Using chemical language to shape future marine health

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 17(9), P. 530 - 537

Published: Oct. 2, 2019

“Infochemicals” (information‐conveying chemicals) dominate much of the underwater communication in biological systems. They influence movement and behavior organisms, ecological interactions between across populations, trophic structure marine food webs. However, relative to their terrestrial equivalents, wider economic importance infochemicals remains understudied a concerted, cross‐disciplinary effort is needed reveal full potential chemical ecology. We highlight current challenges with specific examples suggest how research on ecology organisms could provide opportunities for implementing new management solutions future “blue growth” (the sustainable use ocean resources) maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Interactions between coral restoration and fish assemblages: implications for reef management

Journal of Fish Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 97(3), P. 633 - 655

Published: June 21, 2020

Abstract Corals create complex reef structures that provide both habitat and food for many fish species. Because of numerous natural anthropogenic threats, coral reefs are currently being degraded, endangering the assemblages they support. Coral restoration, an active ecological management tool, may help reverse some current trends in degradation through transplantation stony corals. Although restoration techniques have been extensively reviewed relation to survival, our understanding effects adding live cover complexity on fishes is its infancy with a lack scientifically validated research. This study reviews limited data assemblages, complements this more extensive interactions between how might inform efforts. It also discusses which key species or functional groups promote, facilitate inhibit efforts and, turn, can be optimised enhance assemblages. By highlighting critical knowledge gaps interactions, aims stimulate research into role projects. A greater roles would whether projects return their compositions alternative develop, over what timeframe. alleviation local global stressors remains priority, important tool; increased replanted corals support ensuring success people nature.

Language: Английский

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Optimizing return‐on‐effort for coral nursery and outplanting practices to aid restoration of the Great Barrier Reef

Restoration Ecology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 27(3), P. 683 - 693

Published: Dec. 20, 2018

Coral nursery and outplanting practices have grown in popularity worldwide for targeted restoration of degraded “high value” reef sites, recovery threatened taxa. Success these is commonly gauged from coral propagule growth survival, which fundamentally determines the return‐on‐effort (RRE) critical to cost‐effectiveness viability programs. In many cases, RRE has been optimized past successes failures, therefore presents a major challenge locations such as Great Barrier Reef (GBR) where no local history exists guide best practice. establishing first multi‐taxa on GBR (Opal Reef, February 2018), we constructed novel scoring criterion concurrent measurements survivorship our relative RRE, including numbers (stock density). We initially retrieved scores database global efforts date ( n = 246; 52 studies) evaluate whether how success varied among then Opal using initial data six key taxa, demonstrate that were high all taxa predominantly via over winter. Repeated summer needed capture full dynamic range seasonal factors regulating versus differ. discuss can be easily adopted across globally standardize benchmark success, but also tool aid decision‐making optimizing future propagation (and outplanting) efforts.

Language: Английский

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Optimizing industrial‐scale coral reef restoration: comparing harvesting wild coral spawn slicks and transplanting gravid adult colonies

Restoration Ecology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 27(4), P. 758 - 767

Published: Dec. 21, 2018

Accelerating coral reef restoration is a global challenge that has been attempted around the world. Previous attempts show varying levels of success at localized scales, but comparisons cost and benefits to evaluate large‐scale approaches are lacking. Here, we compare two approaches: harvesting, development, release wild spawn slicks onto target reef, with transplantation gravid colonies provide seed population local source larvae. Comparisons incorporate best available information on demographic rates estimate growth, beginning embryo production colony maturity 4 years following deployment. Cost‐effectiveness considered in coarse manner. The controlled anticipated achieve communities low‐impact technology low per colony. Harvesting potential (1) transport billions larvae up thousands kilometers (2) relevant efforts vast geographical scales while (3) benefitting from use extremely impact populations (4) retaining natural genetic species diversity needed enhance resilience restored communities. Transplanting most useful reefs designated be impacted by infrastructural development providing an opportunity for transfer high value zones, dedicated nurseries, brooding species. Our contribution provides insights into critical elements both concepts, highlight gaps parameter uncertainties.

Language: Английский

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Abiotic and biotic controls on coral recovery 16 years after mass bleaching

Coral Reefs, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 38(6), P. 1255 - 1265

Published: June 17, 2019

As climate changes increase heat stress on tropical ecosystems, the long-term persistence of coral reefs requires rapid recovery following bleaching events. Using extent cover return to a pre-bleaching baseline as benchmark, fast-growing and stress-tolerant growth forms suggests that can bounce back between repeated disturbances if given adequate time protection from anthropogenic disturbances. However, dynamics communities severe mass mortality are limited, particularly for fringing along inhabited coastlines where human stressors may compromise potential. Here, we examine drivers in Seychelles, 12 returned levels after event caused > 95% mortality. Six with initially low ( < 25%) recovered within 7–12 yr and, 16 yr, exceeded by 132–305%. In contrast, six high (20–60%) remained at 48–93% levels, projected take 17–29 yr. Abiotic historic conditions constrained rates, slowest times observed deep wave-exposed cover. Reefs juvenile densities nitrogen fastest, possibly due interplay nutrient enrichment, algal proliferation, recruitment. Our findings emphasize importance understanding small-scale variation potential, whereby were governed natural limits rates modified recruitment enrichment. Ultimately, climate-impacted recover moderate but, causes mortality, short windows will prevent dominance.

Language: Английский

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