On the possibility of mapping living corals to the species level based on their optical signatures

Several methods (Spectral Angle Mapper, first derivatives, spectral clustering) were used to test the possibility of discriminating live corals at the species level by using reflectance spectra obtained by close range underwater remote sensing. The Spectral Angle Mapper used with an in situ spectral library of 73 coral colonies recognised all corals correctly in an artificial remote sensing image created from the same coral spectra. The results did not change when “grey” noise was added to each pixel in the artificial image or when the artificial image was made from reflectance spectra modelled through a 5-m water column. The results showed that the within-species variability in optical properties of a set of four coral species, for which at least three different specimens were measured, was as high as between-species variability. Thus, it is highly unlikely that hard corals can be discriminated at a species level by means of remote sensing. Cluster analysis showed that it is difficult to recognise corals also at the genus level (Acropora vs. non-Acropora) based on their reflectance spectra. However, visual inspection of the coral spectra and clustering analysis suggest that it is possible to separate three main optical types of corals: green, blue, and brown corals. This may form the basis for an optical classification of corals that is more suited for remote sensing than traditional taxonomy.     

3种传统方法对不同珊瑚表面积测量的适用性及其校准方法——以3D扫描技术为基准*

造礁石珊瑚的表面积是珊瑚生物学和珊瑚礁生态学研究中重要的参数, 因其形态结构复杂, 准确测量十分困难。由于测量方法的不同, 导致不同珊瑚之间的重要指标无法被直接比较, 因此系统比较不同的表面积测量方法十分必要。以块状的普哥滨珊瑚Porites pukoensis和分枝状的鹿角杯形珊瑚Pocillopora damicornis为研究对象, 以3D扫描技术测量的珊瑚表面积作为标准值, 对比石蜡包埋法、锡箔纸包裹法以及简单几何近似法3种传统方法测量珊瑚表面积的准确度; 讨论了不同的表面积测量方法对于不同形态结构珊瑚的适用性; 并通过简单回归分析, 校准传统测量方法的测量准确度。研究结果表明, 无论在普哥滨珊瑚还是鹿角杯形珊瑚中, 简单几何近似法的测量准确度最高(72.71%和94.52%), 石蜡包埋法其次(68.86%和83.08%), 锡箔纸包裹法最低(65.27%和58.07%)。简单回归分析结果表明, 除了锡箔纸包裹法测量普哥滨珊瑚表面积与3D扫描测量结果的相关性较低(r²=0.76)外, 其他传统测量方法与3D扫描测量结果均具有较强相关性(r²>0.95)。因此, 研究认为可通过简单回归分析构建回归方程对传统测量方法进行校准, 以提高传统方法的测量准确度。     

Species-diverse coral communities on an artificial substrate at a tuna farm in Amami,Japan

Tuna-farming is expanding worldwide, necessitating the monitoring/managing of its effects on the natural environment. In Japan, tuna-farming is conducted on coral reefs that have been damaged by mass-bleaching events and crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks. This study focused on the coral community on an artificial substrate of tuna-farm to reveal the possible effects of tuna-farming on the natural environment. Corals flourished on ropes suspended in the farm in the Amami Islands, southern Japan. These were moored 3 m below the sea-surface in 50-m-deep water. The coral community on the rope was analyzed and compared with those on natural substrata on two adjacent COTS-damaged reefs and with that in a protected reef. Corals were monitored throughout a year. Sixty coral species grew on the ropes, that corresponds to 27.3% of the 220 species known from Amami. The coral community was unique, dominated by massive faviid corals. On the ropes, the water temperature rarely exceeded 30.0 °C and no corals on the rope were severely bleached or covered by sedimentation during the observations. The tuna-farm infrastructure provided corals with a suitable habitat, and species-rich coral communities were established. These coral communities are an important node connecting tuna-farms and the natural environment.     

永兴岛及七连屿造礁石珊瑚近10年变化分析

根据2007-2016年珊瑚礁监测数据,永兴岛及七连屿共调查到造礁石珊瑚11科113种,常见种有鹿角杯形珊瑚Pocillopora damicornis、疣状杯形珊瑚Pocillopora Verrucosa、粗野鹿角珊瑚Acropora humilis、澄黄滨珊瑚Porites lutea、丛生盔形珊瑚Galaxea fascicularis、梳状菊花珊瑚Goniastrea pectinata及锯齿刺星珊瑚Cyphastrea serailia等。研究区域内造礁石珊瑚种类近10年（2007-2016年）来下降明显,其中永兴岛从39种下降到18种,下降率为53.85%;北岛从23种下降到17种,下降率为26.09%;赵述岛从46种下降到12种,下降率为73.91%;西沙洲从51种下降到15种,下降率为70.59%。群体形态群落中皮壳状种类数最为稳定,分枝类下降了59.26%;叶片状下降了75.00%;圆盘状下降了87.50%;团块状下降了57.14%。通过对研究区域造礁石珊瑚种类组成及群落形态等方面的变化分析可见,人为活动、长棘海星、珊瑚病害、台风及全球升温等因素逐渐影响到西沙海域的珊瑚礁生态系统。     

广西涠洲岛珊瑚分布状况研究

文章根据2017年涠洲岛最新珊瑚本底调查资料,对比分析近10年来,涠洲岛珊瑚种类数量、分布状态以及优势物种变化状况。结果表明,涠洲岛珊瑚以造礁珊瑚为主体,高达10科23属41种,其次为分布有较多的柳珊瑚,为4科12属14种,此外也分布有少量的软珊瑚、群体海葵;珊瑚主要分布于近海海岸一带,以0. 5～6 m的珊瑚礁坪生长带为主,具有明显的分带特点;对比2008年调查数据,本次调查发现涠洲岛海域珊瑚优势物种发生了变化,由角蜂巢珊瑚属变为滨珊瑚属,蔷薇珊瑚属不再是优势属,反而新增了蜂巢珊瑚属和牡丹珊瑚属,此外珊瑚覆盖度较2008年出现了下降趋势,表明了涠洲岛珊瑚生存状况受到了人为活动等因素的影响。     

Scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cádiz—First clues about their spatial and temporal distribution

This paper presents the first compilation of information on the spatial distribution of scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cádiz based on literature research and own observations (video footage, sediment samples). Scleractinian cold-water corals are widely distributed along the Spanish and Moroccan margins in the Gulf of Cádiz, where they are mainly associated with mud volcanoes, diapiric ridges, steep fault escarpments, and coral mounds. Dendrophyllia cornigera, Dendrophyllia alternata, Eguchipsammia cornucopia, Madrepora oculata and Lophelia pertusa are the most abundant reef-forming species. Today, they are almost solely present as isolated patches of fossil coral and coral rubble. The absence of living scleractinian corals is likely related to a reduced food supply caused by low productivity and diminished tidal effects. In contrast, during the past 48 kyr scleractinian corals were abundant in the Gulf of Cádiz, although their occurrence demonstrates no relationship with main climatic or oceanographic changes. Nevertheless, there exists a conspicuous relationship when the main species are considered separately. Dendrophylliids are associated with periods of relatively stable and warm conditions. The occurrence of L. pertusa mainly clusters within the last glacial when bottom current strength in the Gulf of Cádiz was enhanced and long-term stable conditions existed in terms of temperature. Madrepora oculata shows a higher tolerance to abrupt environmental changes.     

Long-term impacts of coral bleaching events on the world's warmest reefs

The southern Arabian Gulf houses some of the most thermally tolerant corals on earth, but severe bleaching in the late 1990s caused widespread mortality. More than a decade later, corals still dominated benthos (mean: 40 ± 3% cover on 10 sites spanning > 350 km; range: 11.0-65.6%), but coral communities varied spatially. Sites to the west generally had low species richness and coral cover (mean: 3.2 species per transect, 31% cover), with Porites dominated communities (88% of coral) that are distinct from more diverse and higher cover eastern sites (mean: 10.3 species per transect, 62% cover). These patterns reflect both the more extreme bleaching to the west in the late 1990s as well as the higher faviid dominated recruitment to the east in subsequent years. There has been limited recovery of the formerly dominant Acropora, which now represents <1% of the benthos, likely as a result of recruitment failure. Results indicate that severe bleaching can have substantial long-term impacts on coral communities, even in areas with corals tolerant to environmental extremes.     

Estimation of size at first maturity in two South African coral species

The corals Acropora austera and Platygyra daedalea have been the subject of extensive reproductive and population genetic studies in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (iSimangaliso), on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, eastern South Africa. Despite this, estimates of size at first maturity in these two species are lacking. This information could be used to provide a baseline to differentiate juveniles from adult sizes of corals, an important factor for assessing the condition of scleractinian communities in reefs. Here, we present the methods followed to provide such estimates for these two hard corals. Using generalised linear models and assuming knife-edge maturity (50% probability), it was estimated that A. austera from iSimangaliso matures at c. 15 cm mean colony diameter (MCD) (95% CI: 9.25–20.75 cm MCD) and P. daedalea matures at c. 7 cm MCD (95% CI: 4.55–8.39 cm MCD). These estimates were comparable to those for tropical species which is remarkable considering the high-latitude nature of the sampled reefs. It is expected that the findings from this study will assist in the assessment of reproduction, recruitment, survival and genetic variation in clonal organisms such as corals, and will provide a baseline to assess the effects of climate change on coral communities in the region.     

Coral bleaching and habitat effects on colonisation of reef fish assemblages: An experimental study

Degradation and mortality of corals is increasing worldwide and is expected to have significant effects on coral reef fish; hence studies on these effects are essential. In the present study, a field experiment was set up within Mafia Island Marine Park in Tanzania (East Africa) to examine the effects of bleaching and habitat structure on colonisation of coral reef fish assemblages. Live and bleached staghorn coral Acropora formosa was transplanted onto plots in a site dominated by sand and rubble, and the experimental design comprised of three treatments: live coral, bleached coral and eroded coral rubble. There was an immediate increase (within 24 h) in fish abundance and diversity in the two treatments with standing corals. Overall, live and bleached coral plots showed similar effects, but differed from the eroded coral plots which had a much lower abundance and diversity of fish. In general, fish species diversity changed with time over the study period while fish abundance did not. Multivariate analyses showed that while there were differences in fish assemblage structure between standing corals and the eroded coral treatment, there was neither a difference between live and bleached coral treatments nor any temporal effects on fish assemblage structure. Our findings suggest that physical structure and complexity of habitat have stronger effects on colonisation of reef fish assemblages than changes in coral health (such as bleaching) which do not affect coral structure. This may have important implications for appropriate coral reef management.     

Coral colonization by the encrusting excavating Caribbean sponge Cliona delitrix

The Caribbean sponge Cliona delitrix is among the strongest reef space competitors; it is able to overpower entire coral heads by undermining coral polyps. It has become abundant in reefs exposed to organic pollution, such as San Andrés Island, Colombia, SW Caribbean. Forty‐four sponge‐colonized coral colonies were followed‐up for 13 months to establish the circumstances and the speed at which this sponge advances laterally into live coral tissue and the coral tissue retreats. Cliona delitrix presence and abundance was recorded at seven stations to interpret current reef space and coral species colonization trends. The spread of C. delitrix on a coral colony was preceded by a band of dead coral a few millimeters to several centimeters wide. However, the sponge was directly responsible for coral death only when live coral tissue was within about 2 cm distance; coral death became sponge advance‐independent at greater distances, being indirectly dependent on other conditions that tend to accelerate its retreat. Cliona delitrix advanced fastest into recently killed clean coral calices; however, sponge spread slowed down when these became colonized by algae. The lateral advance of C. delitrix was slower than other Cliona spp. encrusting excavating sponges, probably owing to the greater depth of its excavation into the substratum. Cliona delitrix prefers elevated portions of massive corals, apparently settling on recently dead areas. It currently inhabits 6–9% of colonies in reefs bordering San Andrés. It was found more frequently in Siderastrea siderea (the most abundant local massive coral), which is apparently more susceptible to tissue mortality than other corals. Current massive coral mortality caused by C. delitrix could initially change the relative proportions of coral species and in the long‐term favor foliose and branching corals.     

亚龙湾西岸造礁石珊瑚种类多样性及恢复潜力分析

基于2018年12月在亚龙湾沿岸进行的13个站位的珊瑚礁调查,本文分析了该区域造礁石珊瑚的多样性、分布、覆盖率、死亡率和补充量。结果表明,亚龙湾西岸8个站位共发现造礁石珊瑚12科27属55种和11个未定种,其中蜂巢珊瑚科的种类最多,包括9属25种,其次为鹿角珊瑚科,包括3属17种。亚龙湾西岸各站位造礁石珊瑚种类数为12—33种,平均27种;覆盖率为2.8%—22.9%,平均12.9%;以丛生盔形珊瑚(Galaxea fascicularis)、同双星珊瑚(Diploastrea heliopora)和澄黄滨珊瑚(Poriteslutea)等团块状珊瑚为主要优势种;种类多样性和空间分布异质性都较高。与2010—2011年相比,亚龙湾西岸造礁石珊瑚平均覆盖率显著下降,优势种也有较大的变化,表明该海域的珊瑚礁已大幅衰退,这可能与偏高的悬浮物含量和沉积速率有关。不过,亚龙湾西岸造礁石珊瑚的补充量为1.6ind./m2,与周边海区相比,有相对较高的自然恢复潜力。     

海南铜鼓岭国家级自然保护区海域珊瑚的分布及其健康状况评价

沿铜鼓岭国家级自然保护区海岸南北两侧沿岸布设8个站位,采用断面监测法调查了珊瑚的种类多样性、覆盖率、死亡率和补充量等指标,并利用健康指数（CI）评估了铜鼓岭珊瑚礁生态系统的健康状况和遭受环境压力的程度.本次调查共发现铜鼓岭造礁石珊瑚11科23属40种,软珊瑚8种,造礁石珊瑚和软珊瑚覆盖率分别为13.8%和19.4%,该海域珊瑚礁生态系统保存较为完好和健康.铜鼓岭珊瑚的覆盖率呈现明显的空间分布特征,北侧珊瑚覆盖率为0.1%～9.8%之间,远低于南侧的水平（8.1%～66.1%）.从珊瑚补充量来看,铜鼓岭北侧珊瑚的恢复能力基本为零,而铜鼓岭以南的区域可以有0.4个/m^2珊瑚新个体.通过比较2006年以来珊瑚种类、覆盖率、死亡率、补充量、健康指数等方面的调查数据,认为铜鼓岭保护区的珊瑚礁生态系统得到有效保护,珊瑚礁生态系统处于健康状态.     

典型近岸退化珊瑚礁的成功修复案例——蜈支洲珊瑚覆盖率的恢复

在全球珊瑚礁生态系统面临退化威胁的情况下,珊瑚礁生态修复工作成为人类帮助珊瑚礁恢复健康的重要手段之一,并且在全球各个珊瑚礁区域都得到广泛应用.我国近岸珊瑚礁生态系统退化严重,本实验探讨利用珊瑚移植技术在三亚市蜈支洲岛典型的近岸珊瑚礁环境下恢复造礁石珊瑚的覆盖率,希望推动企业参与海洋生态保护并从中受益.在与当地旅游公司的...     

Whether to employ trade controls or fisheries management to conserve precious corals (Coralliidae) in the Northern Pacific Ocean

Precious corals (Coralliidae) have been a part of numerous aspects of human life and culture for several millennia. They differ from reef-building corals and primarily inhabit deep waters. Their characteristics of a slow renewal rate and high commercial value make them a frangible resource that is easily overexploited. Proposals to manage the main species with high commercial value through trade controls and listing in Appendix II were submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2007 and 2010. Two of the main arguments for the northern Pacific precious coral CITES proposal were the more than 60–80% decline of Corallium secundum and C. sp. nov. in landings since 1980s and lack of proper management. Although both proposals were rejected, they have sparked debates regarding the benefits of managing coral resources through trade controls and fisheries management. In this study, several arguments related to this topic on northern Pacific precious corals are presented, in the following three dimensions: (1) a reconstructed historical landing series from official FAO data and information on the history of coral fishing have scientifically indicated that the substantial decline in landings in the late 1980s was caused by the abandonment of fishing grounds and a shift in the target species; (2) enhanced management plans, which incorporate effective monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) measures, have been implemented in the two main countries that fish precious coral; and (3) the influence of socioeconomic factors must be considered when assessing CITES listing applications. Recommendations for achieving sustainable coral resource conservation are also provided.     

南沙群岛渚碧礁海域造礁石珊瑚群落特征

根据2007年5月的调查资料,对南沙群岛渚碧礁海域造礁石珊瑚的群落结构、种类组成、覆盖率和死亡率等进行了分析研究.鉴定出的造礁石珊瑚有74种,其中鹿角珊瑚科(Acroporidae)种类最多.渚碧礁海域造礁石珊瑚群落澙湖内外差别较大,澙湖内造礁石珊瑚覆盖率和健康状况明显优于澙湖外,但是两者的死亡率都较高.礁坪和澙湖的优势种不同且优势度较高(优势度>40%),其中细柱滨珊瑚(Porites cylindrica)在澙湖内占主导地位(优势度:47.20%),而澙湖外以疣状杯形珊瑚(Pocillopora verrucosa)为主导(优势度:54.88%).造礁石珊瑚大量死亡的原因可能是自然因素和人类活动共同造成的,必须加以关注.     

Coral reefs of the Glorieuses Islands,western Indian Ocean

The benthic fauna on reefs around the Glorieuses Islands, a small and protected Indian Ocean archipelago northwest of Madagascar, was surveyed in November 2015, focusing particularly on the orders Alcyonacea (soft corals and gorgonians) and Scleractinia (stony corals). The species richness of both groups was rather low for a protected, relatively pristine environment in the region. Though certain soft ‘fugitive’ alcyonacean species were noticeably abundant, other soft corals were rare. Sediment-tolerant faviid corals were abundant among the scleractinians. The sediment around the reefs was fine-grained and white, and appeared to be derived from abundant green macroalgae Halimeda and coralline seaweeds. The abundance of these, in turn, might have been attributable to nutrient enrichment from guano deposited on one of the islands by migratory seabirds, causing the aforementioned anomalies in coral biodiversity and abundance.     

Environmental factors shaping boring sponge assemblages at Mexican Pacific coral reefs

Recent studies suggest a future increase in sponge bioerosion as an outcome of coral reef decline around the world. However, the factors that shape boring sponge assemblages in coral reefs are not currently well understood. This work presents the results of a 17‐month assessment of the presence and species richness of boring sponges in fragments collected from living corals, dead coral reef matrix and coral rubble from Punta de Mita and Isabel Island, two coral reefs from the central coast of the Mexican Pacific Ocean. Both localities have a high cover of dead corals generated by past El Niño Southern Oscillation events, but Punta de Mita was also highly exposed to anthropogenic impacts. Additionally, environmental factors (water transparency, water movement, temperature, sediment deposition, SST, and chlorophyll concentration) were assessed to test the hypothesis that environmental conditions which are potentially harmful for corals can enhance sponge bioerosion. Isabel Island and Punta de Mita showed a similar species richness (13 and 11 species, respectively) but boring sponge presence in both live and dead corals was higher at Isabel Island (57.6%) than at Punta de Mita (35.7%). The same result was obtained when each type of substrate was analysed separately: dead coral reef matrix (81.3% versus 55.5%), coral rubble (47.7% versus 20.0%) and living corals (43.7% versus 31.7%). A principal components analysis showed a higher environmental heterogeneity at Punta de Mita, as well as important environmental differences between Punta de Mita and Isabel Island, due to sediment deposition (2.0 versus 0.2 kg·m^?2·d^?1) and water movement (24.5% versus 20.5% plaster dissolution day^?1), that were also negatively correlated with boring sponge presence (r = ?0.7). By analysing the boring sponge assemblage, we found that environmental settings, together with habitat availability (i.e., dead coral substrate) differentiated assemblage structure at both localities. Major structural differences were largely due to species such as Cliona vermifera, Cliona tropicalis and Aka cryptica. In conclusion, factors such as habitat availability favored the presence of boring sponges but some environmental factors such as abrasion resulting from moving sediment acted restrictively, and exerted a major role in structuring boring sponge assemblages in the Mexican Pacific.     

中—晚全新世高海平面的琼海珊瑚礁记录

采用精确的高程测量和高精度的TIMS铀系定年方法,对海南岛东部琼海青葛附近低潮时出露的原生死珊瑚和外礁坪上的活微环礁进行调查研究。调查结果表明,青葛附近外礁坪上的微环礁存在狭窄的生长上限(±8cm),位于最低低潮面上,是相当精确的海平面标志物。原生死珊瑚顶面与附近现代活微环礁顶面的高差数据和精确可靠的TIMS铀系年龄数据显示,5500~5200aBP (U/Th年龄,相对于2008年)时海平面至少高出现在(100±8) cm,真实的海平面很可能比现在高2.0~2.2m。总体上,5500~3500aBP期间海平面波动变化,波动幅度约为0.6m,且这种波动与气候波动有较好的对应性。4400~3900aBP期间琼海珊瑚礁的发育缺失很可能与此时的气候干冷有关。     

大亚湾浅水石珊瑚的分布现状及生态特点

2003年利用玻璃底桶和潜水员观察了大亚湾的珊瑚分布情况,发现湾北岸和湾中部9个岛屿均有较多珊瑚分布。采用珊瑚礁普查方法,对珊瑚密集分布区进行了19个断面调查,测得珊瑚的覆盖率介于7.5%—58.8%之间。大亚湾的珊瑚绝大多数为浅水石珊瑚,本次调查共鉴定出17种浅水石珊瑚,优势种为精巧扁脑珊瑚Platygyra daedalea、标准蜂巢珊瑚Favia speciosa、澄黄滨珊瑚Porites lutea、十字牡丹珊瑚Pavona decussate、盾形陀螺珊瑚Turbinaria peltata等8个种类。绝大多数珊瑚分布于2—4m水深范围内,最深可达7—8m,珊瑚分布的底质以砂和砾石为主。对大亚湾北岸珊瑚存在的原因进行探讨,建议对大亚湾的珊瑚做进一步调查,并采取保护措施。     

Coral Reef Community Structure at Caño Island, Pacific Costa Rica

Abstract. Around the Biological Reserve of Caño Island, Pacific Costa Rica, there are five large coral reef flats (with size ranges of 0.8–4.2 ha) built mainly of dead Pocillopora spp. At present, they are covered mainly by crustose coralline algae and microatolls of Porites lobata . From the upper reef slope to the reef base several corals grow in small patches (e. g., Pavona clavus, Pavona varians, Pavona gigantea, Gardineroseris planulata, Psammocora superficialis, Pocillopora elegans, Pocillopora damicornis); the massive coral Porites Iobata is predominant. Pocilloporid species are predominant on most other eastern Pacific reefs.
The Caño Island reef is typical of a community whose structure has been controlled by both physical (in shallow water) and biological (in deeper water) factors. Shallow reef areas are influenced by strong wave action and extreme low tides. The distribution, abundance, and feeding preferences of corallivorous organisms (e. g., Acanthaster planci, Arothron meleagris, Pseudobalistes naufragium, Quoyula monodonta) on the deeper reef suggest that most pocilloporids are affected and limited by them. Although there is no evidence of any predator on Porites lobata at Caño Island, the triggerfish Pseudobalistes naufragium breaks off fragments of the coral while searching for food. These fragments often survive to form new colonies. Together, this dispersal mechanism, rapid injury recovery, and high resistance to environmental stress seem to enhance the distribution and dominance of the massive coral Porites lobata at Caño Island.