Rapid development of a restored oyster reef facilitates habitat provision for estuarine fauna

Oyster reef restoration has become a principal strategy for ameliorating the loss of natural Crassostrea virginica populations and increasing habitat provision. In 2014, a large‐scale, high‐relief, 23‐ha subtidal C. virginica reef was restored at the historically productive Half Moon Reef in Matagorda Bay, TX, using concrete and limestone substrates. Encrusting and motile fauna were sampled seasonally until 17 months postrestoration at the restored reef and at adjacent unrestored sites. Restored oysters developed rapidly and were most abundant 3 months postrestoration, with subsequent declines possibly due to interacting effects of larval settlement success on new substrate versus post‐settlement mortality due to competitors and predators. Oyster densities were 2× higher than in a restored oyster population in Chesapeake Bay that was reported to be the largest reestablished metapopulation of native oysters in the world. Resident fauna on the restored reef were 62% more diverse, had 433% greater biomass, and comprised a distinct faunal community compared to unrestored sites. The presence of three‐dimensional habitat was the most important factor determining resident faunal community composition, indicating that substrate limitation is a major hindrance for oyster reef community success in Texas and other parts of the Gulf of Mexico. There were only minor differences in density, biomass, and diversity of associated fauna located adjacent (13 m) versus distant (150 m) to the restored reef. The two substrate types compared had little influence on oyster recruitment or faunal habitat provision. Results support the use of reef restoration as a productive means to rebuild habitat and facilitate faunal enhancement.     

Co-occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups correlates with enhanced coral reef benthic state

Aim

Biodiversity loss is impacting essential ecosystem functions and services across the globe. Recently, our interest in the benefits of biodiversity for ecosystem function has shifted focus from measurements of species richness to functional diversity and composition. However, the additional importance of other community characteristics, such as species evenness and co-occurrence, for diversity-driven ecosystem function is less known. We used herbivorous coral reef fish as a model system to investigate how co-occurrence of different functional groups, rather than purely functional diversity, within an assemblage might affect the coral reef benthic state.

Location

Western Atlantic.

Time period

2007–2017.

Major taxa studied

Herbivorous reef fish.

Methods

We analysed benthic and fish assemblage data from 601 sites across 12 countries in the western Atlantic. Using diversity–interaction models, we investigated how the composition and relative abundances of reef fish functional groups were correlated with benthic cover and estimates of coral calcification rates. We used statistical interactions to explore the importance of co-occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups for the coral reef benthic state.

Results

We found that co-occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups, in addition to functional diversity, was correlated with reduced algal cover and increased coral accretion. Moreover, pairwise statistical interactions between functional groups were significantly correlated with an improvement in the coral reef benthic state.

Main conclusions

Our results support the idea that functional group co-occurrence, in addition to functional diversity, within herbivorous fish offers additional benefits to the coral reef benthic state. We identify farming damselfish and excavating parrotfish as potential key determinants of the coral reef benthic state and highlight that co-occurrence of cropping and scraping herbivores might promote coral accretion. Our findings support the argument that protecting herbivore abundance without regard to the species and functional groups present is not enough to preserve coral reef health and that fine-scale community composition must be considered.     

Coral reef benthic productivity based on optical absorptance and light-use efficiency

In the interest of determining productivity across a range of spatial scales (meters to many kilometers) and in different reef environments, this paper proposes a technique for measuring productivity based on remote sensing of optical absorptance and light-use efficiency. The concept is straightforward: gross primary production equals plant-incident irradiance multiplied by plant absorptance multiplied by the plant’s light-use efficiency (GPP = E _d Aε). Both E _d and A are derivable from various remote sensing data sources, thus the approach is feasible. This paper presents a demonstration of the application for Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, HI based on Quickbird satellite imagery and SHOALS LIDAR data. E _d is modeled at every point in the image, and the image itself is inverted to provide A. Organismal-scale ε reported in the literature is taken as a surrogate for community-scale ε. The resulting GPP image compares well with the range of GPP values for reef-flats in general, as well as the distribution and range of GPP for Kaneohe Bay in particular. Though results likely can be improved by using spectral imagery and more accurate values for ε, this concept study demonstrates the tractability of this approach for measuring coral reef GPP.     

Specialization in habitat use by coral reef damselfishes and their susceptibility to habitat loss

While it is generally assumed that specialist species are more vulnerable to disturbance compared with generalist counterparts, this has rarely been tested in coastal marine ecosystems, which are increasingly subject to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Habitat specialists are expected to be more vulnerable to habitat loss because habitat availability exerts a greater limitation on population size, but it is also possible that specialist species may escape effects of disturbance if they use habitats that are generally resilient to disturbance. This study quantified specificity in use of different coral species by six coral‐dwelling damselfishes (Chromis viridis, C. atripectoralis, Dascyllus aruanus, D. reticulatus, Pomacentrus moluccensis, and P. amboinensis) and related habitat specialization to proportional declines in their abundance following habitat degradation caused by outbreaks of the coral eating starfish, Acanthaster planci. The coral species preferred by most coral‐dwelling damselfishes (e.g., Pocillopora damicornis) were frequently consumed by coral eating crown‐of‐thorns starfish, such that highly specialized damselfishes were disproportionately affected by coral depletion, despite using a narrower range of different coral species. Vulnerability of damselfishes to this disturbance was strongly correlated with both their reliance on corals and their degree of habitat specialization. Ongoing disturbances to coral reef ecosystems are expected, therefore, to lead to fundamental shifts in the community structure of fish communities where generalists are favored over highly specialist species.     

Effects of structural diversity and identity of patches of habitat on diversity of benthic assemblages

A fundamental problem in ecology, regardless of habitat or system, is understanding the relationship between habitats and assemblage of organisms. It is commonly accepted that differences in composition and surrounding landscape of habitats affect the diversity of assemblages, although there is not much empirical evidence because of difficulties of manipulating structure in many habitats. These relationships were examined experimentally, using habitats of artificial turfs that are colonized by diverse assemblages of gastropods. Each habitat was made of nine sub‐habitats, which were sampled individually to allow tests of hypotheses about the effect of type of habitat and the influence of other adjacent sub‐habitats on the colonizing assemblage. Turf habitats were deployed for 8 weeks on a rocky shore after which they were collected and the colonizing assemblages of gastropods sampled. Independently of the types of turfs combined to form different habitats, there were more species where there was more than one type of component in a habitat (i.e. structural diversity). The type of habitat (i.e. structural identity) itself had little or no influence on the colonizing assemblage. The number of species colonizing short‐sparse and short‐dense turfs was influenced by which type of habitat was adjacent. Thus, when units of one type (e.g. short‐sparse turf) were added to a patch of habitat of long‐sparse turfs, the number of species in short‐sparse turfs was greater than in patches of the same type. This also increased total number of taxa in the whole patch of habitat. These results show how diversity of gastropods colonizing heterogeneous patches of habitat is influenced not only by the number of types of sub‐habitats, but also by interactions with surrounding sub‐habitats. These findings reiterate the importance of investigating the role of structure of habitats and of their surrounding landscapes across different systems, irrespective of their size or associated assemblages of organisms.     

Vulnerability of global coral reef habitat suitability to ocean warming,acidification and eutrophication

Coral reefs are threatened by global and local stressors. Yet, reefs appear to respond differently to different environmental stressors. Using a global dataset of coral reef occurrence as a proxy for the long‐term adaptation of corals to environmental conditions in combination with global environmental data, we show here how global (warming: sea surface temperature; acidification: aragonite saturation state, Ω_arag) and local (eutrophication: nitrate concentration, and phosphate concentration) stressors influence coral reef habitat suitability. We analyse the relative distance of coral communities to their regional environmental optima. In addition, we calculate the expected change of coral reef habitat suitability across the tropics in relation to an increase of 0.1°C in temperature, an increase of 0.02 μmol/L in nitrate, an increase of 0.01 μmol/L in phosphate and a decrease of 0.04 in Ω_arag. Our findings reveal that only 6% of the reefs worldwide will be unaffected by local and global stressors and can thus act as temporary refugia. Local stressors, driven by nutrient increase, will affect 22% of the reefs worldwide, whereas global stressors will affect 11% of these reefs. The remaining 61% of the reefs will be simultaneously affected by local and global stressors. Appropriate wastewater treatments can mitigate local eutrophication and could increase areas of temporary refugia to 28%, allowing us to ‘buy time’, while international agreements are found to abate global stressors.     

枸杞岛岩礁生境主要鱼类的食物组成及食物竞争

基于2009年3月-2010年2月枸杞岛沿岸岩礁生境渔业资源调查数据,对岩礁生境中的3种定居性鱼类（褐菖鲉、大泷六线鱼和斑头六线鱼）和3种非定居性鱼类（花鲈、黄姑鱼和小黄鱼）的食物组成及食物关系进行了研究.结果表明： 麦秆虫、钩虾、褐菖鲉幼鱼、鳀鱼和中国毛虾等是6种鱼类的主要饵料生物,且饵料组成随季节而变化.3种定居性鱼类中,大泷六线鱼和斑头六线鱼在秋季食物竞争激烈;3种非定居性鱼类中,黄姑鱼和小黄鱼在夏季食物竞争激烈;非定居性鱼类和定居性鱼类之间,黄姑鱼分别与褐菖鲉（秋季）和大泷六线鱼（冬季）食物竞争激烈.黄姑鱼是引起岩礁生境中6种主要鱼类食物竞争的关键鱼种.枸杞岛岩礁生境中6种主要鱼类的摄食活动对褐菖鲉幼鱼的资源量有一定影响.     

Diversification and functional evolution of reef fish feeding guilds

A core eco‐evolutionary aim is to better understand the factors driving the diversification of functions in ecosystems. Using phylogenetic, trophic, and functional information, we tested whether trophic habits (i.e. feeding guilds) affect lineage and functional diversification in two major radiations of reef fishes. Our results from wrasses (Labridae) and damselfishes (Pomacentridae) do not fully support the ‘dead‐end’ hypothesis that specialisation leads to reduce speciation rates because the tempo of lineage diversification did not substantially vary among guilds in both fish families. Our findings also demonstrate a tight relationship between trophic habits and functional roles held by fish in reef ecosystems, which is not associated with a variation in the tempo of functional diversification among guilds. By illustrating the pivotal importance of the generalist feeding strategy during the evolutionary history of reef fishes, our study emphasises the role of this feeding guild as a reservoir for future diversity.     

广西马尾松林植物功能多样性与生产力的关系

探索植物多样性与生产力的关系可为森林经营与管理提供科学基础。本研究以广西4个地区的马尾松(Pinus massoniana)人工林群落为研究对象, 通过计算物种多样性、功能多样性和功能优势值, 运用相关分析、自动线性建模和方差划分等方法, 分析了多样性与生产力的关系。研究发现, 生产力与物种丰富度、Shannon指数、功能丰富度、功能均匀度极显著正相关(P < 0.01), 与物种均匀度、功能多样性、功能离散度、功能团个数、坡向显著正相关(P < 0.05), 与林龄极显著负相关(P < 0.01), 4个功能多样性参数和4个物种多样性参数两两之间皆为显著正相关; 未发现初始生物量制约生产力的提高; 方差划分最优模型中, 功能多样性参数效应、功能优势值效应和林龄效应分别解释生产力方差的56%、43%和33%, 功能多样性参数效应和功能优势值效应重叠部分高达27%; 生态位互补效应主要由功能丰富度和功能均匀度产生, 选择效应主要由生长型优势值产生; 生长型优势值为灌木的样地生产力较高, 次优种或过渡种对生态系统功能也有重要作用。以生产力为响应变量的自动线性建模最佳子集包括重要性由大到小的5个因素: 林龄、生长型优势值、功能丰富度、功能均匀度、功能团个数。建议维护森林功能多样性, 加强林下叶层植物保护, 用好功能重要的物种, 通过林下叶层的补偿性光合作用和生长竞争, 有效地提高生产力和生物多样性。     

Juvenile habitat partitioning and relative productivity in allochronically isolated sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

Allochronic divergence, like spatial isolation, may contribute to population diversity and adaptation, however the challenges for tracking habitat utilization in shared environments are far greater. Adult Klukshu River (Yukon, Canada) sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, return as genetically distinct "early" and "late" runs. Early and late adult spawning populations (1999 and 2000) and their subsequent fry (sampled at 7 sites in 2000 and at 8 sites in 2001 throughout Klukshu Lake and River) were genotyped at eight microsatellite loci. Bayesian assignment was used to determine the spatial distribution of early versus late fry; although intermixed, the distribution of fry significantly differed in Klukshu Lake and in the Klukshu River in 2001, based on crosstab analyses. Late-run fry predominated in Klukshu Lake at all sites, while early-run fry were most common in the north and south of Klukshu Lake and in Klukshu River. Early-run spawners had significantly higher relative productivity (early life survival) than late-run fish (2.9 times more fry produced per early-run adult in 2000, and 9.2 times more in 2001). This study demonstrates spatial habitat partitioning and differences in the contribution of allochronically isolated populations to fry abundance, and highlights annual variability that likely contributes to recruitment variation.     

王朗自然保护区大熊猫原始林与次生林的生境利用比较研究

为研究大熊猫对不同森林生境的利用情况,2012年和2013年在四川省王朗国家级自然保护区布设了30条调查线路开展了大熊猫生境调查,对49个大熊猫原始林利用样方和43个次生林利用样方中的16个变量进行了调查和统计分析。研究发现大熊猫可以利用采伐后自然恢复50多年的次生林,但原始林生境和次生林生境仍存在较大差异：与大熊猫所利用的原始林生境相比较,次生林生境的乔木胸径较小,灌木密度和灌木胸径较大,倒木较少。研究发现,加强对次生林的保护对大熊猫生境的保护工作有重要的意义。     

The role of the reef flat in coral reef trophodynamics: Past,present, and future

The reef flat is one of the largest and most distinctive habitats on coral reefs, yet its role in reef trophodynamics is poorly understood. Evolutionary evidence suggests that reef flat colonization by grazing fishes was a major innovation that permitted the exploitation of new space and trophic resources. However, the reef flat is hydrodynamically challenging, subject to high predation risks and covered with sediments that inhibit feeding by grazers. To explore these opposing influences, we examine the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) as a model system. We focus on grazing herbivores that directly access algal primary productivity in the epilithic algal matrix (EAM). By assessing abundance, biomass, and potential fish productivity, we explore the potential of the reef flat to support key ecosystem processes and its ability to maintain fisheries yields. On the GBR, the reef flat is, by far, the most important habitat for turf‐grazing fishes, supporting an estimated 79% of individuals and 58% of the total biomass of grazing surgeonfishes, parrotfishes, and rabbitfishes. Approximately 59% of all (reef‐wide) turf algal productivity is removed by reef flat grazers. The flat also supports approximately 75% of all grazer biomass growth. Our results highlight the evolutionary and ecological benefits of occupying shallow‐water habitats (permitting a ninefold population increase). The acquisition of key locomotor and feeding traits has enabled fishes to access the trophic benefits of the reef flat, outweighing the costs imposed by water movement, predation, and sediments. Benthic assemblages on reefs in the future may increasingly resemble those seen on reef flats today, with low coral cover, limited topographic complexity, and extensive EAM. Reef flat grazing fishes may therefore play an increasingly important role in key ecosystem processes and in sustaining future fisheries yields.     

High interindividual variability in habitat selection and functional habitat relationships in European nightjars over a period of habitat change

An animal's choice of foraging habitat reflects its response to environmental cues and is likely to vary among individuals in a population. Analyzing the magnitude of individual habitat selection can indicate how resilient populations may be to anthropogenic habitat change, where individually varying, broadly generalist populations have the potential to adjust their behavior. We collected GPS point data from 39 European nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus) at a UK breeding site where restoration measures have altered large areas of habitat between breeding seasons. We calculated individual habitat selection over four breeding seasons to observe changes that might align with change in habitat. We also analyzed change in home range size in line with change in habitat availability, to examine functional relationships that can represent trade‐offs made by the birds related to performance of the habitat. Individual explained more of the variation in population habitat selection than year for most habitat types. Individuals differed in the magnitude of their selection for different habitat types, which created a generalist population composed of both generalist and specialist individuals. Selection also changed over time but only significantly for scrub habitat (60% decrease in selection over 4 years). Across the population, individual home range size was 2% smaller where availability of cleared habitat within the home range was greater, but size increased by 2% where the amount of open water was higher, indicating the presence of trade‐offs related to habitat availability. These results highlight that using individual resource selection and specialization measures, in conjunction with functional responses to change, can lead to better understanding of the needs of a population. Pooling specialist and generalist individuals for analysis could hide divergent responses to change and consequently obscure information that could be important in developing effective conservation strategies.     

高寒矮嵩草草甸物种多样性与功能多样性对初级生产力的影响

自然生态系统中植物物种多样性是否随功能多样性变化而影响初级生产力的问题存在很大争议。在高寒矮嵩草草甸,对不同放牧强度、不同利用格局和土壤资源水平的4种生境（Ⅰ.畜圈：重度放牧、资源丰富;Ⅱ.牧道：中度放牧、资源适中;Ⅲ.人工草地：轻-中度放牧、资源贫乏;Ⅳ.封育草地：不放牧、资源贫乏）中物种多样性与功能多样性的变化及其对初级生产力的影响进行了研究。结果表明：物种多样性在牧道生境最高,符合中度干扰理论的预测;人工草地物种多样性低但功能多样性却最高;封育草地物种多样性和功能多样性均较高;物种多样性与地上生物量呈正相关,而功能多样性则与地上生物量呈负相关。表明功能多样性不随物种多样性而变化,二者可能在一定程度上是相互独立地作用于生产力的。群落生产力和生物多样性受生境资源、物种特征、放牧历史和放牧强度等因素的综合影响。     

Understanding the effect of landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity on elephant habitat utilization in Amboseli ecosystem,Kenya

Understanding factors affecting the distribution of the African elephant is important for its conservation in increasingly human‐dominated savannah landscapes. However, understanding how landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity affect elephant habitat utilization remains poorly understood. In this study, we tested whether landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity explain elephant habitat utilization in the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. We used GPS (Global Positioning System) telemetry data from five elephants to quantify elephant habitat utilization. Habitat utilization was determined by calculating the time elephants spent within a unit area. We then used generalized additive models (GAMs) to model the relationship between time density and landscape fragmentation, as well as vegetation productivity. Results show that landscape fragmentation and vegetation productivity significantly (P < 0.05) explain elephant habitat utilization. A significant (P < 0.05) unimodal relationship between vegetation productivity and habitat utilization was observed. Results suggest that elephants spend much of their time in less fragmented landscapes of intermediate productivity.     

Spatial variation and effects of habitat on temperate reef fish assemblages in northeastern New Zealand

Reef-associated fishes can respond to changes in habitat structure and the nature of their response can change with different spatial scales of observation. A structured hierarchical mensurative sampling design was used to sample temperate reef fish assemblages in northeastern New Zealand at several spatial scales over 2 years. The three spatial scales examined were tens of meters (transects), hundreds to thousands of meters (sites) and hundreds of kilometers (locations). We tested the hypothesis that fish assemblages differed between kelp forest habitat (relatively dense stands of the kelp, Ecklonia radiata (C. Agardh) J. Agardh, median depth=13.5 m) and barrens habitat (rocky reef dominated by turfing and encrusting red algae and the grazing urchin, Evechinus chloroticus (Valenciennes), median depth=6.7 m). Recently developed multivariate techniques were used to test for and quantify multivariate variation at different spatial scales. There were significant effects of habitat on the spatial distribution of fish assemblages, characterised by greater abundances or frequencies of Parika scaber, Chromis dispilus, Trachurus novaezelandiae, Nemadactylus douglasii, Bodianus unimaculatus, Odax pullus and Pseudolabrus miles in kelp forest habitat, and greater abundances or frequencies of Notolabrus celidotus, Notolabrus fucicola, Girella tricuspidata, Coris sandageri, Chironemus marmoratus, Parma alboscapularis, Scorpis violaceus and Kyphosus sydneyanus in barrens habitat. Some of the more common species, including Upeneichthys lineatus, Scorpis lineolatus and Cheilodactylus spectabilis showed no strong consistent effects of these two differing habitats on their distributions. There was, however, a significant Habitat×Locations interaction: effects of habitat did not occur at all locations. Variability was highest at the scale of individual transects and variability from site to site and from location to location was comparable. Spatial variation was large compared to inter-annual variation, which was minimal, and spatial patterns were consistent in the 2 years examined. Further experiments, including manipulations, are required to understand what mechanisms and processes might be driving these patterns. This study, coupled with results from previous studies, suggests that there may be a dynamic inter-play between effects of habitat on fish and effects of fish on biogenic habitat, such as kelp forests.     

亚热带次生常绿阔叶林植物功能性状及多样性对人工抚育的响应

亚热带次生常绿阔叶林普遍存在生长滞缓、固碳功能和经济价值低下等问题,迫切需要通过人工抚育提高其生态系统功能。对植物功能性状及其多样性的深入研究,能够找寻植物共存与群落稳定发展的内在机制,为提升森林生态系统功能的实践提供基础。为了探究人工抚育对亚热带次生常绿阔叶林质量提升的影响,以杭州午潮山国家森林公园内的次生常绿阔叶林为研究对象,实施了不同强度的抚育措施,通过群落植被复查,分析群落植物功能性状以及功能多样性对不同强度人工抚育的响应。结果发现:抚育2年后,群落最大潜在树高与叶片氮、磷、钾含量显著上升,而叶片干物质含量和叶片叶绿素含量均有显著下降,比叶面积有下降趋势,两种强度的抚育之间差异不显著;叶片干物质含量、叶绿素含量与叶片氮含量间的相关性由不显著变为了显著负相关,而叶片干物质含量与叶片叶绿素含量,叶片磷、钾含量与叶片氮含量,叶片磷含量与叶片钾含量间的相关性由不显著变为显著正相关;在20%强度抚育下,功能丰富度指数均值从对照的0.52显著下降为0.16,功能均匀度指数与功能分离度指数的均值则分别上升到0.61和0.67,显著高于对照组的0.51和0.56;在10%强度抚育下,功能丰富度有所下降,功能均匀度与功能分离度均有所上升,但差异不显著。研究表明,人工抚育在一定程度上改变了群落水平的植物功能性状与功能多样性,提高了群落植物利用资源的能力和效率;而适度的抚育强度更能解放资源空间,对群落产生的影响更加明显。该结果为亚热带次生常绿阔叶林的经营与管理提供依据与参考。     

廉州湾滨海湿地潮间带大型底栖动物群落次级生产力

于2011年1月、4月、7月和10月开展广西廉州湾的裸滩、红树林和茳芏(Cyperus malaccensis)盐沼3种湿地生境类型的潮间带大型底栖动物群落季节动态调查,采用Brey 经验公式估算各生境次级生产力.结果表明:共采集到潮间带大型底栖动物8门156种,其中裸滩生境有136种,红树林生境85种,盐沼生境29种;站位平均种数为裸滩9.5±4.8种,红树林9.5±3.9种,盐沼5.9±1.9种,同时,各类群占总种数比例大小规律一致,为软体动物门＞节肢动物门＞环节动物门＞脊索动物门＞其他;盐沼生境大型底栖动物群落结构变化较小,宁波泥蟹(Ilyoplax ningpoensis)优势很明显,随着水体盐度上升,红树林和裸滩优势种由适应低盐环境向适应高盐环境的种类变化;廉州湾潮间带大型底栖动物群落的次级生产力平均为15.88 g·m-2·a-1,裸滩、红树林和盐沼生境分别为16.16、9.97、3.88g·m-2 ·a-1;P/B值平均为0.70,3种生境分别为盐沼1.02,裸滩0.70,红树林0.65;廉州湾潮间带大型底栖动物年湿质量生产量为14623 t.水体盐度和植被类型是影响廉州湾潮间带大型底栖动物群落结构的优势种群以致次级生产力的空间分布变化的主要因素.