Partial Mortality inPorites Corals: Variation among Philippine Reefs

Wesseling, Ineke; Uychiaoco, André J.; Aliño, Porfirio M.; Vermaat, Jan E.

doi:10.1002/1522-2632(200101)86:1<77::aid-iroh77>3.0.co;2-7

Cited by 20 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Regardless, our data suggest that coral cover at Miri’s reefs has been relatively stable over the last two decades. Miri’s coral cover is comparable to both turbid and clear-water reefs (Roy & Smith, 1971; Loya, 1976; Larcombe, Costen & Woolfe, 2001; Wesseling et al, 2001; Palmer et al, 2010; Goodkin et al, 2011), yet diversity was comparatively low (14–25 genera per reef) for the Coral Triangle region. Turak & DeVantier (2010) reported 391 coral species (~70 genera) on reefs near Brunei (~80 km from Miri), and Teh & Cabanban (2007) reported 120 species within 71 hard coral genera for Banggi Island in Sabah.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar observations have been reported from Indonesia and Puerto Rico, where HCC nearly halved towards shore (Loya, 1976; Edinger et al, 2000), and in Hong Kong, where inshore coral cover was 20% lower than offshore (Goodkin et al, 2011). Reduced coral cover occurs because of low larval recruitment as a consequence of limited hard substrate following sediment settling (Birrell, McCook & Willis, 2005; Fabricius, 2005; Dikou & van Woesik, 2006), colony mortality caused by anoxic conditions that occur under sediment layers (Rogers, 1983; Riegl & Branch, 1995; Wesseling et al, 2001), or lower coral growth as a result of limited light or more energy used for sediment clearing (Browne, 2012). The sediment particle size and source (marine versus terrestrial) are considered equally important to sediment volume in assessing the impacts of sediments on coral health (Weber, Lott & Fabricius, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Borneo coral reefs subject to high sediment loads show evidence of resilience to various environmental stressors

Braoun

McIlwain

Nagarajan

et al. 2019

PeerJ

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For reefs in South East Asia the synergistic effects of rapid land development, insufficient environmental policies and a lack of enforcement has led to poor water quality and compromised coral health from increased sediment and pollution. Those inshore turbid coral reefs, subject to significant sediment inputs, may also inherit some resilience to the effects of thermal stress and coral bleaching. We studied the inshore turbid reefs near Miri, in northwest Borneo through a comprehensive assessment of coral cover and health in addition to quantifying sediment-related parameters. Although Miri’s Reefs had comparatively low coral species diversity, dominated by massive and encrusting forms of Diploastrea, Porites, Montipora, Favites, Dipsastrea and Pachyseris, they were characterized by a healthy cover ranging from 22 to 39%. We found a strong inshore to offshore gradient in hard coral cover, diversity and community composition as a direct result of spatial differences in sediment at distances <10 km. As well as distance to shore, we included other environmental variables like reef depth and sediment trap accumulation and particle size that explained 62.5% of variation in benthic composition among sites. Miri’s reefs showed little evidence of coral disease and relatively low prevalence of compromised health signs including bleaching (6.7%), bioerosion (6.6%), pigmentation response (2.2%), scars (1.1%) and excessive mucus production (0.5%). Tagged colonies of Diploastrea and Pachyseris suffering partial bleaching in 2016 had fully (90–100%) recovered the following year. There were, however, seasonal differences in bioerosion rates, which increased five-fold after the 2017 wet season. Differences in measures of coral physiology, like that of symbiont density and chlorophyll a for Montipora, Pachyseris and Acropora, were not detected among sites. We conclude that Miri’s reefs may be in a temporally stable state given minimal recently dead coral and a limited decline in coral cover over the last two decades. This study provides further evidence that turbid coral reefs exposed to seasonally elevated sediment loads can exhibit relatively high coral cover and be resilient to disease and elevated sea surface temperatures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Borneo coral reefs subject to high sediment loads show evidence of resilience to various environmental stressors

Braoun

McIlwain

Nagarajan

et al. 2019

PeerJ

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“…In fact, smothering of coral polyps due to suspended particulate organic matter and sedimentation may lead to reduced linear extension 3,65 , while high levels of nitrogen may impair reproduction and larval development 66,67 . Increased sedimentation may also affect coral health, leading to detrimental effects on polyp tissues, enhancing bacterial infections, reducing recruitment and settlement of coral larvae, and inhibiting growth thus reducing life span 68,69 . Moreover, increased terrestrial runoff and direct effects of fishing gears have been linked to severe reductions in coral cover on a global scale 70–73 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic impact is negatively related to coral health in Sicily (Mediterranean Sea)

Prada

Musco

Alagna

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Shallow-water marine organisms are among the first to suffer from combined effects of natural and anthropogenic drivers. The orange coral Astroides calycularis is a shallow-water bioconstructor species endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Although raising conservation interest, also given its special position within the Dendrophylliidae, information about the threats to its health is scant. We investigated the health status of A. calycularis at five locations in northwestern Sicily along a gradient of cumulative human impact and the most probable origin of the threats to this species, including anthropogenic land-based and sea-based threats. Cumulative human impact appeared inversely related to the performance of A. calycularis at population, colony, and polyp levels. Sea-based human impacts appeared among the most likely causes of the variation observed. The reduction in polyp length can limit the reproductive performance of A. calycularis, while the decrease of percent cover and colony area is expected to impair its peculiar feeding behaviour by limiting the exploitable dimensional range of prey and, ultimately, reef functioning. This endangered habitat-forming species appeared susceptible to anthropogenic pressures, suggesting the need to re-assess its vulnerability status. Creating microprotected areas with specific restrictions to sea-based human impacts could be the best practice preserve these bioconstructions.

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“…Corals can suffer injuries or lesions that are caused by events such as non-lethal diseases, predation, high or prolonged sedimentation or as a result of physical damage caused by various types of disturbances such as hurricanes or tropical storms (Lewis, 1997;Meesters et al, 1997;Wesseling et al, 2001;Cantin and Lough, 2014). Coral bleaching, whereby the symbiotic algae leave or are expelled from the coral tissue, can also result in lesions on the colony, especially if the bleaching event is prolonged (Gleason, 1993;Jones, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Partial Mortality on Growth, Reproduction and Total Lipid Content in the Elkhorn Coral Acropora palmata

Piñón-González

Banaszak

2018

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Partial mortality (PM) is increasingly common in the Elkhorn coral Acropora palmata and, depending on the causative agent, is potentially lethal. The effects of PM on growth, reproduction and total lipid content in A. palmata were studied by sampling apparently healthy (AH) colonies in comparison with colonies showing signs of PM. Branch growth rates and lesion regeneration rates were estimated using monthly photographs over a four-month period prior to the summer spawning season. No differences were found in the growth rates of colonies with PM compared to AH colonies. The areas affected by PM did not regenerate during the period of the study. Colonization of the lesions by competing species and sediment cover were documented and did not show major changes. During the spawning season, percent fertilization, egg volume and embryonic development were evaluated for comparison between AH colonies and those with PM. Total lipids were also quantified in tissues from three branches per colony. Percentage fertilization was similar in both AH colonies and those with PM. Embryonic development was normal, regardless of proximity to the lesion borders. However, egg volume was significantly lower in PM colonies than in AH colonies. Lower lipid concentrations were found at the edges of the lesions and similar to those found at the growing edges of the branches. The lack of regeneration may be explained by the low lipid concentration, because the polyps adjacent to the lesion do not have an adequate energy budget as a result of the damage. This would also affect their ability to compete against organisms that colonize the site of the lesion, a distinct situation to the rapid regeneration rates characteristic of lesions due to physical injury of the colony. Therefore, we conclude that partial mortality in A. palmata affects the colony, inducing energetic stress due to both competition and decreased egg quality.

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Partial Mortality inPorites Corals: Variation among Philippine Reefs

Cited by 20 publications

References 15 publications

Borneo coral reefs subject to high sediment loads show evidence of resilience to various environmental stressors

Borneo coral reefs subject to high sediment loads show evidence of resilience to various environmental stressors

Anthropogenic impact is negatively related to coral health in Sicily (Mediterranean Sea)

Effects of Partial Mortality on Growth, Reproduction and Total Lipid Content in the Elkhorn Coral Acropora palmata

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