Overfishing and nutrient pollution interact with temperature to disrupt coral reefs down to microbial scales

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: June 7, 2016

Abstract Losses of corals worldwide emphasize the need to understand what drives reef decline. Stressors such as overfishing and nutrient pollution may reduce resilience coral reefs by increasing coral–algal competition reducing recruitment, growth survivorship. Such effects themselves develop via several mechanisms, including disruption microbiomes. Here we report results a 3-year field experiment simulating pollution. These stressors increase turf macroalgal cover, destabilizing microbiomes, elevating putative pathogen loads, disease more than twofold mortality up eightfold. Above-average temperatures exacerbate these effects, further disrupting microbiomes unhealthy concentrating 80% in warmest seasons. Surprisingly, nutrients also bacterial opportunism bitten parrotfish, turning normal trophic interactions deadly for corals. Thus, impact down microbial scales, killing sensitizing them predation, above-average opportunism.

Language: Английский

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Global disparity in the resilience of coral reefs

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 27(7), P. 404 - 413

Published: May 31, 2012

Language: Английский

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Coral and macroalgal exudates vary in neutral sugar composition and differentially enrich reef bacterioplankton lineages

The ISME Journal, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 7(5), P. 962 - 979

Published: Jan. 10, 2013

Language: Английский

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Unseen players shape benthic competition on coral reefs

Trends in Microbiology, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 20(12), P. 621 - 628

Published: Sept. 1, 2012

Language: Английский

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Re-evaluating the health of coral reef communities: baselines and evidence for human impacts across the central Pacific

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 283(1822), P. 20151985 - 20151985

Published: Jan. 7, 2016

Numerous studies have documented declines in the abundance of reef-building corals over last several decades and some but not all cases, phase shifts to dominance by macroalgae occurred. These assessments, however, often ignore remainder benthos thus provide limited information on present-day structure function coral reef communities. Here, using an unprecedentedly large dataset collected within 10 years across 56 islands spanning five archipelagos central Pacific, we examine how benthic communities differ presence absence human populations. Using as replicates, whether community is associated with habitation among latitude. While there was no evidence for macroalgal our did find that majority reefs inhabited were dominated fleshy non-reef-building organisms (turf algae, non-calcifying invertebrates). By contrast, from uninhabited more variable general supported calcifiers active builders (stony crustose coralline algae). Our results suggest cumulative impacts Pacific may be causing a reduction resulting island scale organisms.

Language: Английский

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Global assessment of the status of coral reef herbivorous fishes: evidence for fishing effects

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 281(1774), P. 20131835 - 20131835

Published: Nov. 20, 2013

On coral reefs, herbivorous fishes consume benthic primary producers and regulate competition between fleshy algae reef-building corals. Many of these species are also important fishery targets, yet little is known about their global status. Using a large-scale synthesis peer-reviewed unpublished data, we examine variability in abundance biomass reef explore evidence for fishing impacts globally within regions. We show that more than twice as high locations not accessible to fisheries relative fisheries-accessible locations. Although there large biogeographic differences total biomass, the effects consistent nearly all exposure alters structure herbivore community by disproportionately reducing large-bodied functional groups (scraper/excavators, browsers, grazer/detritivores), while increasing territorial algal-farming damselfishes (Pomacentridae). The browser group consumes macroalgae can help prevent coral-macroalgal phase shifts appears be most susceptible fishing. This down guild probably effectiveness regulating algal on reefs. Finally, data from remote unfished provide baselines setting management conservation targets this fishes.

Language: Английский

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Climate change impacts on coral reefs: Synergies with local effects, possibilities for acclimation, and management implications

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 74(2), P. 526 - 539

Published: June 28, 2013

Language: Английский

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Characterizing the ecological trade‐offs throughout the early ontogeny of coral recruitment

Ecological Monographs, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 86(1), P. 20 - 44

Published: Oct. 19, 2015

Abstract Drivers of recruitment in sessile marine organisms are often poorly understood, due to the rapidly changing requirements experienced during early ontogeny. The complex suite physical, biological, and ecological interactions beginning at larval settlement involves a series trade‐offs that influence success. For example, while cryptic within microhabitats is commonly observed phenomenon organisms, it unclear whether between competition refuges predation on exposed surfaces leads higher recruitment.To explore ontogeny scleractinian corals, we combined field observations with laboratory experiments develop mechanistic understanding coral Multiple conducted over 15 months Palau (Micronesia) allowed approach study individual factors involved recruitment: behavior, growth, competition, predation, as functions microhabitat We finally developed tested predictive model broader aim testing our empirical insights explained patterns quantifying relative importance each trade‐off.Coral was crevices than microhabitats, but post‐settlement bottlenecks differed markedly presence (uncaged) absence (caged) predators. Incidental by herbivores (<3 mm) stages targeted corallivores late (3–10 exceeded major drivers mortality. In contrast, when fish were excluded, macroalgae heterotrophic invertebrates intensified mortality, particularly crevices. As result, reversed, more twofold Once overcome, survival regardless exclusion. However, maximum occurred uncaged treatments, being ninefold caged treatments. Overall, characterize success throughout earliest life‐history corals uncover some intriguing highlighting how these change even reverse under alternate disturbance regimes.

Language: Английский

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The parrotfish–coral relationship: refuting the ubiquity of a prevailing paradigm

Marine Biology, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 162(10), P. 2029 - 2045

Published: Aug. 31, 2015

Language: Английский

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Synergistic effects of reserves and connectivity on ecological resilience

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 49(6), P. 1195 - 1203

Published: Oct. 30, 2012

Summary In light of the global extent and cascading effect our impact on environment, we design manage reserves to restore biodiversity functioning ecosystems. Mobile organisms link important processes across ecosystems, however, their roles in providing these services are often overlooked need know how they influence ecosystem functions reserves. Herbivorous fish play a key role coral reef seascapes. By removing algae, promote growth recruitment, help increase resilience. We examined connectivity with mangroves affected herbivore populations benthic succession reefs eastern Australia. surveyed assemblages, composition characterised recruitment at multiple levels mangroves, no‐take reserve areas open fishing. Our results show that enhanced biomass richness reserves, effects interacted herbivory protected near mangroves. Connectivity protection combined double roving herbivorous The grazing intensity drove trophic cascade reduced algal cover Synthesis applications . findings demonstrate resilience can be improved by managing both adjacent habitats together as functional seascape units. understanding landscapes resilience, explicitly incorporating into conservation decision‐making, may have greater success environmental restoration preservation actions.

Language: Английский

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