Effects of thermal stress on key processes driving coral-population dynamics

Roth, Lynnette M.; Köksal, Semen; Woesik, Robert van

doi:10.3354/meps08640

Cited by 29 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Ocean acidification negatively influences the metabolism of marine invertebrates that have a low ability to compensate for disturbances to the extracellular ion and acid-base status, leading to negative effects on reproduction and behaviour 12 . Sexual reproduction represents a crucial process in the development and persistence of populations and its reduction threatens the resilience of species, leading to shifts in size and abundance of populations 13 . Early life history stages of echinoderms, mollusks and crustaceans including larval availability 9–11,14–19 (gamete production, fertilization etc.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction of an azooxanthellate coral is unaffected by ocean acidification

Gizzi

Mas

Airi

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and consequent ocean acidification (OA) are projected to have extensive consequences on marine calcifying organisms, including corals. While the effects of OA on coral calcification are well documented, the response of reproduction is still poorly understood since no information are reported for temperate corals. Here we investigate for the first time the influence of OA on sexual reproduction of the temperate azooxanthellate solitary scleractinian Leptopsammia pruvoti transplanted along a natural pCO2 gradient at a Mediterranean CO2 vent. After 3 months, future projection of pH levels did not influence the germ cell production, gametogenesis and embryogenesis in this azooxanthellate coral. These findings suggest that reproductive potential may be quite tolerant to decreasing pH, with implications for ecosystem function and services in a changing ocean.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction of an azooxanthellate coral is unaffected by ocean acidification

Gizzi

Mas

Airi

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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“…Here, we ask whether a winning species in the short term is also a winner in the long term. Previously we reported on the shortterm effects of a severe thermal stress (~3°C above the seasonal average) on the coral populations of Sesoko Island (Okinawa) in 1998 (Loya et al 2001), and a moderate thermal stress (1.8°C above the seasonal average water temperature) on islands 30 km southwest of Okinawa in 1998(Roth et al 2010). The present study tracked the coral populations in the lee of Sesoko Island, Japan, from 1997 to 2010, including nearly a decade of recovery during which the sea surface temperatures did not ex ceed seasonal averages (Fig.…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

“…There is a high level of genetic connectivity between the Acropora populations in the Kerama Islands, 30 km southwest of Okinawa, and Sesoko Island (Nishikawa et al 2003, Nakajima et al 2010. Moreover, neighboring reefs in the Kerama Islands continued to support Acropora colonies throughout the thermal stress events (Roth et al 2010). Therefore, it is highly likely that the Kerama Islands facilitated Acropora recovery on Sesoko Island by supplying recruits.…”

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confidence: 99%

Revisiting the winners and the losers a decade after coral bleaching

Woesik

Sakai²,

Ganase³

et al. 2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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381

311

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Over the past 3 decades, thermal stress events have damaged corals globally. Few studies, however, have tracked the recovery process or assessed whether winners in the short term are also winners in the long term. In the present study, we repeatedly sampled a coral assemblage over a 14 yr period, from 1997 to 2010, through 2 thermal stress events (in 1998 and 2001). Our goal was to examine the consistency of short-term winner and loser outcomes over the recovery period. Although species richness had recovered after 10 yr, the reef composition had changed, and few pocilloporids were to be found. The short-term winners were the thermally tolerant encrusting and massive coral morphologies (Porites and faviids) and Acropora colonies < 5 cm in diameter. Long-term winners were revealed as (1) thermally tolerant, locally persistent colonies, (2) remnant survivors that rapidly regrew, and (3) regionally persistent colonies that recruited. KEY WORDS: Coral bleaching · Climate adaptation · Temperature · Reefs · RecoveryResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher Mar Ecol Prog Ser 434: 67-76, 2011 enced anomalous temperatures only every 50 to 60 yr (Thompson & van Woesik 2009). For example, the southern islands of Japan, the Great Barrier Reef and Micronesia all historically show low-frequency return periods (~50 yr), whereas the Galapagos Islands and Kiribati historically show high-frequency return periods (~5 yr) (Thompson & van Woesik 2009). Not only are contemporary worldwide patterns in thermal anomalies similar to those in the past, but the localities that have shown high-frequency return periods in the past few centuries have also recently experienced the most severe thermal stress (Thompson & van Woesik 2009). If these patterns persist into the near future, then some localities will receive both more intensive and more frequent thermal stress than other localities.Short-term studies suggest that some coral species are destined to become the 'winners', whereas others are destined to become the 'losers' (Loya et al. 2001). However, simply tolerating local thermal stress is not the only viable life-history strategy to persist through time. Ephemeral assemblages that are usually susceptible to local stress also survive regionally by being highly fecund and growing quickly (MacArthur & Wilson 1967, Loya 1976, Gates & Edmunds 1999. Regional persistence also depends on (1) the local survival of small fragments, which have an inherent capacity for regrowth, (2) whether corals on neighboring reefs survived through the thermal stress, (3) whether those neighboring corals have the capacity to supply recruits, (4) the survival of recruits from neighboring reefs, and (5) the return frequency and intensity of the thermal stresses.Few studies have examined the longterm recovery of coral assemblages following thermal stress. Here, we ask whether a winning species in the short term is also a winner in the long term. Previously we reported on the shortterm effects of a severe thermal s...

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“…Few studies examine the key ecological processes that drive the state variables. Processes of major interest include recruitment, coral growth, rates of partial colony mortality, fission, and mortality (Roth et al 2010). These rates are dependent on macro-processes, such as predation and herbivory (Mumby et al 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sampling state and process variables on coral reefs

Green

McArdle

Woesik

2010

Environ Monit Assess

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Contemporary coral reefs are forced to survive through and recover from disturbances at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Understanding disturbances in the context of ecological processes may lead to accurate predictive models of population trajectories. Most coral-reef studies and monitoring programs examine state variables, which include the percentage coverage of major benthic organisms, but few studies examine the key ecological processes that drive the state variables. Here we outline a sampling strategy that captures both state and process variables, at a spatial scale of tens of kilometers. Specifically, we are interested in (1) examining spatial and temporal patterns in coral population size-frequency distributions, (2) determining major population processes, including rates of recruitment and mortality, and (3) examining relationships between processes and state variables. Our effective sampling units are randomly selected 75 × 25 m stations, spaced approximately 250-500 m apart, representing a 10(3) m spatial scale. Stations are nested within sites, spaced approximately 2 km apart, representing a 10(4) m spatial scale. Three randomly selected 16 m(2) quadrats placed in each station and marked for relocation are used to assess processes across time, while random belt-transects, re-randomized at each sampling event, are used to sample state variables. Both quadrats and belt-transects are effectively sub-samples from which we will derive estimates of means for each station at each sampling event. This nested sampling strategy allows us to determine critical stages in populations, examine population performance, and compare processes through disturbance events and across regions.

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Effects of thermal stress on key processes driving coral-population dynamics

Cited by 29 publications

References 49 publications

Reproduction of an azooxanthellate coral is unaffected by ocean acidification

Reproduction of an azooxanthellate coral is unaffected by ocean acidification

Revisiting the winners and the losers a decade after coral bleaching

Sampling state and process variables on coral reefs

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