Diurnal variability in turbidity and coral fluorescence on a fringing reef flat: Southern Molokai,Hawaii

Terrigenous sediment in the nearshore environment can pose both acute and chronic stresses to coral reefs. The reef flat off southern Molokai, Hawaii, typically experiences daily turbidity events, in which trade winds and tides combine to resuspend terrigenous sediment and transport it alongshore. These chronic turbidity events could play a role in restricting coral distribution on the reef flat by reducing the light available for photosynthesis. This study describes the effects of these turbidity events on the Hawaiian reef coral Montipora capitata using in situ diurnal measurements of turbidity, light levels, and chlorophyll fluorescence yield via pulse-amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorometry. Average surface irradiance was similar in the morning and the afternoon, while increased afternoon turbidity resulted in lower subsurface irradiance, higher fluorescence yield (ΔF/F_m^′), and lower relative electron transport rates (rETR). Model calculations based on observed light extinction coeffecients suggest that in the absence of turbidity events, afternoon subsurface irradiances would be 1.43 times higher than observed, resulting in rETR for M. capitata that are 1.40 times higher.     

Quantifying the impact of watershed urbanization on a coral reef: Maunalua Bay,Hawaii

Human activities in the watersheds surrounding Maunalua Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, have lead to the degradation of coastal coral reefs affecting populations of marine organisms of ecological, economic and cultural value. Urbanization, stream channelization, breaching of a peninsula, seawalls, and dredging on the east side of the bay have resulted in increased volumes and residence time of polluted runoff waters, eutrophication, trapping of terrigenous sediments, and the formation of a permanent nepheloid layer. The ecosystem collapse on the east side of the bay and the prevailing westward longshore current have resulted in the collapse of the coral and coralline algae population on the west side of the bay. In turn this has lead to a decrease in carbonate sediment production through bio-erosion as well as a disintegration of the dead coral and coralline algae, leading to sediment starvation and increased wave breaking on the coast and thus increased coastal erosion. The field data and resulting coral reef ecohydrology model presented in this paper demonstrate and quantify the importance of biophysical processes leading to coral reef degradation as the result of urbanization. Coral restoration in Maunalua Bay will require an integrated ecosystem approach.     

Spatio-temporal variability of benthic macroalgae in a coral reef system highly influenced by fluvial discharge: Veracruz,Gulf of Mexico

The Veracruz Reef System, in the southern Gulf of Mexico, is a suitable area for the study of the temporal and spatial variability of macroalgae abundance, at reef settings influenced by the fluvial discharge of the Jamapa River, and by human activities in the city and port of Veracruz. With this purpose, the bottom cover of each morpho-functional group of benthic macroalgae (frondoses, turf, and crustose corallines), and hermatypic corals, was determined at ten selected coral reefs, on a seasonal basis (rainy and dry seasons), for the 2009–2015 period. The average cover of benthic macroalgae was high (53.1%), with turf as the dominant morpho-functional group (31.9%), as in several reef ecosystems in the tropical Atlantic, followed by crustose corallines (15.2%), and frondoses (6.1%). Although turf macroalgae is dominant, due to their high temporal and spatial variability, the Veracruz Reef System could not be considered to be in a stable state, but just in an intermediate unstable equilibrium state, which is highly influenced by a high sediment load. As expected, nearshore reefs presented higher macroalgae covers, and unexpectedly, the outer-shelf reefs presented the highest cover of frondoses. Despite fluvial discharge influence, no differences in cover were found between the rainy and dry seasons. There was a negative and significantly correlation between the cover of frondoses and turf, which suggests that the driver/s of the abundance of these macroalgae, act in opposite ways for each group. Three clusters of reefs, defined by community structure and conservation degree, were determined: nearshore or degraded, offshore or moderately conserved, and conserved; and the entire Veracruz Reef System is considered to be in a moderately state of conservation.     

Size matters: experimental partitioning of the strength of fish herbivory on a fringing coral reef in Moorea,French Polynesia

While the importance of top‐down control by grazers in maintaining tropical reef community structure is well known, the effect of ‘fishing down the food web’, which simultaneously changes the abundance and size of herbivorous fishes, has received less attention. As many fishing practices target the biggest fish and regulations often set minimum size limits, understanding size‐dependency of this controlling force is important. We evaluated the hypothesis that reduction in the abundance and size of fish, regardless of species identity, reduces the role of herbivory in controlling algal abundance on reefs and assessed variation in efficacy of this top‐down control on different types of common macroalgae. We quantified herbivory rates within cages of differing opening sizes on assemblages of four common algal species (Padina boryana, Dictyota bartayresiana, Halimeda opuntia and Galaxaura fasciculata) on two fringing reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia. Small acanthurids (<15 cm length) were the dominant herbivorous fish while other herbivorous fish were rare. For the two most palatable algae, the majority of herbivory occurred in open plots, with herbivory reduced by >50% in the largest opening cages (6 × 6 cm) where the maximum size fish entering was 12 cm in length (mean = 7.6, SE = 0.4). Fish entering medium (4.5 × 4.5 cm openings, maximum fish length = 8 cm, mean = 6.3, SE = 0.4) and small (3 × 3 cm openings, no fish observed entering) cages had herbivory rates approximately equal to the control treatment (1 × 1 cm openings). Consumption varied among algal species, with minimal consumption of physically and chemically defended algae and no pattern across treatments. Our results demonstrate a need for management plans to not only maintain the overall abundance of herbivorous fish but to protect the largest sizes for effective top‐down control of algal communities.     

基于放射性核素的沉积物源识别技术探索与优化以红树林−海草床−珊瑚礁系统为例

物质来源是沉积学研究的关键问题。沉积地球化学是沉积学的重要研究手段,放射性核素在沉积地球化学中的应用探索仍较为匮乏。本研究利用高纯锗γ谱仪同时测量红树林、海草床、珊瑚礁三大典型生态系统的沉积物中天然放射性核素（²³⁸U、²²⁶Ra、²²⁸Ra、⁴⁰K）,分析3种生态系统的沉积物中放射性核素分布特征,探索基于放射性核素的一维视角下活度特征、二维视角下核素对与活度比值、三维视角下三角图解的指纹表征技术,识别沉积物中不同物质的来源,并尝试推广至中国不同海域。本研究强调三维指纹表征技术—基于核素活度的²³⁸U-²³²Th(²²⁸Ra)-⁴⁰K/10三角图解可以综合展示3种放射性核素的活度大小、组成比例、空间分布等信息,指出²³⁸U-²³²Th(²²⁸Ra)-⁴⁰K/10三角图解可能是沉积物中物源识别的一种优化方法,可为沉积地球化学研究中的现有代用指标工具库提供有益补充。     

A new coral reef province in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia: Colonisation, growth and submergence during the early Holocene

Multibeam sonar mapping, drill cores and underwater video data have confirmed the existence of a previously unknown coral reef province in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Seven reefs, comprised of coral limestone that support living corals have been mapped so far and as many as 50 other reefs may exist in the region. U/Th ages show that reef growth commenced shortly after limestone pedestals were submerged by rising sea level around 10.5 kyr BP, making them the oldest Holocene reefs known in Australia. Reef growth persisted for ~ 2.0 kyr but it had ceased at most locations by ~ 7.0 kyr BP. Measurements of reef growth rates (0.95 to 4 m kyr^− 1), indicate that the reefs were unable to keep pace with contemporaneous rapid sea level rise (> 10 m kyr^− 1), which is consistent with a “give up” reef growth history. Core samples from reef platforms demonstrate that Pleistocene limestone is exposed at depths of 27 and 30 m below present mean sea level. These depths represent regionally significant phases of reef growth during a prolonged sea level still stand. We conclude that the reefs are therefore mostly relict features, whose major phase of growth and development relates to an earlier, pre-Holocene sea level still stand.     

Impact of hydrographic parameters and seasonal variation in sediment fluxes on coral status at Chumbe and Bawe reefs,Zanzibar, Tanzania

Coral reefs which are an important resource to coastal communities and nation at large are adversely affected by rate of sediment flux to the reefs. However, there is little information on seasonal trend in sediment flux and its impact at the reefs off Zanzibar. Two years’ monthly data on sedimentation at Chumbe and Bawe reefs were used to assess seasonal variability in sediment flux and its implication on the coral status. Sediment flux to the Bawe reefs for the duration of the study ranged from 0.2 to 41.5 mg cm⁻² d⁻¹, while it ranged from 0.8 to 65.8 mg cm⁻² d⁻¹ at the Chumbe reefs. Sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs were highest between November and March, while they were highest between April and September at Chumbe reefs. Generally, sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs were low compared to those at Chumbe. The total sediment input to the reefs ranged from 4615 to 123,403 kg d⁻¹ for Bawe reefs and 2750 to 79,636 kg d⁻¹ for Chumbe reefs. High sediment fluxes at Bawe reefs between November and March; and the Chumbe reefs between April and September can be attributed to water currents and wind pattern in the east African region which are under the influence of the monsoons. The observed trend suggests that the period for coral transplant as a management option for the two sites should be different. Coral transplant can be undertaken in such a way that stress of the corals due to sedimentation can be felt after they have overcome stress from transplant process and temperature. The results from this study contribute to the much needed information for coral transplant, restoration, and management.     

Experimental analysis of recruitment patterns of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds: Effects of substrate type, shape, and rigidity

Habitat choice of reef fish larvae at settlement is one of the mechanisms proposed to explain spatial patterns in the distribution of fishes and the corresponding spatial structure of communities. Field experiments using Pomacentridae were conducted at Iriomote Island, southern Japan, in order to determine if rare recruitment of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds is due to larval settlement preference. When three types of natural patch treatments (branching coral patch, seagrass patch, and control without patches) were established in cleared seagrass squares in the center of a seagrass bed, four pomacentrid species, Amblyglyphidodon curacao, Dischistodus prosopotaenia, Cheiloprion labiatus, and Dascyllus aruanus, recruited exclusively onto the coral patches, indicating that larvae distributed in the seagrass bed may have preferred a coral rather than seagrass substrate as a settlement habitat. The effects of differences in physical shape (grid structure for branching coral vs. vertical structure for seagrass leaves) and rigidity (rigid substrate for coral vs. flexible substrate for seagrass) between coral and seagrass substrates on such recruitment patterns were investigated using artificial coral and seagrass units. When artificial habitat units with predator exclusion cages were established in the cleared seagrass squares as above, high densities of A. curacao and D. prosopotaenia recruits were observed on the rigid rather than flexible habitat units (both unit types having similar shape), whereas differences in recruit numbers of the two species were unclear in differently shaped units. These results demonstrated that even though pomacentrid larvae are distributed in the seagrass bed, they do not settle on the seagrass substrate owing to their habitat choice being partially based on a preference for substrate rigidity. Moreover, non-recruitment of C. labiatus and D. aruanus on artificial habitat units suggested that the presence of living coral substrates rather than physical shape/rigidity of substrates are an important cue for habitat choice of these fishes.     

A study of coral reef resilience and implications of adaptive management and rehabilitation in Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam

The Province of Khanh Hoa, Vietnam, is located in the western South China Sea and boasts a shoreline of 385 km and many islands. Previous studies have indicated the extreme diversity and abundance of coral reefs in its waters as compared with other coastal provinces of Vietnam. A study on the resilience of coral reefs against increased surface water temperature and anthropogenic impact is conducted at 19 reef sites in 2015. At each site, a series of parameters (e.g., coral covers, genus diversity, and coral recruitment, substratum heterogeneity, depth, water exchange level, and sediment deposit and water temperature) are measured quantitatively or semi-quantitatively. The measured data are rated based on the relationship between the parameter values and coral susceptibility; the consideration that reef health reflects the biological capability to adapt to environmental changes and the recruitment potential if bleached; and positive or negative influences of physical factors in the mitigation of thermal stress and protecting corals from bleaching. A cumulative analysis enables researchers to divide the studied reefs into four categories based on varying levels of reef health to support resilience, recovery, and vulnerability in the case of increased water temperature. Relevant management interventions for each category and other supporting activities are suggested to enhance management effectiveness and to plan the rehabilitation of coral reefs for biodiversity conservation and touristic development, taking into account the involvement of related stakeholders.     

Changes of coral communities over 35 years: Integrating in situ and remote-sensing data on Saint-Leu Reef (la Réunion, Indian Ocean)

Monitoring coral reef communities at a decadal scale is necessary to understand and project their dynamics to provide a basis for reef management in light of disturbances and climate change. Complementing infrequent and localised in situ observations, time-series of aerial photographs and remotely sensed satellite images provide a means of monitoring the position and extent of reef-top coral communities, vegetation and abiotic substrata at the whole reef scale. The aim of the present study was to map such changes on Saint-Leu Reef (La Réunion) between 1973 and 2007. The period included two cyclones (1989, 2002) and one severe bleaching event (2002). Vertical images of the reef were recorded in five aerial photographs (1973, 1978, 1989, 1997, and 2003) and two Quickbird satellite images (2002, 2006) during that time. Quantitative in situ observations of parts of the reef-top were also available both to document ecological and substratum characteristics that produce the color and texture observable in the photos and satellite images. Coral communities were mapped on all images using manual delineation of polygons identified according to color and texture contrast. The 2006 Quickbird image was used as the mapping base and 15 types of coral communities were identified from a reef survey conducted in 2007. This hierarchical typology used coral growth forms, live and dead coral cover, macro-algae, substratum (sand, rubble and platform) and, to a lesser extent, coral taxonomy. The polygons at date t were over-laid onto image t − 1 across the whole series and their boundaries were manually edited to match the pattern on the earlier image. Labelling of polygons was guided by field-survey data and maps. For coral-dominated patches, six successive pairs of maps from 1973 to 2006 were compared to produce ‘coral community change maps’ for that period. Despite the multiple disturbance events, the coral community distribution and composition in 2006 on Saint-Leu Reef did not display major differences compared to 1973. This suggests a high degree of coral resilience at the site, led by rapid recovery of compact branching corals. The mapping techniques overcame challenges due to different image quality and the sparsity of in situ observations in time and space. Our results demonstrate the potential for further application of reef monitoring protocols based on complementary in situ and remote-sensing data to help understand the dynamics of reef-top coral reef communities and geomorphology over years to decades.     

Climate change and coral reef bleaching: An ecological assessment of long-term impacts,recovery trends and future outlook

Since the early 1980s, episodes of coral reef bleaching and mortality, due primarily to climate-induced ocean warming, have occurred almost annually in one or more of the world's tropical or subtropical seas. Bleaching is episodic, with the most severe events typically accompanying coupled ocean–atmosphere phenomena, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which result in sustained regional elevations of ocean temperature. Using this extended dataset (25+ years), we review the short- and long-term ecological impacts of coral bleaching on reef ecosystems, and quantitatively synthesize recovery data worldwide. Bleaching episodes have resulted in catastrophic loss of coral cover in some locations, and have changed coral community structure in many others, with a potentially critical influence on the maintenance of biodiversity in the marine tropics. Bleaching has also set the stage for other declines in reef health, such as increases in coral diseases, the breakdown of reef framework by bioeroders, and the loss of critical habitat for associated reef fishes and other biota. Secondary ecological effects, such as the concentration of predators on remnant surviving coral populations, have also accelerated the pace of decline in some areas. Although bleaching severity and recovery have been variable across all spatial scales, some reefs have experienced relatively rapid recovery from severe bleaching impacts. There has been a significant overall recovery of coral cover in the Indian Ocean, where many reefs were devastated by a single large bleaching event in 1998. In contrast, coral cover on western Atlantic reefs has generally continued to decline in response to multiple smaller bleaching events and a diverse set of chronic secondary stressors. No clear trends are apparent in the eastern Pacific, the central-southern-western Pacific or the Arabian Gulf, where some reefs are recovering and others are not. The majority of survivors and new recruits on regenerating and recovering coral reefs have originated from broadcast spawning taxa with a potential for asexual growth, relatively long distance dispersal, successful settlement, rapid growth and a capacity for framework construction. Whether or not affected reefs can continue to function as before will depend on: (1) how much coral cover is lost, and which species are locally extirpated; (2) the ability of remnant and recovering coral communities to adapt or acclimatize to higher temperatures and other climatic factors such as reductions in aragonite saturation state; (3) the changing balance between reef accumulation and bioerosion; and (4) our ability to maintain ecosystem resilience by restoring healthy levels of herbivory, macroalgal cover, and coral recruitment. Bleaching disturbances are likely to become a chronic stress in many reef areas in the coming decades, and coral communities, if they cannot recover quickly enough, are likely to be reduced to their most hardy or adaptable constituents. Some degraded reefs may already be approaching this ecological asymptote, although to date there have not been any global extinctions of individual coral species as a result of bleaching events. Since human populations inhabiting tropical coastal areas derive great value from coral reefs, the degradation of these ecosystems as a result of coral bleaching and its associated impacts is of considerable societal, as well as biological concern. Coral reef conservation strategies now recognize climate change as a principal threat, and are engaged in efforts to allocate conservation activity according to geographic-, taxonomic-, and habitat-specific priorities to maximize coral reef survival. Efforts to forecast and monitor bleaching, involving both remote sensed observations and coupled ocean–atmosphere climate models, are also underway. In addition to these efforts, attempts to minimize and mitigate bleaching impacts on reefs are immediately required. If significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved within the next two to three decades, maximizing coral survivorship during this time may be critical to ensuring healthy reefs can recover in the long term.     

Floating and fixed artificial habitats: Spatial and temporal patterns of benthic communities in a coral reef environment

While natural marine habitats with motion capabilities, e.g., kelps and seaweeds, have been studied alongside their associated fouling communities, little is known of the effect of motion on the communities of floating artificial habitats such as buoys, rafts, and pontoons, particularly in tropical systems. Hydrodynamic features greatly differ between floating and fixed artificial substrata, which in turn affect the structure of their associated communities. This study tested the hypothesis that floating and fixed artificial installations in a tropical reef system (Eilat, Red Sea) would support different benthic communities throughout space and time. Specifically, we examined differences in communities recruited onto settlement plates between floating and fixed installations deployed at three different sites, along a two-year monitoring period. The three sites exhibited distinct differences in species assemblages between the monitoring dates (6, 12, 18 and 24 months post deployment), mainly between the first and the last two dates. The average level of dissimilarity between floating and fixed installations increased over time at all sites. Over 50% of the dissimilarity between the floating and fixed installations resulted from five taxonomic groups i.e., bryozoans, bivalves, barnacles, sponges, including the amount of bare space on the settlement plates. The contribution of these groups to the dissimilarity changed both temporally within each site, and spatially among sites. The observed differences were related to the hydrodynamic characteristics of floating and fixed habitats, interacting with biotic features such as predation, successional processes and seasonality; and abiotic features including small-scale spatial changes, light, and position in the water column.     

深水浊流形成过程的水动力学模拟:以南海北部琼东南盆地浊流形成过程为例

Turbidity currents represent a major agent for sediment transport in lakes, seas and oceans. In particu-lar, they formulate the most significant clastic accumulations in the deep sea, which become many of the world＇s most important hydrocarbon reservoirs. Several boreholes in the Qiongdongnan Basin, the north-western South China Sea, have recently revealed turbidity current deposits as significant hydrocarbon res-ervoirs. However, there are some arguments for the potential provenances. To solve this problem, it is es-sential to delineate their sedimentary processes as well as to evaluate their qualities as reservoir. Numerical simulations have been developed rapidly over the last several years, offering insights into turbidity current behaviors, as geologically significant turbidity currents are difficult to directly investigate due to their large scale and often destructive nature. Combined with the interpretation of the turbidity system based on high-resolution 3D seismic data, the paleotophography is acquired via a back-stripping seismic profile integrated with a borehole, i.e., Well A, in the western Qiongdongnan Basin; then a numerical model is built on the basis of this back-stripped profile. After defining the various turbidity current initial boundary conditions, includ-ing grain size, velocity and sediment concentration, the structures and behaviors of turbidity currents are investigated via numerical simulation software ANSYS FLUENT. Finally, the simulated turbidity deposits are compared with the interpreted sedimentary bodies based on 3D seismic data and the potential provenances of the revealed turbidites by Well A are discussed in details. The simulation results indicate that a sedimen-tary body develops far away from its source with an average grain size of 0.1 mm, i.e., sand-size sediment. Taking into account the location and orientation of the simulated seismic line, the consistence between normal forward simulation results and the revealed cores in Well A indicates that the turbidites should ha     

单向流定床床面上水平管道周围流场与切应力分布特性

采用简化PIV方法,对悬空比G为0～1.6的单向流定床床面上水平圆柱绕流进行了系统的试验研究.通过对试验资料的分析,给出了圆柱绕流时的流场图和无量纲的床面、横管顶部和横管底部切应力的变化图,讨论了切应力随悬空比、管径、流速和水深的变化趋势.作者的研究成果有利于进一步研究海底管道的冲刷机理和冲刷坑的形成,进而有针对性的进行管道保护,减少管道破坏失效.     

亚热带珊瑚礁海域枯水季pCO2的分布特征及CO2汇源转换机制-以深圳杨梅坑海域为例

由于存在极高的初级生产和高效的碳代谢速率, 珊瑚礁海域二氧化碳(CO₂)的汇/源属性仍存有争议。为明晰中国典型珊瑚礁海域CO₂的汇源属性及驱动因素, 作者基于2022年11月(秋季)和2023年2月(冬季)在深圳杨梅坑海域的调查结果并结合室内培养实验所获得的数据, 探究了枯水季节典型亚热带珊瑚礁海水二氧化碳分压(pCO₂)的分布特征及主要控制机制。结果表明, 调查期间pCO₂的变化较大, 其范围为233.3~465.3 μatm。秋季表现为大气CO₂的汇, CO₂吸收通量为1.66±0.41 mmol C/(m²/d);冬季表现为大气CO₂的弱源, 其释放通量为0.36±0.17 mmol C/(m²/d)。调查期间(枯水季)杨梅坑海域受淡水输入的影响较小, 季节性温度影响下的生物过程是驱动pCO₂变化的关键因素, 其贡献pCO₂总变化量的73.6%(表层)和66.5%(底层)。其中, 浮游植物光合作用的季节差异是导致海水CO₂汇源转变的主要成因, 而微生物呼吸作用的影响甚微。相比较, 物理过程(CO₂海-气交换、温度和盐度变化)对pCO₂的影响相对较小, 其作用结果远低于生物过程。此外, 珊瑚的代谢活动对杨梅坑局部海域pCO₂分布产生一定影响, 造成礁区pCO₂值高于非礁区。因此, 海气CO₂通量估算中不能忽视局部海域珊瑚代谢作用的影响。     

Effects of irradiance on benthic and water column processes in a Gulf of Mexico estuary: Pensacola Bay, Florida, USA

We examined the effect of light on water column and benthic fluxes in the Pensacola Bay estuary, a river-dominated system in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Measurements were made during the summers of 2003 and 2004 on 16 dates distributed along depth and salinity gradients. Dissolved oxygen fluxes were measured on replicate sediment and water column samples exposed to a gradient of photosynthetically active radiation. Sediment inorganic nutrient (NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, PO₄³⁻) fluxes were measured. The response of dissolved oxygen fluxes to variation in light was fit to a photosynthesis–irradiance model and the parameter estimates were used to calculate daily integrated production in the water column and the benthos. The results suggest that shoal environments supported substantial benthic productivity, averaging 13.6 ± 4.7 mmol O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹, whereas channel environments supported low benthic productivity, averaging 0.5 ± 0.3 mmol O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ (±SE). Estimates of baywide microphytobenthic productivity ranged from 8.1 to 16.5 mmol O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹, comprising about 16–32% of total system productivity. Benthic and water column dark respiration averaged 15.2 ± 3.2 and 33.6 ± 3.7 mmol O₂ m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively Inorganic nutrient fluxes were generally low compared to relevant estuarine literature values, and responded minimally to light exposure. Across all stations, nutrient fluxes from sediments to the water column averaged 1.11 ± 0.98 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ for NH₄⁺, 0.58 ± 1.08 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ for NO₃⁻, 0.01 ± 0.09 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ for PO₄³⁻. The results of this study illustrate how light reaching the sediments is an important modulator of benthic nutrient and oxygen dynamics in shallow estuarine systems.