Coral Reefs,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
43(2), P. 333 - 345
Published: Feb. 7, 2024
Abstract
As
the
major
form
of
coral
reef
regime
shift,
stony
to
macroalgal
transitions
have
received
considerable
attention.
In
Caribbean,
however,
shifts
in
which
scleractinian
corals
are
replaced
by
octocoral
assemblages
hold
potential
for
maintaining
associated
communities.
Accordingly,
forecasting
resilience
future
disturbance
regimes
is
necessary
understand
these
assemblages'
capacity
maintain
biodiversity.
We
parameterised
integral
projection
models
quantifying
survival,
growth,
and
recruitment
octocorals,
Antillogorgia
americana
,
Gorgonia
ventalina
Eunicea
flexuosa,
St
John,
US
Virgin
Islands,
before,
during,
after
severe
hurricane
disturbance.
Using
models,
we
forecast
density
populations
each
species
under
varying
regimes.
demonstrate
that
although
hurricanes
reduce
population
A.
G.
E.
flexuosa
display
a
quick
recovery
following
storm
Despite
this
potential,
illustrate
how
dynamics
correspond
with
longer-term
decline
their
densities.
periodic
physical
events,
ongoing
global
change
jeopardises
viability
assemblages.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
288(1965)
Published: Dec. 22, 2021
Understanding
the
resilience
of
temperate
reefs
to
climate
change
requires
exploring
recovery
capacity
their
habitat-forming
species
from
recurrent
marine
heatwaves
(MHWs).
Here,
we
show
that,
in
a
Mediterranean
highly
enforced
protected
area
established
more
than
40
years
ago,
octocoral
populations
that
were
first
affected
by
severe
MHW
2003
have
not
recovered
after
15
years.
Contrarily,
they
followed
collapse
trajectories
brought
them
brink
local
ecological
extinction.
Since
2003,
impacted
red
gorgonian
Paramuricea
clavata
(Risso,
1826)
and
coral
Corallium
rubrum
(Linnaeus,
1758)
different
trends
terms
size
structure,
but
similar
progressive
reduction
density
biomass.
Concurrently,
MHWs
observed
during
2003–2018
study
period,
which
may
hindered
recovery.
The
studied
octocorals
play
unique
role
coralligenous
assemblages
(i.e.
endemic
Sea
home
approximately
10%
its
species).
Therefore,
our
results
underpin
great
risk
pose
for
long-term
integrity
functioning
these
emblematic
reefs.
Frontiers in Marine Science,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
8
Published: April 6, 2021
Foundation
species
(FS)
regulate
ecological
processes
within
communities
often
facilitating
biodiversity
and
habitat
complexity.
Typically
FS
are
dominant
structure-forming
taxa;
but
less
taxa
having
disproportionate
impacts
to
the
community
can
also
be
FS.
Mesophotic
coral
ecosystems
(MCEs)
deep
reef
(∼30–150
m)
communities,
dominated
by
emergent
sponges
in
Caribbean
Basin.
Despite
potential
competitive
advantage
of
on
MCEs,
gorgonians
common
constituents
these
reefs.
Data
from
Bahamas
demonstrate
increased
densities
mesophotic
reefs
with
relative
without
species.
Drawing
upon
fifteen
years
field
surveys
at
five
sites
Basin
we
assessed
situ
interactions
between
quantify
outcomes
consistent
competition
(i.e.,
tissue
necrosis
overgrowth).
Gorgonians
were
effective
competitors
against
a
variety
sponges,
two
allelochemicals
produced
Ellisella
elongata
mechanistically
important
Agelas
clathrodes
.
We
examined
invertebrate
recruitment
patterns
near
assess
their
role
MCE
biodiversity.
Our
results
indicate
that
live
gorgonians,
Antillogorgia
bipinnata
E.
,
facilitate
biodiverse
into
indicating
this
process
is
governed
more
than
passive
hydrodynamics.
Collectively,
data
exhibit
both
positive
negative
facilitation
competition,
respectively)
other
taxa.
Thus,
display
several
traits
contributing
structure
understudied
communities.
Coral Reefs,
Journal Year:
2021,
Volume and Issue:
40(4), P. 1113 - 1125
Published: May 29, 2021
Abstract
Coral
reef
ecosystems
are
under
threat
from
the
frequent
and
severe
impacts
of
anthropogenic
climate
change,
particularly
rising
sea
surface
temperatures.
The
effects
thermal
stress
may
be
ameliorated
by
adaptation
and/or
acclimation
host,
symbiont,
or
holobiont
(host
+
symbiont)
to
increased
We
examined
role
symbiont
in
promoting
tolerance
holobiont,
using
Antillogorgia
bipinnata
(octocoral
host)
Breviolum
antillogorgium
(symbiont)
as
a
model
system.
identified
five
distinct
genotypes
B.
populations
isolated
colonies
Florida
Keys.
Three
were
cultured
maintained
at
26
°C
(ambient
historical
temperature),
two
30
(elevated
temperature)
for
2
yrs.
analyzed
growth
rate
carrying
capacity
each
genotype
both
ambient
elevated
temperatures
culture
(in
vitro).
All
grew
well
temperatures,
indicating
that
exists
among
these
cultures.
However,
history
long-term
did
not
yield
better
performance
(as
compared
°C),
suggesting
prior
culturing
temperature
result
tolerance.
then
inoculated
juvenile
A.
polyps
with
reared
(
hospite
experiment).
established
symbioses
treatments.
Survivorship
was
significantly
lower
than
survivorship
°C,
but
all
treatments
had
surviving
56
d
post-infection.
Our
results
suggest
broad
antillogorgium,
which
play
part
resilience
Caribbean
octocorals
during
heat
events.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory),
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
unknown
Published: Jan. 5, 2025
Abstract
Octocorals
have
increased
in
abundance
on
many
Caribbean
coral
reefs,
and
at
some
sites
“octocoral
forest”
may
be
a
better
community
descriptor
than
“coral
reef.”
Implicit
to
the
concept
of
forest
is
that
structural
elements,
trees,
colonies,
etc.,
alter
environment
ways
affect
elements
themselves
organisms
inhabit
forest.
At
what
density
do
create
emergent
properties
“forest?”
Communities
traditionally
characterized
as
hardgrounds
reefs
around
Puerto
Rico
St
John,
US
Virgin
Islands,
varied
octocoral
colonies
from
few
>100
m
-2
surveys
conducted
2021
2022.
Canopy
cover
was
correlated
with
colonies.
Among
quadrats
highest
there
no
significant
correlation
between
numbers
canopy
cover.
Frontal
area,
measure
related
community’s
effect
water
flow,
well
volume
occupied
by
followed
patterns
similar
Vertical
profiles
flow
velocity
were
measured
substratum
3
above
bottom
reef
John
where
population
ranged
0
16
.
Profiles
orbital
exhibited
perturbations
which
more
pronounced
locations
>
12
Using
criterion,
4
8
surveyed
would
function
forests.
Understanding
appear
critical
understanding
bio-physical
interactions
affecting
community.
Scientific Data,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
12(1)
Published: Jan. 15, 2025
Abstract
Trait-based
approaches
are
revolutionizing
our
understanding
of
high-diversity
ecosystems
by
providing
insights
into
the
principles
underlying
key
ecological
processes,
such
as
community
assembly,
species
distribution,
resilience,
and
relationship
between
biodiversity
ecosystem
functioning.
In
2016,
Coral
Trait
Database
advanced
coral
reef
science
centralizing
trait
information
for
stony
corals
(i.e.,
Subphylum
Anthozoa,
Class
Hexacorallia,
Order
Scleractinia).
However,
absence
data
soft
corals,
gorgonians,
sea
pens
Octocorallia)
limits
where
these
organisms
significant
members
play
pivotal
roles.
To
address
this
gap,
we
introduce
Octocoral
Database,
a
global,
open-source
database
curated
octocorals.
This
houses
species-
individual-level
data,
complemented
contextual
that
provides
relevant
framework
analyses.
The
inaugural
dataset,
OctocoralTraits
v2.2,
contains
over
97,500
global
observations
across
98
traits
3,500
species.
aims
to
evolve
steadily
growing,
community-led
resource
advances
future
marine
science,
with
particular
emphasis
on
research.
