Modeling vertical coral connectivity and mesophotic refugia

Holstein, Daniel M.; Paris, Claire B.; Vaz, Ana C.; Smith, Tyler B.

doi:10.1007/s00338-015-1339-2

Cited by 77 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…MCEs, therefore, have the potential to be refugia for shallow coral-reef taxa, and a source of propagules (i.e., vertical connectivity), contributing to the resilience of SWRs (e.g., Hughes and Tanner 2000;Lesser et al 2009;Bongaerts et al 2010;Kahng et al 2014;Holstein et al 2016a). Glynn (1996) was the first to note that deep reefs are less affected by thermal stress events and could be potential refuges.…”

Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Deep-reef Refugia Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To gain insight into this question, Holstein et al (2016a) employed a biophysical model, the first of its kind, to simulate the exchange of larvae between MCEs and SWRs in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). Two generalist coral species with different reproductive life histories, the broadcast spawning Orbicella faveolata and the brooding Porites astreoides, were modeled among habitats and across a 0-to 50-m-depth gradient.…”

Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Drrhmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, Holstein et al (2016a) suggest that although the direct subsidy of larvae from MCEs to SWRs may be low, multigenerational recruitment events spanning the depth gradient between MCEs and SWRs may allow for generalist brooding corals to disperse vertically throughout their range. These studies also support the assertion that local oceanography and population dynamics must be evaluated if we wish to obtain a broader understanding of the potential roles of MCEs in coral-reef metapopulations, and that the validity of the DRRH may be site-specific.…”

Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Drrhmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…MCEs are potentially great reservoirs of coral diversity and fecundity, yet there is a striking gap in our knowledge of the reproductive traits of their coral communities and their potential to influence patterns of coral-reef persistence (Holstein et al 2015(Holstein et al , 2016aEyal-Shaham et al 2016). Almost all our knowledge on coral reproduction originates from research conducted on SWRs (the reproductive traits of *450 coral species are known today), while our knowledge of the reproductive traits of corals in MCEs is minute, with fewer than ten species studied to date.…”

Section: Processes Structuring Mcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding how reproductive performance changes across environmental gradients is central to the study of evolutionary ecology and to the successful management of natural populations and threatened species. As shallow habitats further degrade due to climate change and local habitat degradation, the relative contributions of deeper living corals to the larval pool will likely increase (Holstein et al 2015(Holstein et al , 2016a.…”

Section: Processes Structuring Mcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Theme section on mesophotic coral ecosystems: advances in knowledge and future perspectives

et al. 2016

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The Second International Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems (MCEs) workshop was held in Eilat, Israel, October 26-31, 2014. Here we provide an account of: (1) advances in our knowledge of MCE ecology, including the central question of the potential vertical connectivity between MCEs and shallow-water reefs (SWRs), and that of the validity of the deep-reef refugia hypothesis (DRRH); (2) the contribution of the 2014 MCE workshop to the central question presented in (1), as well as its contribution to novel MCE studies on corals, sponges, fish, and crabs; and (3) gaps, priorities, and recommendations for future research stemming from the workshop. Despite their close proximity to well-studied SWRs, and the growing evidence of their importance, our scientific knowledge of MCEs is still in its infancy. During the last five years, we have witnessed an ever-increasing scientific interest in MCEs, expressed in the exponential increase in the number of publications studying this unique environment. The emerging consensus is that lower MCE benthic assemblages represent unique communities, either of separate species or genetically distinct individuals within species, and any significant support for the DRRH will be limited to upper MCEs. Determining the health and stability of MCEs, their biodiversity, and the degree of genetic connectivity among SWRs and MCEs, will ultimately indicate the ability of MCEs to contribute to the resilience of SWRs and help to guide future management and conservation strategies. MCEs deserve therefore management consideration in their own right. With the technological advancements taking place in recent years that facilitate access to MCEs, the prospects for exciting and innovative discoveries resulting from MCE research, spanning a wide variety of fields, are immense.

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Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Deep-reef Refugia Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Drrhmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Vertical Connectivity and The Drrhmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Processes Structuring Mcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Processes Structuring Mcesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Theme section on mesophotic coral ecosystems: advances in knowledge and future perspectives

et al. 2016

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Fine‐scale structure among mesophotic populations of the great star coral Montastraea cavernosa revealed by SNP genotyping

Drury

Pérez‐Portela

Serrano

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Mesophotic reefs (30‐150 m) have been proposed as potential refugia that facilitate the recovery of degraded shallow reefs following acute disturbances such as coral bleaching and disease. However, because of the technical difficulty of collecting samples, the connectivity of adjacent mesophotic reefs is relatively unknown compared with shallower counterparts. We used genotyping by sequencing to assess fine‐scale genetic structure of Montastraea cavernosa at two sites at Pulley Ridge, a mesophotic coral reef ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico, and downstream sites along the Florida Reef Tract. We found differentiation between reefs at Pulley Ridge (~68 m) and corals at downstream upper mesophotic depths in the Dry Tortugas (28–36 m) and shallow reefs in the northern Florida Keys (Key Biscayne, ~5 m). The spatial endpoints of our study were distinct, with the Dry Tortugas as a genetic intermediate. Most striking were differences in population structure among northern and southern sites at Pulley Ridge that were separated by just 12km. Unique patterns of clonality and outlier loci allele frequency support these sites as different populations and suggest that the long‐distance horizontal connectivity typical of shallow‐water corals may not be typical for mesophotic systems in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. We hypothesize that this may be due to the spawning of buoyant gametes, which commits propagules to the surface, resulting in greater dispersal and lower connectivity than typically found between nearby shallow sites. Differences in population structure over small spatial scales suggest that demographic constraints and/or environmental disturbances may be more variable in space and time on mesophotic reefs compared with their shallow‐water counterparts.

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Cross‐depth connectivity shows that deep kelps may act as refugia by reseeding climate‐vulnerable shallow beds

et al. 2023

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Refugia are habitats where species can survive or retreat to during environmental disturbances. One key assumption of habitats that constitute refugia is that they may assist in the persistence of impacted populations through the provision of reproductive propagules. This "reseeding" hypothesis assumes that demographic connectivity exists between refugia and impacted habitats. We tested this hypothesis for the kelp Ecklonia radiata, a temperate marine foundation species dominant in the temperate coast of Australia. Our study site was the coast of Western Australia, a system where deep habitats are considered to act as refugia for their shallow counterparts, yet, for which estimations of population connectivity have overlooked propagule dispersal across depth. Here, we simulated the dominant ocean circulation conditions in a three-dimensional oceanographic model and the dispersal of kelp propagules by incorporating physical properties of zoospores within the model. The trajectories of kelp propagules were tracked and analyzed to identify their probability of settlement within the domain of the study. Measurements of kelp fecundity across depth were obtained within the study region, and used to estimate zoospore settlement densities. Here, we show that deep populations of E. radiata have the capacity to supply zoospores to shallow reefs. Our results show that zoospores released at deeper beds (40 m of depth) are transported to shallow reefs (<20 m of depth) and that settlement densities are sufficient to drive kelp fertilization. Analysis of particle exchange among depths also indicates that mid-depth reefs (~25 m of depth) act as important "stepping stones" for cross-depth connectivity, enhancing dispersal between the shallowest and deepest locations, which is especially important when reefs of different depths are separated by tens of kilometers. We show that after an environmental disturbance, persistent deep kelps may act as refugia by sourcing propagules and reseeding impacted shallow reefs, provided that environmental conditions are adequate for kelp recruitment and growth. This study demonstrates that through propagule exchange, populations of habitat-building species living in

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Modeling vertical coral connectivity and mesophotic refugia

Cited by 77 publications

References 66 publications

Theme section on mesophotic coral ecosystems: advances in knowledge and future perspectives

Theme section on mesophotic coral ecosystems: advances in knowledge and future perspectives

Fine‐scale structure among mesophotic populations of the great star coral Montastraea cavernosa revealed by SNP genotyping

Cross‐depth connectivity shows that deep kelps may act as refugia by reseeding climate‐vulnerable shallow beds

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