Ecological and genetic data indicate recovery of the endangered coral Acropora palmata in Los Roques, Southern Caribbean

Zubillaga, Ainhoa L.; Márquez, L. M.; Cróquer, Aldo; Bastidas, Carolina

doi:10.1007/s00338-007-0291-1

Cited by 43 publications

(54 citation statements)

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“…For those sites where it was not found it appears that either the habitat was not suitable (too deep) or the sites were within close proximity to shore and/or the major shipping port (northern group). The overall mean density of this study (0.08colonies/ m²) was greater than the previously described for the area (0.03), Puerto Rico (0.03), St. Croix (0.02) and St. John (0.06) and similar to Venezuela (0.08) (Jordan-Dahlgren, 1992;Mayor et al, 2006;Schärer et al, 2008;Zubillaga et al, 2008). Colony density and mean colony length were greatest in the northern group (Verde and Anegada de Adentro).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 57%

“…Large Acropora spp. populations have been reported in Florida (Vargas-Angel, Thomas & Hoke, 2003;Williams, Miller & Kramer, 2008;Walker, Larson, Moulding & Gilliam, 2012); Punta Rusia, Dominican Republic (Lirman et al, 2010); Roatan, Honduras (Keck, Houston, Purkis & Riegl, 2005); Venezuela (Zubillaga, Márquez, Cráquer & Bastidas, 2008); and St. John, US Virgin Islands (Grober-Dunsmore et al, 2006). Here we add to this list by reporting on the abundant A. palmata in Veracruz, Mexico.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Posible recuperación de Acropora palmata (Scleractinia:Acroporidae) en el sistema arrecifal de Vera Cruz, Golfo de México: evaluación de comunidades bentónicas en 24 arrecifes

Larson

Gilliam

Padiema

et al. 2014

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Recent evidence shows that Acropora palmata within the Veracruz Reef System, located in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, may be recovering after the die off from the flooding of the Jamapa River and a dramatic cold water event in the 1970s. Since this decline, few surveys have documented the status of A. palmata. The 28 named reefs in the system are divided into 13 northern and 15 southern groups by the River. Between 2007 and 2013, we surveyed 24 reefs to assess the benthic communities. Seven of the 11 reefs surveyed in the northern group and all in the southern group had A. palmata. Colonies were typically found on the windward side of the reefs in shallow waters along the reef edges or crest. We also recorded colony diameter and condition along belt transects at two reefs in the north (Anegada de Adentro and Verde) and two in the south (Periferico and Sargazo), between 2011 and 2013. In addition, eight permanent transects were surveyed at Rizo (south). A total of 1 804 colonies were assessed; densities ranged from 0.02 to 0.28 colonies/m² (mean (±SD), colony diameter of 58 ± 73cm, and 89 ± 18% live tissue per colony). Total prevalence of predation by damselfish was 5%, by snails 2%, and <1% by fireworms, disease prevalence was <3%. Size frequency distributions indicated that all of the sites had a moderate to high spawning potential, 15-68% of the colonies at each site were mature, measuring over 1 600cm². The presence of these healthy and potentially reproductive colonies is important for species recovery, particularly because much of the greater Caribbean still shows little to no signs of recovery. Conservation and management efforts of these reefs are vital. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 3): 75-84. Epub 2014 September 01.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 57%

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confidence: 99%

Posible recuperación de Acropora palmata (Scleractinia:Acroporidae) en el sistema arrecifal de Vera Cruz, Golfo de México: evaluación de comunidades bentónicas en 24 arrecifes

Larson

Gilliam

Padiema

et al. 2014

RBT

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“…Thus, live and dead stands of A. palmata in Sombrero represent two types of habitats that nearly provide the same structural complexity. Our data showed that the density for live A. palmata at Cayo Sombrero was lower than some coral reefs located at Los Roques National Park, such as Cayo Pirata, Crasquí, Carenero, Gran Roque and Cayo de Agua (˃0.69 ind/10 m 2 ) (Zubillaga, Márques, Cróquer & Bastidas, 2008); nevertheless, many other coral reefs such as Boca de Cote, Boca del Medio, Sebastopol and Madrisquí in Los Roques had lower densities (˂0.13 indv/10 m 2 ) than those reported in Cayo Sombrero.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 50%

Evaluación poblacional de Acropora palmata (Scleractinia: Acroporidae): relación entre el hábitat y especies de arrecife asociados.

Martinez

Bone

Cróquer

et al. 2014

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Three decades ago, Acropora palmata was one of the main reef-building coral species throughout the Caribbean, forming an essential component of the structural complexity of shallow coral reef habitats. These colonies still provide microhabitats for settlement, food and shelter to many vertebrates and invertebrates. The recent decline of A. palmata has been followed by a significant loss in spatial heterogeneity and possibly in species diversity. Studies addressing whether dead and living stands of Acropora hold different fish and benthic assemblages are scarce. The status of Acropora colonies and their associated species were assessed in October 2012, at two reef zones of Cayo Sombrero, Venezuela. Visual censuses of fish abundance and the number of macrofaunal individuals were recorded for both live and dead zones. Living Acropora colonies had the lowest abundance (˂31%). In both zoned the fish community was dominated by damselfishes (˂53%) and wrasses (˂36%), the benthic macrofauna by peracarid crustaceans (˂40%) and polychaetes (˂38%). Fish and benthic communities were not correlated with the condition (live or dead) of the Acropora habitats; possibly branching structures provide the necessary shelter and protection no matter if they are dead or alive. More replication is necessary to test this unexpected result. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 3): 85-93. Epub 2014 September 01.

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“…Coral reef recovery on remote habitats depends on the functional redundancy of impacted coral assemblages, on the tissue regeneration ability and regrowth of surviving remnant colonies, and on successful coral recruitment (Golbuu et al, 2007; Díaz-Pulido et al, 2009). Genetic connectivity also plays a critical role in natural coral reef recovery (Zubillaga, Márquez, Cróquer & Bastidas, 2008). But populations for many important coral species, particularly across the Caribbean, show high genetic structuring implying that long-distance larval dispersal is an unusual event (Baums et al, 2005;Vollmer & Palumbi, 2007;García-Reyes & Schizas, 2010;Mège, Schizas, García-Reyes & Hrbek, 2014), rendering isolated coral reefs to largely rely on remnant colony regrowth, colony fragmentation, and self-recruitment for their natural recovery from disturbance.…”

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Patrones a gran escala del reclutamiento de coral en Isla Mona, Puerto Rico: evidencia de una trayectoria transitoria de comunidad después del blanqueamiento y mortalidad coralino masivo

Hernández-Delgado

González-Ramos

Alejandro-Camis

2014

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Abstract:Coral reefs have largely declined across the northeastern Caribbean following the 2005 massive bleaching event. Climate change-related sea surface warming and coral disease outbreaks of a white plague-like syndrome and of yellow band disease (YBD) have caused significant coral decline affecting massive reef building species (i.e., Orbicella annularis species complex) which show no apparent signs of recovery through larval sexual recruitment. We addressed coral recruit densities across three spur and groove reef locations along the western shelf of remote Mona Island, Puerto Rico: Punta Capitán (PCA), Pasa de Las Carmelitas (PLC), and Las Carmelitas-South (LCS). Data were collected during November 2012 along 93 haphazard transects across three depth zones (<5m, 5-10m, 10-15m). A total of 32 coral species (9 octocorals, 1 hydrocoral, 22 scleractinians) were documented among the recruit community. Communities had low densities and dominance by short-lived brooder species seven years after the 2005 event. Mean coral recruit density ranged from 1.2 to 10.5/m 2 at PCA, 6.3 to 7.2/m 2 at LCS, 4.5 to 9.5/m 2 at PLC. Differences in coral recruit community structure can be attributed to slight variation in percent macroalgal cover and composition as study sites had nearly similar benthic spatial heterogeneity. Dominance by ephemeral coral species was widespread. Recovery of largely declining massive reef-building species such as the O. annularis species complex was limited or non-existent. The lack of recovery could be the combined result of several mechanisms involving climate change, YBD disease, macroalgae, fishing, urchins and Mona Island's reefs limited connectivity to other reef systems. There is also for rehabilitation of fish trophic structure, with emphasis in recovering herbivore guilds and depleted populations of D. antillarum. Failing to recognize the importance of ecosystem-based management and resilience rehabilitation may deem remote coral reefs recovery unlikely. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 3): 49-64. Epub 2014 September 01.Key words: Climate change, coral decline, coral recruitment, community trajectory, Mona Island, Puerto Rico, transitional state.Coral larval recruitment is critical for the maintenance of reef biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and benthic community recovery after disturbances across multiple spatial scales (Gittings, Bright, Choi & Barnett, 1988;Sammarco, 1991;Connell, Hughes & Wallace, 1997;Hughes & Tanner, 2000). Coral recruitment refers to the stage when new members of the recently settled juvenile corals become visible to be censused (Harrison & Wallace, 1990). Open reef space is necessary for settling larvae (Hughes & Connell, 1999;Kuffner et al., 2006; Díaz-Pulido et al., 2009), particularly substrates along cryptical microhabitats and areas dominated by crustose coralline algae (CCA), which are recognized by coral larvae (Doropoulos, Ward, Díaz-Pulido, Hoegh-Guldberg & Mumby, 2012). Dynamic processes leading to the creation of free space open for colonization are impor...

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Ecological and genetic data indicate recovery of the endangered coral Acropora palmata in Los Roques, Southern Caribbean

Cited by 43 publications

References 44 publications

Posible recuperación de Acropora palmata (Scleractinia:Acroporidae) en el sistema arrecifal de Vera Cruz, Golfo de México: evaluación de comunidades bentónicas en 24 arrecifes

Posible recuperación de Acropora palmata (Scleractinia:Acroporidae) en el sistema arrecifal de Vera Cruz, Golfo de México: evaluación de comunidades bentónicas en 24 arrecifes

Evaluación poblacional de Acropora palmata (Scleractinia: Acroporidae): relación entre el hábitat y especies de arrecife asociados.

Patrones a gran escala del reclutamiento de coral en Isla Mona, Puerto Rico: evidencia de una trayectoria transitoria de comunidad después del blanqueamiento y mortalidad coralino masivo

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