Interspecific variation in demographics reveals ecological winners and losers in a highly disturbed coral reef system DOI Creative Commons
Nicholas P. Jones,

Sarah E. Leinbach,

David S. Gilliam

et al.

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 18, 2024

Abstract The resilience of many coral reef communities has been diminished in the Anthropocene. Nowhere is this more evident than southeast Florida, where cover rarely recovers following increasingly frequent disturbances and resulted community change to resilient taxa such as octocorals. Understanding dynamics demographic mechanisms populations that underpin them, may provide insight into barriers recovery future for benthic structure. We leveraged 20 years data test spatiotemporal variation structure region-wide changes four stony three octocoral species. From 2003 2023, multiple acute induced significant reconfigurations structure, most notably repeated loss macroalgal gains. Interspecific differences demography suggest variability resilience, which facilitates presence ecological winners losers. Siderastrea siderea (stony coral) Antillogorgia americana (octocoral) exhibited high fueled by booms recruit density. However, S. size frequency distributions (SFDs) were heavily skewed with few large colonies, suggesting limited growth survival. Porites astreoides Gorgonia ventalina grew steadily from 2013 facilitated consistent recruitment growth, was reflected lognormal SFDs, indicative transition between classes. reef-building corals Meandrina meandrites Montastraea cavernosa emerged losers due substantial mortality heat stress disease recovery. Due restricted (S. P. astreoides) or planar morphologies (A. americana, Eunicea flexuosa (octocoral), G. ventalina) winners, they contribute little cover. As a result, becoming homogenous, much remaining spatial dependent upon whether site sediment/turf algae macroalgae/cyanobacteria, combined constitute over 80% further reduce potential.

Language: Английский

Decadal‐scale time series highlight the role of chronic disturbances in driving ecosystem collapse in the Anthropocene DOI
Peter J. Edmunds

Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 105(8)

Published: June 20, 2024

Biome degradation characterizes the Anthropocene Epoch, and modern ecology is deeply involved with describing changes underway. Most research has focused on role of acute disturbances in causing conspicuous ecosystem structure, which leads to an underappreciation chronic effects large through cumulative small perturbations over decades. Coral reefs epitomize this trend, because community structure are profound, yet data quantify these usually insufficient evaluate relative roles different disturbance types. Here, four decades surveys from two coral (9 14 m depth) off St. John, US Virgin Islands, used associations events benthic structure. These profoundly changed 36 years, death altering species assemblages depress abundances ecologically important Orbicella spp. elevating coverage macroalgae crustose coralline algae/turf/bare space (CTB). Linear mixed models revealed prominent variation temperature accounting for corals, macroalgae, CTB, rising associated increases cover deep reef, declines shallow reef. Hurricanes were also Multivariate analyses strong between temperature, but weaker hurricanes, bleaching, diseases. results highlight overwhelming importance chronically increasing Caribbean reefs.

Language: Английский

Citations

4
Recolonization of Intertidal Mussels in Nova Scotia (Canada) after Their Mass Disappearance Following the Severe 2023 Winter Cold Snap DOI Creative Commons
Ricardo A. Scrosati, Nicole M. Cameron

Diversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(8), P. 503 - 503

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

In February 2023, a severe cold snap took place in Atlantic Canada and was followed by the mass loss of mussels at mid-to-high intertidal elevations on southeastern Nova Scotia coast. This concerning because sustain upper trophic levels coastal food webs mussel stands enhance local biodiversity sheltering many small invertebrate species. Using photographs taken second summer after that (July 2024), this article provides visual evidence active ongoing recolonization coast, including incipient formation new stands. These are encouraging signs ecological resilience. Reaching historical values abundance will likely depend future occurrence weather extremes, which becoming more frequent with climate change.

Language: Английский

Citations

4
Widespread coral bleaching and mass mortality during the 2023–2024 marine heatwave in Little Cayman DOI Creative Commons
Matthew Louis Doherty,

Jack V. Johnson,

Gretchen Goodbody‐Gringley

et al.

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 20(5), P. e0322636 - e0322636

Published: May 2, 2025

The increased frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs) induced by continued global warming are the greatest threat to tropical coral reefs, causing mass bleaching events widespread mortality reef building corals. In 2023, isolated well-protected reefs around Little Cayman experienced a MHW > 17 Degree Heating Weeks (DHW), far exceeding any DHW measure previously captured. During peak heatwave, ~ 80% all corals were either bleached or showing signs mortality. On final survey date ~54% surveyed recorded as dead. However, we identified significant differences in susceptibility across taxonomic groups, related different life history strategies. Notably, weedy taxa such Agaricia spp., Porites astreoides, porites, high suffered extensive Meanwhile, stress-tolerant Orbicella spp ., bleaching, but low Given have not been exposed previous thermal stress events, highly sensitive disproportionately contributed abundance. Thus, occurrence magnitude – long duration heatwave resulted catastrophic Cayman, despite ~57% coastal environment being classified no-take Marine Protected Areas. These findings underscore that stressor climate change, which drives MHWs, cannot be mitigated local protection isolation, thus highlighting need directly tackle cause decline (i.e., change).

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Why keep monitoring coral reefs? DOI
Peter J. Edmunds

BioScience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 74(8), P. 552 - 560

Published: April 25, 2024

Abstract The high demand for information on how coral reefs are changing often exceeds the capacity of scientific community to deliver data necessary meet this need. However, given degraded state and poor prognosis their recovery, it is reasonable ask whether reef monitoring should continue. Using my experiences from a 37-year study in US Virgin Islands, I highlight that conveys reefs, underscore interpretation ecological trends matures with increasing longevity records. Because past an imperfect predictor future, remains important endeavor. It offers only opportunity understand will continue change, connect patterns change processes causing them occur, create opportunities management best ensure future.

Language: Английский

Citations

3
Interspecific variation in demographics reveals ecological winners and losers in a highly disturbed coral reef system DOI Creative Commons
Nicholas P. Jones,

Sarah E. Leinbach,

David S. Gilliam

et al.

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 18, 2024

Abstract The resilience of many coral reef communities has been diminished in the Anthropocene. Nowhere is this more evident than southeast Florida, where cover rarely recovers following increasingly frequent disturbances and resulted community change to resilient taxa such as octocorals. Understanding dynamics demographic mechanisms populations that underpin them, may provide insight into barriers recovery future for benthic structure. We leveraged 20 years data test spatiotemporal variation structure region-wide changes four stony three octocoral species. From 2003 2023, multiple acute induced significant reconfigurations structure, most notably repeated loss macroalgal gains. Interspecific differences demography suggest variability resilience, which facilitates presence ecological winners losers. Siderastrea siderea (stony coral) Antillogorgia americana (octocoral) exhibited high fueled by booms recruit density. However, S. size frequency distributions (SFDs) were heavily skewed with few large colonies, suggesting limited growth survival. Porites astreoides Gorgonia ventalina grew steadily from 2013 facilitated consistent recruitment growth, was reflected lognormal SFDs, indicative transition between classes. reef-building corals Meandrina meandrites Montastraea cavernosa emerged losers due substantial mortality heat stress disease recovery. Due restricted (S. P. astreoides) or planar morphologies (A. americana, Eunicea flexuosa (octocoral), G. ventalina) winners, they contribute little cover. As a result, becoming homogenous, much remaining spatial dependent upon whether site sediment/turf algae macroalgae/cyanobacteria, combined constitute over 80% further reduce potential.

Language: Английский

Citations

0