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

Unsustainable land uses may result in poor watershed management, increased soil erosion, poorly-planned urban development, increased runoff, and sewage pollution, creating an environmental stress gradient across coastal coral reefs. This... more

Unsustainable land uses may result in poor watershed management, increased soil erosion, poorly-planned urban development, increased runoff, and sewage pollution, creating an environmental stress gradient across coastal coral reefs. This study was aimed at: 1) Evaluating water quality within and outside the Canal Luis Peña Natural Reserve (CLPNR), Culebra Island, Puerto Rico; 2) Determining if there was any significant environmental stress gradient associated to land-based non-point source pollution; and 3) Characterizing shallow-water coral reef communities across the gradient. Strong gradient impacts associated 293 to sediment-laden and nutrient-loaded runoff pulses, in combination with non-point raw sewage pulses, and sediment bedload, impacted coastal coral reefs. Water quality showed significant spatio-temporal fluctuations (p<0.0001), largely responding to heavy rainfall and subsequent runoff pulses. Benthic community structure showed significant spatial variation along the environmental stress gradient (p=0.0002). Macroalgae, dead coral surfaces, algal turf, and low coral species richness, species diversity index (H'c), and evenness (J'c) dominated benthic assemblages across reefs frequently impacted by runoff pulses and sediment bedload. The combination of fecal coliform and enterococci concentrations were correlated with variation in benthic community structure (Rho=0.668; p=0.0020). The combined variation in salinity, dissolved oxygen and enterococci concentrations explained 75% of the observed spatial variation in benthic assemblages (R 2 =0.7461; p=0.0400). Local human stressors affected coral reefs within no-take CLPNR and risk analyses suggest it may offset its ecological benefits. There is a need to design and implement integrated coastal-watershed management strategies to address multiple land use activities, including erosion-control best management practices, watershed reforestation, and sewage pollution control.

This paper reviews and evaluates the current state of knowledge on the direct effects of terrestrial runoff on (1) the growth and survival of hard coral colonies, (2) coral reproduction and recruitment, and (3) organisms that interact... more

This paper reviews and evaluates the current state of knowledge on the direct effects of terrestrial runoff on (1) the growth and survival of hard coral colonies, (2) coral reproduction and recruitment, and (3) organisms that interact with coral populations (coralline algae, bioeroders, macroalgae and heterotrophic filter feeders as space competitors, pathogens, and coral predators). The responses of each of these groups are evaluated separately against the four main water quality parameters: (1) increased dissolved inorganic nutrients, (2) enrichment with particulate organic matter, (3) light reduction from turbidity and (4) increased sedimentation. This separation facilitates disentangling and understanding the mechanisms leading to changes in the field, where many contaminants and many responses co-occur. The review also summarises geographic and biological factors that determine local and regional levels of resistance and resilience to degradation. It provides a conceptual aid to assess the kind of change(s) likely to occur in response to changing coastal water quality.

Low-tech coral farming and reef rehabilitation have become important communitybased coral reef management tools. At least in the wider Caribbean region, these strategies have been successfully implemented to recover depleted populations... more

Low-tech coral farming and reef rehabilitation have become important communitybased coral reef management tools. At least in the wider Caribbean region, these strategies have been successfully implemented to recover depleted populations of staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and elkhorn coral (A. palmata). They have also been used with relative success to recover depleted fish assemblages. Indirectly, coral reef rehabilitation has also resulted in enhanced benthic spatial heterogeneity, in providing multiple new microhabitats for fish and invertebrate species; have contributed to the recovery of coastal resilience, increasing the protection of shorelines against erosion; and have fostered an increased interest of the tourism sector as an enhanced attraction for visitors and recreationists. Nevertheless, there is still a need to implement best management practices to improve the success of these strategies. In this chapter, lessons learned from the Community-Based Coral Aquaculture and Reef Rehabilitation Program in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, are shared from a multi-disciplinary standpoint. Learning from past experiences is a critical process to improve science. In a time of significant projected climate change impacts and sea level rise, improving the scale of coral farming and reef rehabilitation has become a critical tool for coral reef conservation. But multiple roadblocks must still be overcome.

Facing a human-dominated world, ecologists are now reconsidering the role of disturbance for coral reef ecosystem dynamics. Human activities alter the natural disturbance regimes of coral reefs by transforming pulse events into persistent... more

Facing a human-dominated world, ecologists are now reconsidering the role of disturbance for coral reef ecosystem dynamics. Human activities alter the natural disturbance regimes of coral reefs by transforming pulse events into persistent disturbance or even chronic stress, by introducing new disturbance, or by suppressing or removing disturbance. Adding these alterations to natural disturbance regimes will probably result in unknown synergistic effects. Simultaneously, humans are altering the capacity of reefs to cope with disturbance (e.g. by habitat fragmentation and reduction of functional diversity), which further exacerbates the effects of altered disturbance regimes. A disturbance that previously triggered the renewal and development of reefs might, under such circumstances, become an obstacle to development. The implications of these changes for reef-associated human activities, such as fishing and tourism, can be substantial.

Short-term movements of fishes and decapods can lead to regular changes in biomass, diversity, mortality, predation, and flux of energy between adjacent ecosystems. At low latitudes the day-night cycle is relatively stable and uniformly... more

Short-term movements of fishes and decapods can lead to regular changes in biomass, diversity, mortality, predation, and flux of energy between adjacent ecosystems. At low latitudes the day-night cycle is relatively stable and uniformly affects activity rhythms of marine organism at all longitudes. In contrast, tidal ranges and tidal types differ significantly between coasts and regions. On coasts with weak tides, twilight migrations connect adjacent habitats. On tidal coasts, migrations are tightly coupled to the interactive effect of the diel and tidal cycles which results in complex but predictable patterns of change within and between ecosystems. Diel and tidal migrations share several similarities (connection of resting and feeding sites, sequence of species and size groups, site fidelity, homing, constant pathways). The spring-neap tide cycle and its interaction with the diel cycle is a key factor influencing regular short-term variations on tidal coasts. The home range of a species on a macrotidal coast may be an order of magnitude greater than that of conspecifics from a microtidal coast, suggesting a need for larger marine parks on macrotidal coasts. Regional comparisons, e.g., between the Caribbean and the Indo-West Pacific, often disregard the significant tidal differences inherent to the ecosystems. It is suggested here that broad-scale comparisons must be redefined; regional comparisons should focus on geographical regions with similar tidal regimes, or on systems with different tidal regimes but with similar species communities.

Timely information is critical for coral reef managers and decision-makers to implement sustainable management measures. A Coral Reef Resilience Index (CRRI) was developed with a GIS-coupled decision-making tool applicable for Caribbean... more

Timely information is critical for coral reef managers and decision-makers to implement sustainable management measures. A Coral Reef Resilience Index (CRRI) was developed with a GIS-coupled decision-making tool applicable for Caribbean coral reef ecosystems. The CRRI is based on a five-point scale parameterized from the quantitative characterization of benthic assemblages. Separate subindices such as the Coral Index, the Threatened Species Index, and the Algal Index also provide specific information regarding targeted benthic components. This case study was based on assessments conducted in 2014 on 11
reef sites located across 3 geographic zones and 3 depth zones along the southwestern shelf of the island of Puerto Rico, Caribbean Sea. There was a significant spatial and bathymetric gradient (p < 0.05) in the distribution of CRRI values indicating higher degradation of inshore reefs. Mean global CRRI ranged from 2.78 to 3.17 across the shelf, ranking them as “fair.” The Coral Index ranged from 2.60 to 3.76, ranking reefs from “poor” to “good,” showing a general cross-shelf trend of improving conditions with increasing distance from pollution sources. Turbidity and ammonia were significantly correlated to CRRI scores. Multiple recommendations are provided based on coral reef conditions
according to observed CRRI rankings.

Low-tech coral farming and reef rehabilitation have become important tools to foster community-based participation in the management of coastal social-ecological systems. Lessons learned from coral demographic dynamics, ecosystem-level... more

Low-tech coral farming and reef rehabilitation have become important tools to foster community-based participation in the management of coastal social-ecological systems. Lessons learned from coral demographic dynamics, ecosystem-level benefits, and sociological dynamics achieved in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, are discussed. Important gaps regarding social-ecological interactions are also addressed. Coral reef rehabilitation efforts must be adaptive and focused on maximizing resilience as a long-term goal, with emphasis on
managing non-linear dynamics, thresholds, environmental and climate uncertainty, and ecological surprises. In this context, coral demographic modelling becomes fundamental to address, not only ecological, but also sociological concerns. Only through sustained support and input of harvested corals restored populations, and by increasing the spatial scale of reef rehabilitation, restored populations can remain viable and grow under present and projected environmental and climate conditions. Understanding sociological dynamics, learning from others experiences, integrating visioning and scenario building, leadership building, multi-sectorial agents and actor groups, and strengthening cross-sectorial social networking are necessary adaptive approaches to cope with future environmental and climate changes, and are an integral part of reef rehabilitation. The combined benefits to social-ecological systems are multiple.With proper planning, design, funding, local support, and implementation, these can have long-lasting impacts in restoring coastal resilience.

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

1.Marine protected areas (MPAs) range from multiple-use areas (MUA) to absolute no-take reserves (NTR). Despite their importance for fisheries management, there are few long-term studies comparing benefits from different types of MPAs... more

1.Marine protected areas (MPAs) range from multiple-use areas (MUA) to absolute no-take reserves (NTR). Despite their importance for fisheries management, there are few long-term studies comparing benefits from different types of MPAs within the same region.2.Fish assemblages were monitored for five years (2001–2005) in the largest coral reefs in the South Atlantic (Abrolhos Bank, Brazil). Monitoring included one community-based MUA, two NTRs (one established in 1983 and another in 2001), and one unprotected area. Benthic assemblages at these areas, as well as fish assemblages on unprotected deeper reefs (25–35 m), were monitored from 2003 onwards.3.Habitat characteristics strongly influenced fish assemblages' structure. This, together with the lack of data from before establishment of the MPAs, did not allow an unequivocal analysis of the effects of the MPAs.4.Biomass of commercially important fish, particularly small carnivores, was higher in the older NTR. Biomass of black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci increased by 30-fold inside NTRs during the study period, while remaining consistently low elsewhere.5.A single herbivore species, the parrotfish Scarus trispinosus, dominated fish assemblages (28.3% of total biomass). Biomass of this species increased in 2002 on the younger NTR and on the MUA, soon after establishment of the former and banning of the parrotfish fishery in the latter. This increase was followed by a decline from 2003 onwards, after increased poaching and reopening of the parrotfish fishery.6.Fish biomass increased in 2002 across the entire region. This increase was stronger in sites closer to deeper reefs, where fish biomass was up to 30-times higher than shallow reefs: movement of fish from deeper to shallower areas may have played a role.7.The effective use of MPAs in the Abrolhos Bank is still dependent on adequate enforcement and the protection of critical habitats such as deep reefs and mangroves. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Marine protected areas (MPAs) range from multiple-use areas (MUA) to absolute no-take reserves (NTR). Despite their importance for fisheries management, there are few long-term studies comparing benefits from different types of MPAs within the same region.Fish assemblages were monitored for five years (2001–2005) in the largest coral reefs in the South Atlantic (Abrolhos Bank, Brazil). Monitoring included one community-based MUA, two NTRs (one established in 1983 and another in 2001), and one unprotected area. Benthic assemblages at these areas, as well as fish assemblages on unprotected deeper reefs (25–35 m), were monitored from 2003 onwards.Habitat characteristics strongly influenced fish assemblages' structure. This, together with the lack of data from before establishment of the MPAs, did not allow an unequivocal analysis of the effects of the MPAs.Biomass of commercially important fish, particularly small carnivores, was higher in the older NTR. Biomass of black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci increased by 30-fold inside NTRs during the study period, while remaining consistently low elsewhere.A single herbivore species, the parrotfish Scarus trispinosus, dominated fish assemblages (28.3% of total biomass). Biomass of this species increased in 2002 on the younger NTR and on the MUA, soon after establishment of the former and banning of the parrotfish fishery in the latter. This increase was followed by a decline from 2003 onwards, after increased poaching and reopening of the parrotfish fishery.Fish biomass increased in 2002 across the entire region. This increase was stronger in sites closer to deeper reefs, where fish biomass was up to 30-times higher than shallow reefs: movement of fish from deeper to shallower areas may have played a role.The effective use of MPAs in the Abrolhos Bank is still dependent on adequate enforcement and the protection of critical habitats such as deep reefs and mangroves.

The research that was carried out in Lombok marine tourism is purposed to find out 1) the condition of coral reef ecosystem 2) the condition of waters oceanography and 3) the relationship between the conditions of coral reef ecosystem and... more

The research that was carried out in Lombok marine tourism is purposed to find out 1) the condition of coral reef ecosystem 2) the condition of waters oceanography and 3) the relationship between the conditions of coral reef ecosystem and the oceanography
condition of Lombok marine tourism. The observation was conducted with the line transect method in the windward zone and leeward zone, in 3 meters and 10 meters depth with three test times. The condition of coral reef that would be analyzed is about 1) percentage of the coral cover 2) the death index of coral 3) the form of growth coral, whereas the oceanography condition that would be analyzed is the temperature, salinity, the pH, DO, the brightness, and the flow speed. Knowing the relationship between the condition of coral reefs and the condition of oceanography will be carried out with the analysis of regression. The result shows that the condition of coral reefs ecosystem in the windward zone has 36.9% cover coral, the death index of coral 0.17, the form growth coral that was found is 13 kinds 251 number of forms of the growth coral, while the condition of coral reef ecosystem in leeward zone reached 23.72% cover coral, the death index of coral 0.45, the form of growing coral that was found is 11 kinds 276 number of forms of the growing coral. The condition of oceanography factor of the windward zone has 22,36 meters brightness, the temperature 27.52◦C, the flow speed 4.77 m./sec, the salinity 33.21 Ppt, the pH 7.56 and the protracted oxygen 6.41 Mg.l-1, the brightness of leeward zone reached 14.36 meter, the temperature 27.83◦C, the speed of the flow 2.68 m./sec, the salinity 31.54 Ppt, the pH 7.77 and the protracted oxygen 5.40 Mg.l-1. There is relationship between the oceanographic factor and the condition of coral reef ecosystem, from the sixth oceanographic factors, salinity has the highest effective contribution that is 49.79%, and the lowest in the pH that only 1.52%.

• Despite covering less than 0.1% of the sea floor area, coral reefs provide nearly US$9.8 trillion globally of social, economic and cultural services each year and provide habitat for over 25% of marine fish species. • The rate of... more

• Despite covering less than 0.1% of the sea floor area, coral reefs provide nearly US$9.8 trillion globally of social, economic and cultural services each year and provide habitat for over 25% of marine fish species. • The rate of warming in coral reef areas has increased from ~0.04°C/decade over the past century to 0.2°C/ decade over recent decades (1985-2012). Across this period, reefs were exposed to prolonged, high temperatures that caused bleaching once every six years. However, within the last three decades, as the planet has warmed the frequency of bleaching stress has increased threefold. • The latest climate models predict that ocean warming will cause annual coral bleaching for almost all reefs by 2050. They also predict that disease is as likely to be a future cause of coral mortality as coral bleaching. Unabated temperature increases will produce serious consequences for coral reef ecosystems and dependent communities. • The proportion of reefs in which ocean chemistry will allow coral reefs to grow has decreased from 98% (ca. 1780) to 38% (ca. 2006) due to ocean acidification and continues to drop. • Tropical cyclones can reduce thermal stress but can physically damage reefs. Ocean warming may increase the severity of cyclones. Warming-related coral bleaching has likely reduced the ability of reefs to recover from cyclone damage. • Sea-level rise is predicted to accelerate. Historically reefs have not been able to keep up with rapid sea-level rise, and this is even less likely in the future if ocean warming and acidification slow reef growth. • Loss of coral reefs would diminish the services these ecosystems provide, such as coastal protection from storm waves, habitat for reef fauna, and tourism. Predictions of ecosystem service losses from ocean warming and acidification globally reach US$1 trillion/year by 2100. • Reducing atmospheric CO 2 is critical for coral reefs to continue. While reduced emissions will slow ocean warming and acidification, current CO 2 levels already exceed the 320-350 ppm needed for healthy coral reefs. While this is pursued, enhancing reef resilience through targeted management actions will help reefs to resist and recover from disturbance. Local actions to mitigate climate change impacts may be necessary to preserve reef resources.

Pantai Bangsring adalah kawasan perairan yang berada di ujung timur Pulau Jawa, tepatnya berada di Desa Bangsring, Kecamatan Wongsorejo, Kabupaten Banyuwangi. Pantai Bangsring memiliki ekosistem terumbu karang yang berkaitan erat dengan... more

Pantai Bangsring adalah kawasan perairan yang berada di ujung timur Pulau Jawa, tepatnya berada di Desa Bangsring, Kecamatan Wongsorejo, Kabupaten Banyuwangi. Pantai Bangsring memiliki ekosistem terumbu karang yang berkaitan erat dengan kondisi kehidupan masyarakat yang berada di sekitar kawasan ini, dimana masyarakat di sekitar Pantai Bangsring kebanyakan adalah nelayan ikan hias dan menggantungkan hidupnya pada keberadaan ekosistem terumbu karang yang ada di kawasan tersebut. Ditambah lagi, kawasan ini juga dibuka secara umum sebagai kawasan ekowisata bahari sejak bulan Agustus 2014. Melihat potensi yang dimilikinya, maka diperlukan penelitian tentang ekosistem terumbu karang yang ada di kawasan tersebut untuk mengetahui kondisi pertumbuhan terumbu karang yang ada di kawasan ini. Informasi hasil pengamatan dapat dijadikan dasar dalam perencanaan dan pengambilan kebijakan untuk pemanfaatan karang dan ikan karang sehingga bisa mempertahankan kelestarian ekosistem ini.
Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada tanggal 2 Agustus hingga 1 September 2015 tanpa waktu jeda di kawasan Pantai Bangsring di bawah pengawasan Kelompok Nelayan Ikan Hias (KNIH) Samudera Bakti selaku badan pengelola kawasan Pantai Bangsring. Bentuk penelitian ini adalah studi kasus partisipatif, dimana data yang diambil merupakan data primer dan sekunder dengan metode pengambilan data secara purposive sampling.
Dari hasil penelitian diketahui bahwa kondisi penutupan terumbu karang pada zona inti Zona Perlindungan Bersama Pantai Bangsring adalah dinamis dan terus berubah ke arah positif. Penutupan awal hanya 1,67 % dan berada dalam kondisi buruk berkembang menjadi 30 % dan berada dalam kondisi cukup dalam waktu 1 tahun 2 bulan. Pada pengamatan terakhir, di dapatkan kondisi penutupan terumbu karang menjadi buruk dengan persentase 8,33 %. Kondisi kelimpahan ikan karang pada wilayah ini juga dinamis dan terus berubah sepanjang waktu. Kelimpahan awal berjumlah 149 ekor ikan dan mencapai kondisi maksimal dengan jumlah 527 ekor ikan dalam waktu 1 tahun 2 bulan. Pada pengamatan terakhir, di dapatkan kondisi kelimpahan ikan karang menjadi hanya 1 ekor. Hal ini di duga terjadi karena bencana alam berupa angin badai yang menghantam wilayah ini sebelum dilakukannya penelitian.

RESUMEN. Medusas, sifonóforos y ctenóforos son organismos ecológicamente importantes por su papel como depredadores voraces en la cadena trófica, ya que en altas densidades ocasionan problemas económicos. En las costas mexicanas del Golfo... more

RESUMEN. Medusas, sifonóforos y ctenóforos son organismos ecológicamente importantes por su papel como depredadores voraces en la cadena trófica, ya que en altas densidades ocasionan problemas económicos. En las costas mexicanas del Golfo de México existe conocimiento de la riqueza taxonómica de estos animales macrozooplanctonicos, pero aún se desconoce qué especies se encuentran en los arrecifes coralinos del norte de Veracruz. Este estudio presenta los primeros registros de este grupo para el Sistema Arrecifal Lobos-Tuxpan. Se identificaron tres especies de medusas, un sifonóforo y dos especies de ctenóforos a partir de registros fotográficos obtenidos en los arrecifes Tuxpan, Enmedio, Tanhuijo, Oro Verde y Lobos. El taxón Cyanea sp. se registra por pri-mera vez para el suroeste del Golfo de México y Cestum veneris es nuevo registro para el litoral veracruzano. Las especies Aurelia aurita (medusa), Physalia physalis (sifonóforo) y Mnemiopsis leidyi (ctenóforo) se observaron en la mayoría de los arrecifes estudiados. La información aquí presentada puede ser útil para el sector turístico al evitar las medusas y sifonóforos que son tóxicos. ABSTRACT. Jellyfish, siphonophores and ctenophores are ecologically important organisms due to their role as voracious predators in the trophic chain, which in high densities may cause economic problems. There is knowledge of the taxonomic wealth of these macrozooplanktonic animals in the Mexican coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, but it is still unknown what species are found in the coral reefs from the north of Veracruz. This study presents the first records of this group for the Lobos-Tuxpan Reef System. Three species of jellyfish, one siphonophore and two ctenophores, were identified through photographic records belonging to the Tuxpan, Enmedio, Tanhuijo, Oro Verde and Lobos reefs. For the first time, the species Cyanea sp. for the SouthWest of the Gulf of Mexico and Cestum veneris for the Veracruz coast are recorded. The species Aurelia aurita (jellyfish), Physalia physalis (siphonophore) and Mnemiopsis leidyi (ctenephore) were observed in most of the studied reefs. The information provided here may be useful in the tourist sector to avoid toxic jellyfish and siphonophores.