Effects of physical environmental conditions on the patch dynamics of Dictyota pulchella and Lobophora variegata on Caribbean coral reefs

Renken, Henk; Mumby, Peter J.; Matsikis, Iakovos; Edwards, Helen J.

doi:10.3354/meps08441

Cited by 37 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Macroalgal communities on coral reefs can show noticeable temporal changes in species composition and abundance, associated with abiotic (e.g., temperature, light) and biotic factors (Tsai et al, 2005; Renken et al, 2010; Page-Albins et al, 2012). Some common species in the Caribbean such as Dictyota spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and Halimeda spp. increase in abundance during summer, often covering over 50% of the benthos, while others (e.g., turf-forming species) are more abundant during cooler periods of the year (Lirman & Biber, 2000; Renken et al, 2010; Ferrari et al, 2012). In our study, we found an increase in overall abundance of macroalgal recruits towards spring with distinct species flourishing within treatments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, both Dictyota pulchella and Sargassum spp. show a peak of abundance during the summer and a loss of biomass in the coolest seasons (Lirman & Biber, 2000; Renken et al, 2010). In contrast, Gracilaria spp.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Seasonal regulation of herbivory and nutrient effects on macroalgal recruitment and succession in a Florida coral reef

Durán

Collado‐Vides

Burkepile

2016

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Herbivory and nutrient enrichment are drivers of benthic dynamics of coral reef macroalgae; however, their impact may vary seasonally. In this study we evaluated the effects of herbivore pressure, nutrient availability and potential propagule supply on seasonal recruitment and succession of macroalgal communities on a Florida coral reef. Recruitment tiles, replaced every three months, and succession tiles, kept in the field for nine months, were established in an ongoing factorial nutrient enrichment-herbivore exclusion experiment. The ongoing experiment had already created very different algal communities across the different herbivory and nutrient treatments. We tracked algal recruitment, species richness, and species abundance through time. Our results show seasonal variation in the effect of herbivory and nutrient availability on recruitment of coral reef macroalgae. In the spring, when there was higher macroalgal species richness and abundance of recruits, herbivory appeared to have more control on macroalgal community structure than did nutrients. In contrast, there was no effect of either herbivory or nutrient enrichment on macroalgal communities on recruitment tiles in cooler seasons. The abundance of recruits on tiles was positively correlated with the abundance of algal in the ongoing, established experiment, suggesting that propagule abundance is likely a strong influence on algal recruitment and early succession. Results of the present study suggest that abundant herbivorous fishes control recruitment and succession of macroalgae, particularly in the warm season when macroalgal growth is higher. However, herbivory appears less impactful on algal recruitment and community dynamics in cooler seasons. Ultimately, our data suggest that the timing of coral mortality (e.g., summer vs. winter mortality) and freeing of benthic space may strongly influence the dynamics of algae that colonize open space.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Seasonal regulation of herbivory and nutrient effects on macroalgal recruitment and succession in a Florida coral reef

Durán

Collado‐Vides

Burkepile

2016

PeerJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Temperature and wave energy, for example, are some of the variables that can be measured through satellites and heavily influence pattern and process in marine systems. These factors not only determine the global distribution of reefs [282], but the distribution of reef habitats e.g., [154], reef biodiversity e.g., [42], reef processes e.g., [283], and the impact of disturbance and the recovery of reef ecosystems e.g., [209].…”

Section: Mapping Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs for Monitoring and Management: A Review

Hedley¹,

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Coral reefs are in decline worldwide and monitoring activities are important for assessing the impact of disturbance on reefs and tracking subsequent recovery or decline. Monitoring by field surveys provides accurate data but at highly localised scales and so is not cost-effective for reef scale monitoring at frequent time points. Remote sensing from satellites is an alternative and complementary approach. While remote sensing cannot provide the level of detail and accuracy at a single point than a field survey, the statistical power for inferring large scale patterns benefits in having complete areal coverage. This review considers the state of the art of coral reef remote sensing for the diverse range of objectives relevant for management, ranging from the composition of the reef: physical extent, benthic cover, bathymetry, rugosity; to environmental parameters: sea surface temperature, exposure, light, carbonate chemistry. In addition to updating previous reviews, here we also consider the capability to go beyond basic maps of habitats or environmental variables, to discuss concepts highly relevant to stakeholders, policy makers and public communication: such as biodiversity, environmental threat and ecosystem services. A clear conclusion of the review is that advances in both sensor technology and processing algorithms continue to drive forward remote sensing capability for coral reef mapping, particularly with respect to spatial resolution of maps, and synthesis across multiple data products. Both trends can be expected to continue.

show abstract

“…In temperate rocky shore ecosystems, wave exposure drives photosynthesis in intertidal macroalgae (e.g., Hepburn et al 2007), influences macroalgal morphology (e.g., Wernberg and Thomsen 2005), and ultimately regulates trophic structure and ecological dominance among rocky intertidal algal communities (e.g., Dayton 1975;Mcquaid and Branch 1985). In tropical coral ecosystems, productivity is generally higher on windward than leeward reefs (Marsh 1970), enhancing coral growth rates (Barnes 1983), and influencing macroalgal patch dynamics (Renken et al 2010). Despite such strong ecological regulation, surprisingly, little is known about the influence of wave exposure on the shortterm dynamics of macroalgal phase shifts following disturbance.…”

Section: Communicated By Biology Editor Dr Mark Vermeijmentioning

confidence: 98%

Exposure-driven macroalgal phase shift following catastrophic disturbance on coral reefs

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Environmental conditions play an important role in post-disturbance dynamics of ecosystems by modulating recovery of surviving communities and influencing patterns of succession. Here, we document the effects of wave exposure following a catastrophic disturbance on coral reefs in driving a phase shift to macroalgal dominance. In December 2012, a Category 5 super typhoon ('Typhoon Bopha') passed 50 km to the south of Palau (Micronesia), causing a major loss of reef corals. Immediately post-disturbance, a rapid and extensive phase shift of the macroalgae Liagora sp. (Rhodophyta) was observed at sites exposed to chronic wave exposure. To quantify the influence of biotic and abiotic drivers in modulating the extent of post-disturbance Liagora blooms, we compared benthic substrates and herbivore assemblages at sites surveyed pre-and post-disturbance across a gradient of wave exposure. Relative changes in herbivore biomass and coral cover before and after disturbance did not significantly predict the extent of Liagora cover, indicating that changes in herbivore biomass or reductions in grazing pressure were not directly responsible for driving the Liagora blooms. By contrast, the degree of wave exposure experienced at sites post-disturbance explained [90 % of model variance (p \ 0.001, R 2 = 0.69), in that Liagora was absent at low exposure sites, while most extensive blooms were observed at highly exposed sites. At regional scales, spatial maps of wave exposure accurately predicted the presence of Liagora at impacted sites throughout the Palau archipelago ([150 km distance), highlighting the predictive capacity of wave exposure as an explanatory variable and the deterministic nature of postdisturbance macroalgal blooms. Understanding how physical conditions modulate recovery of ecosystems after disturbance allows insight into post-disturbance dynamics and succession of communities, ultimately allowing management strategies to prioritise restoration efforts in regions that are most effective.

show abstract

Effects of physical environmental conditions on the patch dynamics of Dictyota pulchella and Lobophora variegata on Caribbean coral reefs

Cited by 37 publications

References 54 publications

Seasonal regulation of herbivory and nutrient effects on macroalgal recruitment and succession in a Florida coral reef

Seasonal regulation of herbivory and nutrient effects on macroalgal recruitment and succession in a Florida coral reef

Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs for Monitoring and Management: A Review

Exposure-driven macroalgal phase shift following catastrophic disturbance on coral reefs

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About