Download or read book Multi Scale Patch Dynamics of Coral Communities written by Brittany Huntington and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The overarching objective of this dissertation was to improve our knowledge of the relationship between seascape heterogeneity and diversity of stony coral assemblages across spatial scales. Coral communities on patch reefs in three regions of the Caribbean were used as a model system to investigating this relationship because patch reef heterogeneity could be readily quantified within the seascape using remote sensing and image analysis techniques. I began with a theoretical approach, exploring the origins of observed species diversity among coral communities at increasing spatial scales. Hierarchical sampling and null models revealed that coral diversity was governed by non-random processes at local- (10s of meters) and meso- (100s of m) scales. Spatial autocorrelation and reef heterogeneity were then investigated as potential mechanistic drivers of these non-random diversity patterns. I found limited support for spatial drivers. However, beta diversity was significantly correlated to metrics of reef heterogeneity (measured as reef size, spatial configuration, and complexity), indicating that differences in reef heterogeneity were making a disproportionate contribution to the overall coral community diversity. The relationship between corals and reef heterogeneity was found to be both scale-dependent and region dependent. This theoretical approach was followed by a manipulative approach using an existing artificial patch reef array to experimentally test the influence of reef spatial configuration and topographical complexity on local diversity. Corals were most sensitive to reef size and secondarily reef configuration within the seascape. Unlike reef fishes, reef complexity did not emerge as a strong predictor of the coral community composition in either the observational data or the experimental manipulation. These observational and experimental explorations of the relationship between corals and habitat reveal that intra-habitat variability (i.e. differences between patch reefs) can influence the diversity and abundance of corals. I then focused on applying this improved theoretical understanding towards improving coral management efforts. I present a new methodology to assess the efficacy of marine reserve effects by controlling for natural seascape variation within and beyond the reserve boundary, and I quantified the bias of underestimating coral diversity by using conventional reef monitoring protocols that ignore differences in reef size. In conclusion, I demonstrate empirically that seascape attributes of reef heterogeneity can contribute to coral diversity at relatively small spatial scales (

Download or read book Dynamics of Coral Communities written by R.H. Karlson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2002-10-31 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on the dynamical processes influencing the structure of coral communities, some of the most biologically diverse communities on earth. A variety of biological and physical processes operating across an enormous range of spatiotemporal scales are highlighted (e.g., niche partitioning, biological interactions, disturbance phenomena, large-scale tectonic, eustatic, climatic, and oceanographic processes). The focus on the community provides a framework for presenting some of the best examples from the literature using multiple taxonomic groups (e.g., corals, fishes, encrusting invertebrates).

Download or read book Multi scale Dynamics of Coral Reef Complex Systems written by Marlene Brito-Millan and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coral reef benthic communities form a critical part of coral reef systems linked to human societies. Using a complex systems approach that highlights inter-dependencies between substrate-bound organisms competing for space and ecological patterns that constrain demographic and competitive processes, the coral reef benthic system is dynamically characterized from the coral colony scale to the island scale with numerical models and data analysis techniques. In Chapter 2, I quantify and analyze reef-building coral colony change with colony areal coverage and longevity. Using over 4,300 Caribbean colonies measured over 4.5 years, proportional change in area of smaller colonies was found to be greater than for larger ones, following expectations of allometrically constrained growth. In terms of longevity, larger colonies lived longer than smaller ones, an effect that was lessened by colony fission and fusion, indicating these processes could confer a survival advantage. Overall, the results support a critical dependence of coral colony demography on size and morphology. In Chapter 3, I analyze the effect of spatial patterning on reefscape change over decadal time spans. Using a cellular model that simulates the interactions between four benthic functional groups, I find that reefscape (dm-km) dynamics can be categorized robustly with four distinct stages, including a transient stage dominated by nonlinear competitive dynamics. Increasing levels of colony spatial aggregation (clumpiness) results in a longer duration transient stage, prolonging arrival to the steady state. Results have potential implications for reef monitoring and restoration; for example, high initial aggregation slows loss in degraded reefs and low initial aggregation accelerates growth in healthy reefs. In Chapter 4, I describe derivation of a novel island-scale continuum coral reef model based on the cellular model used in Chapter 3. Numerical solutions of the resulting twelve coupled nonlinear partial differential equations (describing change of functional group fractional covers, nondimensional boundary lengths between functional groups, mean colony size and fish biomass density) match key aspects of the cellular model, as well as producing emergent patterns that go beyond what is observed in the cellular model. In Chapter 5, I describe a novel framework for using these results to build models of coupled societal-reef systems.

Download or read book Multi scale Spatial Patterning of Corals and Their Symbionts written by Elizabeth Alene Hamman and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I first explored the spatial distributions of two corallivorous snails, documenting aggregations at multiple spatial scales. Additionally, I explored the role of chemical cues in creating aggregations, and the effect of the aggregations on coral growth. I also tested the effects of the spatial distribution of damage on the response of the coral, demonstrating that the distance between coral lesions affects healing rate, linear extension of the coral, and coral morphology. At a larger spatial scale, I explored how landscape configuration generates long-lasting heterogeneity in the density of symbionts across a landscape. The amount of heterogeneity depends on landscape configuration, and the persistence of this heterogeneity through time depends on factors such as post-settlement density-dependent mortality of the occupant. Finally, I examined feedbacks between occupants and corals with models that included interactions between corals and occupants as well as coral dynamics. Collectively these studies demonstrate how interactions between habitat and occupants can play an important role in the spatial distribution of corals and occupants, which can affect not only the morphology of the coral, but also the distribution of corals and occupants across the landscape.

Download or read book The Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef written by David Hopley and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2007-05-17 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A valuable reference for academic researchers and graduate students in geomorphology and oceanography, this 2007 book reviews the history of geomorphological studies of the Great Barrier Reef and assesses the influences of sea-level change and oceanographic processes on the development of reefs over the last 10,000 years.

Download or read book Predictability of the Structure and Dynamics of Coral Reef Fish Communities written by Timothy R. Ault and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs written by David Hopley and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-11-26 with total page 1226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coral reefs are the largest landforms built by plants and animals. Their study therefore incorporates a wide range of disciplines. This encyclopedia approaches coral reefs from an earth science perspective, concentrating especially on modern reefs. Currently coral reefs are under high stress, most prominently from climate change with changes to water temperature, sea level and ocean acidification particularly damaging. Modern reefs have evolved through the massive environmental changes of the Quaternary with long periods of exposure during glacially lowered sea level periods and short periods of interglacial growth. The entries in this encyclopedia condense the large amount of work carried out since Charles Darwin first attempted to understand reef evolution. Leading authorities from many countries have contributed to the entries covering areas of geology, geography and ecology, providing comprehensive access to the most up-to-date research on the structure, form and processes operating on Quaternary coral reefs.

Download or read book Multi scale and Multi species Interaction Strength of Damsefishes on Coral Reff Ecosystem written by Jeanne B. Brown and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Oxford Bibliographies written by and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Reef Fisheries written by Polunin Nicholas V.C. and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-10-09 with total page 477 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reef ecosystems extend throughout the tropics. Exploited by small-scale fishers, reefs supply food for millions of people, but, worldwide, there are growing worries about the productivity and current state of these ecosystems. Reef fish stocks display many features of fisheries elsewhere. However, habitat spatial complexity, biological diversity within and among species, ecosystem intricacy and variable means of exploitation make it hard to predict sustainable modes and levels of fishing.

Download or read book Seascape Ecology written by Simon J. Pittman and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-12-18 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seascape Ecology provides a comprehensive look at the state-of-the-science in the application of landscape ecology to the seas and provides guidance for future research priorities. The first book devoted exclusively to this rapidly emerging and increasingly important discipline, it is comprised of contributions from researchers at the forefront of seascape ecology working around the world. It presents the principles, concepts, methodology, and techniques informing seascape ecology and reports on the latest developments in the application of the approach to marine ecology and management. A growing number of marine scientists, geographers, and marine managers are asking questions about the marine environment that are best addressed with a landscape ecology perspective. Seascape Ecology represents the first serious effort to fill the gap in the literature on the subject. Key topics and features of interest include: The origins and history of seascape ecology and various approaches to spatial patterning in the sea The links between seascape patterns and ecological processes, with special attention paid to the roles played by seagrasses and salt marshes and animal movements through seascapes Human influences on seascape ecology—includes models for assessing human-seascape interactions A special epilogue in which three eminent scientists who have been instrumental in shaping the course of landscape ecology offer their insights and perspectives Seascape Ecology is a must-read for researchers and professionals in an array of disciplines, including marine biology, environmental science, geosciences, marine and coastal management, and environmental protection. It is also an excellent supplementary text for university courses in those fields.

Download or read book Transfrontier Conservation Areas written by Jens Andersson and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-07-14 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The introduction of transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) in southern Africa was based on an enchanting promise: simultaneously contributing to global biodiversity conservation initiatives, regional peace and integration, and the sustainable socio-economic development of rural communities. Cross-border collaboration and eco-tourism became seen as the vehicles of this promise, which would enhance regional peace and stability along the way. However, as these highly political projects take shape, conservation and development policymaking progressively shifts from the national to regional and global arenas, and the peoples most affected by TFCA formation tend to disappear from view. This book focuses on the forgotten people displaced by, or living on the edge of, protected wildlife areas. It moves beyond the grand 'enchanting promise' of conservation and development across frontiers, and unfounded notions of TFCAs as integrated social-ecological systems. Peoples' dependency on natural resources – the specific combination of crop cultivation, livestock keeping and natural resource harvesting activities – varies enormously along the conservation frontier, as does their reliance on resources on the other side of the conservation boundary. Hence, the studies in this book move from the dream of eco-tourism-fuelled development supporting nature conservation and people towards the local realities facing marginalized people, living adjacent to protected areas in environments often poorly suited to agriculture.

Download or read book Ecology of Fishes on Coral Reefs written by Camilo Mora and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-04-23 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The local diversity and global richness of coral reef fishes, along with the diversity manifested in their morphology, behaviour and ecology, provides fascinating and diverse opportunities for study. Reflecting the very latest research in a broad and ever-growing field, this comprehensive guide is a must-read for anyone interested in the ecology of fishes on coral reefs. Featuring contributions from leaders in the field, the 36 chapters cover the full spectrum of current research. They are presented in five parts, considering coral reef fishes in the context of ecology, patterns and processes, human intervention and impacts, conservation, and past and current debates. Beautifully illustrated in full-colour, this book is designed to summarise and help build upon current knowledge and to facilitate further research. It is an ideal resource for those new to the field as well as for experienced researchers.

Download or read book A Research Review of Interventions to Increase the Persistence and Resilience of Coral Reefs written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-04-05 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coral reef declines have been recorded for all major tropical ocean basins since the 1980s, averaging approximately 30-50% reductions in reef cover globally. These losses are a result of numerous problems, including habitat destruction, pollution, overfishing, disease, and climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions and the associated increases in ocean temperature and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have been implicated in increased reports of coral bleaching, disease outbreaks, and ocean acidification (OA). For the hundreds of millions of people who depend on reefs for food or livelihoods, the thousands of communities that depend on reefs for wave protection, the people whose cultural practices are tied to reef resources, and the many economies that depend on reefs for fisheries or tourism, the health and maintenance of this major global ecosystem is crucial. A growing body of research on coral physiology, ecology, molecular biology, and responses to stress has revealed potential tools to increase coral resilience. Some of this knowledge is poised to provide practical interventions in the short-term, whereas other discoveries are poised to facilitate research that may later open the doors to additional interventions. A Research Review of Interventions to Increase the Persistence and Resilience of Coral Reefs reviews the state of science on genetic, ecological, and environmental interventions meant to enhance the persistence and resilience of coral reefs. The complex nature of corals and their associated microbiome lends itself to a wide range of possible approaches. This first report provides a summary of currently available information on the range of interventions present in the scientific literature and provides a basis for the forthcoming final report.

Download or read book Remote Sensing of Wetlands written by Ralph W. Tiner and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2015-03-23 with total page 574 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Effectively Manage Wetland Resources Using the Best Available Remote Sensing TechniquesUtilizing top scientists in the wetland classification and mapping field, Remote Sensing of Wetlands: Applications and Advances covers the rapidly changing landscape of wetlands and describes the latest advances in remote sensing that have taken place over the pa

Download or read book Our Dying Planet written by Peter Sale and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2011-09-12 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coral reefs are on track to become the first ecosystem actually eliminated from the planet. So says leading ecologist Peter F. Sale in this crash course on the state of the planet. Sale draws from his own extensive work on coral reefs, and from recent research by other ecologists, to explore the many ways we are changing the earth and to explain why it matters. Weaving into the narrative his own firsthand field experiences around the world, Sale brings ecology alive while giving a solid understanding of the science at work behind today’s pressing environmental issues. He delves into topics including overfishing, deforestation, biodiversity loss, use of fossil fuels, population growth, and climate change while discussing the real consequences of our growing ecological footprint. Most important, this passionately written book emphasizes that a gloom-and-doom scenario is not inevitable, and as Sale explores alternative paths, he considers the ways in which science can help us realize a better future.

Download or read book Coral Reef Remote Sensing written by James A. Goodman and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-18 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Remote sensing stands as the defining technology in our ability to monitor coral reefs, as well as their biophysical properties and associated processes, at regional to global scales. With overwhelming evidence that much of Earth’s reefs are in decline, our need for large-scale, repeatable assessments of reefs has never been so great. Fortunately, the last two decades have seen a rapid expansion in the ability for remote sensing to map and monitor the coral reef ecosystem, its overlying water column, and surrounding environment. Remote sensing is now a fundamental tool for the mapping, monitoring and management of coral reef ecosystems. Remote sensing offers repeatable, quantitative assessments of habitat and environmental characteristics over spatially extensive areas. As the multi-disciplinary field of coral reef remote sensing continues to mature, results demonstrate that the techniques and capabilities continue to improve. New developments allow reef assessments and mapping to be performed with higher accuracy, across greater spatial areas, and with greater temporal frequency. The increased level of information that remote sensing now makes available also allows more complex scientific questions to be addressed. As defined for this book, remote sensing includes the vast array of geospatial data collected from land, water, ship, airborne and satellite platforms. The book is organized by technology, including: visible and infrared sensing using photographic, multispectral and hyperspectral instruments; active sensing using light detection and ranging (LiDAR); acoustic sensing using ship, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and in-water platforms; and thermal and radar instruments. Emphasis and Audience This book serves multiple roles. It offers an overview of the current state-of-the-art technologies for reef mapping, provides detailed technical information for coral reef remote sensing specialists, imparts insight on the scientific questions that can be tackled using this technology, and also includes a foundation for those new to reef remote sensing. The individual sections of the book include introductory overviews of four main types of remotely sensed data used to study coral reefs, followed by specific examples demonstrating practical applications of the different technologies being discussed. Guidelines for selecting the most appropriate sensor for particular applications are provided, including an overview of how to utilize remote sensing data as an effective tool in science and management. The text is richly illustrated with examples of each sensing technology applied to a range of scientific, monitoring and management questions in reefs around the world. As such, the book is broadly accessible to a general audience, as well as students, managers, remote sensing specialists and anyone else working with coral reef ecosystems.