Publicaciones

@article{Suleimán-Ramos2025,

title = {Integrating 3D-Printed and Natural Staghorn Coral (\textit{Acropora cervicornis}) Restoration Enhances Fish Assemblages and Their Ecological Functions},

author = {Edwin A. Hernández-Delgado and Jaime S. Fonseca-Miranda and Alex E. Mercado-Molina

and Samuel E. Suleimán-Ramos},

editor = {Bert W. Hoeksema

},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17/7/445

https://sampr.org/diversity-17-00445-v2/},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.3390/d17070445},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-06-23},

urldate = {2025-06-23},

journal = {Diversity},

volume = {17},

issue = {445},

pages = {1-50},

abstract = {Coral restoration is essential for recovering depleted populations and reef ecological functions. However, its effect on enhancing fish assemblages remains understudied. This study investigated the integration of 3D-printed and natural Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) out-planting to assess their role in enhancing benthic spatial complexity and attracting fish communities. Conducted between 2021 and 2023 at Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, we employed a before-after-control-impact (BACI) design to test four treatments: natural A. cervicornis, 3D-printed corals, mixed stands of 3D-printed and natural corals, and non-restored controls. Fish assemblages were monitored through stationary counts.



Results showed that integrating 3D-printed and natural corals enhanced fish assemblages and their ecological functions. Significant temporal changes in fish community structure and biodiversity metrics were observed, influenced by treatment and location. Herbivore abundance and biomass increased over time, especially in live coral and 3D-printed plots. Reefs with higher rugosity exhibited greater Scarid abundance and biomass post-restoration. Piscivore abundance also rose significantly over time, notably at Tampico site. Fishery-targeted species density and biomass increased, particularly in areas with live and 3D-printed coral out-plants. Fish assemblages became more complex and diverse post-restoration, especially at Tampico, which supported greater habitat complexity.



Before restoration, fish assemblages showed a disturbed status, with biomass k-dominance curves above abundance curves. Post-out-planting, this trend reversed. Control sites showed no significant changes. The study demonstrates that restoring fast-growing branching corals, alongside 3D-printed structures, leads to rapid increases in abundance and biomass of key fishery species, suggesting its potential role promoting faster ecosystem recovery and enhanced coral demographic performance.},

keywords = {biodiversity, coral 3D printing, coral restoration, fish community, fishery target species, phylogenetic diversity, taxonomic distinctness, trophic functional groups},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Hernández-Delgado2024c,

title = {Bringing Back Reef Fish: Sustainable Impacts of Community-Based Restoration of Elkhorn Coral (\textit{Acropora palmata}) in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico (2008–2023)},

author = {Edwin A. Hernández-Delgado and Ricardo Laureano},

url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/14/5985

https://sampr.org/sustainability-16-05985-v2/},

doi = { https://doi.org/10.3390/su16145985},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-07-12},

urldate = {2024-07-12},

journal = {Sustainability},

volume = {16},

number = {5985},

issue = {14},

pages = {1-80},

abstract = {In response to the severe fragmentation of Elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816), stands caused by a major winter swell (“Holy Swell”) in March 2008, an emergency community-based low-tech restoration was initiated in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Over a 15-year period, coral demographic performance and fish assemblages were monitored across four restored and four control (non-restored) 100 m² plots. The restoration effort proved to be highly successful, leading to successful coral survival and growth, and to sustained recovery of fish assemblages, particularly herbivore guilds. Significantly increased abundance, biomass, and diversity were observed across all trophic functional groups, fishery target species, and geo-ecological functional groups in both restored and control plots. These positive outcomes were attributed to enhanced spatial complexity by long-term coral growth, “nutrient hotspots” within restored plots, the refugia effect from enhanced benthic spatial complexity, and the recovery of fish dispersal paths promoting spillover effects from restored to adjacent non-restored areas. Restoring herbivore guilds and geo-ecological functional groups played a crucial role in restoring vital ecological processes promoting reef ecosystem resilience. Recommendations include integrating fish assemblage recovery into coral restoration strategies, establishing natural coral nursery plots for future coral sourcing, and incorporating the concept of nursery seascapes for a holistic and ecosystem-based approach to restoration.},

keywords = {Acropora palmata, Caribbean Coral Reefs, coral restoration, Fish Assemblages, fishery target species, geo-ecological functional group, taxonomic distinctness, trophic functional groups},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Aponte-Marcano12023,

title = {Effectiveness of different nursery designs for the restoration of the threatened coral \textit{Acropora cervicornis} in Culebra, Puerto Rico},

author = {Aponte-Marcano Patria I. and Suleimán-Ramos Samuel E. and Mercado-Molina Alex E.},

url = {https://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/12254

https://sampr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Effectiveness-of-different-nursery-designs-for-the-restoration-of-the-threatened-coral-Acropora-cervicornis-in-Culebra-Puerto-Rico.pdf},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.52201/CEJ20/PNCI5011},

issn = {1758-2067},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-09-01},

urldate = {2023-09-01},

journal = {Conservation Evidence Journal},

volume = {20},

pages = {30-39},

abstract = {The threatened staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis is an important reef-builder species in the Caribbean. Its ecological importance and critical status have prompted efforts to restore degraded populations. In this respect, nursery-based programmes have effectively propagated A. cervicornis and helped to increase population sizes. Despite many advances in low-cost coral nursery designs, there is still a need to increase productivity while reducing costs. This study evaluates A. cervicornis demographic performance in two propagation structures: floating trees (FT) and floating horizontal frames (HF). Two equal-sized fragments were collected from 50 healthy staghorn coral colonies. Each fragment was placed into an FT or HF design. Survival, growth, branching, and productivity were recorded for seven months. To address the cost-effectiveness of the coral propagation techniques, we compared the total cost of producing corals between the two designs. Survival was similar, with 91% and 92% of the coral fragments surviving in the FT and HF, respectively. Although colonies in HF nurseries grew faster and produced more branches than those in FT nurseries, these differences were not statistically significant. Likewise, productivity did not differ statistically between nursery designs despite fragments in HF nurseries being 1.5 times more productive than those in FT nurseries. Because of the similarity in demographic performance, the selection of nursery designs could be based solely on their cost-effectiveness. In this respect, the cost-effectiveness analysis shows that producing corals using HF costs about 70% less than FT. Thus, we conclude that floating horizontal frame (HF) nurseries are better for propagating A. cervicornis and accelerating coral restoration activities.},

keywords = {Acropora cervicornis, Caribbean Coral Reefs, coral restoration, Puerto Rico},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Vardi2021,

title = {Six priorities to advance the science and practice of coral reef restoration worldwide},

author = {Tali Vardi and Whitney C. Hoot and Jessica Levy and Elizabeth Shaver and R. Scott Winters and Anastazia T. Banaszak and Iliana B. Baums and Valérie F. Chamberland and Nathan Cook and David Gulko and Margaux Y. Hein and Les Kaufman and Michelle Loewe and Petra Lundgren and Caitlin Lustic and Petra MacGowan and Mikhail V. Matz and Miles McGonigle and Ian McLeod and Jennifer Moore and Tom Moore and Sandrine Pivard and F. Joseph Pollock and Baruch Rinkevich and David J. Suggett and Samuel Suleiman and T. Shay Viehman and Tatiana Villalobos and Virginia M. Weis and Chelsea Wolke and Phanor H. Montoya-Maya},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/rec.13498

https://sampr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Restoration-Ecology-2021-Vardi-Six-priorities-to-advance-the-science-and-practice-of-coral-reef-restoration-worldwide.pdf},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13498},

issn = {1061-2971},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-11-29},

urldate = {2021-11-29},

journal = {Restoration Ecology},

volume = {29},

number = {e13498},

issue = {8},

pages = {1-7},

abstract = {Coral reef restoration is a rapidly growing movement galvanized by the accelerating degradation of the world's tropical coral reefs. The need for concerted and collaborative action focused on the recovery of coral reef ecosystems coalesced in the creation of the Coral Restoration Consortium (CRC) in 2017. In March 2020, the CRC leadership team met for a biennial review of international coral reef restoration efforts and a discussion of perceived knowledge and implementation bottlenecks that may impair scalability and efficacy. Herein we present six priorities wherein the CRC will foster scientific advancement and collaboration to: (1) increase restoration efficiency, focusing on scale and cost-effectiveness of deployment; (2) scale up larval-based coral restoration efforts, emphasizing recruit health, growth, and survival; (3) ensure restoration of threatened coral species proceeds within a population-genetics management context; (4) support a holistic approach to coral reef ecosystem restoration; (5) develop and promote the use of standardized terms and metrics for coral reef restoration; and (6) support coral reef restoration practitioners working in diverse geographic locations. These priorities are not exhaustive nor do we imply that accomplishing these tasks alone will be sufficient to restore coral reefs globally; rather these are topics where we feel the CRC community of practice can make timely and significant contributions to facilitate the growth of coral reef restoration as a practical conservation strategy. The goal for these collective actions is to provide tangible, local-scale advancements in reef condition that offset declines resulting from local and global stressors including climate change.},

keywords = {coral interventions, coral reefs, coral restoration, Corals, reefs, restoration},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Cortés-Useche2021,

title = {Conservation actions and ecological context: optimizing coral reef local management in the Dominican Republic},

author = {Camilo Cortés-Useche​ and Edwin A. Hernández-Delgado and Johanna Calle-Triviño and Rita Sellares Blasco and Victor Galván and Jesús E. Arias-González},

editor = {Ida Kubiszewski and Jonathan Colville},

url = {https://peerj.com/articles/10925/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7953877/

https://sampr.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Conservation-actions-and-ecological-context-optimizing-coral-reef-local-management-in-the-Dominican-Republic-peerj-10925.pdf},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10925},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-03-09},

urldate = {2021-03-09},

journal = {Peerj},

volume = {9},

number = { e10925},

pages = {1-28},

abstract = {Over the past few decades, coral reef ecosystems have been lost at accelerated rates as a result of global climate change and local stressors. Local management schemes can help improve the condition of coral reefs by enhancing their ecosystem recovery capacity. Caribbean conservation efforts include mitigation of local anthropogenic stressors, and integrating social participation. Here, we analyzed the case of the Bayahibe reefs in the Southeastern (SE) Dominican Republic to identify conservation actions and illustrate a conceptual example of local seascape management. We assessed reef health indicators from 2011 to 2016. Overall, our results show increases in total fish biomass, in both commercial and herbivorous fishes. Mean live coral cover was 31% and fleshy macroalgae was 23% after multiple disturbances such as Hurricanes Sandy and Isaac (2012), Mathew (2016) and heat stress presented in the study area in 2015. We also described actions taken by stakeholders and government institutions, including the implementation of a policy declaring an area of 869,000 ha as a marine protected area (MPA), enhanced water quality treatment, local restrictions to vessel traffic, enforcement of fishing regulations, and the removal of invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.). In addition, a restoration program for the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) was established in 2011, and currently has eight coral nurseries and six outplanting sites. Considering the biology and ecology of these reefs, we observed good results for these indicators (live coral cover, fish biomass, and water quality) in contrast with severely degraded Caribbean reefs, suggesting that optimizing local management may be a useful example for improving reef condition. Our results provide an overview of trends in reef condition in the SE Dominican Republic and could support current strategies to better protect reefs in the region. Given that Caribbean coral reefs face extreme challenges from global climate change, management measures may improve reef conditions across the region but stronger policy processes and increased scientific knowledge are needed for the successful management of coral reefs.},

keywords = {biodiversity, Caribbean, Coastal health, coral reefs, coral restoration, Dominican Republic, Management, Marine protected area, Tropical coastal ecosystems, Water quality},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}