2009 LTER All Scientists Meeting - MCR

Resilience in a coral reef ecosystem: Initiation of a long-term experiment to determine the effects of multiple disturbances

Andrew Brooks — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:13:11 +0000

Poster Number:

358

Presenter/Primary Author:

Andrew Brooks

Co-Authors:

Russell J. Schmitt

Co-Authors:

Robert C. Carpenter

Co-Authors:

Peter J. Edmunds

Co-Authors:

Sally J. Holbrook

Documenting the trajectories of ecological communities following a disturbance represents one of the five core research themes central to LTER network science. Quantifying degrees of resilience, here defined as the time needed for a community to return to a previous steady or quasi-steady state following a disturbance, can be especially challenging when ecosystems experience multiple perturbations that, in combination, can cause complex, non-linear community responses.

MIRADA-LTERS

Linda Amaral-Zettler — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:45:14 +0000

Poster Number:

323

Presenter/Primary Author:

Linda Amaral-Zettler

Co-Authors:

McCliment, Elizabeth

Co-Authors:

Huse, Susan

The MIRADA project was launched in the fall of 2007 to establish a Microbial Biodiversity Survey and Inventory across all 13 of the major aquatic (marine and freshwater) Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in the NSF US LTER Program. The long-term objective of our study is to document and describe baseline diversity and relative abundance data for both common and rare members of microbial communities and to relate this diversity to the underlying physical and chemical environment.

Observations of wave-driven dispersion over coral reefs

James Hench — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:23:20 +0000

Poster Number:

311

Presenter/Primary Author:

James Hench

Co-Authors:

Liv Walter

Co-Authors:

James Leichter

Co-Authors:

Stephen Monismith

The exchange of water between coral reef lagoons and the open ocean depends on the interplay between waves, buoyancy, wind stress, and alongshore currents. Some processes act to retain lagoon water such as onshore flows driven by surface waves, while others (e.g., the momentum jet that exits the lagoon) export lagoon water. To explore the impact of surface waves on the exchange dynamics, observations were made in Paopao Bay, French Polynesia, a nearly tideless coral reef lagoon system.

Student Poster:

Yes

The Influence of Echinoids on Coral Reef Community Structure

Stella Swanson — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 00:50:32 +0000

Poster Number:

309

Presenter/Primary Author:

Stella Swanson

Co-Authors:

Robert C. Carpenter

Coral reefs are known for their exceptional species diversity and productivity, yet are sensitive to biotic and abiotic perturbations. Many reefs have experienced phase shifts as the result of alterations in herbivore abundance. This research in Moorea, French Polynesia, is aimed at elucidating differential effects of sea urchin species on the coral reef community.

Student Poster:

Yes

Influence of Acroporid Coral Characteristics on Associated Fish Communities

Michele Johnson — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:18:33 +0000

Poster Number:

276

Presenter/Primary Author:

Michele Johnson

Co-Authors:

Sally J. Holbrook

Co-Authors:

Russell J. Schmitt

Co-Authors:

Andrew J. Brooks

Hermatypic corals form the foundation of most coral reef ecosystems and provide critical habitat for hundreds of species of coral associated fishes. Recent decades have seen a decline in the abundance and areal cover of branching Acroporid corals along the north shore of Moorea, French Polynesia.

Student Poster:

Yes

Predator abundance vs swamping: which factor explains spatial variation in Diadema savignyi density?

Xueying Han — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:48:47 +0000

Poster Number:

255

Presenter/Primary Author:

Xueying Han

Herbivory plays a crucial role in structuring coral reef communities. A decrease in abundance of herbivores increases the probability of state shift from coral to algae domination. Although both fish and sea urchins are important herbivores, many tropical reef systems have suffered from over-harvesting of fishes and therefore, a more thorough understanding the effect of urchins on community structure is essential. This study examines how population dynamics of the urchin Diadema savignyi, affect the reef community of Moorea, French Polynesia. D.

Student Poster:

Yes

Using GIS to analyze animal behavior in space

Tom Adam — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:41:53 +0000

Poster Number:

218

Presenter/Primary Author:

Tom Adam

This study was conducted as part of a larger effort to look at potential indirect effects of cleaner fish on coral reefs. Cleaners are likely to have indirect effects on the reefs they occupy because they attract and concentrate a wide variety of different client fish to their territories. While client fish visit cleaner stations in order to have ectoparasites removed by the cleaner, they are also involved in other activities (such as feeding) during their visits, and these activities can affect the fish, algae, corals, and other invertebrates that inhabit cleaner stations.

Student Poster:

Yes

The effects of elevated pCO2 on the physiology of the tropical crustose coralline alga Hydrolithon onkodes.

Maggie Johnson — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:38:28 +0000

Poster Number:

215

Presenter/Primary Author:

Maggie Johnson

Co-Authors:

Robert C. Carpenter

Ocean acidification has severe implications for marine ecosystems. Tropical coral reef communities are particularly vulnerable as they are dominated by marine calcifiers such as corals and crustose coralline algae (CCA). CCA are a fundamental component of reef communities in that they cement reef fragments together, provide critical settlement cues for coral larvae, build reef caps (algal ridges), and are a source of primary production. Despite the key role of CCA in tropical communities, little is known about species- specific physiological responses to ocean acidification.

Student Poster:

Yes

The Moorea Coral Reef LTER Site

Sally Holbrook — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:35:55 +0000

Poster Number:

188

Presenter/Primary Author:

Russell Schmitt

Co-Authors:

Sally J. Holbrook

Co-Authors:

Robert C. Carpenter

Co-Authors:

Peter J. Edmunds

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The effects of different types of simulated fish predation on the growth of corals

Caitlin Cameron — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:39:25 +0000

Poster Number:

Presenter/Primary Author:

Caitlin Cameron

Co-Authors:

Peter J Edmunds

Fish predation is an important disturbance affecting corals, yet few studies have compared the response of multiple coral species to one or more modes of fish predation. The present study differs from previous work on this topic by utilizing short-term field experiments, and testing the effects of corallivory on life stages (i.e., small or juvenile colonies) that are thought to be sensitive with regards to the effects of damage, and which play important roles in population growth.

Student Poster:

Yes