Assessing coral reef health across onshore to offshore stress gradients in the US Virgin Islands

Smith, Tyler B.; Nemeth, Richard S.; Blondeau, Jeremiah; Calnan, J. M.; Kadison, Elizabeth; Herzlieb, Steve

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2008.08.015

Cited by 115 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Terrestrial effluents can increase near-shore nutrient levels, promoting primary production (Jessen et al, 2015), and deforestation can increase sedimentation rates, leading to increased suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the water-column and accelerating light attenuation (Fabricius, 2005;Cooper et al, 2007;Smith et al, 2008). The effects of terrestrial-derived inputs in coastal waters across coral reefs have led to noticeable spatial gradients in water quality in many parts of the world (Edinger et al, 1998;Mallela et al, 2004;Fabricius et al, 2005;Lirman and Fong, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Coral Reef Communities of the Spermonde Archipelago, 2012–2014, I: Comprehensive Reef Monitoring of Water and Benthic Indicators Reflect Changes in Reef Health

et al. 2018

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Pollution, fishing, and outbreaks of predators can heavily impact coastal coral reef ecosystems, leading to decreased water quality and benthic community shifts. To determine the main environmental drivers of coral reef status in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia, we monitored environmental variables and coral reef benthic community structure along an on-to-offshore gradient annually from 2012 to 2014. Findings revealed that concentrations of phosphate, chlorophyll a-like fluorescence, suspended particulate matter, and light attenuation significantly decreased from on-to-offshore, while concentrations of dissolved O 2 and values of water pH significantly increased on-to-offshore. Nitrogen stable isotope signatures of sediment and an exemplary common brown alga were significantly enriched nearshore, identifying wastewater input from the city of Makassar as primary N source. In contrast to the high temporal variability in water quality, coral reef benthic community cover did not show strong temporal, but rather, spatial patterns. Turf algae was the dominant group next to live coral, and was negatively correlated to live coral, crustose coralline algae (CCA), rubble and hard substrate. Variation in benthic cover along the gradient was explained by water quality variables linked to trophic status and physico-chemical variables. As an integrated measure of reef status and structural complexity, the benthic index, based on the ratio of relative cover of live coral and CCA to other coral reef organisms, and reef rugosity were determined. The benthic index was consistently low nearshore and increased offshore, with high variability in the midshelf sites across years. Reef rugosity was also lowest nearshore and increased further offshore. Both indices dropped in 2013, increasing again in 2014, indicating a period of acute disturbance and recovery within the study and suggesting that the mid-shelf reefs are more resilient to disturbance than nearshore reefs. We thus recommend using these two indices with a selected number of environmental variables as an integral part of future reef monitoring.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Coral Reef Communities of the Spermonde Archipelago, 2012–2014, I: Comprehensive Reef Monitoring of Water and Benthic Indicators Reflect Changes in Reef Health

et al. 2018

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“…Accordingly, MCEs should be less vulnerable and potentially more resistant to disturbances that reduce the quality of suitable habitats for shallowwater benthic communities (e.g., storms, temperature increases, and associated bleaching or diseases, pollution, sedimentation and turbidity, habitat fragmentation, eutrophication, and associated algal blooms; Riegl and Piller 2003;West and Salm 2003;Smith et al 2008;Lesser et al 2009;Kahng et al 2014). MCEs may thus serve as a source of propagules for SWRs, facilitating the repopulation and return to pre-disturbance conditions of SWRs (e.g., Hughes and Tanner 2000;Lesser et al 2009;Bongaerts et al 2010).…”

Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Deep-reef Refugia Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Theme section on mesophotic coral ecosystems: advances in knowledge and future perspectives

et al. 2016

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The Second International Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) workshop was held in Eilat, Israel, October 26-31, 2014. Here we provide an account of: (1) advances in our knowledge of MCE ecology, including the central question of the potential vertical connectivity between MCEs and shallow-water reefs (SWRs), and that of the validity of the deep-reef refugia hypothesis (DRRH); (2) the contribution of the 2014 MCE workshop to the central question presented in (1), as well as its contribution to novel MCE studies on corals, sponges, fish, and crabs; and (3) gaps, priorities, and recommendations for future research stemming from the workshop. Despite their close proximity to well-studied SWRs, and the growing evidence of their importance, our scientific knowledge of MCEs is still in its infancy. During the last five years, we have witnessed an ever-increasing scientific interest in MCEs, expressed in the exponential increase in the number of publications studying this unique environment. The emerging consensus is that lower MCE benthic assemblages represent unique communities, either of separate species or genetically distinct individuals within species, and any significant support for the DRRH will be limited to upper MCEs. Determining the health and stability of MCEs, their biodiversity, and the degree of genetic connectivity among SWRs and MCEs, will ultimately indicate the ability of MCEs to contribute to the resilience of SWRs and help to guide future management and conservation strategies. MCEs deserve therefore management consideration in their own right. With the technological advancements taking place in recent years that facilitate access to MCEs, the prospects for exciting and innovative discoveries resulting from MCE research, spanning a wide variety of fields, are immense.

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“…These factors often create variable chronic anthropogenic stress gradients, usually negatively affecting water quality (Tomascik & Sander, 1985), coral growth rates (Tomascik, 1990), coral disease prevalence (Kaczmarsky, Draud & Williams, 2005;Smith, Nemeth, Blondeau, Calnan et al, 2008), partial colony mortality (Nugues & Roberts, 2003), and coral reef benthic community structure (Fabricius & McCorry, 2006). Current state of coral reef decline represents an increasing threat to coastal communities from climate change and sea level rise (Herná ndez-Delgado, 2015).…”

Section: Declining Coral Reef Ecosystems In Puerto Ricomentioning

confidence: 99%

Unsustainable Land Use, Sediment-Laden Runoff, and Chronic Raw Sewage Offset the Benefits of Coral Reef Ecosystems in a No-Take Marine Protected Area

Hernández-Delgado

Medina-Muniz²,

Mattei

et al. 2017

EMSD

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Unsustainable land uses may result in poor watershed management, increased soil erosion, poorly-planned urban development, increased runoff, and sewage pollution, creating an environmental stress gradient across coastal coral reefs. This study was aimed at: 1) Evaluating water quality within and outside the Canal Luis Peña Natural Reserve (CLPNR), Culebra Island, Puerto Rico; 2) Determining if there was any significant environmental stress gradient associated to land-based non-point source pollution; and 3) Characterizing shallow-water coral reef communities across the gradient. Strong gradient impacts associated

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Assessing coral reef health across onshore to offshore stress gradients in the US Virgin Islands

Cited by 115 publications

References 62 publications

Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Coral Reef Communities of the Spermonde Archipelago, 2012–2014, I: Comprehensive Reef Monitoring of Water and Benthic Indicators Reflect Changes in Reef Health

Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Coral Reef Communities of the Spermonde Archipelago, 2012–2014, I: Comprehensive Reef Monitoring of Water and Benthic Indicators Reflect Changes in Reef Health

Theme section on mesophotic coral ecosystems: advances in knowledge and future perspectives

Unsustainable Land Use, Sediment-Laden Runoff, and Chronic Raw Sewage Offset the Benefits of Coral Reef Ecosystems in a No-Take Marine Protected Area

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