Comment on “Coral reef calcification and climate change: The effect of ocean warming”

Diseases threaten the structure and function of marine ecosystems and are contributing to the global decline of coral reefs. We currently lack an understanding of how climate change stressors, such as ocean acidification (OA) and warming, may simultaneously affect coral reef disease dynamics, particularly diseases threatening key reef-building organisms, for example crustose coralline algae (CCA). Here, we use coralline fungal disease (CFD), a previously described CCA disease from the Pacific, to examine these simultaneous effects using both field observations and experimental manipulations. We identify the associated fungus as belonging to the subphylum Ustilaginomycetes and show linear lesion expansion rates on individual hosts can reach 6.5 mm per day. Further, we demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that ocean-warming events could increase the frequency of CFD outbreaks on coral reefs, but that OA-induced lowering of pH may ameliorate outbreaks by slowing lesion expansion rates on individual hosts. Lowered pH may still reduce overall host survivorship, however, by reducing calcification and facilitating fungal bio-erosion. Such complex, interactive effects between simultaneous extrinsic environmental stressors on disease dynamics are important to consider if we are to accurately predict the response of coral reef communities to future climate change.

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Reply to comment by Kleypas et al. on “Coral reef calcification and climate change: The effect of ocean warming”

Geophysical Research Letters ◽

10.1029/2005gl022604 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 32 (8) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ben I. McNeil

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Ocean Warming

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Coral reef calcification and climate change: The effect of ocean warming

Geophysical Research Letters ◽

10.1029/2004gl021541 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 31 (22) ◽

Cited By ~ 72

Author(s):

Ben I. McNeil ◽

Richard J. Matear ◽

David J. Barnes

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Ocean Warming

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Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13060251 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 251

Author(s):

Adi Zweifler (Zvifler) ◽

Michael O’Leary ◽

Kyle Morgan ◽

Nicola K. Browne

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Coral Reefs ◽

Environmental Change ◽

Scientific Literature ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Climate Change Impacts ◽

Geographic Range ◽

Reef Complex ◽

Sediment Input

Increasing evidence suggests that coral reefs exposed to elevated turbidity may be more resilient to climate change impacts and serve as an important conservation hotspot. However, logistical difficulties in studying turbid environments have led to poor representation of these reef types within the scientific literature, with studies using different methods and definitions to characterize turbid reefs. Here we review the geological origins and growth histories of turbid reefs from the Holocene (past), their current ecological and environmental states (present), and their potential responses and resilience to increasing local and global pressures (future). We classify turbid reefs using new descriptors based on their turbidity regime (persistent, fluctuating, transitional) and sources of sediment input (natural versus anthropogenic). Further, by comparing the composition, function and resilience of two of the most studied turbid reefs, Paluma Shoals Reef Complex, Australia (natural turbidity) and Singapore reefs (anthropogenic turbidity), we found them to be two distinct types of turbid reefs with different conservation status. As the geographic range of turbid reefs is expected to increase due to local and global stressors, improving our understanding of their responses to environmental change will be central to global coral reef conservation efforts.

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Impact of Climate Change on Nearshore Waves at a Beach Protected by a Barrier Reef

Water ◽

10.3390/w12061681 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1681

Author(s):

Claude la Hausse de Lalouvière ◽

Vicente Gracia ◽

Joan Pau Sierra ◽

Jue Lin-Ye ◽

Manuel García-León

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Extreme Event ◽

Wave Climate ◽

Water Levels ◽

Barrier Reef ◽

Protective Capacity ◽

Protective Function ◽

Climate Change Effects ◽

Nearshore Waves

Barrier reefs dissipate most incoming wind-generated waves and, as a consequence, regulate the morphodynamics of its inbounded shorelines. The coastal protective capacity of reefs may nevertheless be compromised by climate change effects, such as reef degradation and sea-level rise. To assess the magnitude of these climate change effects, an analysis of the waves propagating across the barrier reef is carried out in Flic-en-Flac beach, Mauritius, based on scenarios of future sea levels and predicted coral reef condition. In the study, both the mean wave climate and extreme event conditions are considered. The results show that lower coral structure complexity jointly with higher water levels allow for higher waves to pass over the reef and, therefore, to reach the shoreline. In addition, modeling for cyclonic conditions showed that nearshore waves would also increase in height, which could lead to major coastal morphodynamic changes. Measures aimed at preserving the coral reef may allow the system to accommodate for the gradual climatic changes forecasted while keeping its coastal protective function.

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Coral reef diversity losses in China’s Greater Bay Area were driven by regional stressors

Science Advances ◽

10.1126/sciadv.abb1046 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (40) ◽

pp. eabb1046

Author(s):

Jonathan D. Cybulski ◽

Stefan M. Husa ◽

Nicolas N. Duprey ◽

Briony L. Mamo ◽

Toby P. N. Tsang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Inorganic Nitrogen ◽

Species Dominance ◽

Critical Gap ◽

The Past ◽

Bay Area ◽

Poor Water Quality ◽

Coral Communities ◽

And Function

Observations of coral reef losses to climate change far exceed our understanding of historical degradation before anthropogenic warming. This is a critical gap to fill as conservation efforts simultaneously work to reverse climate change while restoring coral reef diversity and function. Here, we focused on southern China’s Greater Bay Area, where coral communities persist despite centuries of coral mining, fishing, dredging, development, and pollution. We compared subfossil assemblages with modern-day communities and revealed a 40% decrease in generic diversity, concomitant to a shift from competitive to stress-tolerant species dominance since the mid-Holocene. Regions with characteristically poor water quality—high chl-a, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and turbidity—had lower contemporary diversity and the greatest community composition shift observed in the past, driven by the near extirpation of Acropora. These observations highlight the urgent need to mitigate local stressors from development in concert with curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Great Barrier Reef

10.1071/9780643098275 ◽

2008 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Mike Kingsford ◽

Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Great Barrier Reef ◽

Coral Disease ◽

Barrier Reef ◽

Physical Processes ◽

Marine Park ◽

The World ◽

The Common ◽

International Experts

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is 344 400 square kilometres in size and is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. This comprehensive guide describes the organisms and ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the biological, chemical and physical processes that influence them. Contemporary pressing issues such as climate change, coral bleaching, coral disease and the challenges of coral reef fisheries are also discussed. In addition,the book includes a field guide that will help people to identify the common animals and plants on the reef, then to delve into the book to learn more about the roles the biota play. Beautifully illustrated and with contributions from 33 international experts, The Great Barrier Reef is a must-read for the interested reef tourist, student, researcher and environmental manager. While it has an Australian focus, it can equally be used as a baseline text for most Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Winner of a Whitley Certificate of Commendation for 2009.

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Trophic niche segregation allows range‐extending coral reef fishes to co‐exist with temperate species under climate change

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.14898 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 721-733 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kelsey M. Kingsbury ◽

Bronwyn M. Gillanders ◽

David J. Booth ◽

Ivan Nagelkerken

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fishes ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Coral Reef Fishes ◽

Temperate Species ◽

Niche Segregation

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Increased Terrestrial Perturbations Modify Skeletal Properties and Mechanical Strength of Hard Corals

Environment and Natural Resources Research ◽

10.5539/enrr.v6n4p153 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 153 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Shaaban A. Mwachireya ◽

Tim R. McClanahan ◽

Isabelle M. Cote ◽

Brian E. Hartwick

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Global Climate Change ◽

Global Climate ◽

High Porosity ◽

Growth Forms ◽

Management Options ◽

Skeletal Density ◽

Change Events ◽

Hydrodynamic Energy

Skeleton properties determine coral survival by influencing the range of hydraulic conditions colonies can withstand, selection of suitable habitat, ability to compete for space and light, repair damage and the overall fitness and ecological success of scleractinian corals. Skeletal properties of 16 coral species comprising 3 growth forms collected from Kenyan coral reef lagoons were investigated and found to vary considerably not only between species but between reefs as well, with corals exposed to both sediment and nutrients showing consistent lower skeleton density and strength but high porosity compared to those from sediment-unaffected reefs. Further, high skeletal density and strength but low porosity values were measured in branching relative to other growth forms. The present findings also suggest that the negative effects of nutrients on skeleton properties may be counteracted by high hydrodynamic energy, resulting in stronger skeletons in high hydrodynamic energy-nutrient-polluted reef habitats relative to pristine reefs. These findings have important ecological and management implications with regard to the existence, persistence, productivity and protective value of reefs, damage risks, maintenance and conservation of biological diversity with respect to future global climate change events. Consequently, appropriate watershed, reef and fisheries management options the impacts of local anthropogenic stresses (sediments, nutrients, overexploitation) would be expected to alleviate the effects of these disturbances and have the potential to minimize future large-scale coral reef damage resulting from increased and frequent global climate change events, such as increased ocean acidification (due to elevated atmospheric CO2) and sea surface temperature.

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Invasion-mediated effects on marine trophic interactions in a changing climate: positive feedbacks favour kelp persistence

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2018.2866 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 286 (1899) ◽

pp. 20182866 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ricardo J. Miranda ◽

Melinda A. Coleman ◽

Alejandro Tagliafico ◽

Maria S. Rangel ◽

Lea T. Mamo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Trophic Interactions ◽

Multiple Stressors ◽

Grazing Intensity ◽

Ocean Warming ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Ecological Change ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

Ecological Consequences ◽

Management Actions

The interactive effects of ocean warming and invasive species are complex and remain a source of uncertainty for projecting future ecological change. Climate-mediated change to trophic interactions can have pervasive ecological consequences, but the role of invasion in mediating trophic effects is largely unstudied. Using manipulative experiments in replicated outdoor mesocosms, we reveal how near-future ocean warming and macrophyte invasion scenarios interactively impact gastropod grazing intensity and preference for consumption of foundation macroalgae ( Ecklonia radiata and Sargassum vestitum ). Elevated water temperature increased the consumption of both macroalgae through greater grazing intensity. Given the documented decline of kelp ( E. radiata ) growth at higher water temperatures, enhanced grazing could contribute to the shift from kelp-dominated to Sargassum -dominated reefs that is occurring at the low-latitude margins of kelp distribution. However, the presence of a native invader ( Caulerpa filiformis ) was related to low consumption by the herbivores on dominant kelp at warmer temperatures. Thus, antagonistic effects between climate change and a range expanding species can favour kelp persistence in a warmer future. Introduction of species should, therefore, not automatically be considered unfavourable under climate change scenarios. Climatic changes are increasing the need for effective management actions to address the interactive effects of multiple stressors and their ecological consequences, rather than single threats in isolation.

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