scholarly journals Ranking 67 Florida Reefs for Survival of Acropora cervicornis Outplants

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond B. Banister ◽  
Robert van Woesik
Keyword(s):  
Patch Reef ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Spatial Effects ◽  
Acropora Cervicornis ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
Latent Effects ◽  
Reef Tract ◽  
Subtropical Oceans ◽  
High Wave Energy

Over the past three decades, coral populations have declined across the tropical and subtropical oceans because of thermal stress, coral diseases, and pollution. Restoration programs are currently attempting to re-establish depauperate coral populations along the Florida reef tract. We took an integrated Bayesian approach to determine which Florida reefs ranked highest based on the survival of outplanted colonies of Acropora cervicornis from 2012 to 2018. Survival of A. cervicornis outplants was highly variable in the upper Florida Keys with some reefs showing the highest likelihood of survival (e.g., North Dry Rocks, Carysfort, Key Largo Dry Rocks, and Conch Reef), whereas some adjacent reefs showed the lowest likelihood of survival (e.g., an Unnamed Reef, Pickles Reef, and U47 Patch Reef). Similarly, survival was highly variable in the middle and lower Florida Keys and in the Broward-Miami subregions. Survival was high and less variable in Biscayne Bay and low and less variable in the Marquesas subregions. The reefs that ranked lowest for outplant survival were exposed to high wave energy. Partitioning out the spatial effects of reefs and subregions from the model, we detected spatial latent effects of low survival that were most evident in the middle and the upper Florida Keys, particularly between 2015 and 2017. The overall high spatial and temporal variability in survival among adjacent reefs highlights a need to outplant nursery-reared colonies strategically, in order to optimize coral-population recovery efforts in Florida.

scholarly journals Composition of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Microbial Communities in Waters around the Florida Reef Tract

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1120
Author(s):  
Peeter Laas ◽  
Kelly Ugarelli ◽  
Michael Absten ◽  
Breege Boyer ◽  
Henry Briceño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Red Tide ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Fish Parasites ◽  
Shellfish Poisoning ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
Florida Reef Tract ◽  
Reef Health ◽  
Reef Tract

The Florida Keys, a delicate archipelago of sub-tropical islands extending from the south-eastern tip of Florida, host the vast majority of the only coral barrier reef in the continental United States. Abiotic as well as microbial components of the surrounding waters are pivotal for the health of reef habitats, and thus could play an important role in understanding the development and transmission of coral diseases in Florida. In this study, we analyzed microbial community structure and abiotic factors in waters around the Florida Reef Tract. Both bacterial and eukaryotic community structure were significantly linked with variations in temperature, dissolved oxygen, and total organic carbon values. High abundances of copiotrophic bacteria as well as several potentially harmful microbes, including coral pathogens, fish parasites and taxa that have been previously associated with Red Tide and shellfish poisoning were present in our datasets and may have a pivotal impact on reef health in this ecosystem.

scholarly journals Genetic structure and diversity of the mustard hill coral Porites astreoides along the Florida Keys reef tract

2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique N. Gallery ◽  
Michelle L. Green ◽  
Ilsa B. Kuffner ◽  
Elizabeth A. Lenz ◽  
Lauren T. Toth
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Gene Flow ◽  
Genetic Relatedness ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Genetic Population ◽  
High Genetic Diversity ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Porites Astreoides ◽  
Single Well ◽  
Reef Tract

AbstractIncreases in local and global stressors have led to major declines in coral populations throughout the western Atlantic. While abundances of other species have declined, however, the relative abundance of the mustard hill coral, Porites astreoides, has increased. Porites astreoides is relatively resilient to some stressors, and because of its mixed reproductive strategies, its populations often recover quickly following disturbances. The ability for P. astreoides to continue as a potential “winner” in western Atlantic reefs relies on maintaining sufficient genetic variation within populations to support acclimatization and adaptation to current and future environmental change. Without high genetic diversity and gene flow within the population, it would have limited capacity for adaptation and the species’ competitive advantages could be short-lived. In this study, we determined the genetic relatedness of 37 P. astreoides colonies at four shallow reefs along the offshore Florida Keys Reef Tract (FKRT), a region particularly hard-hit by recent disturbances. Using previously designed microsatellite markers, we determined the genetic diversity and connectivity of individuals among and between sites. Our results suggest that the FKRT likely contains a single, well-mixed genetic population of P. astreoides, with high levels of gene flow and evidence for larval migration throughout the region. This suggests that regional populations of P. astreoides likely have a higher chance of maintaining resilience than many other western Atlantic species as they face current and future disturbances.

scholarly journals Blending coral restoration science and practice: A novel approach to Acropora population enhancement.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica S Levy ◽  
Kayla J Ripple ◽  
Ken Nedimyer ◽  
Scott R Winters
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Acropora Cervicornis ◽  
Recovery Plan ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Restoration Techniques ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
Reef Tract ◽  
Restoration Strategies

Florida and Caribbean coral reefs are in a state of unprecedented decline. Reefs once dominated by branching, hard-coral species, Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata, have lost upwards of 98% of Acroporid cover in recent decades. This decline is attributed to multiple, compounding factors. As these threats continue, there is a clear need for innovative methods to bolster remaining populations thus signaling to managers that intervention is needed to support recovery of the species. The urgency around coral decline has prompted practitioners to try a variety of restoration techniques. While promising, efforts need to incorporate best-practices of supporting genetic diversity, ecological function, and resiliency for successful coral restoration outcomes. Herein we present novel approaches to coral population enhancement (coral restoration) that blend science and practice. Guided by NOAA’s Acropora Recovery Plan, we have implemented an ambitious restoration plan to outplant 50,700 corals using both Acropora species across eight reefs along the Florida Reef Tract. The restoration strategies presented here are designed to meet several population-based recovery objectives and criteria identified in the Acropora Recovery Plan including: increasing abundance, promoting genetic diversity, promoting recruitment, and disease mitigation (as informed by monitoring).

scholarly journals Genotype by environment interactions in coral bleaching

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1946) ◽  
pp. 20210177
Author(s):  
Crawford Drury ◽  
Diego Lirman
Keyword(s):  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Cell Signalling ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Acropora Cervicornis ◽  
Genotype By Environment ◽  
Significant Enrichment ◽  
Reef Tract ◽  
Reef Decline

Climate-driven reef decline has prompted the development of next-generation coral conservation strategies, many of which hinge on the movement of adaptive variation across genetic and environmental gradients. This process is limited by our understanding of how genetic and genotypic drivers of coral bleaching will manifest in different environmental conditions. We reciprocally transplanted 10 genotypes ofAcropora cervicornisacross eight sites along a 60 km span of the Florida Reef Tract and documented significant genotype × environment interactions in bleaching response during the severe 2015 bleaching event. Performance relative to site mean was significantly different between genotypes and can be mostly explained by ensemble models of correlations with genetic markers. The high explanatory power was driven by significant enrichment of loci associated DNA repair, cell signalling and apoptosis. No genotypes performed above (or below) bleaching average at all sites, so genomic predictors can provide practitioners with ‘confidence intervals' about the chance of success in novel habitats. These data have important implications for assisted gene flow and managed relocation, and their integration with traditional active restoration.

scholarly journals Experimental antibiotic treatment identifies potential pathogens of white band disease in the endangered Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1788) ◽  
pp. 20140094 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Sweet ◽  
A. Croquer ◽  
J. C. Bythell
Keyword(s):  
Coral Disease ◽  
Causal Agent ◽  
Acropora Palmata ◽  
Acropora Cervicornis ◽  
Coral Diseases ◽  
White Band ◽  
Disease Causation ◽  
Community Shifts ◽  
White Band Disease ◽  
Experimental Treatments

Coral diseases have been increasingly reported over the past few decades and are a major contributor to coral decline worldwide. The Caribbean, in particular, has been noted as a hotspot for coral disease, and the aptly named white syndromes have caused the decline of the dominant reef building corals throughout their range. White band disease (WBD) has been implicated in the dramatic loss of Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata since the 1970s, resulting in both species being listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list. The causal agent of WBD remains unknown, although recent studies based on challenge experiments with filtrate from infected hosts concluded that the disease is probably caused by bacteria. Here, we report an experiment using four different antibiotic treatments, targeting different members of the disease-associated microbial community. Two antibiotics, ampicillin and paromomycin, arrested the disease completely, and by comparing with community shifts brought about by treatments that did not arrest the disease, we have identified the likely candidate causal agent or agents of WBD. Our interpretation of the experimental treatments is that one or a combination of up to three specific bacterial types, detected consistently in diseased corals but not detectable in healthy corals, are likely causal agents of WBD. In addition, a histophagous ciliate ( Philaster lucinda ) identical to that found consistently in association with white syndrome in Indo-Pacific acroporas was also consistently detected in all WBD samples and absent in healthy coral. Treatment with metronidazole reduced it to below detection limits, but did not arrest the disease. However, the microscopic disease signs changed, suggesting a secondary role in disease causation for this ciliate. In future studies to identify a causal agent of WBD via tests of Henle–Koch's postulates, it will be vital to experimentally control for populations of the other potential pathogens identified in this study.

scholarly journals Marked annual coral bleaching resilience of an inshore patch reef in the Florida Keys: A nugget of hope, aberrance, or last man standing?

Coral Reefs ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 533-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brooke E. Gintert ◽  
Derek P. Manzello ◽  
Ian C. Enochs ◽  
Graham Kolodziej ◽  
Renée Carlton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Bleaching ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Last Man

Movements of the Spiny Lobster Panulirus argus in South Florida

1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 2228-2234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R. Gregory Jr. ◽  
Ronald F. Labisky
Keyword(s):  
Spiny Lobster ◽  
Patch Reef ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
South Florida ◽  
Panulirus Argus ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Dispersal Patterns ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Deep Reef ◽  
Spiny Lobsters

Long-distance movements of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus were studied in two Gulf of Mexico habitats (Shallows, Mid-depth) and three Atlantic Ocean habitats (Shallows, Patch Reef, and Deep Reef) in the lower Florida Keys during the mid-1970's. Of 6062 spiny lobsters tagged and released at the five sites between June 1975 and August 1976, 465 of the 771 (13%) lobsters recovered yielded usable movement data. Eighty percent of the tags were recovered within the first 3 mo of the 8 mo commercial fishing season (July 26 – March 31). Directions and rates of movements differed significantly (P < 0.05) among sites. Movements from Gulf sites were generally oriented to the west and southwest, toward the Atlantic offshore reefs, at mean displacement velocities of 0.57 km/d (Mid-depth) and 0.24 km/d (Shallows). Movements of lobsters from the Atlantic sites were principally eastward and westward, parallel to the reef line and island chain, at mean displacement velocities of 0.02 km/d (Deep Reef) and 0.05 km/d (Shallows, Patch Reef). The more directed movements of spiny lobsters from Gulf sites may reflect a migration from nursery grounds to the Atlantic reefs, which not only constitute the primary spawning habitat but also exhibit a more stable winter environment than the shallow Gulf. Movements of spiny lobsters within Atlantic waters reflect localized random onshore–offshore dispersal patterns typical within reef environments.

scholarly journals Physiological Differences in Bleaching Response of the Coral Porites astreoides Along the Florida Keys Reef Tract During High-Temperature Stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Ann Lenz ◽  
Lucy A. Bartlett ◽  
Anastasios Stathakopoulos ◽  
Ilsa B. Kuffner
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
High Temperature Stress ◽  
Geologic History ◽  
Reef Management ◽  
Porites Astreoides ◽  
Dry Tortugas ◽  
Bleaching Response ◽  
Reef Tract

The Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT) has a unique geological history wherein Holocene sea-level rise and bathymetry interacted, resulting in a reef-building system with notable spatial differences in reef development. Overprinted on this geologic history, recent global and local stressors have led to degraded reefs dominated by fleshy algae, soft corals, and sponges. Here, we assessed how coral physiology (calcification rate, tissue thickness, reproduction, symbiosis, and bleaching) varies seasonally (winter vs. summer) and geographically using 40 colonies of the mustard hill coral Porites astreoides from four sites across 350 km along the FKRT from 2015 to 2017. The study coincided with a high-temperature event in late summer 2015 that caused heterogeneous levels of coral bleaching across sites. Bleaching severity differed by site, with bleaching response more aligned with heat stress retroactively calculated from local degree heating weeks than those predicted by satellites. Despite differences in temperature profiles and bleaching severity, all colonies hosted Symbiodiniaceae of the same genus (formerly Clade A and subtypes). Overall, P. astreoides at Dry Tortugas National Park, the consistently coolest site, had the highest calcification rates, symbiont cell densities, and reproductive potential (all colonies were reproductive, with most planula larvae per polyp). Corals at Dry Tortugas and Fowey Rocks Light demonstrated strong seasonality in net calcification (higher in summer) and did not express visual or partial-mortality responses from the bleaching event; in contrast, colonies in the middle and southern part of the upper keys, Sombrero Key and Crocker Reef, demonstrated similar reduced fitness from bleaching, but differential recovery trajectories following the heat stress. Identifying reefs, such as Dry Tortugas and possibly Fowey Rocks Light that may serve as heat-stress refugia, is important in selecting candidate sites for adaptive reef-management strategies, such as selective propagation and assisted gene flow, to increase coral-species adaptation to ocean warming.

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