Category: Publications

Climate change winner in the deep sea? Predicting the impacts of climate change on the distribution of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesii

Beazley L, Kenchington E, Murillo FJ, Brickman D, Wang Z, Davies AJ, Roberts EM, Rapp HT

Shallow-water sponges are often cited as being ‘climate change winners’ due to their resiliency against climate change effects compared to other benthic taxa. However, little is known of the impacts of climate change on deep-water sponges. The deep-water glass sponge Vazella pourtalesii is distributed off eastern North America, forming dense sponge grounds with enhanced biodiversity on the Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia, Canada. While the strong natural environmental variability that characterizes these sponge grounds suggests this species is resilient to a changing environment, its physiological limitations remain unknown, and the impact of more persistent anthropogenic climate change on its distribution has never been assessed. We used Random Forest and generalized additive models to project the distribution of V. pourtalesii in the northwest Atlantic using environmental conditions simulated under moderate and worst-case CO2 emission scenarios. Under future (2046-2065) climate change, the suitable habitat of V. pourtalesii will increase up to 4 times its present-day size and shift into deeper waters and higher latitudes, particularly in its northern range where ocean warming will serve to improve the habitat surrounding this originally sub-tropical species. However, not all areas projected as suitable habitat in the future will realistically be populated, and the reduced likelihood of occurrence in its core habitat on the Scotian Shelf suggests that the existing Vazella sponge grounds may be negatively impacted. An effective monitoring programme will require tracking changes in the density and distribution of V. pourtalesii at the margins between core habitat and where losses and gains were projected.
[sendpaper paperurl=”2021_Beazley.pdf”]

Full Citation

Beazley L, Kenchington E, Murillo FJ, Brickman D, Wang Z, Davies AJ, Roberts EM, Rapp HT (2021) Climate change winner in the deep sea? Predicting the impacts of climate change on the distribution of the glass sponge Vazella pourtalesii. Marine Ecology Progress Series 657: 1-23.

Manuscript DOI

https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v657/p1-23/

Editorial: Advances in 3D Habitat Mapping of Marine Ecosystem Ecology and Conservation

Renata Ferrari, Javier X. Leon, Andrew J. Davies, John H. R. Burns, Stuart A. Sandin, Will F. Figueira and Manuel Gonzalez-Rivero

Abstract

Advances in 3D technology have enabled low-cost and accurate measurements of habitat structure and organism size in both terrestrial and marine environments. However, there is still a need for guidance on how to apply novel 3D technologies for marine ecology and conservation. Multiple teams from around the world are leading the application of 3D photogrammetry in marine ecosystems. The widespread adoption of 3D methodologies produces a growing need for agreed standards to assess the quality of 3D data (e.g., error metrics). Similarly, standardized techniques where possible, will ensure collaboration and compatibility of 3D data across space and time.

This Research Topic is a first step toward the standardization of methods and communication of the state of the field to the wider audience in marine science and conservation using or considering the use of 3D technologies. The Topic provides relevant information that: (1) defines standard methods for the application of 3D technologies to marine ecosystem ecology and conservation, (2) advances fundamental marine ecological and conservation knowledge relevant to the habitat structure of marine ecosystems; and (3) highlights knowledge gaps and directions to move toward a high-resolution 3D map of the world’s oceans.

The Research Topic focuses on the use of high-resolution 3D reconstructions of underwater ecosystems. It includes 13 articles, of which six are original research articles, one is a perspective, and six are methodological advances. Most of the original research articles also included a methodological validation or comparison. The geographic scope of this Research Topic ranges from the Caribbean to Greenland to the Pacific Islands and Australasia. Nine articles were conducted in coral reefs, three in temperate rocky reefs, and one on a deep-sea cliff, which highlights the versatility of 3D technologies. The diverse group of articles explored the relationship between habitat features, benthic and fish abundance, health, diversity, the potential of reef scape genomics, and the effectiveness of marine protection. A range of equipment from action cameras and DSLRs, to machine vision cameras, underwater robots, and echo-sounders were used to generate 3D reconstructions, emphasizing how a broad range of 3D technologies can benefit a wide variety of end users and applications. Similarly, the breath of the research published in this Research Topic captured 3D reconstructions of sub-millimeter resolutions, as well as 3D maps across large spatial extents.

[sendpaper paperurl=”2022_Ferrari_Frontiers.pdf”]

Full Citation

Ferrari R, Leon JX, Davies AJ, Burns JHR, Sandin SA, Figueira WF, Gonzalez-Rivero M (2022) Editorial: Advances in 3D Habitat Mapping of Marine Ecosystem Ecology and Conservation. Front Mar Sci 8

Manuscript DOI

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.827430/full

Connectivity of sponge grounds in the deep sea: genetic diversity, gene flow and oceanographic pathways in the fan-shaped sponge Phakellia ventilabrum in the northeast Atlantic

Sergi Taboada, Connie Whiting, Shuangqiang Wang, Pilar Ríos, Andrew Davies, Furu Mienis, Ellen Kenchington, Paco Cárdenas, Alex Cranston, Vasiliki Koutsouveli, Javier Cristobo, Hans-Tore Rapp, Jim Drewery, Francisco Baldó, Christine Morrow, Bernard Picton, Joana Xavier, María Belén Arias, Ana Riesgo

Abstract

A complex interplay of biotic and abiotic factors underpins the distribution of species and operates across different levels of biological organization and life history stages. Understanding ecosystem engineer reproductive traits is critical for comprehending and managing the biodiversity-rich habitats they create. Little is known about how the reproduction of the reef-forming worm, Sabellaria alveolata, varies across environmental gradients. By integrating broad-scale environmental data with in-situ physiological data in the form of biochemical traits, we identified and ranked the drivers of intraspecific Little is known about dispersal in deep-sea sponges, yet understanding patterns of gene flow and connectivity is essential for their effective management. Given rising pressure from harmful anthropogenic activities, schemes that manage resource extraction whilst conserving species diversity are increasingly necessary. Here, we used ddRADseq derived SNPs to investigate the genetic diversity and connectivity for the deep-sea sponge Phakellia ventilabrum across the northeast Atlantic Ocean (from the Cantabrian Sea to Norway). The analysis of 166 individuals collected from 57 sampling stations were grouped into 17 different areas, including two MPAs, one SAC and other areas with different levels of protection. The 4,017 neutral SNPs we uncovered indicated high connectivity and panmixis amongst the majority of areas, spanning a ca. 2,500-kilometre range and depths of 99–900 m. This was likely due to the presence of strong ocean currents aiding larval transport, as supported by our migration analysis and also by 3D particle tracking modelling using information on the reproductive cycle of P. ventilabrum. We also observed significant genetic similarity between samples from the Cantabrian Sea and Roscoff (France) as compared to the remainder of the collection areas, likely arising from physical drivers such as prevailing current circulation patterns and topographic features, acting as barriers for gene flow. Despite this, our results suggest that all protected areas studied are well connected with each other. The relatively low genetic diversity observed in all areas, though, highlights the potential fragility of this species to changing climates, which might compromise resilience to future threats.

Manuscript DOI

Preprint

Life in the Fast Lane: Modeling the Fate of Glass Sponge Larvae in the Gulf Stream

Shuangqiang Wang, Ellen Kenchington, Zeliang Wang and Andrew J. Davies

Abstract

Effective conservation management of deep-sea sponges, including design of appropriate marine protected areas, requires an understanding of the connectivity between populations throughout a species’ distribution. We provide the first consideration of larval connectivity among deep-sea sponge populations along the southeastern coast of North America, illustrate the influence of the Gulf Stream on dispersal, and complement published distribution models by evaluating colonization potential. Connectivity among known populations of the hexactinellid sponge Vazella pourtalesii was simulated using a 3-D biophysical dispersal model throughout its distribution from Florida, United States to Nova Scotia, Canada. We found no exchange with an estimated pelagic larval duration of 2 weeks between populations north and south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina at surface, mid-water and seabed release depths, irrespective of month of release or application of a horizontal diffusion constant specific to cross-Gulf Stream diffusivity. The population north of Cape Hatteras and south of Cape Cod was isolated. There was some evidence that Gulf Stream eddies formed near Cape Hatteras could travel to the northwest, connecting the populations in the two sub-regions, however that would require a much longer pelagic duration than what is currently known. More likely almost all larval settlement will be in the immediate area of the adults. At sub-regional scales, connectivity was found from the Strait of Florida through to the Blake Plateau, southeastern United States, with the latter area showing potential for recruitment from more than one source population. The influence of the Charleston Bump, a shallow feature rising from the Blake Plateau, was substantial. Particles seeded just north of the Bump were transported greater distances than those seeded to the south, some of which were caught in an associated gyre, promoting retention at the seabed. To the north on the Scotian Shelf, despite weaker currents and greater distances between known occurrences, unidirectional transport was detected from Emerald Basin to the Northeast Channel between Georges and Browns Banks. These major conclusions remained consistent through simulations run with different averaging periods for the currents (decades to daily) and using two ocean model products (BNAM and GLORYS12V1).

[sendpaper paperurl=”2021_Wang_Frontiers.pdf”]

Full Citation

Wang S, Kenchington E, Wang Z, Davies AJ (2021) Life in the Fast Lane: Modeling the Fate of Glass Sponge Larvae in the Gulf Stream. Front Mar Sci 8

Manuscript DOI

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.701218

Trends in phytoplankton communities within large marine ecosystems diverge from the global ocean

Kevin D. Friedland, John R. Moisan, Aurore A. Maureaud, Damian C. Brady, Andrew J. Davies, Steven J. Bograd, Reg A. Watson, and Yannick Rousseau

Abstract

Large marine ecosystems (LMEs) are highly productive regions of the world ocean under anthropogenic pressures; we analyzed trends in sea surface temperature (SST), cloud fraction (CF), and chlorophyll concentration (CHL) over the period 1998–2019. Trends in these parameters within LMEs diverged from the world ocean. SST and CF inside LMEs increased at greater rates inside LMEs, whereas CHL decreased at a greater rates. CHL declined in 86% of all LMEs and of those trends, 70% were statistically significant. Complementary analyses suggest phytoplankton functional types within LMEs have also diverged from those characteristic of the world ocean, most notably, the contribution of diatoms and dinoflagellates, which have declined within LMEs. LMEs appear to be warming rapidly and receiving less solar radiation than the world ocean, which may be contributing to changes at the base of the food chain. Despite increased fishing effort, fishery yields in LMEs have not increased, pointing to limitations related to productivity. These changes raise concerns over the stability of these ecosystems and their continued ability to support services to human populations.

[sendpaper paperurl=”2021_Friedland_LMS.pdf”]

Full Citation

Friedland KD, Moisan JR, Maureaud AA, Brady DC, Davies AJ, Bograd SJ, Watson RA, Rousseau Y (2021) Trends in phytoplankton communities within large marine ecosystems diverge from the global ocean. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 78: 1689-1700

Manuscript DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2020-0423

Environmental optima for an ecosystem engineer: a multidisciplinary trait-based approach

Amelia Curd, Aurélien Boyé, Céline Cordier, Fabrice Pernet, Louise B. Firth, Laura E. Bush, Andrew J. Davies, Fernando P. Lima, Claudia Meneghesso, Claudie Quéré, Rui Seabra, Mickaël Vasquez & Stanislas F. Dubois

Abstract

A complex interplay of biotic and abiotic factors underpins the distribution of species and operates across different levels of biological organization and life history stages. Understanding ecosystem engineer reproductive traits is critical for comprehending and managing the biodiversity-rich habitats they create. Little is known about how the reproduction of the reef-forming worm, Sabellaria alveolata, varies across environmental gradients. By integrating broad-scale environmental data with in-situ physiological data in the form of biochemical traits, we identified and ranked the drivers of intraspecific reproductive trait variability (ITV). ITV was highest in locations with variable environmental conditions, subjected to fluctuating temperature and hydrodynamic conditions. Our trait selection pointed to poleward sites being the most physiologically stressful, with low numbers of irregularly shaped eggs suggesting potentially reduced reproductive success. Centre-range individuals allocated the most energy to reproduction, with the highest number of intermediate-sized eggs, whilst equatorward sites were the least physiologically stressful, thus confirming the warm-adapted nature of our model organism. Variation in total egg diameter and relative fecundity were influenced by a combination of environmental conditions, which changed depending on the trait and sampling period. An integrated approach involving biochemical and reproductive traits is essential for understanding macro-scale patterns in the face of anthropogenic-induced climate change across environmental and latitudinal gradients.

[sendpaper paperurl=”2021_Curd.pdf”]

Full Citation

Curd A, Boyé A, Cordier C, Pernet F, Firth LB, Bush LE, Davies AJ, Lima FP, Meneghesso C, Quéré C, Seabra R, Vasquez M, Dubois SF (2021) Environmental optima for an ecosystem engineer: a multidisciplinary trait-based approach. Sci Rep-UK 11

Manuscript DOI

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02351-7

The fundamental links between climate change and marine plastic pollution

Helen V. Ford, Nia H. Jones, Andrew J. Davies, Brendan J. Godley, Jenna R. Jambeck, Imogen E. Napper, Coleen C. Suckling, Gareth J. Williams, Lucy Woodall, Heather J. Koldewey

Abstract

Designing conservation networks requires a well-structured framework for achieving essential objectives such as Plastic pollution and climate change have commonly been treated as two separate issues and sometimes are even seen as competing. Here we present an alternative view that these two issues are fundamentally linked. Primarily, we explore how plastic contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the beginning to the end of its life cycle. Secondly, we show that more extreme weather and floods associated with climate change, will exacerbate the spread of plastic in the natural environment. Finally, both issues occur throughout the marine environment, and we show that ecosystems and species can be particularly vulnerable to both, such as coral reefs that face disease spread through plastic pollution and climate-driven increased global bleaching events. A Web of Science search showed climate change and plastic pollution studies in the ocean are often siloed, with only 0.4% of the articles examining both stressors simultaneously. We also identified a lack of regional and industry-specific life cycle analysis data for comparisons in relative GHG contributions by materials and products. Overall, we suggest that rather than debate over the relative importance of climate change or marine plastic pollution, a more productive course would be to determine the linking factors between the two and identify solutions to combat both crises.

[sendpaper paperurl=”2021_Ford_STOTEN.pdf”]

Full Citation

Ford HV, Jones NH, Davies AJ, Godley BJ, Jambeck JR, Napper IE, Suckling CC, Williams GJ, Woodall L, Koldewey HJ (2021) The fundamental links between climate change and marine plastic pollution. Science of the Total Environment 806 (2022) 150392

Manuscript DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150392

Artificial shorelines lack natural structural complexity across scales

Peter J. Lawrence, Ally J. Evans, Tim Jackson-Bué, Paul R. Brooks, Tasman P. Crowe, Amy E. Dozier, Stuart R. Jenkins, Pippa J. Moore, Gareth J. Williams and Andrew J. Davies

Abstract

From microbes to humans, habitat structural complexity plays a direct role in the provision of physical living space, and increased complexity supports higher biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across biomes. Coastal development and the construction of artificial shorelines are altering natural landscapes as humans seek socio-economic benefits and protection from coastal storms, flooding and erosion. In this study, we evaluate how much structural complexity is missing on artificial coastal structures compared to natural rocky shorelines, across a range of spatial scales from 1 mm to 10 s of m, using three remote sensing platforms (handheld camera, terrestrial laser scanner and uncrewed aerial vehicles). Natural shorelines were typically more structurally complex than artificial ones and offered greater variation between locations. However, our results varied depending on the type of artificial structure and the scale at which complexity was measured. Seawalls were deficient at all scales (approx. 20–40% less complex than natural shores), whereas rock armour was deficient at the smallest and largest scales (approx. 20–50%). Our findings reinforce concerns that hardening shorelines with artificial structures simplifies coastlines at organism-relevant scales. Furthermore, we offer much-needed insight into how structures might be modified to more closely capture the complexity of natural rocky shores that support biodiversity.

[sendpaper paperurl=”Lawrence_2021.pdf”]

Full Citation

Lawrence PJ, Evans AJ, Jackson-Bué T, Brooks PR, Crowe TP, Dozier AE, Jenkins SR, Moore PJ, Williams GJ, Davies AJ (2021) Artificial shorelines lack natural structural complexity across scales. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 288: 20210329

Manuscript DOI

https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.0329

Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean

Magali Combes, Sandrine Vaz, Anthony Grehan, Telmo Morato, Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Carlos Dominguez-Carrió, Alan Fox, José Manuel González-Irusta, David Johnson, Oisín Callery, Andrew Davies, Laurence Fauconnet, Ellen Kenchington, Covadonga Orejas, J. Murray Roberts, Gerald Taranto and Lénaick Menot

Abstract

Designing conservation networks requires a well-structured framework for achieving essential objectives such as connectivity, replication or viability, and for considering local management and socioeconomic stakes. Although systematic conservation planning (SCP) approaches are increasingly used to inform such networks, their application remains challenging in large and poorly researched areas. This is especially the case in the deep sea, where SCP has rarely been applied, although growing awareness of the vulnerability of deep-sea ecosystems urges the implementation of conservation measures from local to international levels. This study aims to structure and evaluate a framework for SCP applicable to the deep sea, focusing on the identification of conservation priority networks for vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), such as cold-water coral reefs, sponge grounds, or hydrothermal vents, and for key demersal fish species. Based on multi-objective prioritization, different conservation scenarios were investigated, allowing the impact of key elements such as connectivity and conservation cost to be evaluated. Our results show that continental margin slopes, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and deeper areas of large and productive shelves housing fishing grounds appeared as crucial zones for preserving the deep-sea biodiversity of the North Atlantic, and within the limitations imposed by the data available, of the Mediterranean. Using biologically-informed connectivity led to a more continuous and denser conservation network, without increasing the network size. Even when minimizing the overlap with socioeconomic activities, the inclusion of exploited areas was necessary to fulfil conservation objectives. Such areas included continental shelf fishing grounds for demersal fish species, and areas covered by deep-sea mining exploration contracts for hydrothermal vent communities. Covering 17% of the study area and protecting 55% of each feature on average, the identified priority network held a high conservation potential. However, these areas still suffer from poor protection, with 30% of them benefiting from some form of recognition and 11% only from protection against trawling. Integrating them into current marine spatial planning (MSP) discussions could foster the implementation of a basin-scale conservation network for the deep sea. Overall, this work established a framework for developing large-scale systematic planning, useful for managing Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).

[sendpaper paperurl=”Combes_2021.pdf”]

Full Citation

Combes M, Vaz S, Grehan A, Morato T, Arnaud-Haond S, Dominguez-Carrió C, Fox A, González-Irusta JM, Johnson D, Callery O, Davies A, Fauconnet L, Kenchington E, Orejas C, Roberts JM, Taranto G, Menot L (2021) Systematic Conservation Planning at an Ocean Basin Scale: Identifying a Viable Network of Deep-Sea Protected Areas in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Front Mar Sci 8

Manuscript DOI

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.611358

Coral reef resilience differs among islands within the Gulf of Mannar, southeast India, following successive coral bleaching events

K. Diraviya Raj, Greta S. Aeby, G. Mathews, Gareth J. Williams, Jamie M. Caldwell, R. L. Laju, M. Selva Bharath, P. Dinesh Kumar, A. Arasamuthu, N. Gladwin Gnana Asir, Lisa M. Wedding, Andrew J. Davies, Monica M. Moritsch, J. K. Patterson Edward

Abstract

We used a 12-yr data set of benthic cover (2005–2017), spanning two bleaching events, to assess changes in benthic cover and coral community composition along 21 islands within Gulf of Mannar (GoM), southeast India. Overall, between 2005 and 2017 reefs had a simultaneous decrease in relative coral cover (avg. =  − 36%) and increase in algal cover (avg. =  + 45%). Changes in benthic cover were not consistent among islands, ranging from − 34 to + 5% for coral cover and from − 0.3 to + 50% for algae. There was a spatial gradient in coral mortality, which increased among islands from west to east. However, there was a disconnect between coral loss and subsequent increases in algae. Algal cover increased more on islands in west GoM where coral loss was minimal. Environmental co-factors (coral cover, percent bleaching, degree heating weeks, fish densities, Chl-a, pollution) explained > 50% of the benthic cover responses to successive bleaching. Coral survival was favored on islands with higher fish densities and chlorophyll-a levels, and increases in algal cover were associated with higher measures of pollution from terrestrial runoff. Coral morphotypes differed in their response following successive bleaching resulting in changes in the relative abundance of different coral morphotypes. Existing climate projections (RCP8.5) indicate a 22-yr gap in the onset of annual severe bleaching (ASB) for reefs in the east versus west GoM, and ASB was ameliorated for all reefs under the RCP4.5 projections. There is limited knowledge of the resilience of GoM reefs, and this study identifies coral morphotypes and reefs that are most likely to recover or decline from successive bleaching, in the context of forecasts of the frequency of future bleaching events in GoM.

[sendpaper paperurl=”raj_2021.pdf”]

Full Citation

Raj KD, Aeby GS, Mathews G, Williams GJ, Caldwell JM, Laju RL, Bharath MS, Kumar PD, Arasamuthu A, Asir NGG, Wedding LM, Davies AJ, Moritsch MM, Edward JKP (2021) Coral reef resilience differs among islands within the Gulf of Mannar, southeast India, following successive coral bleaching events. Coral Reefs 40: 1029-1044

Manuscript DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-021-02102-0