Download or read book The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Species Interactions Among Scleractinian Corals written by Nicolas Robin Evensen and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Marine Animal Forests written by Sergio Rossi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-08-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the last decades there has been an increasing evidence of drastic changes in marine ecosystems due to human-induced impacts, especially on benthic ecosystems. The so called “animal forests” are currently showing a dramatic loss of biomass and biodiversity all over the world. These communities are dominated by sessile suspension feeder organisms (such as sponges, corals, gorgonians, bivalves, etc.) that generate three-dimensional structures, similar to the trees in the terrestrial forest. The animal forest provide several ecosystem services such as food, protection and nursery to the associated fauna, playing an important role in the local hydrodynamic and biogeochemical cycles near the sea floor and acting also as carbon sinks. The present book focus its attention on these three dimensional animal structures including, for the first time, all the different types of animal forests of the world in a single volume.
Download or read book Coral Reefs An Ecosystem in Transition written by Zvy Dubinsky and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-12-02 with total page 541 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers in one volume materials scattered in hundreds of research articles, in most cases focusing on specialized aspects of coral biology. In addition to the latest developments in coral evolution and physiology, it presents chapters devoted to novel frontiers in coral reef research. These include the molecular biology of corals and their symbiotic algae, remote sensing of reef systems, ecology of coral disease spread, effects of various scenarios of global climate change, ocean acidification effects of increasing CO2 levels on coral calcification, and damaged coral reef remediation. Beyond extensive coverage of the above aspects, key issues regarding the coral organism and the reef ecosystem such as calcification, reproduction, modeling, algae, reef invertebrates, competition and fish are re-evaluated in the light of new research and emerging insights. In all chapters novel theories as well as challenges to established paradigms are introduced, evaluated and discussed. This volume is indispensible for all those involved in coral reef management and conservation.
Download or read book The Effects of Light Temperature and Ocean Acidification on the Physiology and Ecology of Tropical Crustose Coralline Algae written by Amy A. Briggs and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Combined Effects of Ocean Acidification with Water Flow and Temperature on Tropical Non calcareous Macroalgae written by Maureen Ho and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The vulnerability of coral reefs has substantially increased in the past few decades due to accelerating human-driven global change. The effects of ocean acidification (OA) and global warming individually and interactively have resulted in varying degrees of responses in benthic reef organisms. For non-calcareous macroalgae, the physiological and ecological responses to physical environmental changes can alter their relative abundances, which are often used as an indicator of the overall coral reef status. To better understand how fleshy macroalgae will respond to various physical parameters, three separate experiments were conducted from June 2014 to July 2015 in Moorea, French Polynesia. An important physical driver in transferring nutrients and dissolved gases to benthic reef organisms is water motion. In 2014, I tested the hypothesis that increased water motion and elevated pCO2 would benefit Amansia rhodantha (a CO2 user) more than Dictyota bartayresiana and Lobophora variegata (HCO3- users). The highest and lowest growth rates were at the intermediate and highest flow speed, respectively, for all three species. A. rhodantha exhibited the greatest reduction in biomass at reduced flow under ambient pCO2, indicating high sensitivity to mass transfer and carbon limitation. In 2015, the interactive effects of temperature and OA were tested in a two-part study on the metabolic (i.e. photosynthesis and respiration) and growth responses of D. bartayresiana and A. rhodantha. The first study in January 2015 showed that net photosynthesis in both species was affected by high pCO2 but not temperature, and the combination of temperature and OA affected respiration rates. In the second study in July 2015, metabolic rates were affected by temperature but not pCO2. Net photosynthesis and respiration of A. rhodantha were highest under OA conditions at 27.5 oC, but were reduced at 30 oC. There was no effect on metabolic rates of D. bartayresiana across all temperature treatments. The relative growth rates for D. bartayresiana were higher than A. rhodantha in the first study, while both species exhibited varying responses to treatments in the second study. Lastly, from May to June 2015, massive Porites spp. was paired with D. bartayresiana in competitive interactions at low and high flow speeds under ambient and elevated pCO2 levels. I tested the hypothesis that increased water flow would increase algal growth rates, enhancing the competitive ability of the alga against the coral. For corals, I predicted that OA and reduced water flow would negatively affect the corals, thus increasing susceptibility to algal overgrowth. Net calcification and the photosynthetic efficiency of corals were used as a proxy for fitness and health status, respectively, however neither was affected by water flow or OA. On the contrary, growth rates of D. bartayresiana were significantly reduced under low flow. The negative effects of reduced water motion on macroalgae may potentially compromise the ability of the alga to compete. The variation in water motion can affect resource acquisition and when combined with OA, can have significant implications on species interactions. These results indicate the importance of water motion in influencing macroalgal growth and provide insights to the varying responses in fleshy macroalgae to global change. Furthermore, their physiological responses may be attributed to their different carbon uptake strategies, as A. rhodantha was more sensitive to reduced flow and temperature than D. bartayresiana.
Download or read book Components of a Flexible Phenotype in Two Species of Scleractinian Coral Under Ocean Acidification written by Jessica Lauren Bergman and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A developmental reaction norm integrates three tightly linked factors of ontogeny, genotype, and environment to address the ability of an organism to deal with environmental change. This concept of organismic flexibility is termed plasticity, and is well characterized in coral reef systems. However, there has been little quantification of how phenotypic plasticity in scleractinian corals may modulate their response to ocean acidification. This thesis consists of two studies addressing the role of ontogeny, genotype, and environment as influences on phenotypic complexity in scleractinian corals that may affect their response to ocean acidification. In Chapter 2, to address ontogeny, I investigated the effects of elevated pCO2 on the movement and behavior of brooded Pocillopora damicornis larvae in Okinawa, Japan, in 2016. A change in behavior in this developmental stage may alter distribution and settlement patterns of adult colonies of P. damicornis. I found that brooded larvae freshly released from P. damicornis are able to regulate their vertical position in the seawater over at least 12 h, and that this response, likely driven by a combination of modified buoyancy and active swimming, is affected by high pCO2. A change in vertical position of larvae due to elevated pCO2 has the potential to mediate pelagic larval duration (PLD) by determining their exposure to differing horizontal strata of water, thereby mediating the extent of larval connectivity among populations. In Chapter 3, to address genotype and environment, I first observed the effect of genotype-specific variation within adult colonies of P. damicornis in their growth response to elevated pCO2 in Moorea, French Polynesia, in 2016. In this preliminary experiment, I found differences among genotypes in mean growth rate that varied among trials conducted in different months, likely due to the environmental history of the corals. To quantify plasticity in two different environments, I conducted an experiment in 2017 that investigated how a plastic response in a coral to an environment change might modulate success in a fitness trait under elevated pCO2. I quantified plasticity using a suite of morphological traits in Pocillopora verrucosa at two different depths, and measured growth of plastic genotypes in high pCO2. Results suggest that genotype-specific morphological plasticity does not influence success in growth in high pCO2. Overall, the goal of this thesis was to better understand the scope of a coral's ability to deal with environmental heterogeneity (e.g. increasing ocean acidity) based on the formation and flexibility of its phenotype. Results indicate that under projected ocean acidification conditions, the formation of a coral's phenotype (e.g. larval behavior) will be affected by high pCO2, but that a flexible phenotype in adult corals does not appear to modulate growth success in high pCO2.
Download or read book The Effect of Ocean Acidification on the Ecology of Two Tropical Crustose Coralline Algae phylum Rhodophyta written by Joshua Caraher-Fergusson Manning and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are important members of coral reef communities. They accrete and consolidate the calcium carbonate framework of coral reefs, and some species are an important settlement substratum for coral larvae. CCA community composition is shaped, at least in part, by herbivory and competition. However, ocean acidification (OA) is negatively affecting CCA, with potential to affect CCA responses to herbivory (wounding) and their ability to compete for space. Changes in seawater chemistry because of OA cause reductions in the recruitment, abundance, and net calcification of CCA. In this thesis, the effects of OA on net calcification, regeneration of wounds, and competition was quantified for two species of CCA common in the back reefs of Mo'orea, French Polynesia; Porolithon onkodes and Lithophyllum insipidum. Three separate experiments were conducted in four flowing seawater tanks (flumes), each set to a different target pCO2 level representative of ambient (~ 400 μatm) or predicted end of the 21 century pCO2 (~ 700, 1000, and 1300 μatm). P. onkodes, was found to be the most abundant species of CCA in the back reefs of Mo'orea, followed by L. flavescens and L. insipidum. The abundance of P. onkodes is likely a direct result of its competitive ability. P. onkodes is thicker on average than the other common CCA in the back reefs of Mo'orea, and thicker species generally become dominant in areas of intense herbivory, such as coral reefs. In a flume experiment conducted from January to March 2016, net calcification declined 85% in P. onkodes at elevated pCO2 compared to a decline of 42% in L. insipidum, indicating that P. onkodes may be more negatively affected by OA. The differential responses to OA found here could alter the outcome of competitive interactions between P. onkodes and L. insipidum, leading to changes in the abundances of these species in CCA communities. Few studies have quantified the potential for OA to interact with natural disturbances, such as wounding of the thallus by herbivores. A flume experiment conducted from May to July 2016 found that there was a 58% reduction in the rate of vertical regeneration of artificial wounds within P. onkodes at elevated pCO2. This result could have important implications for the response of P. onkodes to grazing by excavating herbivores like parrotfish and sea urchins. Inability for CCA to recover from wounding, could increase the susceptibility of CCA to further wounding. In addition, the reductions in vertical regeneration of the wounds could also be indicative of reduced vertical growth rates. CCA with thicker thalli generally outcompete thinner CCA. Reduced vertical growth rates could reduce thallus thickness, and affect the outcome of competitive interactions among CCA. A flume experiment conducted from June to July 2016 found that there was no effect of elevated pCO2 on the outcome of competitive interactions between P. onkodes and L. insipidum. It is likely that this result may have been due to the relatively short duration of this experiment (one month). There was, however, an effect of the identity of the competitor on the proportion of live tissue remaining in focal individuals of P. onkodes. The proportion of live tissue remaining in focal individuals of P. onkodes was significantly lower in intraspecific pairings than in interspecific pairings or when paired with non-living substrate (controls). This result highlights the importance of including both intraspecific and interspecific interactions in future studies of the effects of OA on competition. Experiments of longer durations may elucidate the potential for elevated pCO2 to affect competition among CCA. CCA are ecologically important members of coral reefs. Changes in the community composition of CCA on coral reefs, because of altered competitive abilities under elevated pCO2, could affect the roles that CCA play in building and maintain coral reef ecosystems.
Download or read book Effects of Ocean Acidification on Early Life History Stages of Caribbean Scleractinian Corals written by Rebecca Albright and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ocean acidification (OA) refers to the increase in acidity (decrease in pH) of the ocean's surface waters resulting from oceanic uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Mounting experimental evidence suggests that OA threatens numerous marine organisms, including reef-building corals; however, few studies have focused on the effects on early life history stages. Coral recruitment is critical to the persistence and resilience of coral reefs and is regulated by several early life processes, including: larval availability (gamete production, fertilization, etc.), larval settlement, post-settlement growth, and survival. Environmental factors that disrupt these early life processes can result in compromised or failed recruitment and profoundly affect future population dynamics. To evaluate the effects of OA on the sexual recruitment of corals, sexual reproduction (including fertilization and sperm swimming speeds) and several critical early life history stages (including larval metabolism, larval settlement, and post-settlement growth) were tested in common Caribbean coral species. Three pCO2 levels were used: ambient seawater (380 [mu]atm) and two pCO2 scenarios that are projected to occur by the middle (560 [mu]atm) and end (800 [mu]atm) of the century as determined by the Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change. Results show that fertilization success, larval metabolic rates, larval settlement rates, and post-settlement growth rates are all compromised with increasing pCO2. This dissertation demonstrates that OA has the potential to negatively impact sexual reproduction and multiple early life history processes of several common Caribbean coral species and may contribute to substantial declines in sexual recruitment that are felt at the community and/or ecosystem scale.
Download or read book Heavy Metals in Scleractinian Corals written by Sofia B. Shah and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-04-23 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an in-depth review of heavy metals in corals, describing the sources of heavy metals in the marine environment and their effect on corals. It is designed to serve as a unique reference for upcoming marine researchers and chemists, advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as those interested in marine pollution with respect to heavy metals. The book explains the basics as well as the state-of-the-art regarding heavy metals and corals and is engaging and clearly written and narrated, providing readers with the fundamental tools about the subject matter that they need in their specific fields. It allows readers to understand and appreciate the interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, and the geosphere. Detailed reference is included for the benefit of the reader. The specific objectives of this book are (i) to inform/educate the reader about persistent pollutants such as heavy metals, (ii) to identify sources of heavy metals in the marine environment, (iii) to inform about route of exposure and uptake of the heavy metal pollutants by corals, (iv) to elaborate about the effect of heavy metal pollutants on the coral reef ecosystems, (v) to discuss the ways in which heavy metal regulation occurs in corals, (vi) to impact current knowledge regarding heavy metals in the marine environment, and (vii) to briefly show chemical analysis and instrumentation for analyzing heavy metals.
Download or read book Ocean Acidification written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-09-14 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The ocean has absorbed a significant portion of all human-made carbon dioxide emissions. This benefits human society by moderating the rate of climate change, but also causes unprecedented changes to ocean chemistry. Carbon dioxide taken up by the ocean decreases the pH of the water and leads to a suite of chemical changes collectively known as ocean acidification. The long term consequences of ocean acidification are not known, but are expected to result in changes to many ecosystems and the services they provide to society. Ocean Acidification: A National Strategy to Meet the Challenges of a Changing Ocean reviews the current state of knowledge, explores gaps in understanding, and identifies several key findings. Like climate change, ocean acidification is a growing global problem that will intensify with continued CO2 emissions and has the potential to change marine ecosystems and affect benefits to society. The federal government has taken positive initial steps by developing a national ocean acidification program, but more information is needed to fully understand and address the threat that ocean acidification may pose to marine ecosystems and the services they provide. In addition, a global observation network of chemical and biological sensors is needed to monitor changes in ocean conditions attributable to acidification.
Download or read book The Emergent Effects of Ocean Acidification written by Kristy Jean Kroeker and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ocean acidification represents a pervasive environmental change that could impact a wide range of species and cause extensive changes in marine ecosystems. An understanding of the potential emergent effects of acidification requires an integrated knowledge of the impacts on single species, species interactions, community structure, and ecosystem function. By using meta-analysis and field experiments in a naturally acidified ecosystem, this dissertation investigates how the responses of individual species to ocean acidification combine to affect the community and ecosystem. This research highlights the key role of species interactions in the emergent effects of ocean acidification. While meta-analyses underline the sensitivity of a wide range of species that build their shells or skeletons of calcium carbonate to acidification, field experiments in a naturally acidified ecosystem suggest that the loss or reduced abundance of the sensitive calcareous species in acidified conditions is compensated by an increased abundance of more tolerant species, resulting in an entire reorganization of the community. Analyses of succession patterns of the benthic rocky reef communities in the naturally acidified ecosystem suggest the reduced abundance of some calcareous species is linked to the increased abundance of fleshy seaweeds. While some calcareous species are able to recruit and grow at similar rates in non-acidified and acidified conditions during early stages of succession, their abundance is limited by the rapid growth of fleshy seaweeds in acidified conditions during the later stages of succession. Furthermore, analyses of recovery patterns suggest the role of calcareous herbivores is altered in acidified conditions. While recovery from disturbance in non-acidified conditions is highly variable and contingent on grazing by calcareous herbivores, the effects of grazing are not apparent in acidified conditions. Instead, recovery patterns in acidified conditions are canalized and consistently result in similar assemblages dominated by fleshy seaweed. Together, the results from this dissertation suggest ocean acidification causes a reorganization of a benthic rocky reef community, resulting in assemblages dominated by fleshy seaweeds with reduced diversity, invertebrate biomass, and trophic complexity. Furthermore, acidification affects the temporal and spatial dynamics of benthic rocky reef communities, leading to reduced habitat patchiness and diversity at the landscape scale.
Download or read book Trait mediated Effects and the Extended Phenotype written by Anya Leard Brown and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interaction modifiers can induce changes in (a) physio-chemical conditions and (b) phenotypes of individuals, including host-associated microbial communities, thus influencing species interactions. Among the increasingly best-studied holobionts (hosts + microbes) are corals. Corals experience a myriad of stressors, including interactions with algae, which can decrease coral growth and survival. A hypothesized mechanism underlying the deleterious effects of algae on corals involves the release of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which stimulates microbial growth leading to changes in microbial communities/hypoxia. The microbial effects of algae on corals are context-dependent, and change depending on the physical environment (e.g., water flow) and the presence of other species. One such species is the sessile vermetid gastropod, Cereasignum maximum, which uses its mucus net for food capture. When a mucus net covers a coral in contact with algae, the net can exacerbate the negative effects of algae on corals by 1) decreasing water flow, 2) synergistically decreasing coral growth, and/or 3) leading to changes in the coral's microbial communities, favoring potentially pathogenic groups and/or enhancing stress by changing the concentration of dissolved materials. Using a series of field surveys, lab flume studies, and field experiments, I found that mucus nets reduce water flow and lower oxygen concentrations at the surface of corals. Algal presence led to the greatest changes in microbial communities. Vermetids and algae decrease different aspects of coral growth. I hypothesized that the absence of a strong response of corals to vermetids arose because corals may have acclimatized to the presence of vermetids. To test this hypothesis I conducted a reciprocal transplant study of corals with and without previous exposure to vermetids. I found significant effects of prior exposure of vermetids on coral traits, and plasticity of the microbiome, but no evidence of a weakened vermetid effect. Interestingly, I also found genetic differences between coral on reefs with vs. without vermetids, and suggest vermetids may be part of a coral's extended phenotype. My dissertation demonstrated interaction modifications and trait-mediated effects of vermetids and algae on corals, and showed novel, but likely general mechanisms for these effects involving changes in the coral's microbial community.
Download or read book The Future of Coral Reefs Subject to Rapid Climate Change Lessons from Natural Extreme Environments written by Emma F. Camp and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examination of corals and reef-associated organisms which endure in extreme coral reef environments is challenging our understanding of the conditions that organisms can survive under. By studying individuals naturally adapted to unfavorable conditions, we begin to better understand the important traits required to survive rapid environmental and climate change. This Research Topic, comprising reviews, and original research articles, demonstrates the current state of knowledge regarding the diversity of extreme coral habitats, the species that have been studied, and the knowledge to-date on the mechanisms, traits and trade-offs that have facilitated survival.
Download or read book Climate Change Ocean Acidification and Sponges written by José Luis Carballo and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-10-27 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While sponges represent a very simple group of organisms, which are represented by over 8000 species, there is considerable interest in the increasing role they may play in future marine ecosystems. While we still have a comparatively limited understanding of how sponges will respond to ocean warming and acidification there is evidence that some species may have the ability to acclimate or even adapt to these stressors. This comprehensive collection of articles describes our current understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification and warming on sponges across multiple levels of biological organisation, and from the geological past to the present. With expert contributions from across the world this book represents the most up-to-date view on sponge responses to climate change. This book will be of interest to a wide audience of marine scientists and managers, who are grappling with how to manage, conserve and protect marine ecosystems.
Download or read book Coral Reefs of the Red Sea written by Christian R. Voolstra and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-07 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a complete review and reference work for scientists, engineers, and students concerned with coral reefs in the Red Sea. It provides an up-to-date review on the geology, ecology, and physiology of coral reef ecosystems in the Red Sea, including data from most recent molecular studies. The Red Sea harbours a set of unique ecological characteristics, such as high temperature, high alkalinity, and high salinity, in a quasi-isolated environment. This makes it a perfect laboratory to study and understand adaptation in regard to the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. This book can be used as a general reference, guide, or textbook.
Download or read book Guide to Best Practices for Ocean Acidification Research and Data Reporting written by and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Coral Reefs at the Crossroads written by Dennis K. Hubbard and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-07-27 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, contributors from diverse backgrounds take a first step toward an integrated view of reefs and the significance of their recent decline. More than any other earth system, coral reefs sit at a disciplinary crossroads. Most recently, they have reached another crossroads - fundamental changes in their bio-physical structure greater than those of previous centuries or even millennia. Effective strategies to mitigate recent trends will require an approach that embraces the myriad perspectives from across the scientific landscape, but will also need a mechanism to transform scientific understanding into social will and political implementation.
