11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University
11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University
11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University
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Poster Mini-Symposium 25: Predicting Reef Futures in the Context of Climate Change<br />
25.1145<br />
The Effect Of Moderate And Extreme Temperature Increases On The Physiological<br />
Responses Of Coral Reef Organisms (porites Lutea and Five Different Algae) in<br />
Northern Vietnam<br />
Tove Lund JÖRGENSEN* 1 , Suzanne FAXNELD 1 , Michael TEDENGREN 1<br />
1 System of Ecology, Stockholm <strong>University</strong>, Stockholm, Sweden<br />
Global warming and increasing sea temperatures have shown to induce bleaching events<br />
and generate phase shifts on coral reefs. In combination with other anthropogenic factors,<br />
such as overfishing, sedimentation and pollution, this has caused world-wide coral reef<br />
degradation. Here we investigated the physiological responses to moderate temperature<br />
(30 °C) and extreme temperatures (34 °C) during 24 hours on one coral species (Porites<br />
lutea) and five algae species from three different phyla (Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta,<br />
Phaeophyta). The experiment was conducted in Do Son, close to Halong Bay in Northern<br />
Vietnam. To determine the organisms’ physiological responses, oxygen levels were<br />
measured in light (net production) and in darkness (respiration). The result from the<br />
organisms’ GP/ R ratio showed that only the member from Phaeophyta (Sargassum sp.)<br />
was significantly negatively affected by elevated temperature (34 °C). None of the other<br />
organisms showed any variation in GP/ R ratio to moderate or extreme temperature<br />
increases, which may be a result of adaptation to high seasonal temperature fluctuations.<br />
Furthermore, the results showed a positive correlation between the GP/ R ratio and<br />
temperature for Gracilaria sp. (Rhodophyta), however a negative correlation was<br />
obtained for Sargassum sp. The results from this experiment demonstrate that coral reef<br />
organisms’ physiological responses to increased temperatures are unequal, even within<br />
the same phylum. This in turn suggests that the consequences of global warming may be<br />
severe, since it not only will affect coral reef organisms directly, by reduced metabolism/<br />
growth rate and increasing mortality, but also indirectly by altering competition between<br />
species, which in turn may lead to decreased biodiversity and an increase in coral reef<br />
vulnerability to further anthropogenic or natural disturbances.<br />
25.1146<br />
Evidence For Normal Gametogenesis in Bleached Colonies Of The Stony Coral<br />
oculina Patagonica<br />
Rachel ARMOZA-ZVULONI* 1,2 , Roee SEGAL 1 , Yossi LOYA 1<br />
1 Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv <strong>University</strong>, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2 The Interuniversity<br />
Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat, Eilat, Israel<br />
Coral bleaching events (BEs) are occurring with increasing frequency in coral reefs<br />
worldwide and are likely to become annual, triggered by seasonal changes in water<br />
temperature. The stony coral Oculina patagonica experiences seasonal BEs in most<br />
locations along the Israeli Mediterranean coast. Therefore, it can be used as a model for<br />
assessing potential effects of expected annual BEs on physiological parameters in coral<br />
populations. Previous studies showed that overlapping between bleaching and<br />
reproduction seasons in O. patagonica impedes gametogenesis. The major objective of<br />
this study was to examine the reproductive capabilities of O. patagonica colonies<br />
undergoing chronic cyclical BEs and compare it with colonies undergoing bleaching for<br />
the first time. Samples were collected for histology during two reproductive seasons of<br />
2004-2005 at three sites, along 140 km of the Israeli Mediterranean coast. Monthly<br />
surveys were conducted to examine bleaching prevalence and severity. In two of the three<br />
sites studied, seasonal BEs were observed during both years, while in the third site<br />
bleaching was apparent only during the second year. In contrast to previous findings, in<br />
the first two sites, bleached colonies did not differ significantly from non-bleached<br />
colonies in the reproductive parameters studied (percentage of fertile polyps, number of<br />
testes and their state of maturation, oocyte number and size). However, in the third site<br />
the reproductive effort of bleached colonies was found to be significantly reduced<br />
compared with the non-bleached colonies. We suggest that in colonies experiencing BE<br />
for the first time reproductive effort may be reduced, while colonies undergoing chronic<br />
BEs may acclimatize over time to the loss of their symbiotic algae and support the<br />
development of gonads during bleaching. This study provides the first evidence for<br />
normal gametogenesis in bleached colonies and may indicate that acclimatization<br />
processes might enable more coral species to overcome expected chronic BEs.<br />
25.1147<br />
Conservation, Mass Mortality And Population Dynamics Of Long-Lived Octocorals<br />
Roberta CUPIDO* 1 , Silvia COCITO 1 , Mimmo IANNELLI 2 , Lorenzo BRAMANTI 3 , Ilaria<br />
VIELMINI 3 , Giovanni SANTANGELO 3<br />
1 Enea - Marine Environmental Research Centre, La Spezia, Italy, 2 Mathematics, <strong>University</strong> of<br />
Trento, Trento, Italy, 3 Biology, <strong>University</strong> of Pisa, Pisa, Italy<br />
Conservation of long-lived, slow growing, low turnover species is one of the most difficult task<br />
for ecologists. Gorgonians are among the most long-lived marine animals. Provided of complex<br />
morphologies, they played a paramount role in shaping rocky shore benthic communities and in<br />
ecosystem functioning. The conservation of the highly diverse Mediterranean ”coralligenous<br />
community” is linked to their survival. Some gorgonians, namely Paramuricea clavata and<br />
Corallium rubrum (the precious, overexploited Mediterranean red coral), suffered in 1999 and<br />
2003 anomalous mortality events in the North-Western Mediterranean, which were associated<br />
with a sharp temperature increase linked to GCC. As a consequence of these mortality events<br />
the P. clavata population living in the Gulf of La Spezia (Ligurian Sea, Italy), reduced by 74%<br />
and the dominant size class in the population shifted towards smaller-yonger colonies. Some<br />
shallow red coral population in Italy and France, suffered, at the same time, a mortality ranging<br />
between 8.5 and 15 %. In order to simulate the effects of such mortalities on the structure and<br />
dynamics of gorgonian populations we developed demographic models, based on life-history<br />
tables (in which population structure, survival and reproductive coefficients are reported), and<br />
Leslie-Lewis transition matrixes, that allowed us to project the population trends overtime. Such<br />
demographic approach can supply useful tools to predict population dynamics in response to<br />
mass mortality events and harvesting, to assess population performance, and to forecast<br />
population availability overtime. The results we obtained suggest that, also if both gorgonian<br />
populations show a good resilience due to the reproductive output of the younger-smaller<br />
colonies more resistent to mortalities and to the high growth rate of the survived colonies, an<br />
increased frequency of such morality events could lead local populations to extinction.<br />
25.1148<br />
Assessment Of Potential Threat On Coastal Ecosystem By Future Sediment Load Trends<br />
in The Southeast Asian And West Pacific (Sea-Wp) Regions<br />
Varigini BADIRA* 1 , Kazuo NADAOKA 1 , Seita EMORI 2<br />
1 Mechanical and Environmental Informatics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan,<br />
2 Center for Global Environmental Reseach, Japan National Institute of Environmental Studies<br />
(NIES), Tsukuba, Japan<br />
Monitoring and prediction of global and regional sediment discharge are extensive undertaking<br />
due to the countless number of rivers worldwide. Presently, only less than 10% of the global<br />
rivers are monitored for sediment discharge. This is a major concern as abnormal sediment<br />
discharge patterns due to anthropogenic influences may go unnoticed, and hence uncontrolled,<br />
into coastal environments certainly posing a threat to the marine ecosystem. Of the total global<br />
sediment budget flowing into the world’s oceans and seas, an estimated 70% of the sediment<br />
load into the coastal zone is accounted for within the SEA-WP region. Coincidently, the SEA-<br />
WP region is an eco-system hotspot in biodiversity and encompasses a region known as the<br />
Pacific coral triangle. This paper presents our recent findings on the future sediment load trends<br />
in the SEA-WP region using a new Regional Sediment Discharge predictor. The predictor was<br />
developed by incorporating influence of vegetation shifts, rainfall and soil moisture content<br />
together with the conventional parameters of basin area and elevation. The model is coupled<br />
with GCM predicted rainfall data, for IPCC global warming scenarios of A1B and B1, and<br />
predicted vegetation shift to calculate and forecast future sediment load trends within the SEA-<br />
WP region. The model prediction results strongly suggest that the SEA-WP region will become<br />
highly threatened due to increased mean sediment loads for the periods from 2010 to 2100 and<br />
also predicts high sediment load variability for uncontrolled future carbon dioxide emission.<br />
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