Spatial variability in benthic assemblage composition in shallow and upper mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Philippines

Dumalagan, Edwin E.; Cabaitan, Patrick C.; Bridge, Tom C. L.; Go, Kevin Thomas B.; Quimpo, Timothy Joseph R.; Olavides, Ronald Dionnie D.; Munar, Jeffrey; Villanoy, Cesar L.; Siringan, Fernando P.

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104772

Cited by 12 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Our HAS results suggested a consistent decline in benthic habitat structure with increased depth, with intermediate depth reefs having intermediate habitat structure when compared to shallow reefs and MCEs. Studies in the Philippines have found more variable benthic community composition across the depth gradient, including that shallow benthic communities may not be a good predictor of adjacent MCE benthic communities (Dumalagan et al 2019). Within the Coral Triangle-and for MCEs more broadly-MCEs are highly variable and influenced by local conditions, for example river outflows can increase MCE sedimentation (Cabaitan et al 2019) or storms can damage reefs (Abesamis et al 2018).…”

Section: Changes In Benthic Habitat Complexity With Depthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within the Coral Triangle-and for MCEs more broadly-MCEs are highly variable and influenced by local conditions, for example river outflows can increase MCE sedimentation (Cabaitan et al 2019) or storms can damage reefs (Abesamis et al 2018). We used BRUVs to survey benthic communities, unlike most previous MCE benthic studies from Indonesia (Bell et al 2019) and the Philippines (Cabaitan et al 2019;Dumalagan et al 2019;Quimpo et al 2019), which used diver transects or remote-operated vehicles. BRUVs have to rest on the seabed, preventing our surveys from incorporating walls or steep slopes.…”

Section: Changes In Benthic Habitat Complexity With Depthmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua

et al. 2020

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Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs 30–150 m depth) are poorly studied, with existing research heavily geographically biased away from the most species-rich reef regions. Yet, MCEs are of high interest because of their unique species and potential to act as refuges from the impacts of fishing. Using baited remote underwater video systems, we surveyed reef fish communities from 2 to 85 m depths throughout the Raja Ampat archipelago in West Papua, Indonesia—an area considered the heart of the Coral Triangle where coral reef biodiversity is greatest. We sought to provide the first assessment of fish communities across this depth gradient in the region and identify whether human population density and market access differently affected fish abundance based on depth. Here we show that—similar to shallow reefs—Raja Ampat MCEs are exceptionally diverse, with 152 fish species recorded at depths greater than 40 m. We found that fish community structures were highly depth driven, with declines in fish abundance at increased depth. In contrast to previous studies elsewhere in the world, we found that the proportion of planktivores declined across the shallow reef to MCE depth gradient. While greater human population density correlated with lower Epinephelidae and Lutjanidae abundance (two key fisheries families), we did not find evidence that MCEs provide a depth refuge from fishing. Surprisingly, we also found that fish abundance declined at greater distances from the major regional market—likely caused by historical fisheries pressure in more remote areas. These results both expand upon and contrast some previously established MCE-depth patterns and human impact patterns on fish communities, suggesting that regional context and historical pressures matters. Our findings highlight the need for future MCE studies within the Coral Triangle region.

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Section: Changes In Benthic Habitat Complexity With Depthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Changes In Benthic Habitat Complexity With Depthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua

et al. 2020

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“…They secrete a calcium carbonate cup (calicle) around themselves, while zoanthids lack a calcium carbonate skeleton [11]. Corals are commonly found in waters of shallow depth (<30 m) in tropical areas, but coral reefs are also found in deep water and cold water, although in smaller numbers [12,13]. However, zoanthids are commonly found in environments ranging from shallow subtropical and tropical coral reefs to cold seeps in deep seas [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Diversity of Culturable Marine Yeasts Associated with Corals and Zoanthids in the Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea

2020

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Marine yeasts can occur in a wide range of habitats, including in marine invertebrates, in which they may play important roles; however, investigation of marine yeasts in marine invertebrates is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to explore the diversity of yeasts associated with corals and zoanthids in the Gulf of Thailand. Thirty-three coral and seven zoanthid samples were collected at two sampling sites near Mu and Khram islands. Fifty yeast strains were able to be isolated from 25 of the 40 samples collected. Identification based on sequence analyses of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene revealed a higher number of strains in the phylum Basidiomycota (68%) than in the phylum Ascomycota. The ascomycetous yeasts comprised nine known species from four genera (Candida, Meyerozyma, Kodamaea, and Wickerhamomyces), whereas the basidiomycetous yeasts comprised 10 known species from eight genera (Vishniacozyma, Filobasidium, Naganishia, Papiliotrema, Sterigmatomyces, Cystobasidium, Rhodotorula, and Rhodosporidiobolus) and one potentially new species. The species with the highest occurrence was Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Using principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) ordination, no marked differences were found in the yeast communities from the two sampling sites. The estimation of the expected richness of species was higher than the actual richness of species observed.

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“…The assemblage building the mounds vary depending on depth, temperature and tropic state. It may be dominated by bryozoans (James et al, 2004), cold water corals such as Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculate (Dorschel et al, 2007;Foubert et al, 2008), sponges (de S. Carvalho et al, 2016Goren et al, 2021) or a combination of corals and coralline algae (Amado-Filho et al, 2016;Dumalagan et al, 2019). In some cases, based on geochemical and morphological evidence, it was possible to associate the origin of some of the deeper of these mounds to hydrocarbon seepage (Cangemi et al, 2010).…”

Section: Biogenic Mounds In the Mediterranean Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesophotic Depth Biogenic Accumulations (“Biogenic Mounds”) Offshore the Maltese Islands, Central Mediterranean Sea

Bialik¹,

Varzi²,

Durán³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The mesophotic domain is a poorly explored part of the oceans, notably in the Mediterranean Sea. Benthic communities in these depths are not well documented and as such are under higher risk from anthropogenic impacts. Hard substrate habitats in this depth window are not common and are a key ecotope. The Malta Plateau in the central Mediterranean, which is characterised by low sedimentation rates, offers a potentially unexplored domain for these features. Bathymetric and backscatter data offshore of the eastern coast of the island of Malta were used to characterise the benthic habitats. >1700 small structures were identified in mesophotic depth and verified by dives to be biogenic mounds. These mounds extend from several meters to tens of meters in diameter and occur in two main depth windows 40 to 83 mbpsl and 83 to 120 mbpsl, each formed probably in a different stage along the last glacial cycle. The mounds are composed of interlocking bioconstruction by encrusting organisms and are colonised by sponges and various cold water corals (most of which are protected). This unique and important habitat is currently under grave threat by human activity, most immediately by trawling activity.

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Spatial variability in benthic assemblage composition in shallow and upper mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Philippines

Cited by 12 publications

References 49 publications

Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua

Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua

Assessment of Diversity of Culturable Marine Yeasts Associated with Corals and Zoanthids in the Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea

Mesophotic Depth Biogenic Accumulations (“Biogenic Mounds”) Offshore the Maltese Islands, Central Mediterranean Sea

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