinomida, Terebellida (Annelida), Anomura, Brachyura, Caridea, Amphipoda, Tanaidacea (Arthropoda) and Edwardsiida (Cnidaria). The δ13C shifts of samples containing no carbonate varied up to 0.02 ± 0.20‰. As this induced δ13C shift was lower than the range of an average trophic level shift (0.5 to 1‰), we conclude that acid pre-treatment is unnecessary. Carbonate-free taxa consisted of Eunicida, Phyllodocida (Annelida) and Mollusca. We note minimal impact of acidification on δ15N values except for Brachyura, which showed a shift of 0.83 ± 0.46‰, which is still lower than a single trophic level shift (2.9–3.8‰). We conclude that for trophic level studies, both the δ13C and the δ15N of carbonate-rich macrofauna can be determined from the same acidified sample. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The decline of corals on tropical reefs is usually ascribed to a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors, but the relative importance of these causes remains unclear. In this paper, we attempt to quantify the contribution of... more

The decline of corals on tropical reefs is usually ascribed to a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors, but the relative importance of these causes remains unclear. In this paper, we attempt to quantify the contribution of hurricanes to Caribbean coral cover decline over the past two decades using meta-analyses. Our study included published and unpublished data from 286 coral

Local communities and local government units are recognized as the primary stakeholders and participants in the management of coral reef resources and the primary beneficiaries of small-scale fishing activities in the nearshore areas of... more

Local communities and local government units are recognized as the primary stakeholders and participants in the management of coral reef resources and the primary beneficiaries of small-scale fishing activities in the nearshore areas of the coastal zone. The issues relating to the management of the coastal zone are multi-faceted and some issues are largely intertwined with national policy and development goals. Thus, national governments have jurisdiction over these nearshore coastal resources to harmonize policies, monitor resource use and provide incentives for sustainable use. However, the natural boundaries of these reef resources, the processes that support reef ecosystems, and the local or national affiliation of the people who benefit from them may transcend the boundaries of the local and national management units. Therefore, efforts to arrest the decline in fish catch and loss of biodiversity for reefs require management interventions and assessment activities to be carried...

Ce travail a pour but d'etudier l'interet de l'utilisation de la teledetection aeroportee, soit des images CASI (Compact Airborne Spectral Imager) a haute resolution spatiale et spectrale, pour l'amelioration des... more

Ce travail a pour but d'etudier l'interet de l'utilisation de la teledetection aeroportee, soit des images CASI (Compact Airborne Spectral Imager) a haute resolution spatiale et spectrale, pour l'amelioration des connaissances sur les recifs coralliens de la Reunion. En raison du faible developpement des structures coralliennes de l'ile, nous avons etudie le recif corallien de la Saline. Nous avons choisi une methode d'echantillonnage non aleatoire sur une base de 118 points d'echantillonnage pour une zone d'etude de 342,2 ha (12 classes). Nous avons reconnu sur le terrain les communautes a dominance corallienne en chacun des points echantillons. Puis, l'analyse de l'image multibande du platier recifal a permis d'elaborer, dans un SIG (systeme d'information geographique), une carte thematique. Cette carte a permis d'identifier la repartition des communautes et leur degradation sur le platier recifal de la Saline ainsi que de quanti...

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is produced by marine algae and released during foraging activity by zooplankton and fish. Pelagic fishes depend on patchily distributed foraging opportunities, and DMSP may be an important signaling... more

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is produced by marine algae and released during foraging activity by zooplankton and fish. Pelagic fishes depend on patchily distributed foraging opportunities, and DMSP may be an important signaling molecule for these events. We have previously shown that the abundance of carangid jacks is positively associated with elevated DMSP levels over coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, suggesting that these fishes may use spatial and temporal variation in DMSP to locate foraging opportunities. Here, we extend this work by demonstrating that juveniles of two species of pelagic jack, crevalle jack, Caranx hippos, and bluefin trevally, C. melampygus, detect and respond to DMSP in a flow-through tank in the laboratory. Juveniles of these species showed elevated swimming activity in response to ecologically relevant concentrations of DMSP (10−9 M). These results provide further evidence that this chemical may serve as a chemosensory cue for carangid species.

This report summarises the status of coral reefs in the ROPME Sea Area which includes Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE); there are no coral reefs in Iraq. The region can be split into three... more

This report summarises the status of coral reefs in the ROPME Sea Area which includes Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE); there are no coral reefs in Iraq. The region can be split into three parts according to the local marine climate, which strongly influences the nature of the coral communities: the Persian/Arabian Gulf

This article presents a scientific overview of the processes and the impact of environmental degradation of coastal waters due to human activities on the adjoining land. The direct effects range from eutrophication, harmful algae blooms,... more

This article presents a scientific overview of the processes and the impact of environmental degradation of coastal waters due to human activities on the adjoining land. The direct effects range from eutrophication, harmful algae blooms, to hypoxia and anoxia. The indirect effects are more subtle and can also lead to the collapse of the ecosystem; such is the case of coral reefs. Engineering solutions alone are not available to prevent this degradation that can only be reversed, or prevented, using a basin-wide ecohydrology approach.

Cumulative pressures from global climate and ocean change combined with multiple regional and local-scale stressors pose fundamental challenges to coral reef managers worldwide. Understanding how cumulative stressors affect coral reef... more

Cumulative pressures from global climate and ocean change combined with multiple regional and local-scale stressors pose fundamental challenges to coral reef managers worldwide. Understanding how cumulative stressors affect coral reef vulnerability is critical for successful reef conservation now and in the future. In this review, we present the case that strategically managing for increased ecological resilience (capacity for stress resistance and recovery) can reduce coral reef vulnerability (risk of net decline) up to a point. Specifically, we propose an operational framework for identifying effective management levers to enhance resilience and support management decisions that reduce reef vulnerability. Building on a system understanding of biological and ecological processes that drive resilience of coral reefs in different environmental and socio-economic settings, we present an Adaptive Resilience-Based management (ARBM) framework and suggest a set of guidelines for how and w...

This report summarises the status of coral reefs in the ROPME Sea Area which includes Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE); there are no coral reefs in Iraq. The region can be split into three... more

This report summarises the status of coral reefs in the ROPME Sea Area which includes Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE); there are no coral reefs in Iraq. The region can be split into three parts according to the local marine climate, which strongly influences the nature of the coral communities: the Persian/Arabian Gulf

In the face of ever-increasing threats to coral reef ecosystems, it is essential to understand the impact of natural predators in order to devise appropriate management strategies. Destructive population explosions of the crown-of-thorns... more

In the face of ever-increasing threats to coral reef ecosystems, it is essential to understand the impact of natural predators in order to devise appropriate management strategies. Destructive population explosions of the crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci have devastated coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific for decades. But despite extensive research, the causes of outbreaks are still unclear. An important consideration in this research is that A. planci has been regarded as a single taxonomic entity. Using molecular data from its entire distribution, we find that A. planci is in fact a species complex. This discovery has important consequences for future coral reef research, and might prove critical for successful reef conservation management.