Assessment of the impacts of rapid Marine Heatwaves and cumulative thermal stress on cold-water upwelling coral refugia

Geomatics Natural Hazards and Risk, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: Jan. 3, 2025

This study introduces a combined Marine Heatwaves-Degree Heating Weeks (MHW-DHW) analysis to evaluate climate change impacts on three coral refugia: Green Island, Nanwan Bay, and Dongsha Atoll. MHWs reflect rapid rises in Sea Surface Temperature (SST) their timing, while DHW captures sustained high SSTs, indicating thermal stress, potential bleaching risks, vulnerability of habitats. Since 2016, MHW development has significantly increased annual stress. Between 2020 2022, nearly half each year they faced threats corresponding Bleaching Alert Levels 2 3. Historically, events were linked strong El Niño transitioning La Niña conditions during the negative phase Pacific Decadal Oscillation; however, recent global ocean warming masked this pattern. Periodic cooling due upwelling these habitats is not fully captured by CoralTemp dataset smoothing low spatial resolution. SST values differ from Himawari satellite observations about 1 1.4 °C daily minima, leading average discrepancies 0.2–0.5 °C. suggests diurnal temperature variations may still mitigate temperatures. Furthermore, multi-satellite data revealed that affected chlorophyll concentrations within

Language: Английский

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Seaweed diversification driven by Taiwan’s emergence and the Kuroshio Current: insights from the cryptic diversity and phylogeography of Dichotomaria (Galaxauraceae, Rhodophyta)

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: April 24, 2024

Ocean currents play a role in both facilitating and impeding connectivity of marine organisms’ populations, serving as key drivers potential barriers. The emergence Taiwan around five million years ago (Mya) impacted the Kuroshio Current which later shaped distribution organisms. In this study, we examined how influenced population divergence red alga Dichotomaria elegans (Galaxauraceae, Nemaliales). Through phylogenetic analysis, species delimitation, morphological comparison Taiwanese species, determined its position relative to other within D. marginata complex genus . We uncovered hidden cryptic diversity proposed new combinations latifolia based on Galaxaura G. Genetic analysis three loci (mitochondrial cox 2-3 1, plastid rbc L) from 32 locations across Philippines, Taiwan, Japan revealed allopatric lineages first lineage is restricted northern Philippines southern while second has broader latitudinal range along Current. third found southeast Luzon, close bifurcation North Equatorial Current, near start two during mid-Pliocene (~3.7 Mya) coincided with current dynamics accentuating their separation. exhibited dual impact biogeography : promoting dispersal towards higher latitudes preventing moving northward. Principal component showed that habitat conditions morphologies differed between lineages. This study provides insights into well genetic divergence, biogeographical patterns, ecological associations , highlighting interplay island formation shaping diversification seaweeds Northwest Pacific Ocean.

Language: Английский

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A clear distinction and presence of Acropora aff. divaricata within Acropora cf. solitaryensis species complex along their biogeographic distribution in East Asia

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: March 21, 2025

In the Anthropocene, scleractinian corals face unprecedented threats from synergistic stressors, including rising seawater temperatures that surpass critical thresholds lead to global coral reef degradation. With over 1,698 species in order Scleractinia, their conservation is increasingly complex due morphological plasticity and challenge of accurate identification. The genus Acropora, with approximately 400 nominal species, exemplifies these challenges, as traits often vary within among complicating taxonomic efforts. Traditional methods based on skeletal characteristics are insufficient for delineating Acropora prompting use integrative approaches combining morphology, reproduction, molecular data. this study, we employ multi-locus phylogenetic analyses morphometric measurements distinguish different growth forms cf. solitaryensis distinct delineate range boundaries A. aff. divaricata East Asian ecosystems. We identify arborescent intermediate morphotypes belonging divaricata, which distributed tropical reefs southeastern Taiwan temperate non-reefal communities Shikoku, Japan. Conversely, solid-plate morphotype aligns holotype locality at Solitary Island, Australia, found primarily subtropical regions northern distribution patterns underscore necessity biogeographic sampling taxonomy, considering Kuroshio Current's impact distributions, a re-evaluation poleward migration or expansion climate change. Our findings traditional taxonomy solitaryensis, revealing they may instead encompass multiple species. This has significant implications strategies, identification crucial understanding responses environmental changes informing efforts

Language: Английский

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Crowdsourcing conservation: unveiling Taiwan’s sea turtle foraging grounds, emerging threats, and residency with broad societal engagement

BMC Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 25(1)

Published: March 24, 2025

Determining sea turtle foraging grounds, emerging threats, and population status are essential for conservation management. Crowdsourced science is a recently recognized approach that enables internet-based data collection, providing important contributions to scientific goals while also benefiting society public education. This study based on the published dataset from TurtleSpot Taiwan (2017–2022) with aim leverage crowdsourced determine demography, residency patterns in Taiwan. We identified three green (Chelonia mydas) grounds (Liuqiu Island, Kenting, Green Island), defined as sites > 100 sightings 50 individuals. Among all sites, Liuqiu Island contributed 77% of total sightings, suggesting this island hotspot. Emerging threats aggregations turtles were evident reported ~ 10% involving fishing line entanglement, ingested debris, missing flippers, or injuries. Most these occurred indicating significant level human-turtle disturbance. Residency sighting showed 43.4% individuals stayed same area one more years, adult-sized greater than immature turtles. supports healthy turtles, where adults often stay year dynamic populations younger However, despite certain number observed many displayed high density combined increased injury frequency suggests comprehensive management plan urgently needed, including measures reduce boat speeds hotspot areas strict regulations coastal human activity.

Language: Английский

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Succession and Emergence of Corals in High-Latitude (Temperate) Areas of Eastern Asia into the Future

Coral reefs of the world, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 53 - 71

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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Groundtruthing assessments of lab-based coral thermal tolerance with large-area imaging

Coral Reefs, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 27, 2024

Language: Английский

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