scholarly journals Overview of the mesophotic coral ecosystems around Sesoko Island, Okinawa, Japan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic Sinniger ◽  
Ritzelle L. Albelda ◽  
Rian Prasetia ◽  
Héloïse Rouzé ◽  
Erlangga D. Sitorus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems

scholarly journals INVESTIGATIONS ON MESOPHOTIC CORAL ECOSYSTEMS IN CUBA (1970-1973) AND MEXICO (1983-1984)

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Vassil Zlatarski
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems ◽  
Trends Analysis ◽  
Collaborative Efforts ◽  
Existing Data

After a pioneering study of Jamaican coral reefs, the Cuban archipelago was the second to be surveyed by SCUBA for scleractinian corals and reef life to a depth of 90m, sampling all phenotypes.  Regrettably, the published data on the mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) of Cuba, collected 1970 to 1973, have been ignored.  This is also true for the published data on the MCEs of the Mexican Yucatán Peninsula, collected 1983 to 1984.  These two investigations described immense areas exhibiting a rich continuum of coral life, from shallow reefs into MCEs without scleractinian faunal break, and no depth-specialists species complex.  Instead, a morphological changeover of three-dimensional corallum into two-dimensional corallum was observed and documented.  The existing data on the Cuban and Mexican MCEs (now 45 and 34 years old, respectively) present a unique opportunity for long-term status and ecosystem trends analysis.  MCEs require terminological clarification from collaborative efforts to effectively use the globally available data.Investigaciones sobre ecosistemas coralinos mesofóticos en Cuba (1970-1973) y México (1983-1984)RESUMEN. Después de un estudio pionero en arrecifes de Jamaica sobre corales escleratinios y vida arrecifal, el archipiélago cubano fue el segundo que se estudió mediante buceo SCUBA a profundidades de hasta 90m, incluyendo muestras de todos los fenotipos. Infortunadamente, los datos publicados sobre ecosistemas coralinos mesofóticos (ECM), recabados entre 1970 y 1973 han sido soslayados, al igual que los datos publicados sobre los ECM de la Península de Yucatán, México, recabados entre 1983 y 1984.  Ambas investigaciones describen áreas inmensas que exhiben un rico continuo de vida coralina, desde arrecifes someros hasta ECM sin ruptura en la fauna escleratinia y sin complejos de especies especialistas de profundidad. En vez de esto, se observó y documentó un reemplazamiento de formas tridimensionales de corales por formas bidimensionales.  La información existente sobre ECM cubanos y mexicanos con antigüedades de 45 y 34 años, respectivamente ofrecen una oportunidad única para realizar análisis sobre estatus a largo plazo y tendencias de ecosistema.  Los ECM requieren aclaración terminológica de esfuerzos de colaboración para utilizar efectivamente los datos disponibles globalmente.

scholarly journals Mesophotic Ecosystems: The Link between Shallow and Deep-Sea Habitats

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 411
Author(s):  
Gal Eyal ◽  
Hudson T. Pinheiro
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Biogeographic Patterns ◽  
Global Diversity ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Threatened Habitats ◽  
Management And Conservation

Mesophotic ecosystems (MEs) are characterized by the presence of light-dependent organisms, found at depths ranging from ~30 to 150 m in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. These communities occasionally create massive reef structures with diverse but characteristic morphologies, which serve as the framework builders of those ecosystems. In many localities, MEs are physically linked with shallow and deep-sea habitats, and while taxa from both environments share this space, a unique and endemic biodiversity is also found. The main MEs studied to date are the mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) and the temperate mesophotic ecosystems (TMEs), which have received increased attention during the last decade. As shallow coral reef ecosystems are among the most threatened habitats on Earth, the potential of MEs to act as refugia and contribute to the resilience of the whole ecosystem has been a subject of scrutiny. New technologies and methods have become more available to study these deeper parts of the reef ecosystems, yielding many new discoveries. However, basic gaps in knowledge remain in our scientific understanding of the global diversity of MEs, limiting our ability to recognize biogeographic patterns and to make educated decisions for the management and conservation of these ecosystems.

Ecosystem Services of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems and a Call for Better Accounting

2019 ◽  
pp. 943-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel M. Holstein ◽  
Pamela Fletcher ◽  
Sarah H. Groves ◽  
Tyler B. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems

Mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Hawaiian Archipelago

Coral Reefs ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 361-367 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Rooney ◽  
E. Donham ◽  
A. Montgomery ◽  
H. Spalding ◽  
F. Parrish ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems ◽  
Hawaiian Archipelago

Geomorphology and benthic cover of mesophotic coral ecosystems of the upper insular slope of southwest Puerto Rico

Coral Reefs ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Sherman ◽  
M. Nemeth ◽  
H. Ruíz ◽  
I. Bejarano ◽  
R. Appeldoorn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems

scholarly journals Assessing population changes of historically overexploited black corals (Order: Antipatharia) in Cozumel, Mexico

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Gress ◽  
Dominic A Andradi-Brown
Keyword(s):  
Coral Species ◽  
Ecological Role ◽  
Population Changes ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems ◽  
Juvenile Mortality ◽  
Recruitment Failure ◽  
Black Coral ◽  
Black Corals ◽  
Cozumel Island ◽  
The Government

Black corals (Antipatharians) play a crucial structural and ecological role on many mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs 30-150 m depth). In Mexico, black corals are harvested for the jewellery industry, which has historically led to populations depletion. Harvesting began in the early 1960s, and was concentrated around Cozumel Island until 1995. Here we compare populations between 1998 and 2016 for the two black coral species targeted by the jewellery industry. We found that densities of Plumapathes pennacea in 2016 are substantially lower than in 1998. However, the 2016 P. pennacea population has shifted to be dominated by larger colonies, suggesting disproportionate juvenile mortality or recruitment failure. No change in population density or colony size of Antipathes caribbeana was detected between 1998 and 2016. We advocate for the adequate protection of black corals in Mexico, and for the government to ensure sustainability of the harvesting before issuing future permits.

scholarly journals Tosanoides aphrodite, a new species from mesophotic coral ecosystems of St. Paul’s Rocks, Mid Atlantic Ridge (Perciformes, Serranidae, Anthiadinae)

ZooKeys ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 786 ◽  
pp. 105-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hudson T. Pinheiro ◽  
Claudia Rocha ◽  
Luiz A. Rocha
Keyword(s):  
New Taxon ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems ◽  
Dorsal Fin ◽  
Unknown Species ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Fin Rays ◽  
Mid Atlantic Ridge ◽  
The Pacific Ocean ◽  
A New Species

During a recent expedition to St. Paul’s Rocks, Atlantic Ocean, a distinctive and previously unknown species of Anthiadinae was collected at a depth of 120 m. A genetic analysis indicated the undescribed species is a member of the genus Tosanoides, which was only known to occur in the Pacific Ocean. This new taxon is distinguishable from all other Tosanoides species by the following combination of characters: soft dorsal fin rays 15–16; anal fin rays 9; ventral scale rows 9–10; last dorsal spine the longest (instead first through fourth). Here Tosanoidesaphroditesp. n. is described and illustrated, only known from St. Paul’s Rocks.

scholarly journals Identifying zooplankton community changes between shallow and upper-mesophotic reefs on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Caribbean

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic A Andradi-Brown ◽  
Catherine Head ◽  
Dan A Exton ◽  
Christina L Hunt ◽  
Alicia Hendrix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zooplankton Community ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Depth Gradient ◽  
Light Traps ◽  
Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems ◽  
Community Shifts ◽  
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef ◽  
Community Changes ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Zooplankton Communities

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs, reefs 30 -150m) are understudied, yet the limited research conducted has been biased towards large sessile taxa, such as scleractinian corals and sponges, or mobile taxa such as fish. Here we investigate zooplankton communities on shallow reefs and MCEs around Utila, on the southern Mesoamerican Barrier Reef using planktonic light traps. Zooplankton samples were sorted into broad taxonomic groups. Our results indicate similar taxonomic zooplankton richness and overall biomass between shallow reefs and MCEs, but that abundance of larger bodied (>2 mm) zooplanktonic groups, including decapod crab zoea, mysid shrimps and peracarid crustaceans was higher on MCEs than shallow reefs. Our findings highlight the important of considering zooplankton when identifying broader reef community shifts across the shallow reef to MCE depth gradient.

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