scholarly journals Hidden in the deep: distinct benthic trajectories call for monitoring of mesophotic reefs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Hernandez-Agreda ◽  
Francesca Marina Sahit ◽  
Norbert Englebert ◽  
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg ◽  
Pim Bongaerts

Long-term monitoring studies are central to coral reef ecology and conservation management. However, ongoing monitoring programs are almost exclusively focused on shallow depths, and it remains unclear to what extent those are representative of the whole ecosystem. Here, we present a temporal comparison (2012-2017) of directly adjacent shallow and mesophotic benthic communities across seven sites from the Great Barrier Reef and Western Coral Sea. We found a positive correlation initially between shallow and mesophotic coral cover, with higher cover at shallow depths. However, this correlation broke down after multiple disturbances, with coral cover declining only at shallow depths. Point-based tracking revealed the dynamic nature of mesophotic communities, with their consistent coral cover reflecting a net balance between substantial growth and mortality. Overall, the divergent trajectories highlight the urgency to expand monitoring efforts into mesophotic depths, to decipher the processes governing these habitats and enable better-informed management of the overall ecosystem.

Acrocephalus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (154-155) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Al Vrezec

Abstract Among 48 raptor species (birds of prey, owls, shrikes) recorded recently in Slovenia, some long-term monitoring activities are being conducted for more than half of them, mainly for conservation and research purposes. However, national coverage is achieved only in 15% of the species, whereas other monitoring programmes are more or less local. Two monitoring approaches are considered, the species specific approach and assemblage approach. Current ongoing monitoring programmes for raptors in Slovenia lack monitoring of breeding success, which is now confined to only a few owl species. Use of nestboxes should therefore be considered more broadly in the future for some species at least


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S324) ◽  
pp. 168-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Komossa ◽  
D. Grupe ◽  
N. Schartel ◽  
L. Gallo ◽  
J. L. Gomez ◽  
...  

AbstractWe present results from our ongoing monitoring programs aimed at identifying and understanding Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) in extreme flux and spectral states. Observations of AGN in extreme states can reveal the nature of the inner accretion flow, the physics of matter under strong gravity, and they provide insight on the properties of ionized absorbers and outflows launched near supermassive black holes (SMBHs). We present new results from our long-term monitoring of IC 3599, WPVS007, and Mrk 335, multi-wavelength follow-ups of the newly identified changing-look AGN HE 1136–2304, and UV–X-ray follow-ups of the binary SMBH candidate OJ 287 after its 2015 optical maximum, now in a new optical-X-ray–high-state.


PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ku’ulei S. Rodgers ◽  
Koi Lorance ◽  
Angela Richards Donà ◽  
Yuko Stender ◽  
Claire Lager ◽  
...  

Coral reef restoration and management techniques are in ever-increasing demand due to the global decline of coral reefs in the last several decades. Coral relocation has been established as an appropriate restoration technique in select cases, particularly where corals are scheduled for destruction. However, continued long-term monitoring of recovery of transplanted corals is seldom sustained. Removal of coral from a navigation channel and relocation to a similar nearby dredged site occurred in 2005. Coral recovery at the donor site and changes in fish populations at the receiving site were tracked periodically over the following decade. Coral regrowth at the donor site was rapid until a recent bleaching event reduced coral cover by more than half. The transplant of mature colonies increased spatial complexity at the receiving site, immediately increasing fish biomass, abundance, and species that was maintained throughout subsequent surveys. Our research indicates that unlike the majority of historical accounts of coral relocation in the Pacific, corals transplanted into wave-protected areas with similar conditions as the original site can have high survival rates. Data on long-term monitoring of coral transplants in diverse environments is central in developing management and mitigation strategies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 202 ◽  
pp. 392-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia María Rodríguez-González ◽  
António Albuquerque ◽  
Miguel Martínez-Almarza ◽  
Ricardo Díaz-Delgado

Author(s):  
Barbara S. Minsker ◽  
Charles Davis ◽  
David Dougherty ◽  
Gus Williams

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