The Experts below are selected from a list of 360 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Diego Lirman - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Thermal history influences lesion recovery of the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis under heat stress
Coral Reefs, 2021Co-Authors: Madeline L. Kaufman, Emily Watkins, Ruben Hooidonk, Andrew C. Baker, Diego LirmanAbstract:Anthropogenic climate change is the biggest threat to coral reefs, but reef restoration efforts are buying time for these ecosystems. Lesion recovery, which can be a determinant of colony survival, is particularly important for restored species. Here, we evaluate lesion recovery of 18 genets of Acropora cervicornis from Florida reefs with different thermal regimes in a temperature challenge experiment. Genets demonstrated significant variability in healing, which greatly slowed under heat stress. Only 35% of fragments healed at 31.5 °C compared to 99% at 28 °C. Donor reef thermal regime significantly influenced lesion recovery under heat stress with corals from warmer reefs demonstrating greater healing than corals from cooler reefs, but did not influence recovery under ambient conditions. These findings should encourage practitioners to utilize rapidly healing genets, avoid fragmentation in high temperatures, and incorporate assisted relocation by moving corals from warmer to cooler reefs, where they might succeed under future climate conditions.
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Dispersal capacity and genetic relatedness in Acropora cervicornis on the Florida Reef Tract
Coral Reefs, 2018Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Claire B. Paris, Vassiliki H. Kourafalou, Diego LirmanAbstract:Sexual reproduction in scleractinian corals is a critical component of species recovery, fostering population connectivity and enhancing genetic diveristy. The relative contribution of sexual reproduction to both connectivity and diversity in Acropora cervicornis may be variable due to this species’ capacity to reproduce effectively by fragmentation. Using a biophysical model and genomic data in this threatened species, we construct potential connectivity pathways on the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) and compare them to inferred migration rates derived from next-generation sequencing, using a link and node-based approach. Larval connectivity on the FRT can be divided into two zones: the northern region, where most transport is unidirectional to the north with the Florida Current, and the southern region that is more dynamic and exhibits complex spatial patterns. These biophysical linkages are poorly correlated with genetic connectivity patterns, which resolve many reciprocal connections and suggest a less sparse network. These results are difficult to reconcile with genetic data which indicate that individual reefs are diverse, suggesting important contributions of sexual reproduction and recruitment. Larval connectivity models highlight potential resources for recovery, such as areas with high larval export like the Lower Keys, or areas that are well connected to most other regions on the FRT, such as the Dry Tortugas.
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Regional restoration benchmarks for Acropora cervicornis
Coral Reefs, 2017Co-Authors: Stephanie A. Schopmeyer, Erich Bartels, Diego Lirman, David S Gilliam, Elizabeth A Goergen, Sean P. Griffin, Meaghan E. Johnson, Caitlin Lustic, Kerry Maxwell, Cory S. WalterAbstract:Coral gardening plays an important role in the recovery of depleted populations of threatened Acropora cervicornis in the Caribbean. Over the past decade, high survival coupled with fast growth of in situ nursery corals have allowed practitioners to create healthy and genotypically diverse nursery stocks. Currently, thousands of corals are propagated and outplanted onto degraded reefs on a yearly basis, representing a substantial increase in the abundance, biomass, and overall footprint of A. cervicornis . Here, we combined an extensive dataset collected by restoration practitioners to document early (1–2 yr) restoration success metrics in Florida and Puerto Rico, USA. By reporting region-specific data on the impacts of fragment collection on donor colonies, survivorship and productivity of nursery corals, and survivorship and productivity of outplanted corals during normal conditions, we provide the basis for a stop-light indicator framework for new or existing restoration programs to evaluate their performance. We show that current restoration methods are very effective, that no excess damage is caused to donor colonies, and that once outplanted, corals behave just as wild colonies. We also provide science-based benchmarks that can be used by programs to evaluate successes and challenges of their efforts, and to make modifications where needed. We propose that up to 10% of the biomass can be collected from healthy, large A. cervicornis donor colonies for nursery propagation. We also propose the following benchmarks for the first year of activities for A. cervicornis restoration: (1) >75% live tissue cover on donor colonies; (2) >80% survivorship of nursery corals; and (3) >70% survivorship of outplanted corals. Finally, we report productivity means of 4.4 cm yr^−1 for nursery corals and 4.8 cm yr^−1 for outplants as a frame of reference for ranking performance within programs. Such benchmarks, and potential subsequent adaptive actions, are needed to fully assess the long-term success of coral restoration and species recovery programs.
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genomic patterns in Acropora cervicornis show extensive population structure and variable genetic diversity
Ecology and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Erich Bartels, Elizabeth A Goergen, Meaghan E. Johnson, S Schopmeyer, Carrie Manfrino, Ken Nedimyer, Kerry E Maxwell, Victor Galvan, Diego LirmanAbstract:Threatened Caribbean coral communities can benefit from high-resolution genetic data used to inform management and conservation action. We use Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) to investigate genetic patterns in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis, across the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) and the western Caribbean. Results show extensive population structure at regional scales and resolve previously unknown structure within the FRT. Different regions also exhibit up to threefold differences in genetic diversity (He), suggesting targeted management based on the goals and resources of each population is needed. Patterns of genetic diversity have a strong spatial component, and our results show Broward and the Lower Keys are among the most diverse populations in Florida. The genetic diversity of Caribbean staghorn coral is concentrated within populations and within individual reefs (AMOVA), highlighting the complex mosaic of population structure. This variance structure is similar over regional and local scales, which suggests that in situ nurseries are adequately capturing natural patterns of diversity, representing a resource that can replicate the average diversity of wild assemblages, serving to increase intraspecific diversity and potentially leading to improved biodiversity and ecosystem function. Results presented here can be translated into specific goals for the recovery of A. cervicornis, including active focus on low diversity areas, protection of high diversity and connectivity, and practical thresholds for responsible restoration.
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Genotype and local environment dynamically influence growth, disturbance response and survivorship in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis.
PLOS ONE, 2017Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Derek P. Manzello, Diego LirmanAbstract:The relationship between the coral genotype and the environment is an important area of research in degraded coral reef ecosystems. We used a reciprocal outplanting experiment with 930 corals representing ten genotypes on each of eight reefs to investigate the influence of genotype and the environment on growth and survivorship in the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis. Coral genotype and site were strong drivers of coral growth and individual genotypes exhibited flexible, non-conserved reaction norms, complemented by ten-fold differences in growth between specific G-E combinations. Growth plasticity may diminish the influence of local adaptation, where foreign corals grew faster than native corals at their home sites. Novel combinations of environment and genotype also significantly affected disturbance response during and after the 2015 bleaching event, where these factors acted synergistically to drive variation in bleaching and recovery. Importantly, small differences in temperature stress elicit variable patterns of survivorship based on genotype and illustrate the importance of novel combinations of coral genetics and small differences between sites representing habitat refugia. In this context, acclimatization and flexibility is especially important given the long lifespan of corals coping with complex environmental change. The combined influence of site and genotype creates short-term differences in growth and survivorship, contributing to the standing genetic variation needed for adaptation to occur over longer timescales and the recovery of degraded reefs through natural mechanisms.
Steven V Vollmer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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zooplankton as a potential vector for white band disease transmission in the endangered coral Acropora cervicornis
PeerJ, 2017Co-Authors: Rebecca H Certner, Amanda M Dwyer, Mark R Patterson, Steven V VollmerAbstract:Coral diseases are a leading factor contributing to the global decline of coral reefs, and yet mechanisms of disease transmission remain poorly understood. This study tested whether zooplankton can act as a vector for white band disease (WBD) in Acropora cervicornis. Natural zooplankton communities were collected from a coral reef in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Half of the zooplankton were treated with antibiotics for 24 h after which the antibiotic-treated and non-antibiotic-treated zooplankton were incubated with either seawater or tissue homogenates from corals exhibiting WBD-like symptoms. A total of 15 of the 30 asymptomatic A. cervicornis colonies exposed to zooplankton incubated in disease homogenate in tank-based experiments showed signs of WBD, regardless of prior antibiotic incubation. These results indicate that in our experimental conditions zooplankton were a vector for coral disease after exposure to disease-causing pathogens. Given the importance of heterotrophy on zooplankton to coral nutrition, this potential mode of disease transmission warrants further investigation.
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genetic signature of resistance to white band disease in the caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis
PLOS ONE, 2016Co-Authors: Silvia Libro, Steven V VollmerAbstract:Coral reefs are declining worldwide due to multiple factors including rising sea surface temperature, ocean acidification, and disease outbreaks. Over the last 30 years, White Band Disease (WBD) alone has killed up to 95% of the Caribbean`s dominant shallow-water corals—the staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis and the elkhorn coral A. palmata. Both corals are now listed on the US Endangered Species Act, and while their recovery has been slow, recent transmission surveys indicate that more than 5% of staghorn corals are disease resistant. Here we compared transcriptome-wide gene expression between resistant and susceptible staghorn corals exposed to WBD using in situ transmission assays. We identified constitutive gene expression differences underlying disease resistance that are independent from the immune response associated with disease exposure. Genes involved in RNA interference-mediated gene silencing, including Argonaute were up-regulated in resistant corals, whereas heat shock proteins (HSPs) were down-regulated. Up-regulation of Argonaute proteins indicates that post-transcriptional gene silencing plays a key, but previously unsuspected role in coral immunity and disease resistance. Constitutive expression of HSPs has been linked to thermal resilience in other Acropora corals, suggesting that the down-regulation of HSPs in disease resistant staghorn corals may confer a dual benefit of thermal resilience.
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diurnal and nocturnal transcriptomic variation in the caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis
Molecular Ecology, 2015Co-Authors: Elizabeth M Hemond, Steven V VollmerAbstract:Reef-building corals experience large diel shifts in their environment, both externally due to changes in light intensity, predator activity and prey availability, and internally as a result of diel fluctuations in photosynthesis by their endosymbiotic algae, Symbiodinium. Diel patterns of tentacle behaviour, skeletal growth and gene expression indicate reactions of the coral animal in response to light and through circadian regulation. Some corals, such as the Caribbean Acroporas, have strong within-colony division of labour, including specialized fast-growing apical polyps, accompanied by large gene expression differences. Here we use RNA-seq to evaluate how diel changes in gene expression vary within the branching Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, between branch tips and branch bases. Multifactor generalized linear model analysis indicated that 6% (3005) of transcripts were differentially expressed between branch tips and bases, while 1% (441) of transcripts were differentially expressed between day and night. The gene expression patterns of 220 transcripts were affected by both time of day and location within the colony. In particular, photoreceptors, putative circadian genes, stress response genes and metabolic genes were differentially expressed between day and night, and some of these, including Amcry1, tef and hebp2, exhibited location-specific regulation within the coral colony as well. These findings indicate that the genetic response of the coral to day and night conditions varies within the colony. Both time of day and location within the colony are factors that should be considered in future coral gene expression experiments.
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evidence for autoinduction and quorum sensing in white band disease causing microbes on Acropora cervicornis
Scientific Reports, 2015Co-Authors: Rebecca H Certner, Steven V VollmerAbstract:Coral reefs have entered a state of global decline party due to an increasing incidence of coral disease. However, the diversity and complexity of coral-associated bacterial communities has made identifying the mechanisms underlying disease transmission and progression extremely difficult. This study explores the effects of coral cell-free culture fluid (CFCF) and autoinducer (a quorum sensing signaling molecule) on coral-associated bacterial growth and on coral tissue loss respectively. All experiments were conducted using the endangered Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis. Coral-associated microbes were grown on selective media infused with CFCF derived from healthy and white band disease-infected A. cervicornis. Exposure to diseased CFCF increased proliferation of Cytophaga-Flavobacterium spp. while exposure to healthy CFCF inhibited growth of this group. Exposure to either CFCF did not significantly affect Vibrio spp. growth. In order to test whether disease symptoms can be induced in healthy corals, A. cervicornis was exposed to bacterial assemblages supplemented with exogenous, purified autoinducer. Incubation with autoinducer resulted in complete tissue loss in all corals tested in less than one week. These findings indicate that white band disease in A. cervicornis may be caused by opportunistic pathogenesis of resident microbes.
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rna seq profiles of immune related genes in the staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis infected with white band disease
PLOS ONE, 2013Co-Authors: Silvia Libro, Stefan T Kaluziak, Steven V VollmerAbstract:Coral diseases are among the most serious threats to coral reefs worldwide, yet most coral diseases remain poorly understood. How the coral host responds to pathogen infection is an area where very little is known. Here we used next-generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to produce a transcriptome-wide profile of the immune response of the Staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis to White Band Disease (WBD) by comparing infected versus healthy (asymptomatic) coral tissues. The transcriptome of A. cervicornis was assembled de novo from A-tail selected Illumina mRNA-seq data from whole coral tissues, and parsed bioinformatically into coral and non-coral transcripts using existing Acropora genomes in order to identify putative coral transcripts. Differentially expressed transcripts were identified in the coral and non-coral datasets to identify genes that were up- and down-regulated due to disease infection. RNA-seq analyses indicate that infected corals exhibited significant changes in gene expression across 4% (1,805 out of 47,748 transcripts) of the coral transcriptome. The primary response to infection included transcripts involved in macrophage-mediated pathogen recognition and ROS production, two hallmarks of phagocytosis, as well as key mediators of apoptosis and calcium homeostasis. The strong up-regulation of the enzyme allene oxide synthase-lipoxygenase suggests a key role of the allene oxide pathway in coral immunity. Interestingly, none of the three primary innate immune pathways - Toll-like receptors (TLR), Complement, and prophenoloxydase pathways, were strongly associated with the response of A. cervicornis to infection. Five-hundred and fifty differentially expressed non-coral transcripts were classified as metazoan (n = 84), algal or plant (n = 52), fungi (n = 24) and protozoans (n = 13). None of the 52 putative Symbiodinium or algal transcript had any clear immune functions indicating that the immune response is driven by the coral host, and not its algal symbionts.
Crawford Drury - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Dispersal capacity and genetic relatedness in Acropora cervicornis on the Florida Reef Tract
Coral Reefs, 2018Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Claire B. Paris, Vassiliki H. Kourafalou, Diego LirmanAbstract:Sexual reproduction in scleractinian corals is a critical component of species recovery, fostering population connectivity and enhancing genetic diveristy. The relative contribution of sexual reproduction to both connectivity and diversity in Acropora cervicornis may be variable due to this species’ capacity to reproduce effectively by fragmentation. Using a biophysical model and genomic data in this threatened species, we construct potential connectivity pathways on the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) and compare them to inferred migration rates derived from next-generation sequencing, using a link and node-based approach. Larval connectivity on the FRT can be divided into two zones: the northern region, where most transport is unidirectional to the north with the Florida Current, and the southern region that is more dynamic and exhibits complex spatial patterns. These biophysical linkages are poorly correlated with genetic connectivity patterns, which resolve many reciprocal connections and suggest a less sparse network. These results are difficult to reconcile with genetic data which indicate that individual reefs are diverse, suggesting important contributions of sexual reproduction and recruitment. Larval connectivity models highlight potential resources for recovery, such as areas with high larval export like the Lower Keys, or areas that are well connected to most other regions on the FRT, such as the Dry Tortugas.
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genomic patterns in Acropora cervicornis show extensive population structure and variable genetic diversity
Ecology and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Erich Bartels, Elizabeth A Goergen, Meaghan E. Johnson, S Schopmeyer, Carrie Manfrino, Ken Nedimyer, Kerry E Maxwell, Victor Galvan, Diego LirmanAbstract:Threatened Caribbean coral communities can benefit from high-resolution genetic data used to inform management and conservation action. We use Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) to investigate genetic patterns in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis, across the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) and the western Caribbean. Results show extensive population structure at regional scales and resolve previously unknown structure within the FRT. Different regions also exhibit up to threefold differences in genetic diversity (He), suggesting targeted management based on the goals and resources of each population is needed. Patterns of genetic diversity have a strong spatial component, and our results show Broward and the Lower Keys are among the most diverse populations in Florida. The genetic diversity of Caribbean staghorn coral is concentrated within populations and within individual reefs (AMOVA), highlighting the complex mosaic of population structure. This variance structure is similar over regional and local scales, which suggests that in situ nurseries are adequately capturing natural patterns of diversity, representing a resource that can replicate the average diversity of wild assemblages, serving to increase intraspecific diversity and potentially leading to improved biodiversity and ecosystem function. Results presented here can be translated into specific goals for the recovery of A. cervicornis, including active focus on low diversity areas, protection of high diversity and connectivity, and practical thresholds for responsible restoration.
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Genotype and local environment dynamically influence growth, disturbance response and survivorship in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis.
PLOS ONE, 2017Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Derek P. Manzello, Diego LirmanAbstract:The relationship between the coral genotype and the environment is an important area of research in degraded coral reef ecosystems. We used a reciprocal outplanting experiment with 930 corals representing ten genotypes on each of eight reefs to investigate the influence of genotype and the environment on growth and survivorship in the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis. Coral genotype and site were strong drivers of coral growth and individual genotypes exhibited flexible, non-conserved reaction norms, complemented by ten-fold differences in growth between specific G-E combinations. Growth plasticity may diminish the influence of local adaptation, where foreign corals grew faster than native corals at their home sites. Novel combinations of environment and genotype also significantly affected disturbance response during and after the 2015 bleaching event, where these factors acted synergistically to drive variation in bleaching and recovery. Importantly, small differences in temperature stress elicit variable patterns of survivorship based on genotype and illustrate the importance of novel combinations of coral genetics and small differences between sites representing habitat refugia. In this context, acclimatization and flexibility is especially important given the long lifespan of corals coping with complex environmental change. The combined influence of site and genotype creates short-term differences in growth and survivorship, contributing to the standing genetic variation needed for adaptation to occur over longer timescales and the recovery of degraded reefs through natural mechanisms.
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genomic variation among populations of threatened coral Acropora cervicornis
BMC Genomics, 2016Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Erich Bartels, Diego Lirman, E A Larson, Katherine E Dale, J M Panlilio, S V Miller, Douglas L Crawford, Marjorie F OleksiakAbstract:Acropora cervicornis, a threatened, keystone reef-building coral has undergone severe declines (>90 %) throughout the Caribbean. These declines could reduce genetic variation and thus hamper the species’ ability to adapt. Active restoration strategies are a common conservation approach to mitigate species' declines and require genetic data on surviving populations to efficiently respond to declines while maintaining the genetic diversity needed to adapt to changing conditions. To evaluate active restoration strategies for the staghorn coral, the genetic diversity of A. cervicornis within and among populations was assessed in 77 individuals collected from 68 locations along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) and in the Dominican Republic. Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) identified 4,764 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Pairwise nucleotide differences (π) within a population are large (~37 %) and similar to π across all individuals. This high level of genetic diversity along the FRT is similar to the diversity within a small, isolated reef. Much of the genetic diversity (>90 %) exists within a population, yet GBS analysis shows significant variation along the FRT, including 300 SNPs with significant FST values and significant divergence relative to distance. There are also significant differences in SNP allele frequencies over small spatial scales, exemplified by the large FST values among corals collected within Miami-Dade county. Large standing diversity was found within each population even after recent declines in abundance, including significant, potentially adaptive divergence over short distances. The data here inform conservation and management actions by uncovering population structure and high levels of diversity maintained within coral collections among sites previously shown to have little genetic divergence. More broadly, this approach demonstrates the power of GBS to resolve differences among individuals and identify subtle genetic structure, informing conservation goals with evolutionary implications.
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growth dynamics of the threatened caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis influence of host genotype symbiont identity colony size and environmental setting
PLOS ONE, 2014Co-Authors: Diego Lirman, Crawford Drury, Andrew C. Baker, S Schopmeyer, Victor Galvan, Iliana B BaumsAbstract:Background: The drastic decline in the abundance of Caribbean acroporid corals (Acropora cervicornis, A. palmata) has prompted the listing of this genus as threatened as well as the development of a regional propagation and restoration program. Using in situ underwater nurseries, we documented the influence of coral genotype and symbiont identity, colony size, and propagation method on the growth and branching patterns of staghorn corals in Florida and the Dominican Republic. Methodology/Principal Findings: Individual tracking of. 1700 nursery-grown staghorn fragments and colonies from 37 distinct genotypes (identified using microsatellites) in Florida and the Dominican Republic revealed a significant positive relationship between size and growth, but a decreasing rate of productivity with increasing size. Pruning vigor (enhanced growth after fragmentation) was documented even in colonies that lost 95% of their coral tissue/skeleton, indicating that high productivity can be maintained within nurseries by sequentially fragmenting corals. A significant effect of coral genotype was documented for corals grown in a common-garden setting, with fast-growing genotypes growing up to an order of magnitude faster than slow-growing genotypes. Algal-symbiont identity established using qPCR techniques showed that clade A (likely Symbiodinium A3) was the dominant symbiont type for all coral genotypes, except for one coral genotype in the DR and two in Florida that were dominated by clade C, with A- and C-dominated genotypes having similar growth rates. Conclusion/Significance: The threatened Caribbean staghorn coral is capable of extremely fast growth, with annual productivity rates exceeding 5 cm of new coral produced for every cm of existing coral. This species benefits from high fragment survivorship coupled by the pruning vigor experienced by the parent colonies after fragmentation. These lifehistory characteristics make A. cervicornis a successful candidate nursery species and provide optimism for the potential role that active propagation can play in the recovery of this keystone species.
Joshua T. Patterson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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growth calcification and photobiology of the threatened coral Acropora cervicornis in natural versus artificial light
Zoo Biology, 2021Co-Authors: Sebastian Slagel, Kathryn E Lohr, Joshua T. Patterson, Keri L OneilAbstract:Land-based coral culture is of increasing interest for conservation and educational display. Shallow water corals generate most of their energy from photosynthesis, and light is a critical abiotic factor in their husbandry. We compared growth, calcification, and photobiology in the coral Acropora cervicornis between natural and artificial (light-emitting diode; LED) light to better understand the impact of light source on coral performance. One tank of a greenhouse recirculating system at The Florida Aquarium's Center for Conservation was used to culture replicate coral colonies. Half of the tank and corals were covered to block sunlight and illuminated with a commercial reef aquarium LED fixture, while the other half was exposed to natural sunlight. Treatments were matched in terms of maximum photosynthetically active radiation and spectral measurements characterized both light regimes. Coral growth and calcification were tracked over a period of 19 weeks by repeated measurements of total linear extension (TLE) and buoyant weight. For the first 5 weeks, photosynthetic yield was measured weekly using a pulse-amplitude-modulated fluorometer. Calcification was significantly higher under LED lighting relative to natural light, but TLE did not differ. Photobiology data suggest that corals in both treatments were acclimated to the same light level, but photosynthetic efficiency was ultimately greater in the natural light treatment. More consistent light delivery and different spectral composition under LED treatment conditions may explain the incongruity between calcification and photosynthetic efficiency. This experiment informs husbandry of shallow-water scleractinian corals maintained in both natural sunlight and enclosed structures.
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native herbivores improve sexual propagation of threatened staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis
Frontiers in Marine Science, 2019Co-Authors: Joseph Henry, Joshua T. Patterson, Keri L OneilAbstract:Staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis was once spatially dominant on Caribbean reefs but is now threatened throughout its range. In recent years, advancements in ex-situ sexual propagation of Caribbean corals have increased the viability of this management strategy. Thus, improving culture methods for sexually propagated corals is important to bolster the overall coral restoration portfolio and increase genetic diversity in restored populations. In both natural systems and culture scenarios, algae proliferation negatively impacts coral growth and survival. Growing coral with native herbivores may represent a strategy for increased efficiency. We tested A. cervicornis recruits raised in replicate aquaria with identical densities of juvenile Lithopoma americanum or juvenile Batillaria minima snails plus a no-snail control. Each of three replicates per treatment contained tiles with similar numbers of recently settled, visually healthy, A. cervicornis. Tiles were photographed every three weeks for five months and coral growth, survivability, turf algae cover, and crustose coralline algae (CCA) cover were quantified. Labor time for cleaning was carefully recorded for each treatment. Results indicated improved growth and survival when A. cervicornis recruits were raised with either snail species in comparison to a no-herbivore control. Further, including snails decreased labor and eliminated turf algae cover. Interestingly, L. americanum significantly reduced CCA cover relative to the other treatments. We report some of the highest survival rates observed to date for sexually propagated Atlantic corals. Ultimately, results suggest that rearing sexually propagated A. cervicornis with native herbivores could improve the ability to employ these corals in reef restoration.
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Acropora cervicornis genet performance and symbiont identity throughout the restoration process
Coral Reefs, 2018Co-Authors: Kelli E Odonnell, Kathryn E Lohr, Erich Bartels, Iliana B Baums, Joshua T. PattersonAbstract:In the Caribbean, corals are commonly cultured in ocean-based nurseries and outplanted back to reefs for population enhancement. Intraspecific diversity in host and symbiont is an important consideration for nursery and resource managers. We built upon a previous study that quantified Acropora cervicornis growth phenotypes in a nursery by outplanting the same genets across two reef sites and tracking their performance for 1 yr. Further, we identified the Symbiodinium ‘fitti’ strains present in each of the A. cervicornis genets during the restoration process from the initial wild collection as early as 2008 to 24 months post-outplant in 2017. Survival to 1 yr post-outplant was consistent with regional averages and did not differ significantly among A. cervicornis genets or between outplant sites. Outplant site and host genet had significant effects on coral growth. However, genet growth response did not depend on outplant site, providing no evidence for site-genet matching. Conversely, growth rates measured for each genet in the nursery were not predictive of performance following outplanting. Instead, A. cervicornis genets appear to exhibit differences in relative growth through the restoration process. Despite this variability, relative differences in growth among genets were consistent within a given timeframe, even across varying environments. Most colonies sampled were infected by one of five unique strains of S. ‘fitti’. Host-symbiont specificity varied among coral genets, but four out of five genets exhibited spatial and/or temporal differences in symbiont strain composition throughout the restoration process. The ability for A. cervicornis to associate with more than one S. ‘fitti’ strain and the lack of correlation between nursery and outplant growth performance contribute to a growing understanding of the A. cervicornis population enhancement process.
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evaluation of staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis lamarck 1816 production techniques in an ocean based nursery with consideration of coral genotype
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Kelli E Odonnell, Kathryn E Lohr, Erich Bartels, Joshua T. PattersonAbstract:Abstract Staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis is an important framework-building species that has declined severely throughout the Caribbean since the early 1980s. This species is now widely cultured in ocean-based nurseries to restore degraded populations. A variety of techniques have been adopted to grow A. cervicornis for restoration purposes, however the effect of each of these methods on nursery-reared corals is not well-understood. In particular, systematic evaluation of nursery-reared A. cervicornis between water column-suspended and benthic-attached culture methods is lacking. To better understand the effect of these techniques, a one-year A. cervicornis propagation experiment in the Florida Keys was conducted to compare growth, condition, and survivorship between common suspended (i.e. tree) and benthic-attached (i.e. block) grow-out methods. The effect of coral genotype on growth was also considered. Colonies were measured and monitored monthly from December 2014 until November 2015, when only three colonies had survived an extreme bleaching event. Colonies on trees grew up to three times faster than those on blocks and the location of colonies on trees did not affect growth. Genotype had a significant effect on colony growth, which was consistent across grow-out methods. Interestingly, colonies grown on blocks bleached sooner but survived longer than those on trees. These findings contribute to a growing understanding of A. cervicornis nursery culture, and could aid in the selection of culture methods and genotypes for coral nurseries throughout the wider Caribbean.
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intraspecific variation in phenotype among nursery reared staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis lamarck 1816
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2017Co-Authors: Kathryn E Lohr, Joshua T. PattersonAbstract:Abstract Although genetic diversity is recognized as an important consideration for coral restoration, genotypes for use in restoration are not typically selected based on an evaluation of phenotype. Systematic documentation of phenotypic variability within coral nurseries could inform restoration efforts. To quantify differences in phenotype, ten known genotypes of Acropora cervicornis in an established coral nursery in the Florida Keys were selected for study. Twelve 5-cm replicate colonies of each genotype were individually tagged for identification and suspended from four identical PVC tree structures within the nursery for grow-out. Total linear extension (TLE) and number of branches were measured at approximately 45-day intervals for a period of 13 months. Buoyant weight was determined for each colony initially and after five and 13 months in order to quantify calcification. Sub-lethal bleaching was observed among experimental colonies following a natural thermal stress event, and significant differences in bleaching prevalence were present among genotypes. At the conclusion of the study, significant differences in all growth parameters were detected among genotypes. Specific growth rate across genotypes decreased following bleaching. The ratio of buoyant weight to TLE varied among genotypes and decreased with increasing TLE, suggesting a potential tradeoff between extension and skeletal density in nursery-reared A. cervicornis . Phenotypic variation documented in this study has implications for nursery management and may be useful in selecting genotypes for A. cervicornis population enhancement.
S Schopmeyer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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genomic patterns in Acropora cervicornis show extensive population structure and variable genetic diversity
Ecology and Evolution, 2017Co-Authors: Crawford Drury, Erich Bartels, Elizabeth A Goergen, Meaghan E. Johnson, S Schopmeyer, Carrie Manfrino, Ken Nedimyer, Kerry E Maxwell, Victor Galvan, Diego LirmanAbstract:Threatened Caribbean coral communities can benefit from high-resolution genetic data used to inform management and conservation action. We use Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS) to investigate genetic patterns in the threatened coral, Acropora cervicornis, across the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) and the western Caribbean. Results show extensive population structure at regional scales and resolve previously unknown structure within the FRT. Different regions also exhibit up to threefold differences in genetic diversity (He), suggesting targeted management based on the goals and resources of each population is needed. Patterns of genetic diversity have a strong spatial component, and our results show Broward and the Lower Keys are among the most diverse populations in Florida. The genetic diversity of Caribbean staghorn coral is concentrated within populations and within individual reefs (AMOVA), highlighting the complex mosaic of population structure. This variance structure is similar over regional and local scales, which suggests that in situ nurseries are adequately capturing natural patterns of diversity, representing a resource that can replicate the average diversity of wild assemblages, serving to increase intraspecific diversity and potentially leading to improved biodiversity and ecosystem function. Results presented here can be translated into specific goals for the recovery of A. cervicornis, including active focus on low diversity areas, protection of high diversity and connectivity, and practical thresholds for responsible restoration.
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occupation dynamics and impacts of damselfish territoriality on recovering populations of the threatened staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis
PLOS ONE, 2015Co-Authors: S Schopmeyer, Diego LirmanAbstract:Large-scale coral reef restoration is needed to help recover structure and function of degraded coral reef ecosystems and mitigate continued coral declines. In situ coral propagation and reef restoration efforts have scaled up significantly in past decades, particularly for the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, but little is known about the role that native competitors and predators, such as farming damselfishes, have on the success of restoration. Steep declines in A. cervicornis abundance may have concentrated the negative impacts of damselfish algal farming on a much lower number of coral prey/colonies, thus creating a significant threat to the persistence and recovery of depleted coral populations. This is the first study to document the prevalence of resident damselfishes and negative effects of algal lawns on A. cervicornis along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT). Impacts of damselfish lawns on A. cervicornis colonies were more prevalent (21.6% of colonies) than those of other sources of mortality (i.e., disease (1.6%), algal/sponge overgrowth (5.6%), and corallivore predation (7.9%)), and damselfish activities caused the highest levels of tissue mortality (34.6%) among all coral stressors evaluated. The probability of damselfish occupation increased as coral colony size and complexity increased and coral growth rates were significantly lower in colonies with damselfish lawns (15.4 vs. 29.6 cm per year). Reduced growth and mortality of existing A. cervicornis populations may have a significant effect on population dynamics by potentially reducing important genetic diversity and the reproductive potential of depleted populations. On a positive note, however, the presence of resident damselfishes decreased predation by other corallivores, such as Coralliophila and Hermodice, and may offset some negative impacts caused by algal farming. While most negative impacts of damselfishes identified in this study affected large individual colonies and <50% of the A. cervicornis population along the FRT, the remaining wild staghorn population, along with the rapidly increasing restored populations, continue to fulfill important functional roles on coral reefs by providing essential habitat and refuge to other reef organisms. Although the effects of damselfish predation are, and will continue to be, pervasive, successful restoration efforts and strategic coral transplantation designs may help overcome damselfish damage by rapidly increasing A. cervicornis cover and abundance while also providing important information to educate future conservation and management decisions.
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optimizing the productivity of a coral nursery focused on staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis
Endangered Species Research, 2015Co-Authors: Kathryn E Lohr, Diego Lirman, Sonia Bejarano, S Schopmeyer, Carrie ManfrinoAbstract:The rapid decline of the staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis throughout the Carib- bean prompted the development of coral gardening as a management strategy to restore wild stocks. Given that coral gardening relies on propagating corals collected from wild donor colonies, it is imperative to optimize growth within a nursery to reduce dependence on wild collections. This study determined the maximum amount of coral that may be clipped from a colony during propagation without causing mortality or decreased growth. We applied 3 experimental treat- ments to 12 nursery-reared staghorn corals, in which 25, 50, or 75% of the colony's total biomass was removed and fragmented to create additional, smaller fragments. Four additional colonies served as unfragmented controls. Treatment had no effect on colony productivity, defined as the ratio of new tissue growth to initial colony size, over 87 d. Similarly, treatment had no effect on the rate at which colonies developed new branches. Results indicate that 75% of the biomass of staghorn colonies may be removed without affecting their growth. We anticipate that our obser- vations will have practical applications for maximizing propagation of staghorn coral within nurs- eries throughout the wider Caribbean while minimizing the impact of this management measure on remnant wild populations.
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growth dynamics of the threatened caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis influence of host genotype symbiont identity colony size and environmental setting
PLOS ONE, 2014Co-Authors: Diego Lirman, Crawford Drury, Andrew C. Baker, S Schopmeyer, Victor Galvan, Iliana B BaumsAbstract:Background: The drastic decline in the abundance of Caribbean acroporid corals (Acropora cervicornis, A. palmata) has prompted the listing of this genus as threatened as well as the development of a regional propagation and restoration program. Using in situ underwater nurseries, we documented the influence of coral genotype and symbiont identity, colony size, and propagation method on the growth and branching patterns of staghorn corals in Florida and the Dominican Republic. Methodology/Principal Findings: Individual tracking of. 1700 nursery-grown staghorn fragments and colonies from 37 distinct genotypes (identified using microsatellites) in Florida and the Dominican Republic revealed a significant positive relationship between size and growth, but a decreasing rate of productivity with increasing size. Pruning vigor (enhanced growth after fragmentation) was documented even in colonies that lost 95% of their coral tissue/skeleton, indicating that high productivity can be maintained within nurseries by sequentially fragmenting corals. A significant effect of coral genotype was documented for corals grown in a common-garden setting, with fast-growing genotypes growing up to an order of magnitude faster than slow-growing genotypes. Algal-symbiont identity established using qPCR techniques showed that clade A (likely Symbiodinium A3) was the dominant symbiont type for all coral genotypes, except for one coral genotype in the DR and two in Florida that were dominated by clade C, with A- and C-dominated genotypes having similar growth rates. Conclusion/Significance: The threatened Caribbean staghorn coral is capable of extremely fast growth, with annual productivity rates exceeding 5 cm of new coral produced for every cm of existing coral. This species benefits from high fragment survivorship coupled by the pruning vigor experienced by the parent colonies after fragmentation. These lifehistory characteristics make A. cervicornis a successful candidate nursery species and provide optimism for the potential role that active propagation can play in the recovery of this keystone species.
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effects of light and elevated pco2 on the growth and photochemical efficiency of Acropora cervicornis
Coral Reefs, 2014Co-Authors: Derek P. Manzello, Diego Lirman, Ian C. Enochs, S Schopmeyer, Renee Carlton, R Van HooidonkAbstract:The effects of light and elevated pCO2 on the growth and photochemical efficiency of the critically endangered staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, were examined experimentally. Corals were subjected to high and low treatments of CO2 and light in a fully crossed design and monitored using 3D scanning and buoyant weight methodologies. Calcification rates, linear extension, as well as colony surface area and volume of A. cervicornis were highly dependent on light intensity. At pCO2 levels projected to occur by the end of the century from ocean acidification (OA), A. cervicornis exhibited depressed calcification, but no change in linear extension. Photochemical efficiency (F v /F m ) was higher at low light, but unaffected by CO2. Amelioration of OA-depressed calcification under high-light treatments was not observed, and we suggest that the high-light intensity necessary to reach saturation of photosynthesis and calcification in A. cervicornis may limit the effectiveness of this potentially protective mechanism in this species. High CO2 causes depressed skeletal density, but not linear extension, illustrating that the measurement of extension by itself is inadequate to detect CO2 impacts. The skeletal integrity of A. cervicornis will be impaired by OA, which may further reduce the resilience of the already diminished populations of this endangered species.
