Using otolith microchemistry ofHaemulon flavolineatum (French grunt) to characterize mangroves and coral reefs throughout Turneffe Atoll, Belize: Difficulties at small spatial scales

Estuaries ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. M. Chittaro ◽  
P. Usseglio ◽  
B. J. Fryer ◽  
P. F. Sale
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Otolith Microchemistry ◽  
French Grunt

Benthic community composition influences within-habitat variation in macroalgal browsing on the Great Barrier Reef

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (9) ◽  
pp. 999 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Cvitanovic ◽  
A. S. Hoey
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Benthic Community ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Removal Rates ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Habitat Variation ◽  
Benthic Composition

The removal of macroalgae by herbivores is fundamental to the long-term persistence of coral reefs. Variation in macroalgal browsing has been documented across a range of spatial scales on coral reefs; however, few studies have examined the factors that influence within-habitat rates of herbivory. The aim of the present study was to quantify herbivory on two species of Sargassum across three bays on an inshore island in the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR), and to determine whether these removal rates were related to the benthic composition or herbivorous fish communities. Removal rates of Sargassum differed significantly among bays, with removal rates in the southern bay (66.9–83.0% per 3 h) being approximately double that of the two other bays (29.2–38.5% per 3 h). The removal rates displayed a direct relationship with the benthic community structure, in particular the cover of macroalgae and live plate corals. Although it is difficult to determine whether these relationships are related to the availability of food resources or the structural complexity of the substratum, they highlight the potential influence of benthic composition on ecological processes. Quantifying and understanding the drivers of herbivory across a range of spatial scales is essential to the future management of coral reefs.

Variation in the soundscapes of Pacific coral reefs over multiple spectral, temporal, and spatial scales

2017 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
pp. 2502-2502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Lammers ◽  
Eden Zang ◽  
Maxwell B. Kaplan ◽  
T Aran Mooney ◽  
Pollyanna I. Fisher-Pool ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Temporal And Spatial

scholarly journals Digging for DNA at depth: rapid universal metabarcoding surveys (RUMS) as a tool to detect coral reef biodiversity across a depth gradient

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph D. DiBattista ◽  
James D. Reimer ◽  
Michael Stat ◽  
Giovanni D. Masucci ◽  
Piera Biondi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
18S Rrna ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Depth Gradient ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Eukaryotic Organisms

Background Effective biodiversity monitoring is fundamental in tracking changes in ecosystems as it relates to commercial, recreational, and conservation interests. Current approaches to survey coral reef ecosystems center on the use of indicator species and repeat surveying at specific sites. However, such approaches are often limited by the narrow snapshot of total marine biodiversity that they describe and are thus hindered in their ability to contribute to holistic ecosystem-based monitoring. In tandem, environmental DNA (eDNA) and next-generation sequencing metabarcoding methods provide a new opportunity to rapidly assess the presence of a broad spectrum of eukaryotic organisms within our oceans, ranging from microbes to macrofauna. Methods We here investigate the potential for rapid universal metabarcoding surveys (RUMS) of eDNA in sediment samples to provide snapshots of eukaryotic subtropical biodiversity along a depth gradient at two coral reefs in Okinawa, Japan based on 18S rRNA. Results Using 18S rRNA metabarcoding, we found that there were significant separations in eukaryotic community assemblages (at the family level) detected in sediments when compared across different depths ranging from 10 to 40 m (p = 0.001). Significant depth zonation was observed across operational taxonomic units assigned to the class Demospongiae (sponges), the most diverse class (contributing 81% of species) within the phylum Porifera; the oldest metazoan phylum on the planet. However, zonation was not observed across the class Anthozoa (i.e., anemones, stony corals, soft corals, and octocorals), suggesting that the former may serve as a better source of indicator species based on sampling over fine spatial scales and using this universal assay. Furthermore, despite their abundance on the examined coral reefs, we did not detect any octocoral DNA, which may be due to low cellular shedding rates, assay sensitivities, or primer biases. Discussion Overall, our pilot study demonstrates the importance of exploring depth effects in eDNA and suggest that RUMS may be applied to provide a baseline of information on eukaryotic marine taxa at coastal sites of economic and conservation importance.

scholarly journals Drivers of variation in occurrence, abundance, and behaviour of sharks on coral reefs

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Lester ◽  
T. Langlois ◽  
I. Lindgren ◽  
M. Birt ◽  
T. Bond ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Time Of Arrival ◽  
Carcharhinus Plumbeus ◽  
North West ◽  
The Status ◽  
Video Systems ◽  
Reef Sharks ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractQuantifying the drivers of population size in reef sharks is critical for the development of appropriate conservation strategies. In north-west Australia, shark populations inhabit coral reefs that border growing centres of human population, industry, and tourism. However, we lack baseline data on reef sharks at large spatial scales (hundreds of km) that might enable managers to assess the status of shark populations in the face of future development in this region. Here, we examined the occurrence, abundance and behaviour of apex (Galeocerdo cuvier, Carcharhinus plumbeus) and reef (C. amblyrhynchos, C. melanopterus, Triaenodon obesus) sharks using > 1200 deployments of baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) across > 500 km of coastline. We found evidence for species-specific influences of habitat and fishing activities on the occurrence (probability of observation), abundance (MaxN) and behaviour of sharks (time of arrival to the stereo-BRUVs and likelihood of feeding). Although the presence of management zoning (No-take areas) made little difference to most species, C. amblyrhynchos were more common further from boat ramps (a proxy of recreational fishing pressure). Time of arrival for all species was also influenced by distance to boat ramp, although patterns varied among species. Our results demonstrate the capacity for behavioural metrics to complement existing measures of occurrence and abundance in assessing the potential impact of human activities on shark populations.

scholarly journals Spatial variation in the benthic community composition of coral reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia: updated baselines and limited benthic community shifts

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44
Author(s):  
Joseph Marlow ◽  
Abdul Haris ◽  
Jamal Jompa ◽  
Shinta Werorilangi ◽  
Tracey Bates ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Benthic Community ◽  
Coral Cover ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Scales ◽  
The World ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Hard Coral Cover

AbstractCoral reefs have experienced extensive degradation across the world over the last 50 years as a result of a variety of stressors operating at a range of spatial and temporal scales. In order to assess whether declines are continuing, or if reefs are recovering, detailed baseline information is required from across wide spatial scales. Unfortunately, for some regions this information is not readily available, making future reef trajectories difficult to determine. Here we characterized the current benthic community state for coral reefs in the Wakatobi region of Indonesia, one of the most biodiverse marine regions in the world. We surveyed 10 reef sites (5, 10 and 15 m depth) to explore spatial variation in coral reef benthic communities and provide a detailed baseline. Previous data (2002–2011) were available for coral, sponges, algae and soft coral at six of our study sites. Using this information, we determined if any changes had occurred in dominance of these benthic groups. We found that benthic assemblage composition differed significantly over relatively small spatial scales (2–10 km) and hard coral cover was highly variable, ranging from 7–48% (average 19.5% ± 1.5 SE). While coral cover appears to have declined at all sites where data were available since 2002, we found little evidence for widespread increases in other benthic groups or regime shifts. Our study provides a comprehensive baseline dataset for the region that can be used in the future to determine rates of change in benthic communities.

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