A marine protected area network does not confer community structure resilience to a marine heatwave across coastal ecosystems

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 29(19), P. 5634 - 5651

Published: July 13, 2023

Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) have gained attention as a conservation tool for enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate change. However, empirical evidence explicitly linking MPAs enhanced ecological is limited and mixed. To better understand whether can buffer impacts, we tested the resistance recovery of marine communities 2014–2016 Northeast Pacific heatwave in largest scientifically designed MPA network world off coast California, United States. The consists 124 (48 no‐take state reserves, 76 partial‐take or special regulation areas) implemented at different times, with full implementation completed 2012. We compared fish, benthic invertebrate, macroalgal community structure inside outside 13 across rocky intertidal, kelp forest, shallow reef, deep reef nearshore habitats California's Central Coast region from 2007 2020. also explored features, including age, size, depth, proportion rock, historic fishing pressure, habitat diversity richness, connectivity, fish biomass response ratios (proxy performance), conferred forest intertidal spanning 28 network. Ecological dramatically shifted due all four habitats, did not facilitate habitat‐wide recovery. Only significantly resist impacts. Community shifts were associated pronounced decline relative cold water species an increase warm species. features explain heatwave. Collectively, our findings suggest that ability mitigate impacts heatwaves on structure. Given mechanisms perturbations are complex, there clear need expand assessments ecosystem‐wide consequences resulting acute climate‐driven perturbations, potential role regulatory protection mitigating changes.

Language: Английский

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Including environmental and climatic considerations for sustainable coral reef restoration

PLoS Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 22(3), P. e3002542 - e3002542

Published: March 19, 2024

Coral reefs provide ecosystem benefits to millions of people but are threatened by rapid environmental change and ever-increasing human pressures. Restoration is becoming a priority strategy for coral reef conservation, yet implementation remains challenging it increasingly apparent that indirect conservation restoration approaches will not ensure the long-term sustainability reefs. The important role conditions in practice currently undervalued, carrying substantial implications success. Giving paramount importance conditions, particularly during pre-restoration planning phase, has potential bring about considerable improvements innovation. This Essay argues risk may be reduced adopting an environmentally aware perspective gives historical, contemporary, future context decisions. Such approach open up new opportunities with improved have capacity dynamically respond trajectories.

Language: Английский

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Crown-of-thorns seastar (Acanthaster spp.) feeding ecology across species and regions

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 930, P. 172691 - 172691

Published: April 23, 2024

The coral predators, crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS, Acanthaster spp.) remain a major cause of extensive and widespread loss in Indo-Pacific reefs. With increased phylogenetic understanding these seastars, at least five species appear to be present across different regions. We compare the feeding ecology species. Where acroporid corals are prevalent, spp. often exhibit preference for corals, with Porites being preferred, as seen most including planci northern Indian Ocean cf. solaris west Pacific. In eastern Pacific, where Acropora is largely absent, ellisii prey on range species, Porites. Coral predation by COTS influenced several factors food availability, nutritional value, protective crustaceans defenses, differences behaviour emerging Feeding can act increase richness reducing dominance fast-growing outbreaking populations, impacts reef systems live cover, eroding complexity causing shifts trophic structure. data available, we synthesise contrast preferences foraging their impact assemblages For areas focal occurs, also fastest growing greatest recovery potential following mass mortality events, combination climate change outbreaks presents an imminent threat This exacerbated dietary flexibility heatwaves, other stressors creating negative feedback loop accelerating decline.

Language: Английский

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The Changing Biogeography of the Ligurian Sea: Seawater Warming and Further Records of Southern Species

Diversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(3), P. 159 - 159

Published: March 4, 2024

Global warming is causing poleward expansion of species ranges. Temperate seas, in particular, are undergoing a process known as ‘tropicalisation’, i.e., the combination sea-water and establishment southern species. The Ligurian Sea one coldest sectors Mediterranean has thus been characterized by dearth warm-temperate comparative abundance cold-temperate This paper uses time series sea surface temperature (SST) new records thermophilic fish to reconsider biogeography Sea. SST risen about 0.7 °C on average between 1948 2023, but two phases may be distinguished: cool (ended mid-1980s) warm (still ongoing); latter phase shows alternating periods rapid comparatively stationary temperature. arrival coincided with warming; some these were established subsequent periods. Heatwaves climate-related diseases associated have caused mass mortalities autochthonous Our knowledge was during phase; present situation, however, calls for re-defining chorological spectrum biota.

Language: Английский

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Protected area geographical management model from design to implementation for specially protected environment area

Land Use Policy, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 122, P. 106357 - 106357

Published: Sept. 16, 2022

Language: Английский

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Short-term stress testing predicts subsequent natural bleaching variation

Coral Reefs, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 6, 2025

Reef degradation induced by climate change is motivating interest in active management strategies to retain living coral cover including restoration. Understanding the level and range of heat tolerance available populations critical determining their viability may be important choosing corals propagate for restoration projects. There a need assess experimentally relate experimental performance real-world bleaching conditions outcomes. We sampled model population key reef-building (Montipora capitata) Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi subjected fragments an artificial stress profile. subsequently revisited assessed source colonies at height natural event. Measurements photosystem efficiency taken on samples during were predictive subsequent field responses colonies. By additive modeling along with previous measures symbiont community site characteristics, we improved predictions later Survival measured several months after experiencing had strong positive value outcomes but also produced many false negatives. These results support notion that complex trait detectable partitioning its underlying sources. This work reinforces utility heat-based experimentation both understanding biological underpinnings gleaning information about individual has direct applicability conservation forecasting activities.

Language: Английский

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Conservation benefits of a large marine protected area network that spans multiple ecosystems

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are widely implemented tools for long‐term ocean conservation and resource management. Assessments of MPA performance have largely focused on specific ecosystems individually rarely evaluated across multiple either in an individual or network. We the 59 MPAs California's large network, which encompasses 4 primary (surf zone, kelp forest, shallow reef, deep reef) bioregions, identified attributes that best explain performance. Using a meta‐analytic framework, we ability to conserve fish biomass, richness, diversity. At scale network 3 regions, biomass species targeted by fishing was positively associated with level regulatory protection greater inside no‐take MPAs, whereas not had similar open fishing. In contrast, richness diversity were as strongly enhanced protection. The key features effectiveness included age, preimplementation fisheries pressure, habitat Important drivers single consistent spanning regions ecosystems. With international targets aimed at protecting 30% world's oceans 2030, design assessment frameworks should consider ecologically relevant scales, from networks.

Language: Английский

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Use of conservation areas for fisheries management and ecosystem conservation in the U.S. exclusive economic zone

Marine Policy, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 175, P. 106633 - 106633

Published: Feb. 19, 2025

Language: Английский

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Widespread coral bleaching and mass mortality during the 2023–2024 marine heatwave in Little Cayman

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

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Systematic engineering for production of anti-aging sunscreen compound in Pseudomonas putida

Metabolic Engineering, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 84, P. 69 - 82

Published: June 4, 2024

Sunscreen has been used for thousands of years to protect skin from ultraviolet radiation. However, the use modern commercial sunscreen containing oxybenzone, ZnO, and TiO

Language: Английский

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