Journal ArticleDOI
The importance of structural complexity in coral reef ecosystems
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TLDR
Quantitative analyses of existing data indicate a strong negative relationship between structural complexity and algal cover, which may reflect the important role complexity plays in enhancing herbivory by reef fishes, and structural complexity should be incorporated into monitoring programs and management objectives.Abstract:
The importance of structural complexity in coral reefs has come to the fore with the global degradation of reef condition; however, the limited scale and replication of many studies have restricted our understanding of the role of complexity in the ecosystem. We qualitatively and quantitatively (where sufficient standardised data were available) assess the literature regarding the role of structural complexity in coral reef ecosystems. A rapidly increasing number of publications have studied the role of complexity in reef ecosystems over the past four decades, with a concomitant increase in the diversity of methods used to quantify structure. Quantitative analyses of existing data indicate a strong negative relationship between structural complexity and algal cover, which may reflect the important role complexity plays in enhancing herbivory by reef fishes. The cover of total live coral and branching coral was positively correlated with structural complexity. These habitat attributes may be creating much of the structure, resulting in a collinear relationship; however, there is also evidence of enhanced coral recovery from disturbances where structural complexity is high. Urchin densities were negatively correlated with structural complexity; a relationship that may be driven by urchins eroding reef structure or by their gregarious behaviour when in open space. There was a strong positive relationship between structural complexity and fish density and biomass, likely mediated through density-dependent competition and refuge from predation. More variable responses were found when assessing individual fish families, with all families examined displaying a positive relationship to structural complexity, but only half of these relationships were significant. Although only corroborated with qualitative data, structural complexity also seems to have a positive effect on two ecosystem services: tourism and shoreline protection. Clearly, structural complexity is an integral component of coral reef ecosystems, and it should be incorporated into monitoring programs and management objectives.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
The effect of coral restoration on Caribbean reef fish communities
TL;DR: The early stages of fish colonization after outplanting A. cervicornis are demonstrated, providing insight into how restoration can cause rapid change in fish abundance, richness, and community composition.
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Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) a new emerging contaminant - First evidence of GRP impact on aquatic organisms.
TL;DR: In mussels, particulate glass and plastics were detected in the digestive tubules and gills, with a suite of inflammatory features observed in all examined organs, and the potential implications for severe localized impact of GRP on aquatic environment are discussed.
Journal ArticleDOI
The complexity of calculating an accurate carbonate budget
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the traditional chain-and-tape (CT) method with remote sensing data to quantify reef topographic complexity, or rugosity, and assess implications of methodological approach for carbonate production estimates.
Journal ArticleDOI
Rapid coral reef assessment using 3D modelling and acoustics: acoustic indices correlate to fish abundance, diversity and environmental indicators in West Papua, Indonesia
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors collected audio and video imagery using low-cost underwater cameras (GoPro Hero7™) from 34 reef samples from West Papua (Indonesia) using photogrammetry one camera was used to generate 3D models of 4 m2 reef, the other camera is used to estimate fish abundance and collect audio to generate acoustic indices.
Journal ArticleDOI
Fine-scale foraging behavior reveals differences in the functional roles of herbivorous reef fishes.
TL;DR: It is found that movements and space use range from low frequency foraging bouts separated by short distances and tight turns across a small area, to high frequency, far‐ranging forays separated by wide sweeping turns, suggesting that species assemblages may be considerably less redundant than previously thought.
References
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Book ChapterDOI
Organisms as ecosystem engineers
TL;DR: The role that many organisms play in the creation, modification and maintenance of habitats does not involve direct trophic interactions between species, but they are nevertheless important and common.
Journal ArticleDOI
Confronting the coral reef crisis
TL;DR: The ecological roles of critical functional groups (for both corals and reef fishes) that are fundamental to understanding resilience and avoiding phase shifts from coral dominance to less desirable, degraded ecosystems are reviewed.
Journal ArticleDOI
Long-Term Region-Wide Declines in Caribbean Corals
Toby A. Gardner,Toby A. Gardner,Isabelle M. Côté,Jennifer A. Gill,Jennifer A. Gill,Alastair Grant,Andrew R. Watkinson,Andrew R. Watkinson +7 more
TL;DR: Although the rate of coral loss has slowed in the past decade compared to the 1980s, significant declines are persisting and the ability of Caribbean coral reefs to cope with future local and global environmental change may be irretrievably compromised.
Journal ArticleDOI
Ecological goods and services of coral reef ecosystems
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify ecological goods and services of coral reef ecosystems, with special emphasis on how they are generated, and the consequences of human impacts on coral reefs are also discussed, including loss of resilience or buffer capacity.