BIODIVERSITY of CORAL REEFS - CNRS
BIODIVERSITY of CORAL REEFS - CNRS
BIODIVERSITY of CORAL REEFS - CNRS
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Groupement De Recherche International (GDRI)<br />
«BIODIVERSITE DES RECIFS <strong>CORAL</strong>LIENS»<br />
International Research Network<br />
«<strong>BIODIVERSITY</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>CORAL</strong> <strong>REEFS</strong>»<br />
Restitution Workshop <strong>of</strong> GDRI<br />
«Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> corals reefs»<br />
December 18-20th, 2013<br />
Paris, Aquarium de la porte dorée, France
Photographie Thomas Vignaud
Welcome<br />
GDRI Restitution Workshop<br />
December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France<br />
We are delighted and pleased to welcome you to the final restitution workshop <strong>of</strong> the GDRI (International<br />
Research Network) entitled «Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs» sponsored by the National Center <strong>of</strong> Scientific<br />
Research (<strong>CNRS</strong>), the Center <strong>of</strong> Insular Research and Environment Observatory (CRIOBE), the Total<br />
Foundation, the Labex «CORAIL» and the Aquarium de la Porte Dorée.<br />
We would like to thank many people for their time and help to support and organize this event. We also<br />
would like to thank all the participants from France but also from foreign countries that are attenting this<br />
workshop. We also hope that the scientific network established during this event will promote a fruitful<br />
interaction between young scientifics, that will definitely contribute to implement knowledge on the<br />
biodiversity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs in the coming years.<br />
This workshop will provide on overview <strong>of</strong> the research performed on coral reefs. The topics <strong>of</strong> this GDRI<br />
workshop entitled «Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs» are:<br />
- Axe 1 : Fragmentation, resilience et vulnerability <strong>of</strong> coral reef ecosystems<br />
- Axe 2 : Diversity <strong>of</strong> physiological processes in calcifying organisms<br />
- Axe 3 : Impact <strong>of</strong> micro-organisms on the function <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
- Axe 4 : Chemical mediation in coral reefs<br />
- Axe 5 : Economical evaluation, patrimonial value and governance<br />
We would like to thank you all for your participation to this event and we hope that this international<br />
network that was generated by the GDRI «Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> Coral reefs» will not end with this restitution<br />
workshop, but in contrary that this event will create and/or reinforce the links among scientists from various<br />
disciplinaries and will hopefully last for years.<br />
Best Regards<br />
Serge Planes<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> the CRIOBE
Vue aérienne du CRIOBE à Moorea, Polynésie française<br />
Centre de Recherches Insulaires et<br />
OBservatoire de l’Environnement
Organizing Committee<br />
GDRI Restitution Workshop<br />
December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France<br />
Dr Serge Planes<br />
<strong>CNRS</strong> Research Director<br />
Director <strong>of</strong> the CRIOBE<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence<br />
«CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
Dr. Serge Planes has been involved in the study <strong>of</strong> population<br />
genetics <strong>of</strong> marine fish since the beginning <strong>of</strong> his career that<br />
started with his PhD in 1989. His early work suggested that<br />
coral reef fish populations are much more limited in space<br />
than was generally believed prior to the early 90’s. Most <strong>of</strong> the<br />
recent work using both genetic markers and other techniques<br />
has confirmed Dr. Planes’ view that marine populations<br />
conform to a stepping stone model, with limited gene flow<br />
occurring between adjacent populations and most renewal<br />
being from self-recruitment. Significant works have<br />
demonstrated the predominance <strong>of</strong> self-recruitment, using<br />
parentage analysis. This view has major implications for<br />
conservation planning. Over the past 20 years, he has<br />
published more than 150 papers in international journals<br />
dealing with the population genetics <strong>of</strong> coral reef fishes as<br />
well as ecology, ecology <strong>of</strong> marine protected areas and<br />
recruitment <strong>of</strong> marine fishes.<br />
Presently Dr. Serge Planes is directing the CRIOBE (USR<br />
3278 <strong>CNRS</strong> EPHE) as well as the Institute for Coral Reef <strong>of</strong><br />
the Pacific (IRCP) and the LABEX “CORAIL” awarded in 2011<br />
for 10 years, this being the major structural framework for<br />
research on coral reef ecology in France.<br />
Dr Laetitia Hédouin<br />
<strong>CNRS</strong> Researcher<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence<br />
«CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
Laetitia graduated her PhD degree in 2006 from the University<br />
<strong>of</strong> La Rochelle. Her PhD research investigated the<br />
characterization <strong>of</strong> tropical organisms as bioindicators <strong>of</strong><br />
metal pollution in the lagoon <strong>of</strong> New Caledonia. After that,<br />
she joined the laboratory <strong>of</strong> Dr RD Gates at the Hawaii<br />
Institute <strong>of</strong> Marine Biology as postdoctoral fellow funded by<br />
the Local Action Strategy <strong>of</strong> Hawaii and the United Stated<br />
Geological Survey. She worked on the developement <strong>of</strong><br />
indicators <strong>of</strong> coral health, using changing in coral ecology,<br />
physiology and histology as tool to identify which tools or set<br />
<strong>of</strong> tools are the most appropriate to investigate change in<br />
corals impacted by land-based pollution. She also worked on<br />
the response <strong>of</strong> corals to metal toxicity assessing whether<br />
adults or early life stages are the most senstive to stress.<br />
In 2010, she joined the Center <strong>of</strong> Insular Research and<br />
Environment Observatory (CRIOBE) as a postdoctoral fellow,<br />
and in 2011 she was hired by the <strong>CNRS</strong> as researcher to<br />
work at the CRIOBE. Since then, she is working in French<br />
Polynesia on the response <strong>of</strong> corals to various stressors,<br />
using either sexual reproduction as an indicator <strong>of</strong> coral<br />
health, or as a tool to better understand the resistance <strong>of</strong><br />
coral throughout their life cycle.
Photographie Thomas Vignaud
Special Guest<br />
GDRI Restitution Workshop<br />
December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France<br />
Dr René Bally<br />
Research Director at the <strong>CNRS</strong>, René Bally was director <strong>of</strong> the Direction <strong>of</strong> Research Programs and Capacity-Building for<br />
the development in South countries (DPF) <strong>of</strong> AIRD (Agence Inter-établissements de Recherche pour le Développement),<br />
from 2011 to 2013.<br />
Former Deputy Scientific Director <strong>of</strong> the Institute <strong>of</strong> Ecology and Environment at the <strong>CNRS</strong>, in charge <strong>of</strong> the biodiversity,<br />
ecology <strong>of</strong> health and ultra-marine from 2009 to 2011, he was also Deputy Scientific Director at the department <strong>of</strong> Life<br />
Sciences and at the department <strong>of</strong> Environment and sustainable development <strong>of</strong> <strong>CNRS</strong> from 2006 to 2009.<br />
From 1999 to 2003, he was the director <strong>of</strong> the Federative Institute <strong>of</strong> Research Sciences and Methods <strong>of</strong> Ecology and<br />
Evolution (IFR 41) at the University <strong>of</strong> Lyon 1 and at the INSA <strong>of</strong> Lyon. From 2003 to 2011, he led the research unit <strong>of</strong><br />
Microbial Ecology (UMR 5557 <strong>CNRS</strong> INRA-University Lyon 1- National School <strong>of</strong> Veterinary <strong>of</strong> Lyon), specialized in the<br />
study <strong>of</strong> microbial ecosystems and their role in the interaction <strong>of</strong> micro-organisms-plants. In 2003, he was the Director <strong>of</strong> the<br />
interdisciplinary research program “Fundamental Microbiology “ <strong>of</strong> the <strong>CNRS</strong>.<br />
Author <strong>of</strong> more than 120 scientific articles and 3 patents, he isolated and characterized many “rhizospheric bacteria” and<br />
studied the mechanisms <strong>of</strong> interactions with their host. Among his main results, he discovered the first “bacterial laccase”,<br />
one bacterial inhibitor <strong>of</strong> parasite plants <strong>of</strong> cereals, and developed several bacterial inoculants to improve the growth <strong>of</strong><br />
plants (especially cereals).<br />
René Bally took actively part to the works <strong>of</strong> the “alliances Aviesan and AllEnvi”, he was an expert in the working group<br />
Toxicology-Ecology <strong>of</strong> the Minister <strong>of</strong> Research and in the working group <strong>of</strong> the Foundation for Research on Biodiversity<br />
(FRB). He is a member <strong>of</strong> numerous scientific committees (CS <strong>of</strong> Lascaux) and steering committees programs (ANR,<br />
<strong>CNRS</strong>).
GDRI «<strong>BIODIVERSITY</strong> OF <strong>CORAL</strong> <strong>REEFS</strong>», 18-20 December 2013<br />
PROGRAM<br />
GDRI Restitution Workshop<br />
December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France<br />
MERCREDI 18TH DECEMBER 2013<br />
TIME Topic Presenter<br />
9.30 am Registration and C<strong>of</strong>fee<br />
10.00 am Welcome and Official Opening<br />
11.00 am Axis 1. Fragmentation, resilience and connectivity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
12.30 am Lunch<br />
Scale, function and resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
Herbivory, diversity, and the resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reef ecosystems:<br />
beyond functional groups<br />
Generalist vs specialist species in the fragmentation and<br />
resilience debate<br />
Kirsty Nash<br />
Thomas Adam<br />
Michel Kulbicki<br />
2.00 pm Life on the edge: Optimal temperatures for aerobic performance<br />
<strong>of</strong> equatorial reef fishes are close to current day temperatures<br />
4.00 pm C<strong>of</strong>fee Break<br />
The vulnerability framework indicates alternative global protection<br />
priorities for coral reef fishes<br />
Pattern <strong>of</strong> morpho-functional diversification <strong>of</strong> damselfishes<br />
(Pomacentridae)<br />
The behavioural ecology <strong>of</strong> reef sharks<br />
A ten year study <strong>of</strong> individual-based genetic monitoring reveals<br />
the importance <strong>of</strong> self-recruitment for persistence <strong>of</strong> reef fish<br />
populations<br />
The origin and evolution <strong>of</strong> Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity, as<br />
illustrated by comparative phylogeography <strong>of</strong> ophiruroids and<br />
hydroids<br />
Jodie Rumer<br />
Valeriano Parravicini<br />
Bruno Frederich<br />
Johann Mourier<br />
Océane Salles<br />
Emilie Boissin<br />
4.30 pm Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 1: where we are, where we go?<br />
5.30 pm End<br />
7 -9 pm Welcoming Buffet in the Aquarium de la Porte Dorée
GDRI «<strong>BIODIVERSITY</strong> OF <strong>CORAL</strong> <strong>REEFS</strong>», 18-20 December 2013<br />
PROGRAM<br />
GDRI Restitution Workshop<br />
December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France<br />
THURSDAY 19TH DECEMBER 2013<br />
TIME Topic Presenter<br />
8.30 am Axis 2. Diversity <strong>of</strong> physiological processes in calcifying organisms<br />
10.00 am C<strong>of</strong>fee Break<br />
Study <strong>of</strong> coral biomineralization via stable isotope labeling and<br />
NanoSIMS ion-microprobe imaging<br />
Photosynthesis and calcification <strong>of</strong> the hermatypic coral<br />
Acropora muricata facing global change and anthropogenic<br />
impacts<br />
Corals going beyond borders, characteristics and role <strong>of</strong> highlatitudes<br />
coral communities<br />
Caribbean Scleractinian corals: larval development and<br />
settlement<br />
Chloé Brahmi<br />
Anne Chauvin<br />
Vianney Denis<br />
Jean-Philippe Maréchal<br />
10.30 am Sexual reproduction in coral : a strategy to adapt to change? Lola Massé<br />
Fluorescent census and DNA barcoding: useful tools for the<br />
identification <strong>of</strong> coral recruits<br />
Rythmic monthly planulation <strong>of</strong> scleractinian corals in captivity<br />
Hsu Chia-Min<br />
Isabelle Domart-Coulon<br />
11.30 am Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 2: where we are, where we go?<br />
12.30 am Lunch<br />
2.00 pm Axis 3. Impact <strong>of</strong> micro-organisms on the function <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
& Axis 4. Chemical mediation in coral reefs<br />
4.00 pm C<strong>of</strong>fee break<br />
Partitioning <strong>of</strong> Coral-Symbiodinium interactions across taxa,<br />
location and environment<br />
Origine <strong>of</strong> the symbiosis in tropical corals and evolution in a<br />
changing environment<br />
Unusual algal symbionts in Symbiodinium clade D dominate<br />
Montipora circumvallata, a resilient coral species on an<br />
exposed reef flat at Réunion Island<br />
A global metabolomic approach to discriminate stressed from<br />
heallthy corals<br />
Metabolomic as a tool to investigate abiotic stress on hard<br />
corals<br />
Hollie Putnam<br />
Leila Meistertzheim<br />
Mireille Guillaume<br />
Fahoullia Mohamadi<br />
Isabelle Bonnard<br />
4.30 pm Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 3 & 4 : where we are, where we go?<br />
5.30 pm End
GDRI «<strong>BIODIVERSITY</strong> OF <strong>CORAL</strong> <strong>REEFS</strong>», 18-20 December 2013<br />
PROGRAM<br />
GDRI Restitution Workshop<br />
December 18-20, 2013, Paris, France<br />
FRIDAY 20TH DECEMBER 2013<br />
TIME Topic Presenter<br />
10.00 am Axis 5. Economical evaluation, patrimonial value and governance<br />
11.00 am C<strong>of</strong>fee Break<br />
The achievements <strong>of</strong> the axis 5: The contributions <strong>of</strong> the<br />
humanities and social sciences to the GDRI biodiversity <strong>of</strong><br />
coral reefs<br />
Modeling coastal socio-ecological systems: application to the<br />
coral reef ecosystem <strong>of</strong> Moorea Island, French Polynesia<br />
Popular nomenclature and perceptions <strong>of</strong> seabeds and<br />
gorgonian corals among workers <strong>of</strong> the sea in Guadeloupe<br />
island (French West Indies)<br />
Nathalie Hilmi<br />
Pierre Leenhardt<br />
Véronique Philippot<br />
11.30 am Discussion and Synthesis on Axis 5: where we are, where we go?<br />
12.30 am Lunch<br />
2.00 pm General discussion and synthesis<br />
4.00 pm End
GDRI «<strong>BIODIVERSITY</strong> OF <strong>CORAL</strong> <strong>REEFS</strong>», 18-20 December 2013<br />
Presenters to the GDRI Workshop<br />
This GDRI event entitled «Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> Coral Reefs» will be the final restitution workshop for scientists in Paris,<br />
18-20 december 2013. This restitution wish to promote the input <strong>of</strong> the GDRI into its action towards young scientists<br />
involved in each partners. Therefore this final workshop provide the opportunity to young researchers (PhD students,<br />
postdoctoral researchers, and young faculty members) from France and other countries to discuss their research on<br />
coral reefs. The goal <strong>of</strong> this workshop will be to provide a synthesis <strong>of</strong> the coral reef research related to the 5 topics <strong>of</strong><br />
the GDRI but also to enhance international networking and encouraging collaborative research for those in the early<br />
stages <strong>of</strong> their career.<br />
The topics <strong>of</strong> this GDRI workshop entitled «Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs» are:<br />
- Axe 1 : Fragmentation, resilience et vulnerability <strong>of</strong> coral reef ecosystems<br />
- Axe 2 : Diversity <strong>of</strong> physiological processes in calcifying organisms<br />
- Axe 3 : Impact <strong>of</strong> micro-organisms on the function <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
- Axe 4 : Chemical mediation in coral reefs<br />
- Axe 5 : Economical evaluation, patrimonial value and governance
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Adam Thomas<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Biological Sciences, University <strong>of</strong> Miami, Florida, United States<br />
I am a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department <strong>of</strong> Biological Sciences at Florida International<br />
University in Miami, Florida. My research aims to understand the ecological and physical processes<br />
that structure coral reef ecosystems, especially those that facilitate or prevent recovery <strong>of</strong> these systems<br />
to a coral-dominated state following disturbances. I am currently working in two systems, one in the<br />
Caribbean and one in the Indo-Pacific, which <strong>of</strong>fer complementary perspectives. In the Pacific, I am<br />
studying the processes that confer resilience to the coral reefs in Moorea, French Polynesia, which have<br />
repeatedly recovered from major disturbances during the past several decades. In contrast, my work in<br />
the Caribbean is aimed at better understanding the factors that have prevented coral recovery on many<br />
reefs throughout the region during the same time period. Work in both systems highlights the critical<br />
role <strong>of</strong> herbivory, and much <strong>of</strong> my research has focused on understanding the impacts <strong>of</strong> herbivorous<br />
fishes on benthic communities.<br />
Herbivory, diversity, and the resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reef ecosystems: beyond functional<br />
groups<br />
Herbivores on coral reefs can prevent the establishment and proliferation <strong>of</strong> macroalgae that hinder the re-colonization <strong>of</strong> corals following a<br />
disturbance. On most coral reefs, algae are grazed by a diverse assemblage <strong>of</strong> herbivorous fishes and invertebrates. While much progress<br />
has been made in elucidating the unique functional roles played by these different herbivores, very little is known about how herbivores<br />
respond to disturbance—including the level <strong>of</strong> response diversity present within different functional groups. Here, I use a case study <strong>of</strong> a<br />
resilient coral reef in Moorea, French Polynesia to highlight the dynamic nature <strong>of</strong> herbivory on coral reefs. I then outline a conceptual<br />
framework that reveals the critical importance <strong>of</strong> understanding links between herbivore functional and response diversity for predicting the<br />
resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reef ecosystems.<br />
Dr Boissin Emilie<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying the current distribution <strong>of</strong><br />
biodiversity. I use an array <strong>of</strong> disciplines (phylogeny, phylogeography and population genetics) and<br />
methodologies to study the triggers <strong>of</strong> diversification. The role <strong>of</strong> life history traits on genetic diversity<br />
and speciation processes has been a big component <strong>of</strong> my studies through the diverse array <strong>of</strong> larval<br />
type (brooding species, species with lecithotrophic or planktothrophic larvae) and mode <strong>of</strong> reproduction<br />
(sexual: selfing and outcrossing; and asexual: clonality) <strong>of</strong> the models I studied. More recently, I<br />
investigated the effects <strong>of</strong> palaeoclimatic changes and linked sea-level fluctuations on genetic diversity. I<br />
started on single species studies and now turned towards comparative multispecies approaches to avoid<br />
biases linked to generalization from single species. I worked on various organisms (fishes, crustaceans,<br />
echinoderms, hydrozoans, fungi and wasps) but now focus on more understudied groups: ophiuroids<br />
and hydroids.<br />
The origin and evolution <strong>of</strong> Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity as illustrated by comparative<br />
phylogeography <strong>of</strong> ophiuroids and hydroids<br />
In recent years, an increasing number <strong>of</strong> studies emphasized the need to conserve not only biodiversity but the processes that created it.<br />
However, deciphering such processes can be hampered by cryptic diversity. Sister species and recent speciation events represent, nevertheless,<br />
the insurance that signals have not been blurred over time by other mechanisms. By revealing cryptic diversity, large scale DNA barcoding<br />
surveys are therefore a prerequisite to any attempt to understand the dynamics <strong>of</strong> biodiversity. Here, I present an overview <strong>of</strong> our work on<br />
Indo-Pacific ophiuroids and hydroids using DNA barcoding and a comparative phylogeography framework. This work has highlighted the<br />
respective roles <strong>of</strong> oceanography, palaeoclimatic fluctuations and dispersal abilities on diversification patterns. It also emphasized (i) the<br />
problems arising from cryptic diversity when trying to decipher patterns <strong>of</strong> biodiversity and (ii) the importance <strong>of</strong> obtaining a temporal<br />
perspective using coalescent-based methods. The southwestern Indian Ocean was revealed as an evolutionary hotspot for both hydroids and<br />
ophiuroids and the Indo-Pacific barrier appears to have acted as a speciation pump through the Plio-Pleistocene epoch. This work set the<br />
foundations for a starting project on fire corals, Millepora spp. I will stress the exciting new possibilities arising from recently developed<br />
methodologies in the testing <strong>of</strong> different putative scenarios explaining Indo-Pacific biodiversity patterns.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Bonnard Isabelle<br />
Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
Laboratoire de Chimie des Biomolécules et de l’Environnement , Perpignan, France<br />
Isabelle Bonnard obtained her academic degrees and PhD (in 1996) from the University <strong>of</strong> Perpignan<br />
after a specialization in marine chemistry at the University <strong>of</strong> Brittany. In the continuity <strong>of</strong> her thesis on<br />
the isolation and structural detemination <strong>of</strong> laxaphycins, marine cyclic lipopeptides from cyanobacterial<br />
origine (under the supersvision <strong>of</strong> Dr Bernard Banaigs and Pr<strong>of</strong>. Christian Francisco), she joined the<br />
team <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>. Kenneth Rinehart, at the University <strong>of</strong> Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (USA), for a<br />
postdoctoral period (1997-1998), working on new saponins from holothuries and studying<br />
configurational structure <strong>of</strong> the marine depsipeptide Kahalalide F. She appointed as lecturer in 1998 at<br />
the University <strong>of</strong> La Réunion, developping marine natural products isolation from diverse marine<br />
organisms <strong>of</strong> the Mascareign Area and structural elucidation <strong>of</strong> isolated compounds. Then she moved<br />
in 2004 at the "Chimie des Biomolécules et de l'Environnement" laboratory, University <strong>of</strong> Perpignan<br />
Via Domitia (UPVD), focusing her research interest on chemical ecology. She is currently chairing the<br />
Department <strong>of</strong> Chemistry at the UPVD.<br />
Metabolomics as a tool to investigate abiotic stress on hard corals<br />
Amongst all –omics technologies, metabolomics is the most transversal and widely applicable to different organisms <strong>of</strong> all those reviewed.<br />
Metabolites reflect the integration <strong>of</strong> gene expression, protein interaction and other different regulatory processes.<br />
In this project, we focused our interest on reef builder hard corals living in symbiosis with microalgae (the zooxanthella). Periods <strong>of</strong> stress<br />
usually resulted in perturbation or symbiosis disruption which can be visualized by coral bleaching. The metabolome observation must make<br />
it possible to propose an image <strong>of</strong> the holobionte’s physiological condition and to characterize the variations <strong>of</strong> the physiological condition<br />
in response to environmental stressors . Our goal is to use a metabolomic approach to highlight the metabolite implication in the response <strong>of</strong><br />
hard corals to environmental perturbations. Two stress experiments in aquaria were conducted on Stylophora pistillata and analyzed using<br />
metabolomic tools. A light stress experiment was performed by the Centre Scientifique de Monaco and a thermal stress was<br />
conducted in the aquarium <strong>of</strong> Canet en Roussillon. Liquid chromatography separation with mass spectrometer detection was<br />
used to collect metabolic fingerprints <strong>of</strong> corals hydroalcoolic and organic extracts. Then metabolic pr<strong>of</strong>iles were processed by<br />
XCMS pre-treatment tool and various statistical analysis (ACP, PLS-DA). Preliminary results show that the metabolomic tool<br />
can be successfully applied to define metabolic markers shifted during experimental stress.<br />
Dr Brahmi Chloe<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
UMR 7159 IPSL-Ocean, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), France<br />
I am currently a postdoctoral research at the IRD (Bondy, France). I completed my PhD work at the<br />
“Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle” in 2012 (Paris, France). My work focused on the biological<br />
mechanisms involved in coral skeleton formation (i.e., biomineralization), with the observation <strong>of</strong> trace<br />
element composition heterogeneities at the level <strong>of</strong> individual coral polyp skeletal structures and their<br />
correlation to differences in skeletal extension rate and tissue composition. Then, I redirected my postdoctoral<br />
research to work on the impacts <strong>of</strong> boring micro-organisms (i.e., euendolithic micro-algae, fungi,<br />
cyanobacteria) on structural and geochemical composition <strong>of</strong> coral skeleton, as these endolithic organisms,<br />
via their metabolic and calcifying activities, may affect coral geochemical signatures. The main aim <strong>of</strong> these<br />
studies is to better understand the impact <strong>of</strong> “vital effects” and secondary alterations due to early diagenesis<br />
(here, micro-bioerosion) on structural and geochemical composition <strong>of</strong> aragonitic corals in order to fully<br />
constrain the origin <strong>of</strong> the significant elemental and isotopic heterogeneities observed within their skeleton<br />
which are known to bias paleo-environmental reconstructions. In turn, this should help improving their<br />
reliability as tools for climate change studies.<br />
Study <strong>of</strong> coral biomineralization via stable isotope labeling and NanoSIMS ion microprobe<br />
imaging<br />
Scleractinian corals build aragonitic calcium carbonate skeletons (CaCO3). The processes by which the skeletal microstructures and<br />
composition are controlled are still poorly understood. One obstacle has been the lack <strong>of</strong> a method to study the growth dynamics on the submicrometer<br />
length scales on which individual structural components form. An experimental method to label marine biocarbonates - with<br />
high spatial and temporal resolution - was developed based on a concentration enrichment <strong>of</strong> a minor stable isotope <strong>of</strong> a trace element (a<br />
natural component <strong>of</strong> seawater). This biocarbonate was subsequently imaged with a NanoSIMS ion microprobe to visualize the locations <strong>of</strong><br />
the isotopic marker, permitting resolution <strong>of</strong> all ultra-structural details. Ecotoxicological assays performed on labeled corals indicated that<br />
physiological processes were not perturbed by the experimental procedures.<br />
The method opens up new horizons in the study <strong>of</strong> biocarbonate formation because it holds the potential to observe growth <strong>of</strong> calcareous<br />
structures formed by a wide range <strong>of</strong> organisms under essentially unperturbed physiological conditions.<br />
!
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Chauvin Anne<br />
PhD Student<br />
Ecomar - FRE <strong>CNRS</strong> 3560, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», La Réunion, France<br />
I am currently a PhD student at the Marine Ecology lab (ECOMAR) <strong>of</strong> the University <strong>of</strong> La Réunion<br />
in the southwestern <strong>of</strong> Indian Ocean. I will defend my PhD early December 2013. I work on coral reefs<br />
ecology and particularly on interactions between global change and anthropogenic impacts on<br />
photosynthesis and calcification. I worked on the response <strong>of</strong> coral calcification to ocean acidification at<br />
the level <strong>of</strong> Acropora muricata nubbins from two nutrient enrichment sites. I followed over one year<br />
period the photosynthesis <strong>of</strong> Acropora muricata along a nutrient gradient. I worked with pH and<br />
pCO2 sensors to calculate metabolism budgets at the reef flat scale.<br />
Photosynthesis and calcification <strong>of</strong> the hermatypic coral Acropora muricata facing<br />
global change and anthropogenic impacts<br />
Coral reefs are globally threatened by (1) global change that is reflected in global warming and ocean acidification causing a decrease in<br />
seawater aragonite saturation state Ω Arag, and (2) at the local level by anthropogenic impacts, including increased nutrient inputs in the<br />
environment. The key processes <strong>of</strong> these ecosystems, photosynthesis and calcification, will be increasingly disturbed. In an attempt to assess<br />
the impact <strong>of</strong> these changes on coral reefs and the major reef-builders organisms, two studies have been conducted in the fringing reef <strong>of</strong><br />
La Saline (Réunion Island, Southwestern Indian Ocean). The first one tested the response <strong>of</strong> the zooxanthellate scleractinian coral<br />
Acropora muricata to experimental acidification conditions at two sites naturally contrasted in terms <strong>of</strong> nutrient enrichment. Corals living<br />
in nutrient-enriched sites seem more resistant to acidification. A second study assessed for one year the photosynthetic performances <strong>of</strong> the<br />
same coral species along a natural gradient in nutrients. Zooxanthellae photosynthetic capacity (Fv/Fm) slightly decreases in summer due to<br />
the increase in temperature, but is not affected by nutrient enrichment.<br />
Dr Denis Vianney<br />
National Science Council Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan<br />
My research interests are broad, but ultimately I focus on the effects <strong>of</strong> environmental changes on the<br />
coral reef communities, and on the underlying mechanisms <strong>of</strong> coral's resistance and resilience to<br />
disturbances. I obtained my PhD in 2011 on the acclimatization and adaption capacities <strong>of</strong> reef corals<br />
to global warming and anthropogenic disturbances. Since 2012, I have been working on the evolution<br />
<strong>of</strong> the interactions between the different functional groups <strong>of</strong> the coral communities and the variation<br />
<strong>of</strong> coral population performance in different habitats/regions along the Kuroshio Current. I have a<br />
specific interest on corals “going beyond borders” i.e. species successfully colonizing and/or expanding<br />
areas outside the traditional limits commonly assumed for coral reefs distribution. In particular, I am<br />
interested in identifying the driving processes for these species to survive environmental extremes. We<br />
know that coral reefs will undergo major modifications in the coming decades. However, the extend to<br />
which coral reef system will be affected and which species will successfully survive this modern period<br />
<strong>of</strong> extensive human pressure are still unclear, hence the object <strong>of</strong> my study.<br />
Corals going beyond borders, characteristics and roles <strong>of</strong> high-latitudes coral<br />
communities<br />
The role <strong>of</strong> the high-latitudes coral communities has recently emerged as an important facet <strong>of</strong> the coral reef conservation. Aside <strong>of</strong><br />
insuring a continuity for the reefs at low latitudes, they have indeed the potential to act as refuges for tropical species. Marginal areas could<br />
further play a major role in the production and exportation <strong>of</strong> diversity, and support the resilience <strong>of</strong> tropical coral reef ecosystems. Here,<br />
we will review our current knowledge on high-latitudes coral communities with a specific focus on their characteristics and role in the context<br />
<strong>of</strong> climate change. From our observation and work along the Kuroshio Region, we will report major environmental changes occurring in this<br />
area and discuss the possible causes and consequences <strong>of</strong> such rapid modifications. We will present our on-going work to identify<br />
characteristics <strong>of</strong> those coral species colonizing/expanding areas beyond the usual limit <strong>of</strong> the coral distribution, and we will see how these<br />
species may further contribute in supporting global coral reef diversity. Finally, we will see that while stringent protection <strong>of</strong> areas where<br />
corals can develop can be prioritized in those areas, this can also have catastrophic consequences for the native ecosystem. In conclusion, we<br />
will discuss the need to re-think conservation priorities in a latitudinal context and the problem rising from emblematic species such as corals.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Domart-Coulon Isabelle<br />
Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor<br />
UMR 7245 <strong>CNRS</strong>-MNHN ‘MCAM’<br />
Isabelle Domart-Coulon is an Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essor (Maitre de Conférences - HDR) at the Département<br />
‘Régulations, Développement et Diversité Moléculaire’<strong>of</strong> the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle,<br />
Paris, France, in the laboratory UMR 7245 <strong>CNRS</strong>-MNHN ‘MCAM’. She has a Masters’ degree in<br />
Biochemistry (Research Engineering diploma from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon)<br />
and a PhD in Marine Cell Biology from the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon, France, with<br />
Habilitation (HDR) from Université Paris-Sud (Orsay). She is curator <strong>of</strong> the French national Porifera<br />
collection deposited at the MNHN. She did doctoral work with Pr. D. Doumenc at the Museum<br />
National d’Histoire Naturelle, and postdoctoral work on coral with Pr. GK Ostrander at Johns Hopkins<br />
University and University <strong>of</strong> Hawaii, as well as a postdoc at the Centre Scientific de Monaco (D.<br />
Allemand). She studies animal cell interactions with microorganism and biominerals in corals and<br />
sponges, in the context <strong>of</strong> reef symbioses.<br />
Rythmic monthly planulation <strong>of</strong> scleractinian corals in captivity*<br />
Colonies <strong>of</strong> the Indo-Pacific reef-building scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus 1758) cultured in aquarium settings are able<br />
to brood and release mature planulae larvae. The origin <strong>of</strong> these planulae and factors triggering their release are still a matter <strong>of</strong> debate.<br />
Emissions <strong>of</strong> planula larvae were recorded over successive years from Pocillopora damicornis colonies grown for more than 3 years in<br />
closed-circuit artificial conditions at the Aquarium Tropical, Palais de la Porte Dorée, Paris, France. Although the colonies were grown with<br />
a stable photoperiod and in the absence <strong>of</strong> moonlight, emissions <strong>of</strong> planulae followed a monthly rhythm, with a peak occurring a few days<br />
before full moon. The number (but not the size) <strong>of</strong> planulae released each month was dependent on the size <strong>of</strong> the colony nubbins and<br />
especially their tissue coverage. Implications <strong>of</strong> these results for the existence <strong>of</strong> endogenous controls over coral reproduction are discussed.<br />
*Domart-Coulon I, Lecointe A, Gilis M, Galois J-D, Joumier S, Luys N & Hignette M<br />
Dr Guillaume Mireille<br />
Lecturer<br />
Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Milieux et Peuplements Aquatiques, UMR<br />
<strong>CNRS</strong>-MNHN-UPMC-IRD BOrEA, 61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris.<br />
Mireille M.M. GUILLAUME, PhD in Oceanography (1988, Aix-Marseilles University), is Lecturer at<br />
the National Museum for Natural History (MNHN), Paris, seconded to the Réunion University<br />
(2004-2012). Curator <strong>of</strong> coral collections <strong>of</strong> the MNHN, CITES expert on corals for the Ministry for<br />
Ecology and customs (1991-2009), coordinator <strong>of</strong> the “ZNIEFF” marine inventory for the French<br />
Overseas Departments (1995-2009), government representative to international conventions<br />
(UNESCO, CBD, CITES). My research focuses on the evolution <strong>of</strong> coral communities in the South-<br />
West Indian Ocean and the resilience and adaptation capacity <strong>of</strong> reef corals to anthropogenic and<br />
climatic stresses. I am involved in assessing Marine Protected Areas effectiveness for coral reef<br />
management and conservation (La Réunion) but also I applied my ecological knowledge to paleoenvironnemental<br />
reconstructions (Eritrea, Glorieuses Is.). I presently lead a programme on coral<br />
suceptibility to bleaching at the Eparses Islands and on coral regeneration and reproduction at Réunion<br />
vs Guadeloupe (LabEx Corail).<br />
Unusual algal symbionts in Symbiodinium clade D dominate Montipora circumvallata, a<br />
resilient coral species on an exposed reef flat at Réunion Island *<br />
The genetic identity <strong>of</strong> symbiotic zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.) can play a significant role in determining the ability <strong>of</strong> reef corals to<br />
survive temperature anomalies, with some symbionts in Symbiodinium clade D having been shown to increase the thermotolerance <strong>of</strong> their<br />
coral hosts. In April 2007 we surveyed the symbiont communities in a population <strong>of</strong> M. circumvallata from the Kiosque reef flat at Saint-<br />
Leu reef, Réunion Island. This exposed site receives high influx <strong>of</strong> oceanic water and maintains the highest coral diversity recorded at<br />
Réunion, among which M. circumvallata represents ~10% <strong>of</strong> living coral cover. We sampled upper and lower parts <strong>of</strong> ten coral colonies,<br />
used established methods (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis <strong>of</strong> the amplified Internal Transcribed Spacer-2 region <strong>of</strong> ribosomal<br />
DNA) and found a new Symbiodinium D-type, D16, dominated these corals. The preference <strong>of</strong> M. circumvallata to host D16 appears to be<br />
unique to this species (307 samples <strong>of</strong> 36 additional species show D16 to occur only once) and may have contributed to its resilience. This<br />
occurrence is unexpected in an exposed setting, as high water flow is considered to reduce temperature variability and decrease the potential<br />
for acclimation, resulting in corals that are less tolerant to temperature anomalies. The dominance <strong>of</strong> Symbiodinium D-types may represent<br />
relics <strong>of</strong> temperature anomalies experienced by M. circumvallata. M. circumvallata populations at Réunion have been affected recurrently<br />
by bleaching events. This species now dominates shallow reef flat communities where coral diversity has eroded over time. These<br />
observations suggest that this resilient species may become an important component <strong>of</strong> future coral communities in the region as the impacts<br />
<strong>of</strong> climate change continue.<br />
*Guillaume M.M.M., Boonstra R.K., Guérin F.J., Denis V., Bruggemann J.H. & Baker A.C.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Hilmi Nathalie<br />
Environmental Economist<br />
Scientific Center Of Monaco, Monaco<br />
Dr N. Hilmi is a specialist in Macroeconomics and International Finance. Her PhD dissertation was on<br />
«The real dimension <strong>of</strong> the global and regional integrations process: the case <strong>of</strong> Turkey » obtained in<br />
2000, with honours. Then she passed the Post Doctoral Degree for Ph.D Supervision with a dissertation<br />
on “A multidisciplinary pathway towards sustainable development” in 2011. Recently, she joined the<br />
Centre Scientifique de Monaco as environmental economist and participated in the creation <strong>of</strong> a new<br />
research group, The Monaco Environment and Economics Group. This has been established between<br />
the Scientific Centre <strong>of</strong> Monaco and the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories to develop linkages<br />
between environmental science and economics, so as to better evaluate the socioeconomic extent <strong>of</strong><br />
impacts and costs for action versus inaction, with regard to carbon emissions. On the basis <strong>of</strong> the<br />
outcomes <strong>of</strong> the workshop “Bridging the gap between ocean acidification impacts and economic<br />
valuation” held in Monaco the 16-18 November 2010, she was in charge <strong>of</strong> the coordination for the<br />
preparation and organization <strong>of</strong> the follow-up workshop in November 2012. Next workshop<br />
“Economics <strong>of</strong> Ocean Acidification” will be in November 2014. Since it has been launched, she<br />
participated in the GDRI “Coral reefs biodiversity” as co-coordinator <strong>of</strong> the Axis 5.<br />
The achievements <strong>of</strong> the axis 5: The contributions <strong>of</strong> the humanities and social sciences<br />
to the GDRI BIodiversity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
The axis 5 <strong>of</strong> the GDRI "Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> coral reefs " focuses on three study themes: protecting biodiversity and multiplicity <strong>of</strong> actors ,<br />
governance <strong>of</strong> biodiversity and management <strong>of</strong> protected areas and biosphere reserves , and economic evaluation <strong>of</strong> reef management . It<br />
is a transverse axis aiming at transmitting the results obtained in the other axes to policymakers and stakeholders. The group was very<br />
dynamic and has produced interesting actions, including participation in national and international conferences, articles and obtaining EU<br />
funding for the project BEST entitled « <strong>CORAL</strong> <strong>REEFS</strong> IN A CHANGING WORLD - Ecosystemic services from coral reefs : public<br />
policy tools for decision-making in New Caledonia and French Polynesia (OCT)”. After conducting a critical analysis <strong>of</strong> the methods <strong>of</strong><br />
ecosystem services valuation that leads to a new methodology, we seek to model ecosystem services in connection with the coral with<br />
emphasis on methods / policy interface for an integrated management <strong>of</strong> spaces and territories.<br />
Hsu Chia-Min<br />
PhD Student<br />
Institute <strong>of</strong> Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia<br />
Sinica, Taipae, Taiwan<br />
Mr. Chia-Min (Garmin) Hsu is a PhD candidate studying on coral reef ecology, photophysiology, and<br />
reproduction biology in Institute <strong>of</strong> Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan. He was<br />
supervised by Dr. CA Chen and obtained his master degree in 2007 with thesis- “Temporal and<br />
photophysiological variations <strong>of</strong> symbiont communities in the reef-building coral, Isopora palifera ”.<br />
Then, he continues his PhD focusing on the thermal effects on the Symbiodinium shuffling through<br />
temporal and spatial scales by monitoring tagged coral colonies with photosynthetic responses to coral<br />
bleaching. Recently, he and his colleagues start a coral recruitment project and try to identify coral spats<br />
on settlement plates by combination <strong>of</strong> fluorescence census and DNA-barcoding techniques in<br />
southern Taiwan. This technique will facilitate the traditional identification to increase taxonomic<br />
resolution in the early coral life stage and can be very helpful in estimating the resilience among coral<br />
reefs with different anthropogenic stressors.<br />
Understanding fine-scale recruitment via flurorescence census and molecular<br />
identification<br />
Coral recruitment is a critical process for maintaining coral population and supporting the resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reefs. Early studies on coral<br />
recruitment focused essentially on the patterns <strong>of</strong> connectivity and larval dispersal. Relationship between recruitment and adult assemblages,<br />
spatio-temporal variation, and post-settlement mortality/ growth/ competition became then the main axes <strong>of</strong> research in this field. In situ<br />
fluorescence census has only been introduced recently to help with the coral recruits’ detection and the analysis <strong>of</strong> fine scale temporal<br />
pattern. However, the difficulty remains in accurately identify coral recruits. To date, most <strong>of</strong> the studies are limited to analyses at the family<br />
level due to the lack <strong>of</strong> skeleton characters for accurate identification <strong>of</strong> coral recruits, and the diversity <strong>of</strong> coral assemblages in many<br />
regions around the world. Here, we present a novel method to identify recruits by combining fluorescent census detection with genetic<br />
markers. Using COI barcoding, 90.3% (224/248) <strong>of</strong> recruits from 150 plates at 9 reefs <strong>of</strong> Kenting National Park in Taiwan were identified<br />
into Acropora, Isopora, Montipora, Pocillopora, Porites, and Pavona. PaxC further separated I. cuneata and I. palifera <strong>of</strong> Isopora from<br />
Acropora, and ORF could identify species <strong>of</strong> Pocillopora (except P. meandrina and P. eydouxi). Further molecular markers will be developed<br />
in future for coral recruits’ identification and a better understanding <strong>of</strong> the role <strong>of</strong> this critical life process in the resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reefs.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Kulbicki Michel<br />
Researcher Director<br />
UR 227 CoReUs, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Banyuls sur mer, France<br />
I work mainly on reef fishes. My major interests are in macro-ecology, biogeography and their<br />
applications to local and regional management. More recently I started to analyze the ecology <strong>of</strong><br />
Lessepsian species (species invading the Mediterranean from the Red Sea). I worked for 23 years in the<br />
South Pacific and came back to France in 2005. I lead at present an international group, GASPAR,<br />
which is focused on the diversity <strong>of</strong> reef fish and its consequences on ecological processes, from the<br />
local to the global scale. I also work on the trophic relationships <strong>of</strong> reef fish, mainly using stable isotopes<br />
<strong>of</strong> C and N as well as an extensive data base on reef fish diets. I also work on sampling methodologies,<br />
in particular on the biases linked to underwater visual censuses and their consequences on<br />
standardizing data from numerous sources.<br />
Generalist versus specialist species in the fragmentation and resilience debates*<br />
Fragmentation and resilience are major concerns in today's ecology. A common hypothesis is that generalist species are better adapted to<br />
changes than are specialist species. Therefore as fragmentation increases one would expect a decrease in the proportion <strong>of</strong> specialists, and<br />
similarly one would expect resilient systems to have a high proportion <strong>of</strong> generalist species. Generalization may concern many aspect <strong>of</strong><br />
species. Here we will consider 3 types <strong>of</strong> generalization: trophic, habitat and behaviour. We will then test if the proportion <strong>of</strong> generalist<br />
species and abundance changes along a gradient <strong>of</strong> connectivity and <strong>of</strong> species richness. Indeed connectivity is strongly linked to<br />
fragmentation and it is commonly proposed that resilience increases with species richness as there are more and more species per functional<br />
group as species richness increases. We intend to show that generalist species tend to have wide geographical ranges and better colonizing<br />
capacities than specialized species in general. As a consequence we expect to see an increasing proportion <strong>of</strong> both species and abundance <strong>of</strong><br />
generalist species as connectivity and species richness decrease. We also expect to see more wide ranging species in areas <strong>of</strong> poor<br />
connectivity or low diversity. We also expect that functional groups with at least one generalist species will see less decrease in their<br />
redundancy (number <strong>of</strong> species or individuals) than functional groups dominated by specialist species as connectivity or species richness<br />
decrease.<br />
* Kulbicki M, Parravicini V Claudet J, Galzin R, Vigliola L, Chabanet P, Friedlander A.M & Mouillot D<br />
Leenhardt Pierre<br />
PhD Student<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
Graduated from the Agrocampus Ouest in 2009 with a diploma in Agricultural Engineering and a<br />
MSc in fisheries science, I worked on modelling governance <strong>of</strong> small-scale fisheries in French Polynesia.<br />
In 2009, I joined the GRAMP project, a trans-disciplinary research project that synthesizes the existing<br />
knowledge on the governance <strong>of</strong> large-scale MPAs. I analysed the key drivers that legitimized and<br />
enhanced the establishment <strong>of</strong> large-scale MPAs. In 2011, I joined the International PhD Program <strong>of</strong><br />
University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris to work on the modelling <strong>of</strong> coastal social-ecological system.<br />
Modeling coastal social-ecological systems: application to the coral reef ecosystem <strong>of</strong><br />
Moorea island, French Polynesia<br />
Social-ecological systems (SESs) are conceptual systems that enable to depict, characterize and understand human-nature interactions from<br />
an integrative basis. Social-ecological systems are commonly recognized as complex adaptive systems. They are coupled heterogeneous<br />
systems that encompass an ecological subsystem intricately linked and affected by one or more social subsystems. Understanding how such<br />
systems are structured, evolve through time and respond to different pressures (e.g. stressors, policy decisions or management actions) is<br />
crucial to the sustainable management <strong>of</strong> SESs. Here we present a unified transdisciplinary framework to model (coastal) social-ecological<br />
systems. This framework synthesizes key concepts and properties for modeling social-ecological systems subjected to multiple natural and<br />
anthropogenic pressures (including both stressors and management actions). Our case study is the Moorea Lagoon, French Polynesia. This<br />
complex adaptive SES relies on the production <strong>of</strong> major provisioning and cultural ecosystem services (e.g. food production, recreation). Such<br />
knowledge is critical to explore the dynamics, the synergies and/or the trade-<strong>of</strong>fs among the different ecosystems services and then to provide<br />
their sustainable management. Development <strong>of</strong> such models will facilitate the critical process <strong>of</strong> making explicit the differing mental<br />
constructs <strong>of</strong> various users, stakeholders and managers. This research will contribute to a better understanding <strong>of</strong> complexity and dynamism<br />
that characterizes SESs in a coral reef context and is a first step to provide critical tool and methodology for the management <strong>of</strong> sustainable<br />
SESs.<br />
!
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Maréchal Jean-Philippe<br />
Director "Nova Blue Environment", Director "Observatoire du Milieu<br />
Marin Martiniquais", Chargé de Conférences EPHE – UMR 3278 <strong>CNRS</strong>-<br />
EPHE, Associate director GDRI “Biodiversité des récifs coralliens” –<br />
<strong>CNRS</strong><br />
JPM obtained his PhD from the MNHN in 2002 on maritime heritage in Brittany. He has been a<br />
Research Associate at the University <strong>of</strong> Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) between 2002 and 2005 working on<br />
physiology and larval behaviour <strong>of</strong> crustaceans. He moved to Martinique (French West Indies) as the<br />
director <strong>of</strong> the Marine Institute <strong>of</strong> Martinique (OMMM) between 2005 and 2013, working on the<br />
implementation <strong>of</strong> the IFRECOR program for Martinique and the development <strong>of</strong> a coral reef<br />
research program. JPM is a Marine biologist specialised in coral reef ecology in the Caribbean, small<br />
scale fisheries sustainability, particularly interested in benthic communities changes and anthropogenic<br />
impact on coral reefs. His interest is also on coral reef restoration and larval development in<br />
scleractinian. JPM is also referee for the French government on the lionfish invasive species issues in the<br />
French Antilles. Since 2013, JPM is consultant in marine tropical ecology in his own company “Nova<br />
Blue Environment”.<br />
Caribbean Scleractinian corals: larval development and settlement*<br />
The complexity <strong>of</strong> coral reef benthic communities is due in part to their extraordinary species richness. The well-defined spatial organisation <strong>of</strong> reef<br />
communities raises many questions about the mechanisms involved in the recruitment processes <strong>of</strong> larvae and species interactions. Scleractinian coral biology<br />
is <strong>of</strong> particular interest due to the importance <strong>of</strong> corals in tropical reefs and increasing concerns about reef degradation. Few studies <strong>of</strong> chemical<br />
communication in cnidarians have focused directly on scleractinian corals. Diverse physiological processes in corals are almost certainly mediated by chemical<br />
signals, which are poorly understood. Examples include regulation <strong>of</strong> calcification, symbiosis and mass-spawning events. From the latter thousands <strong>of</strong><br />
gametes (broadcast spawning) are released into the water column and develop to the planulae competent stages. The external signals that regulate or interfere<br />
with metamorphosis and recruitment <strong>of</strong> coral larvae are not well understood. Chemical communication in coral reefs is a research field that has been not yet<br />
explored in details and the role <strong>of</strong> environmental cues in coral settlement processes is unclear. Settlement competency stages, as shown by the capacity <strong>of</strong><br />
organisms to actively search for suitable substrata to settle on and metamorphose, remain unknown for many species It is clear that marine invertebrate larvae<br />
can respond to physical, chemical or biological cues to locate their final adhesion substrata. External signals can modulate larval behaviour, as demonstrated<br />
for corals. We have followed mass spawning events in Guadeloupe for several years. As a consequence, we have been able to collect gametes <strong>of</strong> major reef<br />
building corals Acropora palmata, Orbicella (Montastraea) annularis and O. faveolata. Gametes were collected during mass spawning events in August -<br />
September 2011 and 2012. A protocol for field collection has been developed, as well as an in vitro fertilization procedure. Thousands <strong>of</strong> larvae were raised<br />
in the lab until competency has been reached. Larvae were then <strong>of</strong>fered pre-conditioned substrates to settle and develop. We present results for field collection<br />
<strong>of</strong> gametes, raise <strong>of</strong> coral larvae and settlement processes. So far, none <strong>of</strong> the juveniles have survived under controlled conditions.<br />
* Maréchal J_P, Mazéas F & Gros O<br />
Massé Lola<br />
PhD Student<br />
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (La Réunion), Oceanographic Research Institute<br />
(Durban, Afrique du Sud)<br />
Lola Massé is a PhD student working on the coral reproduction and recruitment in the south Western Indian<br />
Ocean. Her PhD aimed at comparing the reproductive traits and recruitment rate <strong>of</strong> coral between a tropical reef<br />
(Reunion) and a high-latitude reef (South Africa) to ascertain how coral may adapt their reproductive dynamic to<br />
different environments. Lola has done her undergraduate years at the University <strong>of</strong> La Reunion and her MSc in<br />
South Africa (University <strong>of</strong> KwaZulu-Natal). She worked on coral gametogenesis and spawning in Reunion and<br />
South Africa. She also collaborated on studies on the influence <strong>of</strong> food supply on coral fecundity. Lola is a<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional diver (Class 1b) and has experience in the building <strong>of</strong> aquarium system, histology techniques, coral<br />
settlement and breeding in aquarium. performance in different habitats/regions along the Kuroshio Current. . She<br />
has written several research proposals to collect funding during her PHD project. In future projects, she is interested<br />
in working on coral connectivity using genetic, juvenile coral mortality to understand the dynamic <strong>of</strong> the adult<br />
community, and reef rehabilitation with sexual recruit. Lola is also enthusiastic about communicating in science. She<br />
has experience in teaching at the University and is a member <strong>of</strong> a local NGO (Vie Océane) that aims to protect the<br />
reefs <strong>of</strong> Reunion.<br />
Sexual reproduction in coral: a strategy to adapt to change?<br />
Some reef resilience is attributable to the ability <strong>of</strong> coral to continue producing propagules. Together, sexual reproduction and recruitment<br />
are therefore critical for the long-term survival <strong>of</strong> coral reefs and may give rise to individuals more adapted to a changing environment.<br />
These processes are nevertheless sensitive to changes in environmental conditions such as the ones linked to human activities, and must be<br />
closely monitored to ensure reef recovery. Coral fecundity reflects a successful gametogenesis and therefore may be a good indicator <strong>of</strong> coral<br />
health. Little is known however on the natural and anthropogenic factors that affect this parameter. Variation <strong>of</strong> coral fecundity may be due<br />
to the lack <strong>of</strong> available energy (e.g. following a bleaching event), or water pollution. It may also be associated with different life-history<br />
strategies especially in corals that can use mixed modes <strong>of</strong> sexual and asexual reproduction. Are coral going to invest more energy into<br />
sexual reproduction in a stressful environment? This assumption requires further research. In the expectation that a genotype will be better<br />
adapted to new condition, could we anticipate which genetic combination will be more advantageous? The recent progress in coral<br />
husbandry and the use <strong>of</strong> settlement tiles deployed on reef provide the required material for genetic study. This may also be used to ascertain<br />
the connectivity between reefs and determine the dispersal potential <strong>of</strong> larvae for reef reseeding.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Meistzerheim Leila<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
Researcher from the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in France, I am employed at the CRIOBE as a<br />
postdoctoral fellow working on the stress response <strong>of</strong> corals in a global change context. I have a broad<br />
range <strong>of</strong> research interests including population dynamics, sustainable harvest, global change impacts<br />
on biodiversity and adaptation processes, and work on a variety <strong>of</strong> taxa from the North coasts <strong>of</strong><br />
Europe to the tropical environments. Actually, my work focuses on the evolution <strong>of</strong> the symbiosis<br />
between the tropical corals and the zooxanthellae in response to stress. The goal <strong>of</strong> this study is to<br />
better understand the role <strong>of</strong> maternal transmission by the corals <strong>of</strong> particular genetic clades <strong>of</strong> the<br />
microalgae Symbiodinium in the adaptation capability <strong>of</strong> corals in response to anthropic activities. The<br />
researcher required the use <strong>of</strong> physiogical and genetic tools, coupled with environmental data.<br />
Origin <strong>of</strong> the symbiosis in tropical corals and evolution in a changing environnement*<br />
Coral reef ecosystems are among the most biologically diverse and complex marine ecosystems worldwide supported by cnidarian–<br />
din<strong>of</strong>lagellate symbioses. The stability and functional integrity <strong>of</strong> this complex association underpins the persistence <strong>of</strong> corals and coral reef<br />
ecosystems through time. However, this partnership is increasingly at risk due to changing climatic conditions. Biotic (diseases) and abiotic<br />
stresses (temperature, sedimentation, pollutants etc) impacts on coral reefs are expected to impacts coral reefs and induced spatially extensive<br />
bleaching events. The microalgae, Symbiodinium sp, presented a high genetic diversity allowing differential physiological performances for<br />
its hosts in function <strong>of</strong> the genetic clade. Some genetic clades <strong>of</strong> Symbiodinium are more consider as parasite than symbiont. Symbiotic<br />
flexibility allowed some corals to rapidly adapt to different environments by changing the type or the concentration <strong>of</strong> Symbiodinium with<br />
which they partner. However, maternal transfer <strong>of</strong> the endosymbiont from corals to its <strong>of</strong>fspring could also allow increasing the adaptation<br />
capability <strong>of</strong> the corals in a changing environment.<br />
* Meistzerheim L & Hédouin L<br />
Mohamadi Fahoullia<br />
PhD Student<br />
Laboratoire de Chimie des Biomolécules et de l’Environnement , Perpignan, France<br />
Fahoullia MOHAMADI is 26 years old. After graduating for a master degree <strong>of</strong> environmental<br />
chemistry “Chimie des Molécules bioactive” at the University <strong>of</strong> Perpignan (France), she joined the<br />
“Laboratoire de Chime des Biomolécules et de l’Environnement” in October 2010 as a PhD student..<br />
The objective <strong>of</strong> her thesis is to bring to light metabolites involved in the coral bleaching phenomenon<br />
using a metabolomic tool. During the 3 past years, she developed an extractive and analytical method<br />
on coral’s polar and non-polar metabolites, and carried out bleaching experiments in aquaria by<br />
increasing the temperature or the light irradiance on a scleractinian species. The metabolomic tool<br />
developed is able to target the impact <strong>of</strong> environmental disturbances (thermal stress, light stress…) on<br />
corals, by combining chemical fingerprints obtained by various spectroscopic and chromatographic<br />
(RMN, LCMS, GCMS) techniques and by screening hundreds <strong>of</strong> molecules simultaneously, in order to<br />
acquire a global view <strong>of</strong> the mechanisms occurring during bleaching. !<br />
A global approach to discriminate stressed from healthy corals*<br />
During the past three decades, nearly 30% <strong>of</strong> the word’s coral reefs have been severely affected by bleaching. Coral bleaching is the<br />
consequence <strong>of</strong> the loss <strong>of</strong> corals’algal symbiont (zooxanthellae), or the deficiency/degradation <strong>of</strong> symbiont’s photosynthetic pigments.<br />
Understanding the mechanisms <strong>of</strong> bleaching is a real challenge as corals bleach under a broad range <strong>of</strong> external stimuli such as increasing<br />
sea temperature, increasing light irradiance or chemical pollution, that may occur sequentially or simultaneously. Metabolites, as the end<br />
products <strong>of</strong> metabolism, are good indicators <strong>of</strong> the organism physiological status. Under abiotic stresses, change in metabolites pr<strong>of</strong>iling<br />
represents the functional response <strong>of</strong> the organism and could help for bleaching diagnosis. Based on an experimental protocol in controlled<br />
conditions, we investigated the metabolome to detect coral bleaching and explore the physiological responses <strong>of</strong> corals to bleaching. After a<br />
validation phase, we carried out bleaching experiments in aquaria on two scleractinian species by increasing the temperature or light<br />
irradiance. We combined extraction <strong>of</strong> polar and nonpolar metabolites with three fundamental and complementary analytical techniques,<br />
GC/MS, LC/MS and NMR, to provide maximal coverage <strong>of</strong> the metabolome. We focused on compounds that reflect coral physiological<br />
status to improve the chemical fingerprints acquisitions. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA, PLS-DA, ….) were processed on the chemical<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>iling to detect compounds that discriminate stressed and healthy corals.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Mourier Johann<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
I have been involved in the study <strong>of</strong> shark behaviour since 2005 when I completed my final internship<br />
on the great white shark behaviour in South Africa to graduate in marine science engineering school <strong>of</strong><br />
Rennes. After being involved in a basking shark project in Britany (France), I started a Master thesis on<br />
the genetic structure and breeding patterns <strong>of</strong> sicklefin lemon sharks (Negaprion acutidens) in Moorea<br />
(French Polynesia) at Criobe in 2007. I continued with a PhD project on the behavioural ecology <strong>of</strong><br />
blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) in Moorea between 2008 and 2011 and completed<br />
my PhD on May 2011. After my PhD, I obtained a Temporal Lecturer position (ATER) at EPHE<br />
(Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes) and I have been involved in the coordination <strong>of</strong> a marine<br />
biodiversity expedition in Marquesas (French Polynesia) for AAMP (Marine Protected Area Agency)<br />
and <strong>CNRS</strong> as well as conducting shark research in French Polynesia. I am also the secretary and<br />
scientific advisor for the Shark observatory in French Polynesia (Observatoire des requins de Polynesie)<br />
and I am a member <strong>of</strong> the IUCN Shark Specialist group.<br />
More information on my research can be found on my website: http://johannmourier.wordpress.com/<br />
The behavioural ecology <strong>of</strong> reef sharks<br />
Reef associated sharks are key elements <strong>of</strong> the coral reef food web but are also vulnerable to exploitation and anthropogenic perturbations<br />
due to particular life history traits. However, little is known about their ecology and behaviour at remote oceanic islands. Global population<br />
declines <strong>of</strong> these predators in many regions have led to growing concerns about their conservation. Human pressures have put many top<br />
predator populations at risk <strong>of</strong> extinction. Recent years have seen alarming declines in sharks worldwide, while their resilience remains<br />
poorly understood. Studying the ecology <strong>of</strong> small populations <strong>of</strong> marine predators is a priority to better understand their ability to<br />
withstand anthropogenic and environmental stressors. We studied movement patterns <strong>of</strong> reef sharks at a tropical island using acoustic<br />
telemetry and determined the population socio-spatial dynamic using individual-based analysis. The reproductive patterns were assessed<br />
using parentage analysis and underwater monitoring. Finally we also investigated the influence <strong>of</strong> provisioning activities on the behaviour,<br />
ecology and populations <strong>of</strong> sharks. Our findings highlight that shark population structure can be complex, which should be taken into<br />
account in management strategies.<br />
Nash Kirsty<br />
PhD Student<br />
ARC Centre <strong>of</strong> Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia<br />
Kirsty is originally from the UK, where she studied Oceanography with Marine Biology (BSc Hons).<br />
She moved to Townsville, Australia in 2002 and completed a MAppSci in Tropical Marine Ecology at<br />
James Cook University. She spent a number <strong>of</strong> years doing field research and teaching field techniques<br />
in association with the Marine Park Authority in the Seychelles, and teaching college level courses in<br />
marine biology and oceanography in the Caribbean. In 2009 she returned to Australia, completing a<br />
Masters <strong>of</strong> Education and a Postgraduate Certificate in Statistics at Charles Sturt University. She<br />
worked as a research assistant at the ARC Centre <strong>of</strong> Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook<br />
University prior to starting her PhD. Kirsty is currently in the final year <strong>of</strong> PhD. Her research looks at<br />
the spatial scales over which fish are interacting with the reef and providing their functional roles. She<br />
is exploring how this contributes to the resilience <strong>of</strong> reefs within a coral-dominated state. Webpage:<br />
http://www.coralcoe.org.au/students/kirsty-nash.<br />
Scale, function and resilience <strong>of</strong> coral reefs<br />
The functional roles played by organisms have been identified as critical for supporting the resilience <strong>of</strong> ecosystems. The concepts <strong>of</strong> spatial<br />
and cross-scale resilience have been developed to understand how the scales over which organisms provide their function influence the<br />
resilience <strong>of</strong> ecosystems. Much <strong>of</strong> the work looking at both spatial and cross-scale resilience has focused on the terrestrial environment. To<br />
assess these theories on coral reefs, there is a need to draw together existing work on space use by reef fish to explore how scale and function<br />
provide support for the resilience <strong>of</strong> coral-dominated reefs. I will discuss existing home range research and compare it with work looking at<br />
the functional range <strong>of</strong> reef fish, where the functional range may only be a subset <strong>of</strong> the larger home range. I will then discuss the<br />
opportunities and problems <strong>of</strong> using existing spatial and cross-scale resilience frameworks for reef fish. Finally, the considerable gaps in this<br />
field will be highlighted, and potential new directions presented.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Parravicini Valeriano<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
UR 227 CoReUs, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Banyuls sur mer, France<br />
Following a PhD in Marine Environmental Science at Genoa University, Italy, Dr Parravicini visited<br />
Fiorenza Micheli in Stanford University for working on the effect <strong>of</strong> multiple stressors on marine<br />
ecosystems, before taking on a post-doc position with IRD based in France. He is currently working<br />
with a large international group on reef fish biogeography including Michel Kulbicki (IRD), David<br />
Mouillot (Montpellier).<br />
The vulnerability framework indicates alternative global protection priorities for coral<br />
reef fishes*<br />
Assessing the vulnerability <strong>of</strong> species assemblages has typically been subordinate to species richness prioritization but is increasingly needed<br />
given the immediacy <strong>of</strong> anthropogenetic impacts and potential losses <strong>of</strong> ecosystem services. Here we employed multi-criteria decision aid<br />
tools to quantitatively assess coral reef fish vulnerability using the three factors <strong>of</strong> the assemblages’ sensitivity to species losses, it’s exposure<br />
to threats, and the state <strong>of</strong> protection. These criteria were applied to a global database <strong>of</strong> tropical reef fishes to evaluate and compare the<br />
potential losses <strong>of</strong> both taxonomic and functional diversity. We found that species-richness priorities were spatially mismatched with both<br />
sensitivity and vulnerability estimates and that the existing global MPA network does not efficiently protect the most vulnerable assemblages.<br />
Nevertheless, there is strong spatial match between taxonomic and functional vulnerabilities, which may allows for a global win-win strategy<br />
if protection is implemented.<br />
* Parravicini V, Villéger S, McClanahan TR, Arias-González JE, Bellwood DR, Belmaker J, Chabanet P, Floeter SR , Friedlander AM,<br />
Philippot Véronique<br />
PhD Student<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
Véronique Philippot is just starting a PhD at the USR 3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong> CRIOBE, studying gorgonian<br />
corals in a perspective <strong>of</strong> biological conservation. Véronique has started her work on Gorgonians in the<br />
French West Indies in the eighties at the marine biology laboratory at the University <strong>of</strong> Antilles-Guyane.<br />
where she performed an inventary <strong>of</strong> gorgonian corals in shallow waters and studied ecological factors that<br />
determine their distribution. Very soon, she was confronted with classical sytematic <strong>of</strong> Cnidaria Octocorals<br />
and started to develop a referential collection, that is now conserved at the Marseille’s Museum <strong>of</strong> natural<br />
history in France. Following that, Véronique became a biology teacher but she has never fogotten the<br />
vulnerability <strong>of</strong> the marine ecosystems and became increasingly interested in the relationships between<br />
mankind and wildlife. She has led many school teaching projets on environmental education. Véronique<br />
enrolled in an interdisciplinary master in «environment, development, territories and societies” at the<br />
National Museum <strong>of</strong> Natural History <strong>of</strong> Paris in 2011 thus discovering an ethnobiological approach to<br />
environmental and biodiversity conservation issues. As <strong>of</strong> today, Véronique’s passion for gorgonians corals is<br />
still intact. However, she has a more global view <strong>of</strong> these lesser known invertebrates.<br />
Popular nomenclature and perceptions <strong>of</strong> seabeds and gorgonian corals among workers<br />
<strong>of</strong> the sea in Guadeloupe island (French West Indies)<br />
The island <strong>of</strong> Guadeloupe is promoting the preservation <strong>of</strong> biodiversity, to protect the ecosystems <strong>of</strong> reefs which have been subjected to<br />
overfishing. The fishing industry need to incorporate legal requirements into the traditional practices still largely passed on through practical<br />
apprenticeship. Gorgonian corals found in the coral reefs <strong>of</strong> Guadeloupe are the emblematic species <strong>of</strong> the French West Indies. However<br />
there is a conflict between different cultures and knowledge in the context <strong>of</strong> a fast-changing socio-economically world. The fourteen<br />
fishermen and wholesale fish-merchants interviewed have an empirical view <strong>of</strong> the coral reefs which sits uncomfortably with modern<br />
scientific evidence. The words cay, coral and coral reef, usually used, conjure up a s<strong>of</strong>t-focus, dynamic image rather than a precise zoological<br />
classification. They describe a recognizable entity, the mixture <strong>of</strong> components, living and inert, essential to fishes. The relationship <strong>of</strong> the<br />
fishermen to the creatures <strong>of</strong> the seabed is above all tactile, from handling fishing nets and hoop nets. The disagreeable nature <strong>of</strong> handling<br />
leads to a mistrust reinforced by religious beliefs. The place <strong>of</strong> the Gorgonians within practical classifications is uncertain, but they are<br />
currently classified as plants. A popular classification based on the interviews is being suggested. Despite an inadequate vocabulary and<br />
difficulty in description, the reticulated forms observed are easy to recognize visually. While it remains difficult to promote the protection <strong>of</strong><br />
the sea-floor (apart from the Madreporian corals), the Gorgonian corals have, however, two useful values: they are essential for the well-being<br />
<strong>of</strong> the fish and nurture local knowledge useful for tourism, and for this, they require an efficient protection and conservation.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Dr Putnam Hollie<br />
Assistant Researcher<br />
University <strong>of</strong> Hawaii, Hawaii Institute <strong>of</strong> Marine Biology, Hawaii, United States<br />
I am currently an assistant researcher at the University <strong>of</strong> Hawaii in the School <strong>of</strong> Ocean and Earth<br />
Science and Technology’s Young Investigator Program. I am based at the Hawaii Institute <strong>of</strong> Marine<br />
Biology and conduct my research in Hawaii, French Polynesia, Taiwan, and Japan. I strive to<br />
understand how the immediate abiotic environment and biotic interactions drive organism phenotype.<br />
To date, I have utilized reef-building corals as a model system. My work is focused on providing the<br />
context and mechanistic framework to advance our understanding <strong>of</strong> signal transduction and resilience<br />
in corals through the interaction <strong>of</strong> genetics, epigenetics, symbiosis, and ontogeny with a combination<br />
<strong>of</strong> physiological and genetic approaches. Specifically, I am conducting surveys and experiments to<br />
understand the contributions <strong>of</strong> symbiosis and acclimatization to stress response in corals under climate<br />
change.<br />
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~hputnam/<br />
Partitioning <strong>of</strong> Coral-Symbiodinium interactions across taxa, location and environments<br />
Reef-building corals, the engineers <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> the world’s most diverse and productive ecosystems, are comprised <strong>of</strong> a complex symbiosis<br />
between the cnidarian animal and single celled din<strong>of</strong>lagellates, Symbiodinium. Symbiodinium make major energetic contributions to coral<br />
growth and reproduction and therefore a stable symbiotic union is critical to coral survival. Symbiodinium comprise a diverse genus, with<br />
strong physiological variation among the major lineages, or clades (A-I), as well as at the sub-clade level. Consequently, identifying patterns<br />
in the distribution <strong>of</strong> Symbiodinium is key to understanding coral performance across environment. Our work has focused on patterns <strong>of</strong><br />
symbiont identity and symbiotic association across spatial, temporal, and environmental gradients. We have developed a Roche 454<br />
pyrosequencing approach to expand sequence coverage and depth for multiple coral species, and to determine Symbiodinium identity and<br />
similarity across species and temperature regimes. This approach has resulted in thousands <strong>of</strong> sequences per sample that have 1) revealed<br />
previously undescribed and dynamic aspects <strong>of</strong> the coral-Symbiodinium interactions, 2) allowed for complete quantitative comparative<br />
analyses, and 3) highlighted the value <strong>of</strong> deep sequencing in assessing coral response to environmental change.<br />
Dr Rummer Jodie<br />
Postdoctoral Fellow<br />
Australian Research Council Super Science Fellow, Australia<br />
Jodie is originally from the USA where she completed honours, BSc, and MSc degrees in Biology and<br />
Marine Biology in Illinois and West Florida before moving to Vancouver, Canada to commence a PhD<br />
at the University <strong>of</strong> British Columbia. Her PhD research investigated oxygen uptake and delivery<br />
mechanisms in fish during stress, but she has also done extensive research on buoyancy, exercise, and<br />
oxygen and temperature stress in fish. After a post-doctoral fellowship in Hong Kong (2010-2011), she<br />
joined the Centre <strong>of</strong> Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University as an Australian<br />
Research Council Super Science Fellow where she is applying her broad research interests in<br />
conservation physiology. Jodie’s research aims to understand how evolutionary pressures have shaped<br />
physiological systems and the degree to which adaptation and acclimation to natural and<br />
environmental perturbations, such as anthropogenic climate change, can occur.<br />
Life on the edge: Optimal temperatures for aerobic performance <strong>of</strong> equatorial reef fishes<br />
are close to current day temperatures<br />
Equatorial populations <strong>of</strong> marine species are predicted to be most impacted by global warming because they could be adapted to a narrow<br />
range <strong>of</strong> temperatures in their local environment. The thermal range at which aerobic metabolic performance is optimum was<br />
investigated in equatorial populations <strong>of</strong> coral reef fish in northern Papua New Guinea. Four species <strong>of</strong> damselfishes and two species <strong>of</strong><br />
cardinalfishes were held for 14d at 29, 31, 33, and 34°C, which incorporated their existing thermal range (29-31°C) as well as projected<br />
increases in ocean surface temperatures <strong>of</strong> up to 3°C by the end <strong>of</strong> this century. Resting and maximum oxygen consumption rates were<br />
measured for each species at each temperature and used to calculate the thermal reaction norm <strong>of</strong> aerobic scope. Results indicate that one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the six species, Chromis atripectoralis, is already living above its thermal optimum <strong>of</strong> 29°C. The other five species appeared to be living<br />
close to their thermal optima (approximately 31°C). Aerobic scope was significantly reduced in all species, and approached zero for two<br />
species at 3°C above current-day temperatures. One species was unable to survive even short-term exposure to 34°C. Our results indicate<br />
that low-latitude reef fish populations are living close to their thermal optima and may be more sensitive to ocean warming than higherlatitude<br />
populations. Even relatively small temperature increases (2-3°C) could result in population declines and potentially redistribution <strong>of</strong><br />
equatorial species to higher latitudes if adaptation cannot keep pace.
Presenters<br />
ABSTRACT BIOGRAPHY<br />
ABSTRACT<br />
BIOGRAPHY<br />
Salles Océane<br />
PhD Student<br />
USR3278 EPHE <strong>CNRS</strong>, CRIOBE, Laboratoire d’Excellence «CORAIL», Perpignan, France<br />
I received a Licence from the University <strong>of</strong> Perpignan in Biology-Ecology and a Master from the<br />
Practical School <strong>of</strong> High Studies (EPHE) in Environment and Biodiversity Management.<br />
I am currently in second year doctoral student from EPHE in Marine Ecology at the Insular Research<br />
Center and Environment Observatory under the supervision <strong>of</strong> Dr. Serge Planes. The missing link in<br />
our understanding <strong>of</strong> coral reef fish has always been: where do the larvae go? Well, as research has<br />
shown; the marine fish tend to go back home. In my thesis, I am interested in understanding the role <strong>of</strong><br />
homing mechanism for persistance <strong>of</strong> reef fish populations. Thereby, I want to determine if (i) there are<br />
different performances between immigrants and natives (ii) assess if the transmission <strong>of</strong> certain<br />
characters promotes local adaptation and, (iii) develop a demographic model that will determine the<br />
conditions under which the population can persist. My study is based on a ten year study <strong>of</strong> individualbased<br />
genetic monitoring <strong>of</strong> the entire population <strong>of</strong> clownfish Amphiprion percula in Kimbe Island<br />
(Papua New Guinea).<br />
A ten year study <strong>of</strong> individual-based genetic monitoring reveals the importance <strong>of</strong> selfrecruitment<br />
for persistence <strong>of</strong> reef fish populations*<br />
Larvae have always been the missing link in our understanding <strong>of</strong> coral reef fish demography. In particular, we have never accurately<br />
understood where the larvae go when they leave their spawning site. Recently, individual-based genetic identification has shown that a<br />
surprising amount <strong>of</strong> those larvae go back home. At present, we are interested in understanding the role <strong>of</strong> homing mechanism for the<br />
persistence <strong>of</strong> reef fish populations in a conservation context. We developed a unique approach based on over 10 years <strong>of</strong> genetic<br />
monitoring <strong>of</strong> an entire population <strong>of</strong> Amphiprion percula at Kimbe Island (Papua New Guinea). This approach permits us to determine<br />
individual life-history parameters such as contribution to self-recruitment and survival, and to evaluate the amount <strong>of</strong> immigration. More<br />
than 50% <strong>of</strong> recruits come from self-recruitment, and this proportion is stable over 10 years. Using these parameters, we developed a<br />
demographic model that allows us to identify conditions for population persistence. In particular, we show that the Kimbe Island population<br />
cannot maintain itself without input from outside populations, but that current levels <strong>of</strong> recruitment are surplus to the requirements <strong>of</strong><br />
persistence. The next step will be to (i) determine whether natives (i.e., self-recruits) and immigrants are demographically different,<br />
particularly in terms <strong>of</strong> survivorship, (ii) construct pedigrees to analyse the heritability <strong>of</strong> character traits that may explain the strategy <strong>of</strong><br />
self-recruitment and (iii) evaluate the impact <strong>of</strong> homing on population genetic structure and persistence.<br />
* Salles O & Planes S<br />
Dr Zoccola Didier<br />
Researcher<br />
Scientific Center <strong>of</strong> Monaco, Monaco<br />
Didier Zoccola, Ph.D., is a molecular biologist studying the physiology <strong>of</strong> reef corals. Since 2000, he<br />
has been at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco with a focus on biomineralization and symbiosis. For<br />
the past 13 years he has combined molecular biology, biochemtry and immunochemistry to understand<br />
how corals build their skeletons, focusing on: (i) how ions are regulated during skeletogenesis, and (ii)<br />
the role <strong>of</strong> the organic matrix in biomineralization.<br />
Dr. Zoccola awarded his Master’s degree in 1989 in France, and was a Doctoral Fellow in immunology.<br />
He received his Ph.D. in 1993 in Life Sciences from the University <strong>of</strong> Nice - Sophia Antipolis, and<br />
worked after that at the Nice Hospital. His passion for the sea and scuba diving led him naturally to<br />
marine biology and coral reef science. He has been recently named as corresponding member <strong>of</strong> the<br />
UNESCO-linked European Academy <strong>of</strong> Sciences, Arts and Letters.<br />
Development <strong>of</strong> an experimental tool to study gene expression in Stylophora pistillata<br />
The principal issues <strong>of</strong> axis 2 were to: 1) investigate evolutionary biology and ecology <strong>of</strong> organisms, 2) understand function and evolution <strong>of</strong><br />
aquatic biodiversity, and 3) predict responses to anthropic, climatic and global changes. More precisely, the major goal <strong>of</strong> this axis was to<br />
study basic mechanisms <strong>of</strong> major physiological processes such as calcification, nutrition and reproduction in normal and stressed conditions.<br />
As a first action, it was decided to provide a tool to Axis 2 and other GDRI groups by making a microarray dedicated to the coral Stylophora<br />
pistillata. The major activity <strong>of</strong> these last two years was i) to establish a microarray <strong>of</strong> 15,000 sequences <strong>of</strong> 60-mers, ii) to test and validate<br />
this microarray. Establishment and preliminary experiments were performed by Oren Levy (Bar-Ilan University) and CSM people (Christine<br />
Ferrier-Pagès, Didier Zoccola, Denis Allemand) to identify specific genes, which were expressed both in fed (F) and unfed/starved (S) coral<br />
colonies maintained under normal (LL) and light-stress (HL) conditions to target specific biological functions that are enhanced or repressed<br />
by irradiance levels and by feeding behavior. The first analysis <strong>of</strong> gene expression showed that the LLF vs. HLF and HLS vs. HLF<br />
comparisons produced lower numbers <strong>of</strong> differentially expressed genes (443 and 523, respectively) than did the LLS vs. HLS comparison<br />
(1,624 up- or down-regulated genes). It can be noticed that there was no difference in LLF vs. LLS comparison. Now, validation by qPCR is<br />
under process. These experiments clearly show that this microarray can be used to study gene regulation and may be now used for other<br />
projects.
International Research Network<br />
«Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> Coral Reefs»<br />
18-20 december 2013, Paris, FRANCE