Estimating rates of biologically driven coral reef framework production and erosion: a new census-based carbonate budget methodology and applications to the reefs of Bonaire

Perry, Chris T.; Edinger, Evan; Kench, Paul S.; Murphy, Gary N.; Smithers, Scott G.; Steneck, Robert S.; Mumby, Peter J.

doi:10.1007/s00338-012-0901-4

Cited by 186 publications

(307 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Regional or global carbonate budgets can help managers by complementing ecological assessments of reef state (Perry et al, 2012;Vecsei, 2004). This can provide insights into processes underlying reef evolution and associated sedimentary landform dynamics, such as reef island growth or erosion, as environmental conditions change.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Four different techniques have been used to quantify carbonate production on reefs: hydrochemistry, census-based, geological evidence and numerical modelling. Each technique is best suited to measure different productivity categories and is limited due to considerations relating to logistics, precision and scale (Perry et al, 2012;Vecsei, 2004).…”

Section: Coral Reef Caco 3 Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological characterisation of reef types in Torres Strait and an assessment of their carbonate production

Leon

Woodroffe

2013

Marine Geology

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Coral reefs represent major accumulations of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The particularly labyrinthine network of reefs in Torres Strait, north of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), has been examined in order to estimate their gross CaCO3 productivity. The approach involved a two-step procedure, first characterising and classifying the morphology of reefs based on a classification scheme widely employed on the GBR and then estimating gross CaCO3 productivity rates across the region using a regional census-based approach. This was undertaken by independently verifying published rates of coral reef community gross production for use in Torres Strait, based on site-specific ecological and morphological data. A total of 606 reef platforms were mapped and classified using classification trees. Despite the complexity of the maze of reefs in Torres Strait, there are broad morphological similarities with reefs in the GBR. The spatial distribution and dimensions of reef types across both regions are underpinned by similar geological processes, sea-level history in the Holocene and exposure to the same wind/wave energetic regime, resulting in comparable geomorphic zonation. However, the presence of strong tidal currents flowing through Torres Strait and the relatively shallow and narrow dimensions of the shelf exert a control on local morphology and spatial distribution of the reef platforms. A total amount of 8.7 million tonnes of CaCO3 per year, at an average rate of 3.7 kg CaCO3 m− 2 yr− 1 (G), were estimated for the studied area. Extrapolated production rates based on detailed and regional census-based approaches for geomorphic zones across Torres Strait were comparable to those reported elsewhere, particularly values for the GBR based on alkalinity-reduction methods. However, differences in mapping methodologies and the impact of reduced calcification due to global trends in coral reef ecological decline and changing oceanic physical conditions warrant further research. The novel method proposed in this study to characterise the geomorphology of reef types based on classification trees provides an objective and repeatable data-driven approach that combined with regional census-based approaches has the potential to be adapted and transferred to different coral reef regions, depicting a more accurate picture of interactions between reef ecology and geomorphology. been examined in order to estimate their gross CaCO 3 productivity. The approach involved a two-step procedure, first characterising and classifying the morphology of reefs based on a classification scheme widely employed on the GBR and then estimating gross CaCO 3 productivity rates across the region using a regional census-based approach. This was undertaken by independently verifying published rates of coral reef community gross production for use in Torres Strait, based on site-specific ecological and morphological data.A total of 606 reef platform were mapped and classified using classification trees. per year, at an average rate of 3.7 kg CaCO 3 m -2 ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Coral Reef Caco 3 Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological characterisation of reef types in Torres Strait and an assessment of their carbonate production

Leon

Woodroffe

2013

Marine Geology

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“…To determine the species composition and calcium carbonate production in our study sites, we applied the line intercept transect method (LIT) (English et al, 1997) and ReefBudget Method (Perry et al, 2012), respectively during a field excursion from August to October 2014. The (5 to 10 m) reef slope at each reef site was specifically chosen for being the most productive bioregion with the highest coral biodiversity and it was easily accessible from Stone Town.…”

Section: Ecological Surveysmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, coral cover in the Caribbean has declined dramatically over the past 30 years, where reefs have declined from about 50 to 10% coral cover (Gardner, 2003). Coral cover in this region has been correlated with CaCO 3 production (Perry et al, 2012(Perry et al, , 2015, where Caribbean reefs showed drastically negative trajectories and budgets were estimated to become negative below a threshold of approximately 10% live coral cover (Perry et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is because of their response to surrounding environmental constraints, that corals morphological strategies are used as bioindicators of water quality (Roberts et al, 2002;Hallock et al, 2004), ecosystem health (Veron et al, 2009), ecological value and conservation priority . High-resolution standardized census-based datasets can provide further information on coral demography, the population dynamics affecting calcifiers' demography, abundance (Jones et al, 2015) and ecosystem functions (i.e., shelter for marine organisms, coastline protectection, nutrient fixation and cycling) (Perry et al, 2012;Ferrario et al, 2014;Jones et al, 2015). In addition, regional, high-resolution datasets are essential for the overall assessment of reef conditions in a changing ecosystem (Dubinsky and Stambler, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Calcium Carbonate Production, Coral Cover and Diversity along a Distance Gradient from Stone Town: A Case Study from Zanzibar, Tanzania

et al. 2017

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Photosymbiotic scleractinian corals are major bioengineers in tropical coastal waters, where they build structurally complex geological features and provide substrata for a manifold of macro and microhabitats. On a local scale, ecological competition and physical parameters-natural as well as human-derived, alter species richness, biodiversity, and morphological adaptation on tropical coral reefs. Here, we compared four coral reefs in the Zanzibar Archipelago at different distances from Stone Town and under different management regimes. To assess the ecological health of these reefs, calcium carbonate production, structural complexity, and α-diversity were determined. The unprotected reefs in the direct vicinity of Stone Town, which are exposed to fishing pressure, land-derived pollution, unregulated tourism, and careless anchoring, showed the lowest calcium carbonate production (8.47 ± 4.37 kg CaCO 3 m −2 yr −1 ), coral cover (52.4 ± 13.9%), and diversity (H ′ = 0.94 ± 0.37). Conversely, the furthest reef and marine protected area showed the highest net calcium carbonate production (16.90 ± 9.70 kg CaCO 3 m −2 yr −1 ), coral cover (67.4 ± 8.7%), and diversity (H ′ = 1.74 ± 0.20). In comparison to other bioregions and/or reefs of the Indian Ocean, estimates of calcium carbonate production and coral cover (>50%) were relatively high. Moreover, coral community structure differs significantly with distance from Stone Town, in that, the most homogenous reefs dominated by massive and submassive species (Porites lobata and P. rus) occurred the closest to Stone Town.

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Future Reef Growth Can Mitigate Physical Impacts of Sea‐Level Rise on Atoll Islands

2017

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We present new detail on how future sea‐level rise (SLR) will modify nonlinear wave transformation processes, shoreline wave energy, and wave driven flooding on atoll islands. Frequent and destructive wave inundation is a primary climate‐change hazard that may render atoll islands uninhabitable in the near future. However, limited research has examined the physical vulnerability of atoll islands to future SLR and sparse information are available to implement process‐based coastal management on coral reef environments. We utilize a field‐verified numerical model capable of resolving all nonlinear wave transformation processes to simulate how future SLR will modify wave dissipation and overtopping on Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu, accounting for static and accretionary reef adjustment morphologies. Results show that future SLR coupled with a static reef morphology will not only increase shoreline wave energy and overtopping but will fundamentally alter the spectral composition of shoreline energy by decreasing the contemporary influence of low‐frequency infragravity waves. “Business‐as‐usual” emissions (RCP 8.5) will result in annual wave overtopping on Funafuti Atoll by 2030, with overtopping at high tide under mean wave conditions occurring from 2090. Comparatively, vertical reef accretion in response to SLR will prevent any significant increase in shoreline wave energy and mitigate wave driven flooding volume by 72%. Our results provide the first quantitative assessment of how effective future reef accretion can be at mitigating SLR‐associated flooding on atoll islands and endorse active reef conservation and restoration for future coastal protection.

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Estimating rates of biologically driven coral reef framework production and erosion: a new census-based carbonate budget methodology and applications to the reefs of Bonaire

Cited by 186 publications

References 40 publications

Morphological characterisation of reef types in Torres Strait and an assessment of their carbonate production

Morphological characterisation of reef types in Torres Strait and an assessment of their carbonate production

Calcium Carbonate Production, Coral Cover and Diversity along a Distance Gradient from Stone Town: A Case Study from Zanzibar, Tanzania

Future Reef Growth Can Mitigate Physical Impacts of Sea‐Level Rise on Atoll Islands

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