The mass mortality of acroporid corals has transformed Caribbean reefs from coral- to macroalgal-dominated habitats since systematic monitoring began in the 1970s. Declines have been attributed to overfishing, pollution, sea urchin and coral disease, and climate change, but the mechanisms are unresolved due to the dearth of pre-1970s data. We used paleoecological, historical, and survey data to track Acropora presence and dominance throughout the Caribbean from the prehuman period to present. Declines in dominance from prehuman values first occurred in the 1950s for Acropora palmata and the 1960s for Acropora cervicornis, decades before outbreaks of acroporid disease or bleaching. We compared trends in Acropora dominance since 1950 to potential regional and local drivers. Human population negatively affected and consumption of fertilizer for agriculture positively affected A. palmata dominance, the latter likely due to lower human presence in agricultural areas. The earlier, local roots of Caribbean Acropora declines highlight the urgency of mitigating local human impacts.
Pleistocene sea-level change transformed staghorn corals into prolific reef builders that are sensitive to anthropogenic stressors.
International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 356 Site U1461 represents one of the few records from the North West Australian shelf that provides information about aridity fluctuations in Australia during the Quaternary. A combination of chronostratigraphic indicators revealed the (partial) preservation of two major glaciations (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 and MIS 12) in the sedimentary record. The faunal content (mainly benthic foraminifera, corals and bryozoans) was analyzed to estimate paleo-environments and paleo-depths in order to determine if these sediments have been remobilized by reworking processes. Despite the occurrence of a depositional hiatus (including MIS 5d to MIS 9-time interval), the excellent preservation of faunal content suggests that the preserved sediment is in situ. The geochemical composition of the sediments (Nd and major elements) indicates that during MIS 12 riverine input was likely reduced because of enhanced aridity, and the sediment provenance (mainly atmospheric dust) is likely in the central (Lake Eyre) or eastern (Murray Darling Basin) parts of the Australian continent. MIS 2 is confirmed to be one of the driest periods recorded in Australia but with mixed dust sources from the eastern and western parts of the continent. More humid conditions followed the glacial maximum, which might correspond to the peak of the Indian-Australian Summer Monsoon.
Site U1460 ended at 1945 h on 15 August. A total of 133 cores were recovered with the HLAPC system; of the 606.7 m cored, 592.2 m was recovered (recovery = 97%). Hole U1460A After arriving at Hole U1460A (27°22.4948′S, 112°55.4296′E), preparations for coring commenced. As a result of previous difficulty establishing the mudline core at Site U1459 (broken core barrel), the seafloor was tagged with the bit to determine its precise location and whether it was as hard as the previous site. A nonmagnetic HLAPC core barrel was dressed with a core liner, picked up, and run into the hole. Hole U1460A was started at 0115 h on 13 August. Based on the recovery of the mudline core, the seafloor depth was calculated to be 214.5 mbsl. Coring continued with the HLAPC system through Core 356-U1460A-64F to 298.2 m DSF. After the mudline core, each core was advanced 4.7 m despite partial strokes on Cores 2F, 9F, and 64F. Hole U1460A was cored to a final depth of 300.1 m DSF (Core 65F). During coring, a routine slip, cut, and retermination of the coring line was performed. At the conclusion of coring, the drill string was pulled back to 231.6 m DSF and the top drive was set back. The drill string was pulled back to just above the seafloor, clearing the seafloor at 0605 h on 14 August and ending Hole U1460A. Of 300.1 m cored, 291.39 m of material was recovered (recovery = 97.1%). The total time spent on Hole U1460A was 33.25 h. Hole U1460B After offsetting the vessel 20 m north of Hole U1460A, preparations were made to begin Hole U1460B (27°22.4867′S, 112°55.4265′E). A nonmagnetic HLAPC core barrel was dressed with a core liner, picked up, and run into the hole. Hole U1460B was started at 1920 h on 14 August. Based on the recovery of the mudline core, the seafloor depth was calculated to be 214.4 mbsl. Coring continued with the HLAPC system through Core 356-U1460B-68F to 306.6 m DSF. After the mudline core, each core was advanced by recovery in an attempt to cover any gaps from Hole U1460A. Of the 306.6 m cored, 800.81 m was recovered (recovery = 98%). Also in this hole, in situ temperature measurements were made with the APCT-3 before recovering Cores 12F, 20F, 28F, 33F, and 36F. During coring, a routine slip, cut, and retermination of the coring line was performed. At the conclusion of coring, the drill string was pulled back to 260.7 m DSF and the top drive was set back. The drill string was pulled from the hole and the advanced piston corer/extended core barrel bit cleared the rig floor at 1940 h. The thrusters and hydrophones were pulled and secured, and at 1945 h on 15 August, Site U1460 concluded. The total time spent on Hole U1460B was 37.75 h.
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