The transformation of Caribbean coral communities since humans

Cramer, Katie L.; Donovan, Mary K.; Jackson, Jeremy B. C.; Greenstein, Benjamin J.; Korpanty, Chelsea; Cook, G. M. W.; Pandolfi, John M.

doi:10.1002/ece3.7808

Cited by 45 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 85 publications

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“…This was based on the premise that the reef exhibits a homogeneous composition where O. faveolata represents 80% of the massive corals, so that the linear erosion rate they estimated was broadly representative at the reef scale. However, many reefs have very heterogeneous compositions, particularly as they have been degraded and community composition shifted (Gonz alez- Cramer et al 2021). In such systems multiple species response data thus becomes an imperative.…”

Section: Coral Reef Erosionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coral reef erosion: In situ measurement on different dead coral substrates on a Caribbean reef

Molina‐Hernández

Medellín‐Maldonado

Lange

et al. 2022

Limnology & Oceanography

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Section: Coral Reef Erosionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(Aronson and Precht 2001;Toth et al 2019). This has resulted in ecological shifts in the composition of coral communities toward those defined by the dominance of nonframework building species (Perry et al 2015;Cramer et al 2021;Alvarez-Filip et al 2022).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral reef erosion: In situ measurement on different dead coral substrates on a Caribbean reef

Molina‐Hernández

Medellín‐Maldonado

Lange

et al. 2022

Limnology & Oceanography

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“…Caribbean reefs have undergone a large-scale degradation in the last four decades (Pandolfi and Jackson, 2006;Eakin et al, 2010;Jackson et al, 2014;Cramer et al, 2021), which has led coral reef ecologists to search for coral species that will bring life and hope to future reefs. Porites astreoides has been considered a winner (Green et al, 2008;Edmunds, 2010;Soto-Santiago et al, 2017a) and expected to play a key role in sustaining coral cover in the Caribbean as more sensitive species (e.g., Acropora spp.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Win some, lose some: The ecophysiology of Porites astreoides as a key coral species to Caribbean reefs

Lima

Bursch²,

Dinsdale³

2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Caribbean reefs have undergone large-scale losses in coral cover in past decades, sparking a search for species that are resilient under stress. Porites astreoides has been considered a “winner” and a key player in sustaining coral cover in the Caribbean as more sensitive species struggle. However, P. astreoides has recently declined in abundance, raising concern about its status as a winner. Here, we reviewed the ecophysiology of P. astreoides in response to environmental stress to elucidate whether this species could thrive in the future of Caribbean reefs. We examined ecophysiological variables of P. astreoides related to photosynthesis, growth, recruitment, tissue condition, and microbiome in response to temperature, pH, macroalgal competition, depth, and sedimentation. Overall, P. astreoides was sensitive to environmental stress and each physiological feature showed varying levels of sensitivity. Coral-algal photosynthesis and coral tissue condition could withstand single events of thermal stress but reflected a metabolic imbalance that hinders recovery from repeated bleaching events, compromising long-term success. Colony growth was particularly vulnerable to low pH and macroalgal competition. Recruitment was unaffected, or even favored, by depth and could tolerate high temperatures, but it was sensitive to exposure to macroalgae, especially in combination with abiotic stressors. The response of the microbiome of P. astreoides to stressors is still poorly understood. In relation to other corals, P. astreoides was frequently reported as the most sensitive species in the reviewed literature. The success of P. astreoides is tightly integrated into the future of Caribbean reefs, which could be losing an old winner.

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“…Nonetheless, publications in the literature review described baselines at local to regional scales (e.g., Terry, 2018;Barbieri et al, 2020;Hesterberg et al, 2020;Dillon et al, 2021) and investigated the interplay of ecological processes across different spatial scales (Bennington and Aronson, 2012;Cramer et al, 2021;Louys et al, 2021). Such studies, at least in theory, are primed to contribute to the escalating spatial scales over which resource managers are challenged to act.…”

Section: Spatial Scalesmentioning

confidence: 99%

What is conservation paleobiology? Tracking 20 years of research and development

et al. 2022

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Conservation paleobiology has coalesced over the last two decades since its formal coining, united by the goal of applying geohistorical records to inform the conservation, management, and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Yet, the field is still attempting to form an identity distinct from its academic roots. Here, we ask a deceptively simple question: What is conservation paleobiology? To track its development as a field, we synthesize complementary perspectives from a survey of the scientific community that is familiar with conservation paleobiology and a systematic literature review of publications that use the term. We present an overview of conservation paleobiology’s research scope and compare survey participants’ perceptions of what it is and what it should be as a field. We find that conservation paleobiologists use a variety of geohistorical data in their work, although research is typified by near-time records of marine molluscs and terrestrial mammals collected over local to regional spatial scales. Our results also confirm the field’s broad disciplinary basis: survey participants indicated that conservation paleobiology can incorporate information from a wide range of disciplines spanning conservation biology, ecology, historical ecology, paleontology, and archaeology. Finally, we show that conservation paleobiologists have yet to reach a consensus on how applied the field should be in practice. The survey revealed that many participants thought the field should be more applied but that most do not currently engage with conservation practice. Reflecting on how conservation paleobiology has developed over the last two decades, we discuss opportunities to promote community cohesion, strengthen collaborations within conservation science, and align training priorities with the field’s identity as it continues to crystallize.

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The transformation of Caribbean coral communities since humans

Cited by 45 publications

References 85 publications

Coral reef erosion: In situ measurement on different dead coral substrates on a Caribbean reef

Coral reef erosion: In situ measurement on different dead coral substrates on a Caribbean reef

Win some, lose some: The ecophysiology of Porites astreoides as a key coral species to Caribbean reefs

What is conservation paleobiology? Tracking 20 years of research and development

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