Oceanic productivity and high-frequency temperature variability—not human habitation—supports calcifier abundance on central Pacific coral reefs
Past research has demonstrated how local-scale human impacts—including reduced water quality, overfishing, and eutrophication—adversely affect coral reefs. More recently, global-scale shifts in ocean conditions arising from climate change have been shown ...
Population dynamics and genotypic richness of threatened Acropora species and their hybrid in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Acropora cervicornis and A. palmata have experienced substantial losses in coral cover throughout the Caribbean, but their hybrid (A. prolifera) appears to be increasing at some sites. The shifts in relative abundance could result from hybridization with ...
Subsurface temperature estimates from a Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) reanalysis provide accurate coral heat stress indices across the Main Hawaiian Islands
As ocean temperatures continue to rise, coral bleaching events around the globe are becoming stronger and more frequent. High-resolution temperature data is therefore critical for monitoring reef conditions to identify indicators of heat stress. Satellite...
Exposure duration modulates the response of Caribbean corals to global change stressors
Global change, including rising temperatures and acidification, threatens corals globally. Although bleaching events reveal fine‐scale patterns of resilience, traits enabling persistence under global change remain elusive. We conducted a 95‐d controlled‐l...
Predicting Coral Reef Carbonate Chemistry Through Statistical Modeling: Constraining Nearshore Residence Time Around Guam
To accurately predict the impacts of ocean acidification on shallow-water ecosystems, we must account for the biogeochemical impact of local benthic communities, as well as the connectivity between offshore and onshore water masses. Estimation of residenc...
Dynamic symbioses reveal pathways to coral survival through prolonged heatwaves
Prospects for coral persistence through increasingly frequent and extended heatwaves seem bleak. Coral recovery from bleaching is only known to occur after temperatures return to normal, and mitigation of local stressors does not appear to augment coral s...
Rapid assessments of Pacific Ocean net coral reef carbonate budgets and net calcification following the 2014–2017 global coral bleaching event
The 2014–2017 global coral bleaching event caused widespread coral mortality; however, its impact on the capacity for coral reefs to maintain calcium carbonate structures has not been determined. Here, we quantified remotely sensed maximum heat stress dur...
Deep-sea biology in undergraduate classrooms: Open access data from remotely operated vehicles provide impactful research experiences
Opportunities for students to conduct research in courses increase feelings of belonging in science, retention in STEM majors, and sense of ownership in a student’s educational experience. However, many research fields are challenging to bring to students...
Species-specific patterns of Brown chromis fecal pellet consumption (coprophagy) by parrotfishes and surgeonfishes and fecal pellet nutritional composition in Bonaire from 2019-06-27 to 2019-09-11 (NCEI Accession 0242462)
In this study, we investigated the species-specific foraging rates of parrotfishes (tribe Scarini within the Labridae) and surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) on Brown Chromis (Chromis multilineata) fecal pellets compared to other major dietary items and the nut...
Carbonate Budget Assessments in the U.S. Pacific Islands: Report of Methods Comparison Results and Summary of Standard Operating Procedures
This technical memorandum summarizes 2021 through 2022 results from the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center carbonate budget assessment methods development effort and establishes standard operating procedures for conducting carbonate budget asse...
Oceanic productivity and high-frequency temperature variability—not human habitation—supports calcifier abundance on central Pacific coral reefs
Species-specific patterns of Brown chromis fecal pellet consumption (coprophagy) by parrotfishes and surgeonfishes and fecal pellet nutritional composition in Bonaire from 2019-06-27 to 2019-09-11 (NCEI Accession 0242462)