Nuestro objetivo es desarrollar diversas publicaciones científicas que destaquen nuestro compromiso con la conservación de nuestros recursos marinos.
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2023
Rodríguez-Barreras, Ruber; Ruiz-Diaz, Claudia Patricia; Quiñones-Otero, Marcos A.; Toledo-Hernández, Carlos
Uneven demographic consequences of the 2022 disease outbreak for the sea urchin Diadema antillarum in Puerto Rico Journal Article
In: PeerJ, vol. 11, no. e16675, pp. 1-16, 2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: demography, Diadema antillarum, Mass mortality, Puerto Rico, Sea urchin
@article{Rodríguez-Barreras2023,
title = {Uneven demographic consequences of the 2022 disease outbreak for the sea urchin \textit{Diadema antillarum} in Puerto Rico},
author = {Ruber Rodríguez-Barreras and Claudia Patricia Ruiz-Diaz and Marcos A. Quiñones-Otero and Carlos Toledo-Hernández},
editor = {Anastazia Banaszak},
url = {https://peerj.com/articles/16675/
https://sampr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Uneven-demographic-consequences-of-the-2022-disease-outbreak-for-the-sea-urchin-Diadema-antillarum-in-Puerto-Rico-peerj-16675.pdf},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16675},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-12-20},
urldate = {2023-12-20},
journal = {PeerJ},
volume = {11},
number = {e16675},
pages = {1-16},
abstract = {Pervasive epizootic events have had a significant impact on marine invertebrates throughout the Caribbean, leading to severe population declines and consequential ecological implications. One such event was the regional collapse of herbivory, partly caused by the Diadema antillarum mortality event in 1983–84, resulting in a trophic cascade and altering the structure of reef communities. Consequently, there was a notable decrease in coral recruitment and an increase in the coverage of macroalgae. Nearly four decades later, in early 2022, the Caribbean basin experienced another widespread mass mortality event, further reducing the populations of D. antillarum. To assess the effects of this recent mortality event on the current demographics of D. antillarum, we surveyed eight populations along the eastern, northeastern, northern, and northwestern coast of Puerto Rico from May to July 2022, estimating their population density, size distribution, and disease prevalence. Additionally, the study compared these population parameters with data from four sites previously surveyed in 2012 and 2017 to understand the impact of the recent mortality event. The survey conducted in 2022 showed varying population densities at the surveyed reefs. Some populations exhibited mean densities of nearly one individual per square meter, while others had extremely low or no living individuals per square meter. The four populations with the highest density showed no evidence of disease, whereas the four populations with the lowest D. antillarum densities exhibited moderate to high disease prevalence. However, when considering all sites, the estimated disease prevalence remained below 5%. Nevertheless, the comparison with data from 2012 and 2017 indicated that the recent mortality event had a negative impact on D. antillarum demographics at multiple sites, as the densities in 2022 were reduced by 60.19% compared to those from the previous years. However, it is still too early to determine the severity of this new mortality event compared to the 1983–84 mortality event. Therefore, it is imperative to continue monitoring these populations.},
keywords = {demography, Diadema antillarum, Mass mortality, Puerto Rico, Sea urchin},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Pervasive epizootic events have had a significant impact on marine invertebrates throughout the Caribbean, leading to severe population declines and consequential ecological implications. One such event was the regional collapse of herbivory, partly caused by the Diadema antillarum mortality event in 1983–84, resulting in a trophic cascade and altering the structure of reef communities. Consequently, there was a notable decrease in coral recruitment and an increase in the coverage of macroalgae. Nearly four decades later, in early 2022, the Caribbean basin experienced another widespread mass mortality event, further reducing the populations of D. antillarum. To assess the effects of this recent mortality event on the current demographics of D. antillarum, we surveyed eight populations along the eastern, northeastern, northern, and northwestern coast of Puerto Rico from May to July 2022, estimating their population density, size distribution, and disease prevalence. Additionally, the study compared these population parameters with data from four sites previously surveyed in 2012 and 2017 to understand the impact of the recent mortality event. The survey conducted in 2022 showed varying population densities at the surveyed reefs. Some populations exhibited mean densities of nearly one individual per square meter, while others had extremely low or no living individuals per square meter. The four populations with the highest density showed no evidence of disease, whereas the four populations with the lowest D. antillarum densities exhibited moderate to high disease prevalence. However, when considering all sites, the estimated disease prevalence remained below 5%. Nevertheless, the comparison with data from 2012 and 2017 indicated that the recent mortality event had a negative impact on D. antillarum demographics at multiple sites, as the densities in 2022 were reduced by 60.19% compared to those from the previous years. However, it is still too early to determine the severity of this new mortality event compared to the 1983–84 mortality event. Therefore, it is imperative to continue monitoring these populations.
2017
Mercado-Molina, Alex E.; Rivera-Irizarry, Fabiola; Fonseca-Miranda, Jaime; Bruno-Laureano, Yesenia
In: Marine Biology Research, vol. 14, iss. 1, pp. 41-50, 2017.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: coral reefs, demography, gorgonians, population size structure, positive interactions, sponges
@article{Mercado-Molina2017,
title = {Growth facilitation by the octocoral \textit{Gorgonia ventalina} explains spatial difference in the population size structure of the common demosponge \textit{Ircinia felix}},
author = {Alex E. Mercado-Molina and Fabiola Rivera-Irizarry and Jaime Fonseca-Miranda and Yesenia Bruno-Laureano },
editor = {Paco Cárdenas},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17451000.2017.1367098},
doi = {https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17451000.2017.1367098},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-11-07},
urldate = {2017-11-07},
journal = {Marine Biology Research},
volume = {14},
issue = {1},
pages = {41-50},
abstract = {In this study, the demography of the common demosponge Ircinia felix was examined at Tamarindo, a coral reef located in the island municipality of Culebra, Puerto Rico. A preliminary study comparing the size structure of two subpopulations within the reef, Tamarindo Norte (TN) and Tamarindo Sur (TS), indicated that sponges at TN are significantly larger than sponges at TS. This result served as a baseline for the present comparative study in which we aimed to determine whether the spatial differences in population size structure can be explained either by a difference in rates of survival, growth, or recruitment, or a combination of these. To accomplish our goal, we followed the growth, survival and recruitment of I. felix at the two localities for one year. Growth was the only demographic parameter that differed significantly between localities. Because the most obvious distinction between the study sites was the absence of the octocoral Gorgonia ventalina at TS, we hypothesized that the faster overall growth rate of sponges at TN was related to the presence of the octocoral. To test this hypothesis, we compared growth rates between sponges associated with the octocoral and those individuals not associated. We found that sponges growing near G. ventalina grew significantly faster than non-associated sponges. This result suggests that the octocoral facilitates the growth of I. felix and therefore may account, at least in part, for the spatial differences in population size structure.},
keywords = {coral reefs, demography, gorgonians, population size structure, positive interactions, sponges},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
In this study, the demography of the common demosponge Ircinia felix was examined at Tamarindo, a coral reef located in the island municipality of Culebra, Puerto Rico. A preliminary study comparing the size structure of two subpopulations within the reef, Tamarindo Norte (TN) and Tamarindo Sur (TS), indicated that sponges at TN are significantly larger than sponges at TS. This result served as a baseline for the present comparative study in which we aimed to determine whether the spatial differences in population size structure can be explained either by a difference in rates of survival, growth, or recruitment, or a combination of these. To accomplish our goal, we followed the growth, survival and recruitment of I. felix at the two localities for one year. Growth was the only demographic parameter that differed significantly between localities. Because the most obvious distinction between the study sites was the absence of the octocoral Gorgonia ventalina at TS, we hypothesized that the faster overall growth rate of sponges at TN was related to the presence of the octocoral. To test this hypothesis, we compared growth rates between sponges associated with the octocoral and those individuals not associated. We found that sponges growing near G. ventalina grew significantly faster than non-associated sponges. This result suggests that the octocoral facilitates the growth of I. felix and therefore may account, at least in part, for the spatial differences in population size structure.
Soto-Santiago, Francisco J.; Mercado-Molina, Alex; Reyes-Maldonado, Koralis; Vélez, Yaileen; Ruiz-Díaz, Claudia P.; Sabat, Alberto
Comparative demography of two common scleractinian corals: Orbicella annularis and Porites astreoides Journal Article
In: PeerJ, vol. 5, pp. 1-18, 2017.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Akaike information criteria, Caribbean, coral reefs, demography, Lambda, Life table response analysis, Orbicella annularis, Population ecology, Porites astreoides, Resilience, Scleractinians
@article{Soto-Santiago2017,
title = {Comparative demography of two common scleractinian corals: \textit{Orbicella annularis} and \textit{Porites astreoides}},
author = {Francisco J. Soto-Santiago and Alex Mercado-Molina and Koralis Reyes-Maldonado and Yaileen Vélez and Claudia P. Ruiz-Díaz and Alberto Sabat},
editor = {James Reimer},
url = {https://peerj.com/articles/3906/#
https://peerj.com/articles/3906/https://sampr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/comparative-demography-of.pdf},
doi = {10.7717/peerj.3906},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-10-27},
urldate = {2017-10-27},
journal = {PeerJ},
volume = {5},
pages = {1-18},
abstract = {Background: Studies directed at understanding the demography and population dynamics of corals are relatively scarce. This limits our understanding of both the dynamics of coral populations and our capacity to develop management and conservation initiatives directed at conserving such ecosystems.
Methods: From 2012 to 2014, we collected data on the growth, survival, and recruitment rates of two common Caribbean coral species, the stress-tolerant Orbicella annularis and the weedy Porites astreoides. A set of size-based population matrix model was developed for two localities in Northeastern Puerto Rico and used to estimate population growth rates ( >) and determine the life cycle transition(s) that contribute the most to spatiotemporal differences in >s. The model was parameterized by following the fate of 100 colonies of each species at the two sites for two years.
Results: Our data indicate that spatial variability in vital rates of both species was higher than temporal variability. During the first year, populations of O. annularis exhibited s below equilibrium at Carlos Rosario (0.817) and Palomino (0.694), followed by a considerable decline at both sites during the second year (0.700 and 0.667). Populations of P. astreoides showed higher > s than O. annularis during the first census period at Carlos Rosario (0.898) and Palomino (0.894) with a decline at one of the sites (0.681 and 0.893) during the second census period. Colony fate in both species exhibited a significant interaction with respect to location but not to time (G2 = 20.96; df = 3 for O. annularis and G2 = 9.55; df = 3 for P. astreoides). Discussion: The similar variability of s as well as the similar survival rates for both species during the two-year census period (2012–2014) show similar variability on demographic patterns in space and time. Our results suggest that location rather than time is important for the resiliency in coral colonies. Also, P. astreoides will show higher resistance to disturbance in the future than O. annularis.},
keywords = {Akaike information criteria, Caribbean, coral reefs, demography, Lambda, Life table response analysis, Orbicella annularis, Population ecology, Porites astreoides, Resilience, Scleractinians},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background: Studies directed at understanding the demography and population dynamics of corals are relatively scarce. This limits our understanding of both the dynamics of coral populations and our capacity to develop management and conservation initiatives directed at conserving such ecosystems.
Methods: From 2012 to 2014, we collected data on the growth, survival, and recruitment rates of two common Caribbean coral species, the stress-tolerant Orbicella annularis and the weedy Porites astreoides. A set of size-based population matrix model was developed for two localities in Northeastern Puerto Rico and used to estimate population growth rates ( >) and determine the life cycle transition(s) that contribute the most to spatiotemporal differences in >s. The model was parameterized by following the fate of 100 colonies of each species at the two sites for two years.
Results: Our data indicate that spatial variability in vital rates of both species was higher than temporal variability. During the first year, populations of O. annularis exhibited s below equilibrium at Carlos Rosario (0.817) and Palomino (0.694), followed by a considerable decline at both sites during the second year (0.700 and 0.667). Populations of P. astreoides showed higher > s than O. annularis during the first census period at Carlos Rosario (0.898) and Palomino (0.894) with a decline at one of the sites (0.681 and 0.893) during the second census period. Colony fate in both species exhibited a significant interaction with respect to location but not to time (G2 = 20.96; df = 3 for O. annularis and G2 = 9.55; df = 3 for P. astreoides). Discussion: The similar variability of s as well as the similar survival rates for both species during the two-year census period (2012–2014) show similar variability on demographic patterns in space and time. Our results suggest that location rather than time is important for the resiliency in coral colonies. Also, P. astreoides will show higher resistance to disturbance in the future than O. annularis.
Methods: From 2012 to 2014, we collected data on the growth, survival, and recruitment rates of two common Caribbean coral species, the stress-tolerant Orbicella annularis and the weedy Porites astreoides. A set of size-based population matrix model was developed for two localities in Northeastern Puerto Rico and used to estimate population growth rates ( >) and determine the life cycle transition(s) that contribute the most to spatiotemporal differences in >s. The model was parameterized by following the fate of 100 colonies of each species at the two sites for two years.
Results: Our data indicate that spatial variability in vital rates of both species was higher than temporal variability. During the first year, populations of O. annularis exhibited s below equilibrium at Carlos Rosario (0.817) and Palomino (0.694), followed by a considerable decline at both sites during the second year (0.700 and 0.667). Populations of P. astreoides showed higher > s than O. annularis during the first census period at Carlos Rosario (0.898) and Palomino (0.894) with a decline at one of the sites (0.681 and 0.893) during the second census period. Colony fate in both species exhibited a significant interaction with respect to location but not to time (G2 = 20.96; df = 3 for O. annularis and G2 = 9.55; df = 3 for P. astreoides). Discussion: The similar variability of s as well as the similar survival rates for both species during the two-year census period (2012–2014) show similar variability on demographic patterns in space and time. Our results suggest that location rather than time is important for the resiliency in coral colonies. Also, P. astreoides will show higher resistance to disturbance in the future than O. annularis.