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Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity

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A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2021) | Viewed by 33744

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kuʻulei Rodgers

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Guest Editor

Hawaii Institute Marine Biology, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA
Interests: coral reef ecology; responses to climate change; anthropogenic impacts; field assessment and monitoring; community-based monitoring; bioindicators; “ridge-to-reef” connectivity; management-applied coral reef research

Dr. Keisha Bahr

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA
Interests: marine ecology and biodiversity; coral reef ecology and conservation; carbonate chemistry; ecophysiology; integrated coastal management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Diversity Journal is about to launch a Special Issue dedicated to Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity.

Maintaining community, organismal, and genetic diversity is vital to ecosystem services and functioning; however, natural and anthropogenic impacts can alter this balance. The focus of this Special Issue of the interdisciplinary open access journal Diversity is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth: coral reefs. We welcome topics that cover anthropogenic impacts on coral reef ecology and biodiversity, climate change ecology, applied research and management, as well as socioeconomic linkages between humans and coral reefs.

Dr. Kuʻulei Rodgers
Dr. Keisha Bahr
Guest Editors

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Keywords

climate change
coral reef ecosystem
global warming
ocean acidification
coral bleaching
coral calcification
coral reef management

Published Papers (11 papers)

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14 pages, 12121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Use of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) for Describing the Species Diversity of Two Coral Reefs in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

by Lilian A. Palomino-Alvarez, Xochitl G. Vital, Raúl E. Castillo-Cupul, Nancy Y. Suárez-Mozo, Diana Ugalde, Gabriel Cervantes-Campero, María R. Muciño-Reyes, Pedro Homá-Canché, Yoalli Quetzalli Hernández-Díaz, Rosa Sotelo-Casas, Maryjose García-González, Yhutsin A. Avedaño-Peláez, Alejandro Hernández-González, Carlos E. Paz-Ríos, Jose M. Lizaola-Guillermo, Magdalena García-Venegas, Yasmin Dávila-Jiménez, Deneb Ortigosa, Gema Hidalgo, José L. Tello-Musi, Mariana Rivera-Higueras, Rigoberto Moreno Mendoza, Mary K. Wicksten, Rosana M. Rocha, Leandro Vieira, María Berenit Mendoza-Garfias, Nuno Simões and Edlin J. Guerra-Castro Show full author list Hide full author list

Diversity 2021, 13(11), 579; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13110579 - 12 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4661

Abstract

Autonomous reef monitoring structures (ARMS) have been proposed as a standardized, passive, nondestructive sampling tool. This study assessed the ability of ARMS to capture the cryptic species diversity of two coral reefs by recording species richness and taxonomic representativeness using conventional taxonomy. The capacity of ARMS, as artificial substrates, to favor the establishment of nonindigenous species over native species was also evaluated. The use of ARMS allowed the detection of 370 species morphotypes from nine phyla, yielding 13 new records of geographic distribution expansion, one exotic species for the Gulf of México and the Caribbean Sea, and six newly described species. It was also possible to make spatial comparisons of species richness between both reefs. ARMS captured cryptic diversity exceptionally well, with the exception of echinoderms. Furthermore, these artificial structures did not hinder the colonization ability of native species; in fact, the colonization patterns on the structures themselves represented the spatial differences in the structure of benthic assemblages. This study represents the first effort to make a conventional taxonomic description of the cryptic fauna of the Yucatan Peninsula using ARMS. It is recommended to assess coral reef species diversity, but more taxonomists specialized in marine invertebrates are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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15 pages, 2981 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Patterns of Coral Community Structure in the Toliara Region of Southwest Madagascar and Implications for Conservation and Management

by Radonirina Lebely Botosoamananto, Gildas Todinanahary, Andriamanjato Razakandrainy, Mahery Randrianarivo, Lucie Penin and Mehdi Adjeroud

Diversity 2021, 13(10), 486; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13100486 - 05 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2995

Abstract

The Great Reef of Toliara, on the southwestern coast of Madagascar, has been documented as harbouring flourishing reef communities in the 1960s, but has since been affected by various threats, causing a coral decline last reported in 2008. In 2017, we examined the spatial heterogeneity in coral community structure in the region of Toliara. Coral assemblages were characterized by a marked spatial variability, with significant variation for most of the descriptors among the three major habitats and also among stations within habitats. We recorded high coral cover, with values >40% at six of the 10 stations, which was associated with high abundance of coral colonies. We also documented the return to an Acropora-dominated coral assemblage. While these positive results suggest a recent return to healthier coral assemblages, they must be tempered, as the diversity that we recorded was lower than in the 1960s. Moreover, we found a high cover of algae at several stations, suggesting that the ecosystem is likely close to the tipping point toward a phase shift. Finally, the population size-structure of major coral taxa was positively skewed, with few large colonies to ensure the replenishment of local populations. The marked spatial variation suggests that marine protected areas should integrate a sufficiently large area to capture the scale of this spatial heterogeneity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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11 pages, 7301 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calcium Transport along the Axial Canal in Acropora

by Yixin Li, Xin Liao, Chunpeng He and Zuhong Lu

Diversity 2021, 13(9), 407; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13090407 - 27 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2036

Abstract

In Acropora, the complex canals in a coral colony connect all polyps to a holistic network, enabling them to collaborate in performing biological processes. There are various types of canals, including calice, axial canals, and other internal canals, with structures that are dynamically altered during different coral growth states due to internal calcium transport. In this study, we investigated the morphological changes in the corallite of six Acropora muricata samples by high resolution micro-computed tomography, observing the patterns of calcium carbonate deposition within axial corallite during processes of new branch formation and truncated tip repair. We visualized the formation of a new branch from a calice and the calcium carbonate deposition in the axial canal. Furthermore, the diameter and volume changes of the axial canal in truncated branches during rebuilding processes were calculated, revealing that the volume ratio of calcareous deposits in the axial canal exhibit significant increases within the first three weeks, returning to levels in the initial state in the following week. This work demonstrates that calcium carbonate can be stored temporarily and then remobilized as needed for rapid growth. The results of this study shed light on the control of calcium carbonate deposition and growth of the axial corallite in Acropora. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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15 pages, 2684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coverage Increases of Porites astreoides in Grenada Determined by Shifts in Size-Frequency Distribution

by Ryan G. Eagleson, John S. Lumsden, Lorenzo Álvarez-Filip, Christophe M. Herbinger and Ryan A. Horricks

Diversity 2021, 13(7), 288; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13070288 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2245

Abstract

Despite coral community collapse, the mustard hill coral (Porites astreoides) is a species currently experiencing success throughout the Caribbean. The inshore reefs of Grenada were selected to study the influence of benthic factors on the abundance, size, and coverage of P. astreoides colonies. Surveys of reef communities along established 30 m transects were conducted at eight sites in 2014 and 2017 using a 0.5 m² quadrat. Coral Point Count was used to annotate the images, estimating the coverage of scleractinian corals, sponges, algae, and benthic substrates. Coverage, size, and abundance of P. astreoides colonies were quantified using the area measurement tool in ImageJ standardized against the quadrats. There were significant differences in benthic community assemblages between islands, selected sites, and between years. From 2014 to 2017 there was a significant decrease in the mean abundance of P. astreoides colonies and significant increases in mean colony size and coverage. The presence of P. astreoides colonies was significantly correlated with: rubble (−), sand (−); pavement (+); macroalgae (−); coralline algae (+); sponges (varying response); gorgonians (−); massive corals (+); and branching corals (−). P. astreoides follows similar recruitment patterns as other scleractinian corals. Observed changes in P. astreoides populations appear to indicate a recovery event following a disturbance, potentially tropical storm Chantal in 2013. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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18 pages, 2135 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Rabbitfish Siganus virgatus as Key Macroalgae Browser in Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Thailand

by Malika Müller, Constanze F. K. Staab, Laura D. Puk, Eike M. Schoenig, Sebastian C. A. Ferse and Christian Wild

Diversity 2021, 13(3), 123; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13030123 - 13 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3677

Abstract

Coral reef resilience is greatly influenced by herbivory. There is a need to identify key fish species fulfilling this critical function in biogeographically distinct regions. This experimental in situ study investigated fish herbivory in coral reefs of the lower Gulf of Thailand characterized by a considerably low herbivorous fish biomass and diversity, but high live coral and low macroalgal cover. This provided an intriguing situation for macroalgal browsing research. Visual census techniques assessed the abundance of local herbivorous fish species, and filmed single-choice assays using the macroalga Turbinaria evaluated mass-standardized bites (ms-bites) and biomass removal. Multiple-choice assays offering four locally abundant macroalgae identified specific biomass removal and ms-bites to uncover selection and avoidance patterns of observed fish species. The rabbitfish Siganusvirgatus constituted only 39% of herbivore biomass but accounted for 90% of ms-bites. In multiple-choice assays, fishes took most (61%) bites on Sargassum, followed by Padina (28%) and Turbinaria (11%), while Lobophora was avoided. S. virgatus exhibited the most generalized browsing pattern of all species observed. Coinciding with recent studies, our findings suggest that S. virgatus plays a key functional role in reefs characterized by low diversity of herbivores and low functional redundancy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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14 pages, 4104 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Assessing Assemblage Composition of Reproductively Mature Resource Fishes at a Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA)

by Rebecca M. Weible, Ku‘ulei S. Rodgers, Alan M. Friedlander and Cynthia L. Hunter

Diversity 2021, 13(3), 114; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13030114 - 07 Mar 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2171

Abstract

Nearshore fisheries in Hawai‘i have been steadily decreasing for over a century. Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been utilized as a method to both conserve biodiversity and enhance fisheries. The composition of resource fishes within and directly outside of the recently established Hā‘ena Community Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA) on the island of Kaua‘i were assessed to determine temporal and spatial patterns in assemblage structure. In situ visual surveys of fishes, invertebrates, and benthos were conducted using a stratified random sampling design to evaluate the efficacy of the MPA between 2016 and 2020. L₅₀ values—defined as the size at which half of the individuals in a population have reached reproductive maturity—were used as proxies for identifying reproductively mature resource fishes both inside and outside the CBSFA. Surveys between 2016 and 2020 did not indicate strong temporal or spatial changes in overall resource fish assemblage structure; however, some species-specific changes were evident. Although overall resource species diversity and richness were significantly higher by 2020 inside the MPA boundaries, there is currently no strong evidence for a reserve effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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27 pages, 4614 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Impact to Coral Reef Populations at Hā‘ena and Pila‘a, Kaua‘i, Following a Record 2018 Freshwater Flood Event

by Ku’ulei S. Rodgers, Matthew P. Stefanak, Anita O. Tsang, Justin J. Han, Andrew T. Graham and Yuko O. Stender

Diversity 2021, 13(2), 66; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13020066 - 05 Feb 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2850

Abstract

Many corals and reef-dwelling organisms are susceptible to the impacts of storm events, which are typically characterized by large inputs of freshwater, sediment, and nutrients. The majority of storm effects are focused on shallow, nearshore reef flats, as low salinity and sedimentation tend to dissipate with depth and distance from shore. In April 2018, record rainfall on the northern coast of Kaua‘i caused extensive flooding and landslides, introducing large amounts of freshwater and sediment into nearshore reefs. Using benthic and fish transects from 2016–2019 and temperature, sediment, and rainfall data gathered pre- and post-flood, this study aimed to quantify and explicate the effects of flooding on the various biotic populations of two reef habitats at Pila‘a and Hā‘ena, Kaua‘i. Results from the shallow Pila‘a reef suggest sediment and freshwater-associated declines in mean urchin abundance (−52.0%) and increases in mean coral bleaching (+54.5%) at the flood-prone eastern sector. Additionally, decreases in mean urchin (−65.7%) and fish (−42.3%) populations were observed at shallow Hā‘ena transects, but not deep sites, supporting the occurrence of depth-specific affliction. Multivariate community-level analyses affirmed much of these results, showing a significant shift in community structure before and after the flood at both Pila‘a and Hā‘ena. The outcomes of this study are pertinent to strategic design and solution development by local aquatic resource managers, especially as anthropogenic climate change continues to increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of storm events. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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19 pages, 3659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fish Assemblage Structure in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Is Associated with the Architectural Complexity of Coral-Reef Habitats

by Atsuko Fukunaga, Randall K. Kosaki, Kailey H. Pascoe and John H. R. Burns

Diversity 2020, 12(11), 430; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d12110430 - 15 Nov 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2695

Abstract

The architectural complexity of coral-reef habitat plays an important role in determining the assemblage structure of reef fish. We investigated associations between the reef habitats and fish assemblages in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) using in situ fish counts and data on habitat metrics and benthic community composition that were obtained from three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetric reconstructions of the surveyed sites. The structure of fish assemblage as a whole on the basis of Bray–Curtis dissimilarity, species richness and the abundances of herbivores and piscivores were associated with habitat metrics, with higher levels of architectural complexity generally supporting greater numbers of fish species and individuals. Benthic cover did not explain additional variation in these variables after the effects of habitat metrics were taken into account. Corallivorous fish was the only group that showed positive associations with both habitat metrics and benthic cover (Acropora and Pocillopora corals). The total fish abundance and the abundances of planktivores and invertivores did not show associations with either habitat metrics or benthic cover. This study suggests that an appropriate combination of habitat metrics can be used to account sufficiently for the effects of habitat architecture on fish assemblages in reef monitoring efforts in the NWHI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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14 pages, 1579 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Acclimatization Drives Differences in Reef-Building Coral Calcification Rates

by Kelsey Archer Barnhill, Nadia Jogee, Colleen Brown, Ashley McGowan, Ku’ulei Rodgers, Ian Bryceson and Keisha Bahr

Diversity 2020, 12(9), 347; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d12090347 - 08 Sep 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3525

Abstract

Coral reefs are susceptible to climate change, anthropogenic influence, and environmental stressors. However, corals in Kāneʻohe Bay, Hawaiʻi have repeatedly shown resilience and acclimatization to anthropogenically-induced rising temperatures and increased frequencies of bleaching events. Variations in coral and algae cover at two sites—just 600 m apart—at Malaukaʻa fringing reef suggest genetic or environmental differences in coral resilience between sites. A reciprocal transplant experiment was conducted to determine if calcification (linear extension and dry skeletal weight) for dominant reef-building species, Montipora capitata and Porites compressa, varied between the two sites and whether or not parent colony or environmental factors were responsible for the differences. Despite the two sites representing distinct environmental conditions with significant differences between temperature, salinity, and aragonite saturation, M. capitata growth rates remained the same between sites and treatments. However, dry skeletal weight increases in P. compressa were significantly different between sites, but not across treatments, with linear mixed effects model results suggesting heterogeneity driven by environmental differences between sites and the parent colonies. These results provide evidence of resilience and acclimatization for M. capitata and P. compressa. Variability of resilience may be driven by local adaptations at a small, reef-level scale for P. compressa in Kāneʻohe Bay. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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16 pages, 1522 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Coral Reef Recovery in the Mexican Caribbean after 2005 Mass Coral Mortality—Potential Drivers

by Xochitl E. Elías Ilosvay, Ameris I. Contreras-Silva, Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip and Christian Wild

Diversity 2020, 12(9), 338; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d12090338 - 03 Sep 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3285

Abstract

In 2005, an extreme heatwave hit the Wider Caribbean, followed by 13 hurricanes (including hurricanes Emily and Wilma) that caused significant loss in hard coral cover. However, the drivers of the potential recovery are yet to be fully understood. Based on recent findings in the literature of coral cover recovery in the Mexican Caribbean after the mass bleaching event and associated hurricanes in 2005, this study analyzed, through random-effects meta-analysis, the hard coral and macroalgae benthic development and potential drivers of change between 2005 and 2016 in the Mexican Caribbean. Therefore, we tested the relative effect of sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a water concentration, coastal human population development, reef distance to shore, and geographical location on both hard coral and macroalgae cover over time. Findings revealed increases of both hard coral (by 6%) and algae cover (by ca. 14%, i.e., almost three times the increase of corals) over 12 years. Although our findings confirm the partial coral recovery after the 2005 Caribbean mass coral mortality event, they also indicate rapid colonization of algae across the region. Surprisingly, only SST correlated negatively with changes in coral cover. Contrary to expectations, there was a significantly greater algae cover increase in the Central section of the Mexican Caribbean, which is characterized by a low population density. However, a constant discharge of nutrient-rich freshwater may have facilitated algae growth there. This study reports partial regional reef recovery, but it also indicates that local factors, particularly eutrophication, facilitate algae growth at a speed that is much faster than coral recovery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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2 pages, 725 KiB

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The Sharing of the Same Host of Two Species of Anemonefish in the Gulf of Thailand, One of Which Is Possibly Introduced

by Se Songploy, Suchana Chavanich, Yosuva Mariasingarayan and Voranop Viyakarn

Diversity 2021, 13(7), 304; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/d13070304 - 05 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1845

Abstract

At Samaesan Island, which is in Chon Buri Province, the Upper Gulf of Thailand, in 2018 we found skunk anemonefish (Amphiprion akallopisos) previously only known from the Andaman Sea that have been establishing their populations in the area at a 4-m [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coral Reef Ecology and Biodiversity)

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