Ocean acidification alters the otoliths of a pan-tropical fish species with implications for sensory function
"Ocean acidification affects a wide diversity of marine organisms and is of particular concern for vulnerable larval stages critical to population replenishment and connectivity. Whereas it is well known that ocean acidification will negatively affect a r...
"Explaining patterns of commonness and rarity is fundamental for understanding and managing biodiversity. Consequently, a key test of biodiversity theory has been how well ecological models reproduce empirical distributions of species abundances. However,...
Extreme longevity in proteinaceous deep-sea corals
"Deep-sea corals are found on hard substrates on seamounts and continental margins worldwide at depths of 300 to ~3,000 m. Deep-sea coral communities are hotspots of deep ocean biomass and biodiversity, providing critical habitat for fish and invertebrate...
Small-scale field experiments accurately scale up to predict density dependence in reef fish populations at large scales
Field experiments provide rigorous tests of ecological hypotheses but are usually limited to small spatial scales. It is thus unclear whether these findings extrapolate to larger scales relevant to conservation and management. We show that the results of ...
Impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a deep-water coral community in the Gulf of Mexico
"To assess the potential impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on offshore ecosystems, 11 sites hosting deep-water coral communities were examined 3 to 4 mo after the well was capped. Healthy coral communities were observed at all sites >20 km from...
Ocean acidification compromises recruitment success of the threatened Caribbean coral Acropora palmata
"Ocean acidification (OA) refers to the ongoing decline in oceanic pH resulting from the uptake of atmospheric CO2. Mounting experimental evidence suggests that OA will have negative consequences for a variety of marine organisms. Whereas the effect of OA...
Genomic basis for coral resilience to climate change
"Recent advances in DNA-sequencing technologies now allow for in-depth characterization of the genomic stress responses of many organisms beyond model taxa. They are especially appropriate for organisms such as reef-building corals, for which dramatic dec...
The 27-year decline of coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef and its causes
"The worlds coral reefs are being degraded, and the need to reduce local pressures to offset the effects of increasing global pressures is now widely recognized. This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of coral cover, identifies the main...
Footprint of Deepwater Horizon blowout impact to deep-water coral communities
"On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout occurred, releasing more oil than any accidental spill in history. Oil release continued for 87 d and much of the oil and gas remained in, or returned to, the deep sea. A coral community significantl...
Building coral reef resilience through assisted evolution
"The genetic enhancement of wild animals and plants for characteristics that benefit human populations has been practiced for thousands of years, resulting in impressive improvements in commercially valuable species. Despite these benefits, genetic manipu...
Ocean acidification alters the otoliths of a pan-tropical fish species with implications for sensory function