Monitoring of coral reefs with linear transects: A study of storm damage

Rogers, Caroline S.; Gilnack, Marcia; Fitz, H. Carl

doi:10.1016/0022-0981(83)90165-x

Cited by 62 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Its value is 1.0 when the surface is flat and increases with surface irregularity or relief. Analogous methods have been used in studies on coral reef heterogeneity (Wellington 1982, Rogers et al 1983.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shore topography and spatial partitioning of crevice refuges by sessile epibenthos in an ice disturbed environment

Bergeron¹,

Bourget²

1986

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The effect of substratum heterogeneity on the distribution and abundance of sessile epibenthos was studied between May 1980 and September 1981, in a mid-intertidal shore subject to severe annual ice scouring during winter In summer, low abundances of organisms were associated with smooth regular surfaces whereas high abundances were associated with higher heterogeneity in the form of cracks and crevices in the substratum. The barnacle Semibalanus balanoides, the seaweed Fucus vesiculosus and the mussel Mytilus edulis CO-occured in crevice microhabitats. Effect of physical factors (crevice shape and size, exposure to ice erosion) on space partitioning within crevices was examined. The above species occured in distinct zones along the vertical gradient of crevice walls. M. edulis occupied the bottom of the crevices, while S. balanoides and F. vesiculosus colonized the intermediate zone immediately above mussels. The upper limit of all species varied with crevice width (angle formed by the sides) and depth. Upper limit of barnacles is determined by differential juvenile mortality during winter while their lower limit is determined by preemptive and probably interference competition for space with mussels. The near absence of barnacles outside crevices is due to lack of settlement there. The only true refuge for S. balanoidesis in a narrow zone along the crevice walls. The importance of spatial and temporal variations in settlement as well a s varying susceptibilities of different species to disturbances are discussed in relation to space partitioning. The relative importance of spatial heterogeneity on community structure in subarctic, temperate and tropical intertidal environments is compared.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shore topography and spatial partitioning of crevice refuges by sessile epibenthos in an ice disturbed environment

Bergeron¹,

Bourget²

1986

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…However, it is difficult to ''scale up'' the implications of such studies to a spatial scale that is ecologically relevant to both understanding population drivers of coral reef communities, and management of marine systems. At broad scales, ecological processes on coral reefs occur against a backdrop of abiotic influences such as storms, cyclones, pollution, sedimentation, and climate change impacts, which can cause significant changes to coral reefs (Rogers et al 1983, Hughes 1994, Hughes et al 2003, Wenger et al 2012, Woolsey et al 2012. Coral reefs continue to be at risk from an ever increasing number of such threats, which could affect coral reef organisms at multiple trophic levels.…”

Section: Top-down Effects In Complex Systems: the Case For Reefsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The consistent patterns found in this study from four locations encompassing a large area and latitudinal range suggest that these patterns are likely to occur broadly across the GBR, however the likelihood of trophic effects occurring may differ amongst individual reefs and in part this may relate to temporal organismal trajectories relating to other impacts. The Great Barrier Reef and other reef systems are under threat from a myriad of stressors such as cyclones, nutrient runoff and sedimentation, and climate change impacts, all of which can have a strong effect on habitats and fish assemblages (Rogers et al 1983, Hughes 1994, Hughes et al 2003, De'ath et al 2012, Wenger et al 2012. The current state of reefs is actually the net result of a time series of events as reefs are subjected to perturbations, and decline or recover.…”

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predators drive community structure in coral reef fish assemblages

Boaden

Kingsford

2015

Ecosphere

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Citation: Boaden, A. E., and M. J. Kingsford. 2015. Predators drive community structure in coral reef fish assemblages.Ecosphere 6(4):46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES14-00292.1Abstract. The importance of top-down effects in structuring ecological communities has been widely debated by ecologists. One way in which to examine these processes is to study the secondary effects of predator removal on communities. This study examined the role of predatory fishes in structuring communities of coral reef fishes, by using a network of marine reserves (the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park) as a natural experiment. We hypothesized that reefs with high densities of piscivores (marine reserves) would have distinct fish communities from those where piscivores have been depleted through fishing, due to variation in predation pressure. We predicted that predator depletion would result in ''prey release'', and a corresponding increase in prey densities along a gradient of fishing intensity, causing a change in the community composition of reef fishes. To address this, fish counts and habitat surveys were conducted at four locations on the Great Barrier Reef. At each location, comparisons were made amongst three marine park zones that varied in their exposure to fishing practices; no-take marine reserves, limited fishing areas, and open fishing areas.The density and biomass of predators varied consistently among zones at each location. Furthermore, we found strong evidence for prey release at all four locations, resulting in distinct fish assemblages amongst zones. Reefs open to fishing had much lower densities of piscivores, and higher densities of prey and herbivorous fishes compared to marine reserves. This broad pattern was consistent amongst locations, and persisted at the level of species, trophic groups, families and communities. Habitat characteristics did not vary significantly amongst zones in a consistent manner amongst locations. Although habitat relationships were strong for specialist species such as butterflyfishes, densities of predators were stronger predictors of prey density for most species, and the trophic composition of reef fish communities differed significantly amongst zones at all locations. Results from this study support the concept that top-down effects can be strong divers of prey populations and influence community structure in highly diverse systems. These data emphasize the vital role of predators, and reinforce the importance of preserving and restoring top-down trophic interactions in ecological systems.

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“…The partial death or damage to these shaIIow-water corals was possibly due to a series of strong hurricanes impacting St. John's reefs during the past 20 years or to possible epizootic events (see below). All else being equal, large storm waves have a greater impact in shallow reefs by breaking branching corals, dislodging or toppling boulder corals, or scouring thin coral tissues (Rogers et al, 1983;Edmonds and Witman, 1991;Rogers et al, 1991;Nemeth and Sladek Nowlis, 2001). The shallow St. John sites also contained higher densities of &i7~IiflTllui.UIn;a pattern-of reColon"1zationfhat is typlcal throughofit the Uaribbe (Nemeth, personal observation) following its die-off in the early 1980's (Lessios, 1988).…”

Section: Ssionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virgin Islands. A Rapid Assessment of Coral Reefs in the Virgin Islands (Part 1: Stony Corals and Algae)

Nemeth¹,

Quandt²,

Requa³

et al. 2003

Atoll Research Bulletin

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A ACT 'I'hc: Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assess~nent (AGRRA) benthos protocol was conducted in depths of 3-14 m at 32 coral rccf sites in the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Crois, St. Thomas. St. John) and the British Virgin Islands (Ancgada. Guana Island and Virgin Gorda). Live stony coral cover averaged between 10% and 35% in 85% percent of the sites. The size of colonies 21-5 cnl in diameter aberagcd 55 c~n and their composition was dominated by the genus Mot~tasimea. Coral recruitment varied considerably among sites and was dominated by species that brood their larvae. Nearly all sites had stony corals that were affected by disease, bleaching or damaged by fish bites. Mean values for total (recent + old) partial mortality exceeded 40% of colony surfaces in eight sites and were between 20% and 40% for the remainder. The abundance of "standing dead" stony corals was typically less than I .5%. The relative abundance of macroalgae exceeded 30% in 15 o f 2 2 sites and macroalgae were dominated by Dictyota.

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Monitoring of coral reefs with linear transects: A study of storm damage

Cited by 62 publications

References 14 publications

Shore topography and spatial partitioning of crevice refuges by sessile epibenthos in an ice disturbed environment

Shore topography and spatial partitioning of crevice refuges by sessile epibenthos in an ice disturbed environment

Predators drive community structure in coral reef fish assemblages

Virgin Islands. A Rapid Assessment of Coral Reefs in the Virgin Islands (Part 1: Stony Corals and Algae)

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