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Correction to: Seasonal variation in reef fish assemblages in the environmentally extreme southern Persian/Arabian Gulf Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-13 Grace O. Vaughan, Holly A. Shiels, John A. Burt
This erratum is published as citation for article in the reference list needs to be read as.
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ITS1 variation among Stichopathes cf. maldivensis (Hexacorallia: Antipatharia) whip black corals unveils conspecificity and population connectivity at local and global scales across the Indo-Pacific Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-11 Lucas Terrana, Jean-François Flot, Igor Eeckhaut
Due to the dearth of molecular markers variable enough to distinguish species of black corals, species delimitation in Antipatharia is still mainly based on morphological traits. One of the few markers available, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region located in ribosomal DNA, has already been used several times to infer phylogenetic relationships among antipatharians. However, this region was
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Asexual reproduction in bad times? The case of Cladocora caespitosa in the eastern Mediterranean Sea Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-08 Violeta López-Márquez, Carlos Lozano-Martín, Louis Hadjioannou, Iván Acevedo, José Templado, Carlos Jimenez, Marco Taviani, Annie Machordom
We analysed the patterns of genetic variability of eastern Mediterranean populations of the scleractinian coral Cladocora caespitosa, from the Aegean and Levantine seas, using 19 polymorphic microsatellite loci, 11 of which were newly characterized. The observed genetic pattern reflects a scenario of isolation by environment: FST comparisons showed a higher degree of genetic differentiation between
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Genome skimming resolves the giant clam (Bivalvia: Cardiidae: Tridacninae) tree of life Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-08 Edwin Y. W. Tan, Z. B. Randolph Quek, Mei Lin Neo, Cécile Fauvelot, Danwei Huang
Giant clams are conspicuous bivalves inhabiting Indo-Pacific reefs. Since Rosewater’s seminal paper in 1965, the number of giant clam species described or resurrected has exactly doubled. The increased number of species reported and accessibility to genetic material of rare or uncommon species therefore call for a reappraisal of the phylogenetic relationships within the Tridacninae subfamily. Here
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High diversity, abundance and distinct fish assemblages on submerged coral reef pinnacles compared to shallow emergent reefs Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-07 G. F. Galbraith, B. J. Cresswell, M. I. McCormick, T. C. Bridge, G. P. Jones
Coral reefs exhibit consistent patterns in biodiversity across multiple spatial scales, from local to global clines in species richness, abundance and community structure. Knowledge of fundamental processes driving these patterns is largely derived from studies of shallow, emergent and nearshore reefs. Although research efforts are expanding to deeper mesophotic coral reef ecology, distinct and isolated
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Heat stress differentially impacts key calcification mechanisms in reef-building corals Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-07 Verena Schoepf, Juan Pablo D’Olivo, Cyrielle Rigal, E. Maria U. Jung, Malcolm T. McCulloch
Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by climate change, mass bleaching events and ocean acidification (OA). Coral calcification, a process that is critical to build and maintain the structure of tropical coral reefs, is highly sensitive to both warming and acidifying oceans. However, in contrast to the impacts of OA on coral calcification, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding how coral biomineralization
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Towards a trait-based understanding of Symbiodiniaceae nutrient acquisition strategies Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-07 Jane C. Y. Wong, Susana Enríquez, David M. Baker
Symbiodiniaceae is a diverse group of dinoflagellates that form symbioses with marine invertebrates, provisioning energy and nutrients for their hosts. Symbiont diversity is a well-known predictor of host fitness and stress tolerance. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the mechanisms by which in hospite symbiont communities are structured. Therefore, we hypothesized that phylogenetic differences
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Is predation of juvenile crown-of-thorns seastars ( Acanthaster cf . solaris ) by peppermint shrimp ( Lysmata vittata) dependent on age, size, or diet? Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-06 Varsha Balu, Vanessa Messmer, Murray Logan, Alana L. Hayashida-Boyles, Sven Uthicke
Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns seastars (CoTS) are one of the leading causes of coral decline on Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Predator removal has been proposed to be a possible mechanism contributing to CoTS outbreaks in this region. Although some data exist on predation of adults, little work has been conducted on predators of juvenile CoTS. The aim of this study was therefore to establish whether predation
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Storms may disrupt top-down control of algal turf on fringing reefs Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-05 Hannah G. Hayes, Pooneh S. Kalhori, Marcus Weiss, Shalanda R. Grier, Peggy Fong, Caitlin R. Fong
Storms strongly affect coral reefs; one unstudied but potentially important outcome may be a decrease in herbivory, presumably through changes to freshwater, sediment and nutrient influx. Algal turfs are sensitive early indicators of reef condition, and experimental evidence demonstrates low sediment loads and strong herbivory maintain short, healthy turf. While unknown, storms likely disrupt these
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Polyp bailout and reattachment of the abundant Caribbean octocoral Eunicea flexuosa Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-04 Christopher D. Wells, Kaitlyn J. Tonra
Anthozoans exhibit great plasticity in their responses to stressful conditions, including decreasing individual size, detaching from the substratum and relocating, and releasing endosymbiotic microalgae. Another response to stress used by some colonial anthozoans is polyp bailout, in which the coenenchyme breaks down and individual polyps detach from the colony. We observed polyp bailout in the common
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Phylogeography, population connectivity and demographic history of the Stoplight parrotfish, Sparisoma viride (Teleostei: Labridae), in the Greater Caribbean Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-03 Francisco Javier Loera-Padilla, Victor Julio Piñeros, Carole C. Baldwin, Courtney E. Cox, Nuno Simoes, Emanuell Ribeiro, Oscar M. Lasso-Alcalá, Omar Domínguez-Domínguez
Few genetic studies that provide biological, ecological and evolutionary information have been conducted for parrotfishes, including Sparisoma viride, and none has covered the full geographic range of this species. Here, we examine the genetic patterns of the Stoplight parrotfish (S. viride) in the Greater Caribbean and its relationship with the recognized biogeographic provinces in the region. Phylogeographic
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Using form II ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase to estimate the phototrophic potentials of Symbiodinium , Cladocopium and Durusdinium in various organs of the fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa , and to evaluate their responses to light upon isolation from the host Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-02 Jeslyn S. T. Poo, Mel V. Boo, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Mutualistic associations with symbiotic dinoflagellates (zooxanthellae) enable invertebrate hosts to thrive in tropical waters that are shallow and oligotrophic. Giant clams can harbor multiple species of symbiotic dinoflagellates (Family: Symbiodiniaceae) from mainly three genera, Symbiodinium, Cladocopium and Durusdinium, but whether they have distinct physiological functions at the genus level in
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Insights into coral growth rate trends in Fiji Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-02 Lisa Goberdhan, Stuart Kininmonth
Colonies of the massive coral species, Porites lutea, located at six shallow reefs across Fiji, were cored and analysed to create a chronological growth rate record. Boosted regression tree models were used to investigate relationships between annual coral growth rates and corresponding environmental variables. An ecologically based prediction model was then created to determine expected coral growth
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Love thy prickly neighbor? Sea urchin density affects risk assessment in damselfish Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-01 Adrian Cheh, Neda Fadaee, Pooneh Kalhori, Dana M. Williams, José Anchieta C. C. Nunes, Daniel T. Blumstein
In coral reef communities, sea urchins and reef fish have a variety of commensal relationships. However, if fish view urchins as a potential form of predator protection, then urchin presence should influence reef fish risk assessment. We investigated whether dusky damselfish (Stegastes nigricans) perceive burrowing urchins (Echinometra mathaei) as a form of predator protection by asking whether and
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Seasonal variation in reef fish assemblages in the environmentally extreme southern Persian/Arabian Gulf Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2021-01-01 Grace O. Vaughan, Holly A. Shiels, John A. Burt
The southern Persian/Arabian Gulf experiences extreme seasonal temperature variation (> 20 °C) making it among the most hostile reef environments on Earth. Previous anecdotal evidence has suggested that seasonal temperature changes may influence regional reef fish assemblages, but to date research has been limited. To examine the influence of temperature on reef fish abundance and composition, we performed
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Correction to: Thirty years of coral heat-stress experiments: a review of methods Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-12-17 Rowan H. McLachlan, James T. Price, Sarah L. Solomon, Andre´a G. Grottoli
This erratum is published as reference list of this manuscript was listed.
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Singular physiological behavior of the scleractinian coral Porites astreoides in the dark phase Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-12-17 Pascal Claquin, Malika Rene-Trouillefou, Pascal Jean Lopez, Aurélien Japaud, Yolande Bouchon-Navaro, Sébastien Cordonnier, Claude Bouchon
Unlike most other corals that have been declining since the 1980s, the population of Porites astreoides, one of the dominant species of coral in Caribbean reefs, appears to be resilient. We investigated the physiological regulation of the electron transport chain of Symbiodiniaceae chloroplasts during the light/dark transition in P. astreoides compared to nine other common scleractinian corals. Protocols
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Mapping cold-water coral biomass: an approach to derive ecosystem functions Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-12-04 L. H. De Clippele, L. Rovelli, B. Ramiro-Sánchez, G. Kazanidis, J. Vad, S. Turner, R. N. Glud, J. M. Roberts
This study presents a novel approach resulting in the first cold-water coral reef biomass maps, used to assess associated ecosystem functions, such as carbon (C) stock and turnover. We focussed on two dominant ecosystem engineers at the Mingulay Reef Complex, the coral Lophelia pertusa (rubble, live and dead framework) and the sponge Spongosorites coralliophaga. Firstly, from combining biological (high-definition
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A unique reproductive strategy in the mushroom coral Fungia fungites Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-09-30 Lee Eyal-Shaham, Gal Eyal, Or Ben-Zvi, Kazuhiko Sakai, Saki Harii, Frederic Sinniger, Mamiko Hirose, Patrick Cabaitan, Omri Bronstein, Bar Feldman, Tom Shlesinger, Oren Levy, Yossi Loya
The vast majority of scleractinian corals are either simultaneous hermaphrodites or gonochoric. Exceptions to these are rare. Nevertheless, species belonging to the family Fungiidae are known to exhibit a wide variety of reproductive strategies. We examined the reproductive ecology of the mushroom coral Fungia fungites in Okinawa. Our study was conducted as part of a long-term, wide-ranging project
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A global coral reef probability map generated using convolutional neural networks Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-09-24 Jiwei Li, David E. Knapp, Nicholas S. Fabina, Emma V. Kennedy, Kirk Larsen, Mitchell B. Lyons, Nicholas J. Murray, Stuart R. Phinn, Chris M. Roelfsema, Gregory P. Asner
Coral reef research and management efforts can be improved when supported by reef maps providing local-scale details across global extents. However, such maps are difficult to generate due to the broad geographic range of coral reefs, the complexities of relating satellite imagery to geomorphic or ecological realities, and other challenges. However, reef extent maps are one of the most commonly used
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Experimental evidence of temperature-induced bleaching in two fluorescence morphs of a Red Sea mesophotic coral Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-11-12 Or Ben-Zvi, Eyal Ofer, Gal Eyal, Yossi Loya
Coral bleaching, as one of the major threats to the well-being of coral reefs worldwide, has been extensively studied. However, corals from mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), found at 30 to 150 m depth and considered as a potential refuge, have not yet been well studied experimentally under thermal stress. As mesophotic corals are also highly fluorescent, and fluorescence under heat stress is known
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Host genotype and stable differences in algal symbiont communities explain patterns of thermal stress response of Montipora capitata following thermal pre-exposure and across multiple bleaching events Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-11-10 Jenna Dilworth, Carlo Caruso, Valerie A. Kahkejian, Andrew C. Baker, Crawford Drury
As sea surface temperatures increase worldwide due to climate change, coral bleaching events are becoming more frequent and severe, resulting in reef degradation. Leveraging the inherent ability of reef-building corals to acclimatize to thermal stress via pre-exposure to protective temperature treatments may become an important tool in improving the resilience of coral reefs to rapid environmental
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Simple larvae sustain the world’s smallest marine vertebrates Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-11-02 Christopher H. R. Goatley, Simon J. Brandl, Stephen Wroe, David R. Bellwood
Cryptobenthic reef fishes (small, camouflaged, benthic-dwelling fishes) face exceptionally high mortality rates, yet they are the most abundant fishes on coral reefs. To maintain local adult populations in the face of these mortality rates, larval cryptobenthics may have adaptations that limit dispersal. However, the basis for this larval retention is unknown. Here, we compared the body shapes of adult
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Oceanic patterns of thermal stress and coral community degradation on the island of Mauritius Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-31 T. R. McClanahan, Nyawira A. Muthiga
Knowing the responses of high-latitude corals to thermal impacts will be critical to predicting the possibility for range expansion of reefs provoked by climate change. We, therefore, tested how oceanographic and island geography variation and subsequent interactions between chronic and acute environmental stresses would influence the temperate corals of Mauritius (~ 20°S). Specifically, we predicted
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Biogeochemical variability and trophic status of reef water column following a coral bleaching event Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-30 Veronica Z. Radice, Brian Fry, Sophie G. Dove, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
Although resource availability is important for coral reef nutrient cycling and trophic ecology, it is poorly understood how particulate resources may change following an oceanic heat stress event. Here, carbon and nitrogen concentrations and stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) of particulate organic matter (POM; 10 and 30 m) were compared from before and after the 2016 mass coral bleaching event
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Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-29 Dominic A. Andradi-Brown, Angela J. E. Beer, Luigi Colin, Hastuti, Catherine E. I. Head, Nur Ismu Hidayat, Steven J. Lindfield, Catherine R. Mitchell, Defy N. Pada, Nikola M. Piesinger, Purwanto, Gabby N. Ahmadia
Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs 30–150 m depth) are poorly studied, with existing research heavily geographically biased away from the most species-rich reef regions. Yet, MCEs are of high interest because of their unique species and potential to act as refuges from the impacts of fishing. Using baited remote underwater video systems, we surveyed reef fish communities from 2 to 85 m depths
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Limited genetic signal from potential cloning and selfing within wild populations of coral-eating crown-of-thorns seastars ( Acanthaster cf . solaris) Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-28 Sven Uthicke, Morgan S. Pratchett, Vanessa Messmer, Hugo Harrison
Population outbreaks of crown-of-thorns seastars (CoTS; Acanthaster spp.) are contributing to extensive coral loss and reef degradation throughout the Indo-Pacific, but the causes and underlying mechanisms of population maintenance and outbreaks are equivocal. Two recent publications suggest that, in addition to outbreeding sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction through larval fission and selfing
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Unveiling asexual reproductive traits in black corals: polyp bail-out in Antipathella subpinnata Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-28 Martina Coppari, Lara Fumarola, Lorenzo Bramanti, Pascal Romans, Rémi Pillot, Giorgio Bavestrello, Marzia Bo
Cnidarians are known to undergo reverse development as a survival mechanism against adverse environmental conditions. Polyp bail-out consists in the polyps’ detachment from the mother colony due to stressful conditions, followed by a complete tissue and cells rearrangement and in some cases in a regression into a simple, ciliated form. Here we describe a massive polyp bail-out event occurred in the
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Biological consequences of an outbreak of growth anomalies on Isopora palifera at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-27 Sophie Preston, Zoe Richards
Growth anomalies (GAs), a tumour-like disease affecting scleractinian corals, have been reported across the major reef systems of the Indo-Pacific and wider Atlantic regions, predominantly affecting Acropora and Porites species. In 2018, GAs were observed for the first time on Isopora palifera, an important observation from the isolated Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the East Indian Ocean, as the species
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Species level identification of Antillogorgia spp. recruits identifies multiple pathways of octocoral success on Caribbean reefs Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-27 Howard R. Lasker, Isabel Porto-Hannes
Successful recruitment is critical to the maintenance and resilience of populations and may be at the core of the transition from scleractinian- to octocoral-dominated faunas on some Caribbean reefs. For sessile invertebrates, recruitment incorporates the composite effects of larval supply, settlement and survival. The relative success of these processes differs between species, and successful recruitment
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Current and future trophic interactions in tropical shallow-reef lagoon habitats Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-24 Kennedy Wolfe, Dione J. Deaker, Alexia Graba-Landry, Curtis Champion, Sophie Dove, Raymond Lee, Maria Byrne
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) sediments are the dominant form of CaCO3 on coral reefs accumulating in lagoon and inter-reefal areas. Owing to their mineralogy and a range of physical parameters, tropical CaCO3 sediments are predicted to be more sensitive to dissolution driven by ocean acidification than the skeleton of living reef organisms. How this scales up to impact infaunal organisms, which are an
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Coral larvae avoid substratum exploration and settlement in low-oxygen environments Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-20 Hendrikje Jorissen, Maggy M. Nugues
Oxygen is a critical resource that mediates a multitude of essential processes and interactions at multiple scales on coral reefs. In adult corals, it can directly or indirectly impact physiological processes, such as photosynthesis, respiration, and calcification. Moreover, many corals bleach as a consequence of being exposed to low oxygen. The sessile adult phase of corals makes habitat selection
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Modelling three-dimensional flow over spur-and-groove morphology Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-19 Renan F. da Silva, Curt D. Storlazzi, Justin S. Rogers, Johan Reyns, Robert McCall
Spur-and-groove (SAG) morphology characterizes the fore reef of many coral reefs worldwide. Although the existence and geometrical properties of SAG have been well documented, an understanding of the hydrodynamics over them is limited. Here, the three-dimensional flow patterns over SAG formations, and a sensitivity of those patterns to waves, currents, and SAG geometry were characterized using the
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Long-term (70-year) monitoring of reef structure through high-resolution multidecadal aerial imagery Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-15 Tahlia J. Newnham, Nicola K. Browne, Joshua Bumbak, Luke Loudon, Harry Wellington, George Shedrawi, Jorg Hacker, Michael O’Leary
Here, we utilise a unique, 70-year-long (1949–2017), high-resolution historical aerial imagery dataset to track changes to coral reef structures in Bill’s Bay on the Ningaloo coast. Reef habitat was distinguished from sand and rubble substrates based on imagery greyscale values and autoclassified using unsupervised image analysis in ArcMap. This approach was validated through comparison of reef structure
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Diet of the coral hawkfish Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus (Family: Cirrhitidae) in a fringing coral reef of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Stephania Palacios-Narváez, Bellineth Valencia, Alan Giraldo
Hawkfishes are small demersal reef predators. Although their association with the coral substrate has been widely documented for some species, information regarding their feeding habits is limited, especially in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). We characterized the diet of the coral hawkfish Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus in Isla Gorgona (ETP) by visually analyzing its gut contents and calculating its
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Mechanical properties, spectral vibrational response, and flow-field analysis of the aragonite skeleton of the staghorn coral ( Acropora cervicornis ) Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Alejandro Carrasco-Pena, Mahmoud Omer, Bridget Masa, Zachary Shepard, Tyler Scofield, Samik Bhattacharya, Nina Orlovskaya, Boyce E. Collins, Sergey N. Yarmolenko, Jagannathan Sankar, Ghatu Subhash, David S. Gilliam, John E. Fauth
Understanding the structural and mechanical properties of coral skeletons is important to assess their responses to natural and anthropogenic challenges and to predict the long-term viability of hermatypic corals in a changing ocean. Here, we describe the microstructure of the critically endangered staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) skeleton and its mechanical properties, spectral and fluidic behavior
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Evolution and biogeography of the Zanclea -Scleractinia symbiosis Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Davide Maggioni, Roberto Arrigoni, Davide Seveso, Paolo Galli, Michael L. Berumen, Vianney Denis, Bert W. Hoeksema, Danwei Huang, Federica Manca, Daniela Pica, Stefania Puce, James D. Reimer, Simone Montano
Scleractinian corals provide habitats for a broad variety of cryptofauna, which in turn may contribute to the overall functioning of coral symbiomes. Among these invertebrates, hydrozoans belonging to the genus Zanclea represent an increasingly known and ecologically important group of coral symbionts. In this study, we analysed 321 Zanclea colonies associated with 31 coral genera collected from 11
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Trophodynamics of the sclerosponge Ceratoporella nicholsoni along a shallow to mesophotic depth gradient Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-11 Keir J. Macartney, M. Sabrina Pankey, Marc Slattery, Michael P. Lesser
The sclerosponge Ceratoporella nicholsoni is a hyper-calcifying high microbial abundance sponge. This sponge has been observed at high densities throughout the Caribbean in the mesophotic zone (30–150 m), as well as cryptic environments in shallow (< 30 m) depths. Given the densities of this sponge, it could play an important role in the cycling of inorganic and organic sources of carbon and nitrogen
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Seasonal, lunar, and diel patterns in spawning by the giant barrel sponge, Xestospongia muta Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-09 K. L. Neely, C. B. Butler
Temporal patterns in giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia muta) spawning were compiled from 32 observations spanning 17 years and three Caribbean locations (Florida, Belize, and Haiti). The records were analyzed for patterns in seasonality, lunar periodicity, and diel rhythm to develop a predictive spawning window. Results indicate that spawning is concentrated from mid-April to late May. Most spawning
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Reducing host DNA contamination in 16S rRNA gene surveys of anthozoan microbiomes using PNA clamps Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-10-06 Alicia M. Reigel, Sarah M. Owens, Michael E. Hellberg
Efforts to study the microbial communities associated with corals can be limited by inefficiencies in the sequencing process due to high levels of host amplification by universal bacterial 16S rRNA gene primers. Here, we develop an inexpensive peptide nucleic acid (PNA) clamp that binds to a target sequence of host DNA during PCR and blocks amplification. We then test the ability of this PNA clamp
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Reef-associated fishes have more maneuverable body shapes at a macroevolutionary scale Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-07-29 Olivier Larouche, Bailey Benton, Katherine A. Corn, Sarah T. Friedman, Dominique Gross, Mikayla Iwan, Brian Kessler, Christopher M. Martinez, Sierra Rodriguez, Hannah Whelpley, Peter C. Wainwright, Samantha A. Price
Marine habitats vary widely in structure, from incredibly complex coral reefs to simpler deep water and open ocean habitats. Hydromechanical models of swimming kinematics and microevolutionary studies suggest that these habitats select for different body shape characteristics. Fishes living in simple habitats are predicted to experience selection for energy-efficient sustained swimming, which can be
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The effects of predation on the condition of soft corals Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-07-28 Stephanie Garra, April Hall, Michael J. Kingsford
Soft corals are well known for producing toxic and unpalatable compounds to deter predation. In spite of these antipredation defences, a suite of specialised predators has coevolved to feed on soft corals. Direct quantification of this predation, however, has been minimal and the influence of predation on soft corals is yet to be investigated. In this study, the intensity and importance of predation
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Eukaryotic plankton communities across reef environments in Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panamá Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-07-24 Andrea M. Rodas, Rachel M. Wright, Logan K. Buie, Hannah E. Aichelman, Karl D. Castillo, Sarah W. Davies
Variation in light and temperature can influence the genetic diversity and structure of marine plankton communities. While open-ocean plankton communities receive much scientific attention, little is known about how environmental variation affects plankton communities on tropical coral reefs. Here, we characterize eukaryotic plankton communities on coral reefs across the Bocas del Toro Archipelago
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Ecological analyses to inform management targets for the culling of crown-of-thorns starfish to prevent coral decline Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-07-25 Éva E. Plagányi, Russell C. Babcock, Jacob Rogers, Mary Bonin, E. Bee Morello
The crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), Acanthaster cf. solaris, is one of the main contributors to declines in coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and remains one of the major acute disturbances on coral reefs throughout much of the Indo-Pacific. Extensive control programs on the GBR involve manual culling of COTS in the field, and research is needed to inform these management efforts. Data from
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Contrasting effects of crustose coralline algae from exposed and subcryptic habitats on coral recruits Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-09-11 Hendrikje Jorissen, Chérine Baumgartner, Robert S. Steneck, Maggy M. Nugues
Coral recruitment is important in sustaining coral reef ecosystems and contributing to their recovery after disturbances. Despite widespread acceptance that crustose coralline algae (CCA) positively influence coral recruitment success, especially by enhancing coral settlement and early post-settlement stages, there are no experimental data on the effects of CCA species on late post-settlement survival
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Mesophotic azooxanthellate coral communities and submarine seascape during the early Pliocene in Manilva Basin (S Spain) Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-09-03 Julio Aguirre, Oscar Ocaña, José N. Pérez-Asensio, Rosa Domènech, Jordi Martinell, Eduardo Mayoral, Ana Santos
Azooxanthellate corals are the most abundant macrofossils in the lower Pliocene deposits of the Manilva Basin (S Spain). In this paper, the cnidarian fossil assemblages have been studied in order to reconstruct the original communities and to depict the seascapes. Benthic foraminiferal assemblages associated with the corals have also been analysed to infer the palaeoenvironmental conditions in which
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Metabolite pools of the reef building coral Montipora capitata are unaffected by Symbiodiniaceae community composition Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-09-01 Jennifer L. Matthews, Ross Cunning, Raphael Ritson-Williams, Clinton A. Oakley, Adrian Lutz, Ute Roessner, Arthur R. Grossman, Virginia M. Weis, Ruth D. Gates, Simon K. Davy
Some reef corals form stable, dominant or codominant associations with multiple endosymbiotic dinoflagellate species (family Symbiodiniaceae). Given the immense genetic and physiological diversity within this family, Symbiodiniaceae community composition has the potential to impact the nutritional physiology and fitness of the cnidarian host and all associated symbionts. Here we assessed the impact
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Responses of coral gastrovascular cavity pH during light and dark incubations to reduced seawater pH suggest species-specific responses to the effects of ocean acidification on calcification Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-09-01 Colleen B. Bove, Robert F. Whitehead, Alina M. Szmant
Coral polyps have a fluid-filled internal compartment, the gastrovascular cavity (GVC). Respiration and photosynthesis cause large daily excursions in GVC oxygen concentration (O2) and pH, but few studies have examined how this correlates with calcification rates. We hypothesized that GVC chemistry can mediate and ameliorate the effects of decreasing seawater pH (pHSW) on coral calcification. Microelectrodes
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Apparent recruitment failure for the vast majority of coral species at Eilat, Red Sea Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-31 Gabriele Guerrini, Maayan Yerushalmy, Dor Shefy, Nadav Shashar, Baruch Rinkevich
The status of coral reefs is often portrayed by parameters (e.g., coverage, bleaching, diseases, nutrients and rugosity) assigned to adult populations. Yet, coral recruitment is essential for sustaining coral populations, especially in the aftermath of major disturbances. Studying earliest coral recruitment at species level can reveal declines in the recovery potential and resilience of coral populations
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Degrees of honesty: cleaning by the redlip cleaner wrasse Labroides rubrolabiatus Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-31 Isabelle M. Côté, Suzanne C. Mills
Cleaning symbioses among coral reef fishes are highly variable. Cleanerfishes vary in how much they cooperate with (i.e. remove only ectoparasites) or cheat (i.e. bite healthy tissue, scales or mucus) on their fish clients. As a result, clients use various strategies to enforce cooperation by cleaners (e.g. punishment or partner choice), and cleaners use tactile stimulation to manipulate cheated client
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Crustose coralline algae that promote coral larval settlement harbor distinct surface bacterial communities Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-29 Nachshon Siboni, David Abrego, Eneour Puill-Stephan, William L. King, David G. Bourne, Jean-Baptiste Raina, Justin R. Seymour, Tilmann Harder
Most benthic invertebrates, including ecosystem engineers such as corals, sponges and bivalves, have a motile planktonic larval phase and rely on specific chemical cues to identify a suitable substrate to settle. Crustose coralline algae (CCA) can induce settlement and metamorphosis responses in many invertebrates including corals. We tested the respective coral settlement capacity of multiple CCA
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Correction to: 11-yr of coral community dynamics in reefs around Dahab (Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea): the collapse of urchins and rise of macroalgae and cyanobacterial mats Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-27 Miriam Reverter, Matthew Jackson, Nauras Daraghmeh, Christian von Mach, Nina Milton
This erratum has been initiated as several corrections were overlooked during proofing stage by vendor.
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Ocean acidification effects on calcification and dissolution in tropical reef macroalgae Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-27 C. McNicholl, M. S. Koch, P. W. Swarzenski, F. R. Oberhaensli, A. Taylor, M. Gómez Batista, M. Metian
Net calcification rates for coral reef and other calcifiers have been shown to decline as ocean acidification (OA) occurs. However, the role of calcium carbonate dissolution in lowering net calcification rates is unclear. The objective of this study was to distinguish OA effects on calcification and dissolution rates in dominant calcifying macroalgae of the Florida Reef Tract, including two rhodophytes
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Thermal stress-related spatiotemporal variations in high-latitude coral reef benthic communities Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-25 Nicholas P. Jones, Joana Figueiredo, David S. Gilliam
High-latitude coral reef communities have been postulated as the first areas to undergo reorganisation under climate change. Tropicalisation has been identified in some high-latitude communities and is predicted in others, but it is unclear how the resident benthic taxa are affected. We conducted a long-term (2007–2016) assessment of changes to benthic community cover in relation to thermal stress
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Length–weight relationships to quantify biomass for motile coral reef cryptofauna Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-20 Kennedy Wolfe, Amelia Desbiens, Jessica Stella, Peter J. Mumby
Length–weight relationships (LWRs) are a fundamental tool for the non-intrusive determination of biomass, a unit of measure that facilitates the quantification of ecosystem and fisheries productivity. LWRs have been defined and broadly applied for many marine species across a range of ecosystems, especially regarding fishes. However, LWRs are yet to be determined for the majority of marine taxa, particularly
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Correction to: Reef-associated fishes have more maneuverable body shapes at a macroevolutionary scale Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-14 Olivier Larouche, Bailey Benton, Katherine A. Corn, Sarah T. Friedman, Dominique Gross, Mikayla Iwan, Brian Kessler, Christopher M. Martinez, Sierra Rodriguez, Hannah Whelpley, Peter C. Wainwright, Samantha A. Price
This erratum has been initiated as several formatting errors were overlooked during proofing stage by vendor.
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Feeding biology of a habitat-forming antipatharian in the Azores Archipelago Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-07 M. Rakka, C. Orejas, S. R. Maier, D. Van Oevelen, A. Godinho, M. Bilan, M. Carreiro-Silva
Benthic suspension feeders have developed a variety of feeding strategies and food availability has often proven to be a key factor explaining their occurrence and distribution. The feeding biology of coral species has been the target of an increasing number of studies, however most of them focus on Scleractinia and Octocorallia, while information for Antipatharia is very scarce. The present study
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Decadal turnover of thermally stressed coral taxa support a risk-spreading approach to marine reserve design Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-03 T. R. McClanahan
Coral reef communities exposed to rapid temperature rises and frequent thermal anomalies were evaluated for taxonomic turnover via presence/absence information over a 27-year period experiencing large changes in the dominant taxa. Temporal turnover of the taxa within sites was consistently high (~ 40%) due to both inter-annual episodic and directional changes. Turnover with time displayed a rapid increase
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Symbiodiniaceae diversity of Palythoa tuberculosa in the central and southern Red Sea influenced by environmental factors Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-08-03 Hin Boo Wee, Michael L. Berumen, Timothy Ravasi, James Davis Reimer
Sea surface temperatures (SST) and chlorophyll a concentrations (Chl a) in the southern Red Sea have wide variations based on distance from the coast. To understand how these variations can affect the diversity of symbionts hosted by reef-associated organisms, we conducted a study in the central and southern Red Sea to examine the diversity of Symbiodiniaceae hosted by the zooxanthellate zoantharian
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Measuring the long-term success of small-scale marine protected areas in a Philippine reef fishery Coral Reefs (IF 3.536) Pub Date : 2020-07-31 Daniel T. I. Bayley, Andy Purvis, Angelie C. Nellas, Myrtle Arias, Heather J. Koldewey
Tropical coral reefs are subject to multiple pressures from both natural and anthropogenic sources. These pressures have caused widespread declines in reef health, resulting in the increased use of spatial management tools such as marine protected areas (MPAs). MPAs have proven generally effective if well designed and enforced, but there are l