Phase shift from a coral to a corallimorph-dominated reef associated with a shipwreck on Palmyra atoll.

PloS One
Thierry M WorkJames E Maragos

Abstract

Coral reefs can undergo relatively rapid changes in the dominant biota, a phenomenon referred to as phase shift. Various reasons have been proposed to explain this phenomenon including increased human disturbance, pollution, or changes in coral reef biota that serve a major ecological function such as depletion of grazers. However, pinpointing the actual factors potentially responsible can be problematic. Here we show a phase shift from coral to the corallimorpharian Rhodactis howesii associated with a long line vessel that wrecked in 1991 on an isolated atoll (Palmyra) in the central Pacific Ocean. We documented high densities of R. howesii near the ship that progressively decreased with distance from the ship whereas R. howesii were rare to absent in other parts of the atoll. We also confirmed high densities of R. howesii around several buoys recently installed on the atoll in 2001. This is the first time that a phase shift on a coral reef has been unambiguously associated with man-made structures. This association was made, in part, because of the remoteness of Palmyra and its recent history of minimal human habitation or impact. Phase shifts can have long-term negative ramification for coral reefs, and eradication of organi...Continue Reading

Citations

Sep 2, 2011·The ISME Journal·Linda Wegley KellyForest Rohwer
Feb 6, 2016·Marine Environmental Research·Igor Cristino Silva CruzJoel Christopher Creed
Nov 29, 2015·Environmental Management·Vinicius J GiglioAlexandre Schiavetti
Apr 5, 2013·Global Change Biology·James J BellNicole S Webster
Aug 12, 2016·PloS One·Lauriane Ribas-DeulofeuChaolun Allen Chen
Jan 30, 2015·PloS One·Igor C S CruzJoel C Creed
Mar 7, 2019·Scientific Reports·Simon D Donner, Jessica Carilli
Mar 25, 2018·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Matthew A StruckhoffDiana M Papoulias
Nov 28, 2021·Biotechnology Letters·Farshad HemmatiAlireza Afsharifar

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