Search

Once one of the predominant reef-building corals in the region, Acropora cervicornis is now a focal species of coral restoration efforts in Florida and the western Caribbean. Scientists and restoration practitioners have been independently collecting phenotypic data on genets of A. cervicornis grown in restoration nurseries. While these data are important for understanding the intraspecific response to varying environmental conditions, and thus the potential genetic contribution to phenotypic variation, in isolation these observations are of limited use for large-scale, multi- institution restoration efforts that are becoming increasingly necessary. Here, we present the Acropora cervicornis Data Coordination Hub, a web-accessible relational database to align disparate datasets to compare genet-specific performance. In this data descriptor, we release data for 248 genets evaluated across 38 separate traits. We present a framework to align datasets with the ultimate goal of facilitating informed, data-driven restoration throughout the Caribbean.

Ocean warming is increasing the incidence, scale, and severity of global-scale coral bleaching and mortality, culminating in the third global coral bleaching event that occurred during record marine heatwaves of 2014-2017. While local effects of these events have been widely reported, the global implications remain unknown. Analysis of 15,066 reef surveys during 2014-2017 revealed that 80% of surveyed reefs experienced significant coral bleaching and 35% experienced significant coral mortality. The global extent of significant coral bleaching and mortality was assessed by extrapolating results from reef surveys using comprehensive remote-sensing data of regional heat stress. This model predicted that 51% of the world’s coral reefs suffered significant bleaching and 15% significant mortality, surpassing damage from any prior global bleaching event. These observations demonstrate that global warming’s widespread damage to coral reefs is accelerating and underscores the threat anthropogenic climate change poses for the irreversible transformation of these essential ecosystems.

Reef restoration programs in Florida, US, focused initially on Acropora, but there is now a need to include other species that have also experienced declines. An outplanting experiment using Acropora cervicornis, Montastraea cavernosa, and Orbicella faveolata was conducted to compare performance among species and evaluate the impacts of contact interactions with macroalgae and the zoanthid Palythoa caribaeorum. Montastraea cavernosa and O. faveolata showed high survivorship (78% and 92%, respectively) over 18 mo. However, surviving colonies had limited growth and lost tissue due to factors like predation and disease. In contrast, A. cervicornis showed exponential growth. Colonies in contact with macroalgae showed the lowest survivorship. Removing macroalgae provided no long-term benefits in growth and a slight improvement in colony survivorship. Acropora cervicornis in contact with Palythoa grew 45% less than controls. Our study showed that: (1) coral taxa with massive morphologies (40–130 cm2) can be transplanted with low colony mortality but that their slow growth is not enough to balance partial tissue mortality caused by multiple chronic stressors; (2) removal of macroalgae at the time of outplanting improves colony survivorship; (3) periodic removal of macroalgae does not enhance growth; and (4) contact with Palythoa should be avoided. The impacts of contact competition were variable among species with different colony morphologies, with A. cervicornis showing the highest susceptibility to competition from algae and Palythoa. While restoration can rapidly increase coral abundance, long-term success will require a multifaceted approach to reduce the impacts of chronic reef stressors on wild and outplanted corals alike.

Ocean acidification (OA) will result in lower calcification rates for numerous marine taxa, including many species of corals which create important reef habitat. Seawater carbonate chemistry fluctuates over cycles ranging from days to seasons, often driven by biological processes such as respiration and photosynthesis. The magnitude of diel fluctuations varies spatially and may become more pronounced in the future due to OA. Due to technical constraints, OA experiments that incorporate diel variability into treatments are few in number. As a result, the degree to which coral reef organisms are influenced by ambient daily carbonate chemistry variability is poorly understood. Here we describe an experiment conducted in a novel seawater system which can independently manipulate carbonate chemistry in 16 separate aquaria, in real time, allowing precise control of the mean and magnitude of pH oscillations while minimizing pseudoreplication. Five genotypes of the threatened Caribbean coral Acropora cervicornis were subjected to a total of five pH treatments, 7.80 ± 0.20, 7.80 ± 0.10, and 7.80 ± 0.00, as well as 8.05 ± 0.10 and 8.05 ± 0.00. Those corals exposed to variable contemporary conditions (8.05 ± 0.10) calcified faster than those in current and future static treatment levels, which did not significantly differ from each other. Variable contemporary pH also resulted in faster growth rates than highly variable future conditions (7.80 ± 0.20), but were not significantly different than future conditions with the same ±0.10 diel pH oscillation. These findings support the importance of incorporating diel variability into OA experiments and suggest that more variable natural ecosystems may yield higher calcification rates for corals.

As climate changes, sea surface temperature anomalies that negatively impact coral reef organisms continue to increase in frequency and intensity. Yet, despite widespread coral mortality, genetic diversity remains high even in those coral species listed as threatened. While this is good news in many ways, it presents a challenge for the development of biomarkers that can identify resilient or vulnerable genotypes. Taking advantage of three coral restoration nurseries in Florida that serve as long-term common garden experiments, we exposed over 30 genetically distinct Acropora cervicornis colonies to hot and cold temperature shocks seasonally and measured pooled gene expression responses using RNAseq. Targeting a subset of 20 genes, we designed a high-throughput qPCR array to quantify expression in all individuals separately under each treatment with the goal of identifying predictive and/or diagnostic thermal stress biomarkers. We observed extensive transcriptional variation in the population, suggesting abundant raw material is available for adaptation via natural selection. However, this high variation made it difficult to correlate gene expression changes with colony performance metrics such as growth, mortality and bleaching susceptibility. Nevertheless, we identified several promising diagnostic biomarkers for acute thermal stress that may improve coral restoration and climate change mitigation efforts in the future.

The abundance of corals has declined significantly over past decades, to the point where several reef-building species in the Caribbean are now listed as threatened. Active reef restoration has expanded exponentially to help recover degraded coral populations and the ecological services associated with healthy and complex reefs. While restoration practitioners now grow hundreds of coral genotypes from several species within coral nurseries and thousands of corals are outplanted onto degraded reefs annually, the cost of these activities continues to be a limiting factor. We describe a citizen science program, Rescue a Reef (RAR), which trains participants in reef restoration and provides unique, experiential learning opportunities to recover degraded coral reefs by propagating and transplanting threatened coral species. Between 2015–2017, 230 participants outplanted >1300 staghorn corals, showing that citizen scientists significantly contribute to reef restoration. Most importantly, corals outplanted by RAR participants showed the same survivorship as those outplanted by scientific experts. The direct benefits of using citizen scientists for restoration are enhanced when the educational opportunities offered by these expeditions are considered. Results from our survey showed significant improvements in coral reef ecology and restoration knowledge for RAR participants. Thus, the growing field of reef restoration based on the coral gardening method offers a unique opportunity for participatory public engagement. By participating in these programs, citizen scientists can go beyond data collection to active restoration of degraded resources.

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.

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.

As climate changes, sea surface temperature anomalies that negatively impact coral reef organisms continue to increase in frequency and intensity. Yet, despite widespread coral mortality, genetic diversity remains high even in those coral species listed as threatened. While this is good news in many ways it presents a challenge for the development of biomarkers that can identify resilient or vulnerable genotypes. Taking advantage of three coral restoration nurseries in Florida that serve as long-term common garden experiments, we exposed over thirty genetically distinct Acropora cervicornis colonies to hot and cold temperature shocks seasonally and measured pooled gene expression responses using RNAseq. Targeting a subset of twenty genes, we designed a high-throughput qPCR array to quantify expression in all individuals separately under each treatment with the goal of identifying thermal stress biomarkers. We observed extensive transcriptional variation in the population, suggesting abundant raw material is available for adaptation via natural selection. However, this high variation made it difficult to correlate gene expression changes with colony performance metrics such as growth, mortality, and bleaching susceptibility. Nevertheless, we identified several promising biomarkers for acute thermal stress that may improve coral restoration and climate change mitigation efforts in the future.

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.

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.

The reef communities of the Florida coral reef tract play a major role in supporting the regional economy but are threatened by increased exploitation and environmental factors. Coral reef ecosystem services are vital to the economy of SE Florida where revenue and jobs depend on the status of reef resources. Here, we used an extensive, reef monitoring database collected by the Florida Reef Resilience (FRRP, 2003–2011) and the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA, 1997–2011) programs to evaluate percent recent mortality (PRM) as a robust ecological indicator of coral colony and coral reef status. PRM, the proportion of a coral colony that has experienced recent tissue mortality so that corallite structures in the non-living parts of the coral are still intact and identifiable to species, can be attributed to disturbances taking place within days to a few months preceding the surveys. Based on data from >50,000 colonies from 11 coral species and nearly 1400 sites, we propose a benchmark level of 1.0% and prevalence levels >5% can be used as early warning indicators of degrading conditions. Average PRM values >2% are indicative of increasingly stressful conditions as those experienced during temperature anomalies and major hurricanes. Finally, PRM values considerably >2% are reflective of significantly stressful conditions and warning signals of potential major coral mortality as evidenced by mean PRM levels of >10% recorded in Florida as a consequence of the 2010 extreme cold-water event. PRM and prevalence values from Florida reefs compared favorably with those recorded in the Caribbean and the Mesoamerican region where a benchmark of 2% for background levels of PRM under low-level, chronic stress was proposed. The status of this indicator can be easily communicated to stakeholders and will benefit managers by providing: (1) a baseline to assess the status of coral populations; and (2) early-warning indicators of unfavorable conditions that may trigger management actions such as temporary closures or the establishment of more permanent protection such as MPAs.

Nearshore benthic habitats of Biscayne Bay fit the prediction of communities at risk due to their location adjacent to a large metropolitan center (Miami) and being influenced by changes in hydrology through the activities of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). We examine whether the proposed programmatic expansion of mesohaline salinities through the introduction of additional fresh water would result in: (1) increases in seagrass cover; (2) expansion in the distribution and cover of Halodule; and (3) a reduction in the dominance of Thalassia, as hypothesized by CERP. Seagrasses were present at 98 % of sites where they covered 23 % of the bottom. Salinity was the only physical variable with a significant relationship to the occurrence of all SAV taxa. Occurrence of Thalassia, Halimeda, and Penicillus increased significantly with increasing salinity, but Halodule, Syringodium, Laurencia, Udotea, Batophora, Caulerpa, and Acetabularia showed a significant negative relationship with salinity. Mesohaline habitats had higher cover of seagrass and Halodule, and reduced dominance by Thalassia. Thus, we expect increases in the extent of mesohaline habitats to achieve the established CERP goals. We also examined the nutrient content of seagrass blades to evaluate whether: (1) nutrient availability is higher in areas close to canal discharges; and (2) tissue nutrient levels are related to seagrass abundance. The low abundance of Thalassia along the shoreline is not only due to its exclusion from low-salinity environments but also by higher nutrient availability that favors Halodule. Percent N and P, and N:P ratios in seagrass tissue suggest that Biscayne Bay receives high N inputs and is P-limited. Thus, increased P availability may facilitate an expansion of Halodule. The data presented suggest that increased mesohaline salinities will increase seagrass abundance and support co-dominance by Halodule and Thalassia as hypothesized, but raise concerns that current high N availability and increases in P may prompt a shift away from seagrass-dominated to algal-dominated communities under scenarios of enhanced fresh water inputs.

Coral reef restoration has gained recent popularity in response to the steady decline of corals and the recognition that coral reefs may not be able to recover naturally without human intervention. To synthesize collective knowledge about reef restoration focused particularly on the threatened genus Acropora in the Caribbean and western Atlantic, we conducted a literature review combined with personal communications with restoration practitioners and an online questionnaire to identify the most effective reef restoration methods and the major obstacles hindering restoration success. Most participants (90%) strongly believe that Acropora populations are severely degraded, continue to decline, and may not recover without human intervention. Low-cost methods such as coral gardening and fragment stabilization were ranked as the most effective restoration activities for this genus. High financial costs, the small footprint of restoration activities, and the potential damage to wild populations were identified as major concerns, while increased public awareness and education were ranked as the highest benefits of coral reef restoration. This study highlights the advantages and outlines the concerns associated with coral reef restoration and creates a unique synthesis of coral restoration activities as a complementary management tool to help guide "best-practices" for future restoration efforts throughout the region.

During an unusual cold-water event in January 2010, reefs along the Florida Reef Tract suffered extensive coral mortality, especially in shallow reef habitats in close proximity to shore and with connections to coastal bays. The threatened staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis ,i s the focus of propagation and restoration activities in Florida and one of the species that exhibited high susceptibility to low temperatures. Complete mortality of wild staghorn colonies was documented at 42.9% of donor sites surveyed after the cold event. Remarkably, 72.7% of sites with complete A. cervicornis mortality had fragments surviving within in situ coral nurseries. Thus, coral nurseries served as repositories for genetic material that would have otherwise been completely lost from donor sites. The location of the coral nurseries at deeper habitats and distanced from shallow nearshore habitats that experienced extreme temperature conditions buffered the impacts of the cold-water event and preserved essential local genotypes for future Acropora restoration activities.

1. Acropora cervicornis (staghorn coral) and Acropora palmata (elkhorn coral), once common features of shallow Caribbean reefs observed growing as large stands or thickets, are now found mainly as remnant pockets or isolated colonies at a fraction of their historical areal extent. 2. In February 2010, a large, surviving population of A. cervicornis was surveyed at Cabezos del Cayo, Punta Rusia, Dominican Republic to document its present condition and potential threats to its persistence. 3. The A. cervicornis surveyed at Cabezos del Cayo provides a rare glimpse of the habitat structure that these keystone components of coral reefs once provided. The staghorn population covers an area of 2 ha and is formed by interlocking skeletons of unusually large and thick A. cervicornis colonies. 4. The large size of its colonies (maximum branch length 250 cm; average linear length of live tissue 471 cm; maximum number of branch tips 141 per colony; maximum branch diameter 5 cm) and the complex open canopy of these colonies, have not been described, to our knowledge, in the recent literature. 5. The site is within Montecristi National Park but there is no active protection in this area and signs of overfishing are evident based on low fish abundance and complete lack of fish >20 cm in length. 6. The stressors associated with this population include significant predation by gastropods and fireworms, overgrowth by macroalgae, damselfish ‘gardening’ activities, and white band disease. 7. The management priority for the staghorn population at Cabezos del Cayo, Dominican Republic, should be to enforce the legal framework that is already in place for the protection of Montecristi National Park, limiting unsustainable and damaging fishing practices, and limiting land-based sources of pollution associated with increasing population numbers and future coastal development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Coral reef restoration methods such as coral gardening are becoming increasingly considered as viable options to mitigate reef degradation and enhance recovery of depleted coral populations. In this study, we describe several aspects of the coral gardening approach that dem- onstrate this methodology is an effective way of propa- gating the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis: (1) the growth of colonies within the nursery exceeded the growth rates of wild staghorn colonies in the same region; (2) the collection of branch tips did not result in any further mortality to the donor colonies beyond the coral removed for transplantation; (3) decreases in linear extension of the donor branches were only temporary and donor branches grew faster than control branches after an initial recovery period of approximately 3-6 weeks; (4) fragmentation did not affect the growth rates of non-donor branches within the same colony; (5) small branch tips experienced initial mortality due to handling and trans- portation but surviving tips grew well over time; and (6) when the growth of the branch tips is added to the regrowth of the fragmented donor branches, the new coral produced was 1.4-1.8 times more than new growth in undisturbed colonies. Based on these results, the collection of small (2.5-3.5 cm) branch tips was an effective propagation method for this branching coral species resulting in increased biomass accumulation and limited damage to parental stocks.

Seagrasses are recognized as important plant communities in coastal estuaries and lagoons across both tropical and temperate climes; thus, large-scale seagrass die-off events worldwide are of general concern. In Florida Bay, at the southern terminus of the Florida peninsula, seagrass die-off events up to 4000 ha have been reported and smaller scale mortality events are noted annually. In the present study, we examined several hypothesized causative factors (high temperature, hypersalinity, sulfide toxicity) of seagrass ( Thalassia testudinum ) mortality in Florida Bay. To test sulfide effects, in situ sulfide production was stimulated by applying a labile carbon source (glucose) to sulfate reducers in the sediment at five sites across the bay (northeastern, northcentral, and southwestern basins). During the one year study, high temperature (32–36 °C) and salinity (> 50 psu) were recorded in the bay associated with a regional drought. We also experienced major seagrass die-off events at two of our southwestern bay sites. These field conditions provided an excellent opportunity to closely examine cause–effect relationships among stressors and die-off events in the field, and verify results of our previous mesocosm experiments. Even though glucose amendments stimulated porewater sulfides in bay sediments (4–8 mmol L − 1 ), no significant differences in biomass, short shoot density or final growth rates were found between control and glucose plots. In addition, the highest growth rates and shoot densities were concomitant with maximum water column salinity (> 50 psu) and temperature (32–36 °C), when porewater sulfides were also in the millimolar range. Large-scale seagrass mortality events, encompassing ∼ 50% of the entire meadow at one site, occurred at southwestern bay sites when plants were down regulating (slower growth and shoot density), probably in response to shorter day length and lower temperature (30–34 to 23–26 °C) from October, 2004 to January, 2005. Sulfate reduction rates (SRR) were also 2-fold higher in the southwestern (214–488 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ) versus northcentral and northeastern (97–240 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ) bay sites, possibly limited by labile carbon, which we found to stimulate SRR 3-fold in northeastern and northcentral bay sites (461–708 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ) and 4-fold at southwestern bay sites (1211–2036 nmol cm − 3 d − 1 ). Based on a synthesis of the field data reported herein, our mesocosm experiments to date, and contributions by others, we present a conceptual model of seagrass die-off in Florida Bay outlining a cascade of stressors, stimulated by P enrichment, which leads to high O 2 consumption in the system triggering a seagrass die-off event.

To examine the synergism of high temperature and sulfide on two dominant tropical seagrass species, a large-scale mesocosm experiment was conducted in which sulfide accumulation rates (SAR) were increased by adding labile carbon (glucose) to intact seagrass sediment cores across a range of temperatures. During the initial 10 d of the 38 d experiment, porewater SAR in cores increased 2- to 3-fold from 44 and 136 μmol L − 1 d − 1 at 28–29 °C to 80 and 308 μmol L − 1 d − 1 at 34–35 °C in Halodule wrightii and Thalassia testudinum cores, respectively. Labile C additions to the sediment resulted in SAR of 443 and 601 μmol L − 1 d − 1 at 28–29 °C and 758 to 1,557 μmol L − 1 d − 1 at 34–35 °C in H. wrightii and T. testudinum cores, respectively. Both T. testudinum and H. wrightii were highly thermal tolerant, demonstrating their tropical affinities and potential to adapt to high temperatures. While plants survived the 38 d temperature treatments, there was a clear thermal threshold above 33 °C where T. testudinum growth declined and leaf quantum efficiencies (Fv/Fm) fell below 0.7. At this threshold temperature, H. wrightii maintained shoot densities and leaf quantum efficiencies. Although H. wrightii showed a greater tolerance to high temperature, T. testudinum had a greater capacity to sustain biomass and short shoots under thermal stress with labile C enrichment, regardless of the fact that sulfide levels in the T. testudinum cores were 2 times higher than in the H. wrightii cores. Tropical seagrass tolerance to elevated temperatures, predicted in the future with global warming, should be considered in the context of the sediment-plant complex which incorporates the synergism of plant physiological responses and shifts in sulfur biogeochemistry leading to increased plant exposure to sulfides, a known toxin.

The long-term sustainability of seagrasses in the subtropics and tropics depends on their ability to adapt to shifts in salinity regimes, particularlyinlightofpresentincreasesincoastalfreshwaterextractionsandfutureclimatechangescenarios.Althoughtherearemajorconcerns world-wideonincreasedsalinityincoastalestuaries,thereislittlequantitativeinformationonthespecificuppersalinitytoleranceoftropicaland subtropical seagrass species. We examined seagrass hypersalinity tolerance under two scenarios: (1) when salinity is raised rapidly simulating a pulsed event, such as exposure to brine effluent, and (2) when salinity is raised slowly, characteristic of field conditions in shallow evaporative basins; the first in hydroponics (Experiments I and II) and the second in large mesocosms using intactsediment cores from the field (Experiment III). The three tropical seagrass species investigated in this study were highly tolerant of hypersaline conditions with a slow rate of salinity increase (1 psu d 1 ). None of the three species elicited total shoot mortality across the range of salinities examined (35‐70 psu over 30 days exposures);representinginsituexposurerangesinFloridaBay,ashallowsemi-enclosedsubtropicallagoonwithrestrictedcirculation.Basedon stress indicators, shoot decline, growth rates, and PAM florescence, all three species were able to tolerate salinities up to 55 psu, with Thalassia testudinum(60 psu) and Halodule wrightii(65 psu) eliciting a slightly higher salinity threshold than Ruppia maritima(55 psu). However, when salinitywas pulsed,withouta slowosmotic adjustmentperiod,thresholdlevelsdropped20 psutoapproximately45 psufor T. testudinum.While we found these three seagrass species to be highly tolerant of high salinity, and conclude that hypersalinity probably does not solely cause seagrass dieoff events in Florida Bay, high salinity can modify carbon and O2 balance in the plant, potentially affecting the long-term health of the seagrass community. # 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

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.

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 life-history 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.

Background Coral reefs are facing increasing pressure from natural and anthropogenic stressors that have already caused significant worldwide declines. In January 2010, coral reefs of Florida, United States, were impacted by an extreme cold-water anomaly that exposed corals to temperatures well below their reported thresholds (16°C), causing rapid coral mortality unprecedented in spatial extent and severity. Methodology/Principal Findings Reef surveys were conducted from Martin County to the Lower Florida Keys within weeks of the anomaly. The impacts recorded were catastrophic and exceeded those of any previous disturbances in the region. Coral mortality patterns were directly correlated to in-situ and satellite-derived cold-temperature metrics. These impacts rival, in spatial extent and intensity, the impacts of the well-publicized warm-water bleaching events around the globe. The mean percent coral mortality recorded for all species and subregions was 11.5% in the 2010 winter, compared to 0.5% recorded in the previous five summers, including years like 2005 where warm-water bleaching was prevalent. Highest mean mortality (15%–39%) was documented for inshore habitats where temperatures were

Sulfur and oxygen dynamics in the seagrasses Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme and their sediments were studied in the US Virgin Islands (USVI) in order to explore sulfide intrusion into tropical seagrasses. Four study sites were selected based on the iron concentration in sediments and on proximity to anthropogenic nutrient sources. Meadow characteristics (shoot density, above- and below-ground biomass, nutrient content) were sampled along with sediment biogeochemistry. Sulfide intrusion was high in T. testudinum, as up to 96% of total sulfur in the plant was derived from sediment-derived sulfides. The sulfide intrusion was negatively correlated to the turnover of sulfides in the sediments regulated by both plant parameters and sediment sulfur pools. Sediment iron content played an indirect role by affecting sulfide turnover rates. Leaf production was negatively correlated with sulfide intrusion suggesting that active growth reduced sulfide intrusion. Sulfide intrusion was lower in S. filiforme (up to 44%) compared to T. testudinum consistent with a higher internal nighttime oxygen concentrations found for S. filiforme. When S. filiforme can take advantage of its ability to maintain high internal oxygen concentrations, as was the case on the USVI, it could increase its success in colonizing unvegetated disturbed sediments with potentially high sulfide concentrations.

A large-scale mesocosm (sixteen 500 L tanks) experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of hypersalinity (45–65 psu), porewater sulfide (2–6 mM) and nighttime water column hypoxia (5–3 mg L−1) on the tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum Banks ex Konig. We examined stressor effects on growth, shoot survival, tissue sulfur (S0, TS, δ34S) and leaf quantum efficiencies, as well as, porewater sulfides (∑TSpw) and mesocosm water column O2 dynamics. Sulfide was injected into intact seagrass cores of T. testudinum exposing below-ground tissues to 2, 4, and 6 mM S2−, but rapid oxidation resulted in ∑TSpw