Coral Reefs: Present Problems and Future Concerns Resulting from Anthropogenic Disturbance

Richmond, Robert H.

doi:10.1093/icb/33.6.524

Cited by 271 publications

(165 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Thus, data about composition and spatial distribution of species in these ecosystems may help in monitoring anthropic disturbances in the marine environment (Richmond, 1993;Dayton, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil

Martinez

Leite

2012

Braz. J. Biol.

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The present study investigated the distribution and abundance of epibenthic molluscs and their feeding habits associated to substrate features (coverage and rugosity) in a sandstone reef system in the Northeast of Brazil. Rugosity, low coral cover and high coverage of zoanthids and fleshy alga were the variables that influenced a low richness and high abundance of a few molluscan species in the reef habitat. The most abundant species were generalist carnivores, probably associated to a lesser offer and variability of resources in this type of reef system, when compared to the coral reefs. The results found in this study could reflect a normal characteristic of the molluscan community distribution in sandstone reefs, with low coral cover, or could indicate a degradation state of this habitat if it is compared to coral reefs, once that the significantly high coverage of fleshy alga has been recognized as a negative indicator of reef ecosystems health.

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“…Thus, data about composition and spatial distribution of species in these ecosystems may help in monitoring anthropic disturbances in the marine environment (Richmond, 1993;Dayton, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil

Martinez

Leite

2012

Braz. J. Biol.

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“…However, in some parts of the world, nutrient and sediment inputs to coral reefs have increased several-fold over the last 150 years (e.g. Richmond 1993;McCulloch et al 2003) causing reduced coral recruitment (Loya 1976;Babcock and Davies 1991;Loya et al 2004), modified trophic structures (Lapointe 1997;Fabricius 2005), altered biodiversity (van Woesik et al 1999) and coral mortality (Kline et al 2006). These processes can transfer the competitive advantage away from reef-building corals leading to trophic dominance by assemblages of macroalgae (Schaffelke 1999) once productivity exceeds rates of herbivory (McCook 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioindicators of changes in water quality on coral reefs: review and recommendations for monitoring programmes

2009

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Effective environmental management requires monitoring programmes that provide specific links between changes in environmental conditions and ecosystem health. This article reviews the suitability of a range of bioindicators for use in monitoring programmes that link changes in water quality to changes in the condition of coral-reef ecosystems. From the literature, 21 candidate bioindicators were identified, whose responses to changes in water quality varied spatially and temporally; responses ranged from rapid (hours) changes within individual corals to long-term (years) changes in community composition. From this list, the most suitable bioindicators were identified by determining whether responses were (i) specific, (ii) monotonic, (iii) variable, (iv) practical and (v) ecologically relevant to management goals. For long-term monitoring programmes that aim to quantify the effects of chronic changes in water quality, 11 bioindicators were selected: symbiont photophysiology, colony brightness, tissue thickness and surface rugosity of massive corals, skeletal elemental and isotopic composition, abundance of macro-bioeroders, micro-and meiobenthic organisms such as foraminifera, coral recruitment, macroalgal cover, taxonomic richness of corals and the maximal depth of coralreef development. For short-term monitoring programmes, or environmental impact assessments that aim to quantify the effects of acute changes in water quality, a subset of seven of these bioindicators were selected, including partial mortality. Their choice will depend on the specific objectives and the timeframe available for each monitoring programme. An assessment framework is presented to assist in the selection of bioindicators to quantify the effects of changing water quality on coral-reef ecosystems.

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“…Sediment runoff from construction and ground cover removal (a possible confluence of the two ecosystems under comparison in this capstone) often causes high coral mortality, rapid growth of fleshy algal species, and large parcels of reduced salinity/quality of seawater. In the case of decreased water quality, corals may have complications receiving chemical cues which allow for synchronous spawning [7]. There is a need for careful control, monitoring, and design of coastal development projects to avoid problems such as increased beach erosion e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Forest Restoration Techniques in the Restoration of Coral Reefs

Babcock¹

2014

JAMB

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Human-induced (anthropogenic) impacts to coral reefs include dredging, fishing, chemical pollution, oil spills, ship groundings, tourist damage, and run-off of sediment, fertilizer, and pesticides. Wider scale impacts, such as global climate change, have triggered mass coral bleaching events and subsequent mortality, and ocean acidification has led to decreases in the structural integrity of reefs. As human populations continue to increase in coastal areas, the demand for reef-associated resources (reef fish, mollusks, algae and crustaceans) will rise. Because coral reefs are experiencing dramatic loss of coral cover and associated species, there is a critical need for restoration strategies to be applied to coral reef ecosystems."Due to the biological, structural and functional analogies between trees and corals, it is natural to propose that silviculture concepts can assist in reorganizing the theoretical and practical priorities for coral reef restoration so that a solid restoration framework can be developed for the marine realm. The strategy of coral mariculture and gardening may potentially prove to be a sustainable practice for reef restoration, comparable to forest silviculture". Trees and stony corals have one thing in common; they are both significant structural components and the basic building blocks of their respective ecosystems -forests and coral reefs [1].Through the analysis of forest and coral reef literature, connections between forest and coral reef ecosystems and their restoration efforts will be reviewed and compared. Since trees and corals share biological, structural and functional similarities, successful forest restoration techniques are applicable to coral reef restoration. In this paper I will summarize these similarities and justify the use of forest restoration techniques on coral reefs through literature review.

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Coral Reefs: Present Problems and Future Concerns Resulting from Anthropogenic Disturbance

Cited by 271 publications

References 27 publications

Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil

Spatial distribution of epibenthic molluscs on a sandstone reef in the Northeast of Brazil

Bioindicators of changes in water quality on coral reefs: review and recommendations for monitoring programmes

The Use of Forest Restoration Techniques in the Restoration of Coral Reefs

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