[Truncated abstract] Selection of priority areas for Marine Park conservation is often compromised by the lack of comprehensive biodiversity data and the resources and expertise necessary to gain this information directly by sampling. One cost effective alternative is the use of species groups or indicator species as surrogates for total biodiversity. However use of these surrogates requires an ecological understanding of how they reflect biodiversity gradients. A framework for unravelling these relationships has been suggested that involves relating species biodiversity to different and competing ecological models using appropriate statistical analysis. I use this framework to explore coral species biodiversity over a range of environmental gradients encompassing the North West Shelf of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef in North East Australia. ... I assessed physiological responses of corals to physical factors to corroborate crossshelf patterns in species biodiversity. Finally, I investigated to what extent coral cooccurrence based species groups (or guilds) can be used as surrogates for total coral biodiversity. The major findings of this thesis were: i) coral biodiversity along cross-shelf environments was highly correlated to specific gradients of abiotic reef conditions; ii) larval modelling indicates the potential for significant connectivity across continentalshelf environments such that differences in species distribution are not simply as a result of self seeding. iii) similar correlative patterns were demonstrated for coral species that occur along comparable abiotic gradients in reef areas of both Eastern and Western Australia, suggesting a causal relationship between the physical environment and coral biodiversity; iv) coral physiological parameters measured using lipid fractions independently corroborated the hypothesis that there is a biological basis for observed coral distributions; v) reef coral communities are not highly structured across abiotic physical gradients and biodiversity across the shelf increases as conditions become suitable for a wider range of species; vi) total coral biodiversity can be estimated very accurately (within r2 values ranging from 0.75 to 0.90) using a small number (15-30) of optimally chosen indictor species using the randomForest statistical method. These results suggest coral biodiversity over cross-shelf environments conforms most closely to the

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Bremen, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Η έρευνα που διεξήχθει για την χαρτογράφηση της Τραγάνας έλαβε χώρα μεταξύ των νησιών Τήνου-Μυκόνου, Μυκόνου-Νάξου, Νάξου-Ίου, Σύρου-Τήνου και Ίου-Θήρας, σε μια έκταση περίπου 184 Km2. Η έρευνα επετεύχθει από τον συνδυασμό εφαρμογής ακουστικών μεθόδων : EG & G ηχοβολιστή πλευρικής σάρωσης, ηχοβολιστής μονής ηχητικής δέσμης SIMDAR και υψηλής ευκρίνειας (3,5 KHz) τομογράφο υποδομής πυθμένα. Από τις ηχογραφίες του Η.Π.Σ αποδόθηκαν ακουστικά μοντέλα με βάση την ένταση των ανακλάσεων. Κατά την μελέτη του Κυκλαδικού πεδίου από τις ηχογραφίες του Η.Π.Σ αποκαλύφθηκαν τέσσερις (4) ακουστικές ανακλάσεις: το ακουστικό στίγμα Α που περιελάμβανε περιοχές με χαμηλές έως μέτριες ανακλάσεις και αναπαριστούσε επίπεδο πυθμένα με αμμώδη έως χαλικώδη ιζήματα. Το ακουστικό στίγμα Β περιελάμβανε έντονες ανακλάσεις και αναπαριστούσε περιοχές συσσωματωμάτων από ασβεστολιθικά ροδοφύκη και προεξοχές βράχων. Το ακουστικό στίγμα C περιελάμβανε περιοχές εναλλασσόμενων υψηλών και χαμηλών ανακλάσεων και αναπαριστούσε στρωματοδομές επηρεασμένες από ρεύματα. Τέλος, το ακουστικό στίγμα D περιελάμβανε περιοχές υψηλής ανθρωπογενούς δραστηριότητας (τράτες). 7. Τα ασβεστιτικά ροδοφύκη είναι οι κύριοι κατασκευαστές των βιογενών οικοδομημάτων της τραγάνας που αναπτύσσεται πάνω στα σκληρά υπολείμματά τους. Το αποτέλεσμα είναι κατασκευές ποικίλων μεγεθών και σχημάτων, όπου μόνο το ανώτερο στρώμα τους αποτελείται από ζωντανά άτομα. Αυτές οι αξιόλογες κατασκευές υποστηρίζουν πολλαπλές μικρό-κοινότητες με αποτέλεσμα να χαρακτηρίζονται ως οικοσυστήματα υψηλής βιολογικής και λειτουργικής ποικιλομορφίας (Peres 1967, Steneck 1985, Sartoretto et al 1996, Ballesteros 2006). Οι κοινότητες αυτές έχουν μεγάλη σημασία για την αλιεία και ιδιαίτερα στην Ελλάδα θεωρούνται τα πιο σημαντικά αλιευτικά πεδία. Ωστόσο λόγω της ευάλωτης δομής τους, οι σχηματισμοί καταστρέφονται από την λειτουργία ορισμένων αλιευτικών εργαλείων. Ιδιαίτερα, στο Κυκλαδικό πεδίο, η χρήση διχτυών, οι υδατοκαλλιέργειες, η τοποθέτηση υποβρύχιων καλωδίων αλλά κυρίως η αλιεία έχουν επιπτώσεις σ’ αυτούς τους σχηματισμούς. Επιπλέον η χρήση τρατών είναι ένας ακόμα παράγοντας καταστροφής της τραγάνας. Οι τράτες προκαλούν την επαναιώρηση των ιζημάτων που μπορεί να έχει επίπτωση στην αύξηση των υφάλων. Αν και ο ακριβής οικολογικός ρόλος των σχηματισμών του κοραλλιογενούς στην Μεσόγειο δεν έχει ακόμα μελετηθεί μπορούμε να βγάλουμε κάποια συμπεράσματα : οι κοραλλιογενείς σχηματισμοί αποτελούν περιοχές αναπαραγωγής τόσο για τους ασπόνδυλους οργανισμούς όσο και για τους οργανισμούς των σπονδυλωτών. Επιπλέον έχουν την ικανότητα να δεσμεύουν και να διατηρούν οργανική ύλη. / -

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-01T14:16:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1597259 bytes, checksum: eaba4f2d4108bede1b543c3806717952 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-05-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Bacteria play a fundamental role in the health of corals. The interest in the study of microorganisms associated with corals has increased since the confirmation that they can be pathogenic or mutualistic. In the coastal reefs of the State of Paraiba the cases of the pigmentation changes of scleractinian Siderastrea stellata, that probably occurs in the process of coral bleaching, are observed. The aim of this work was to analyze the density and diversity of culturable bacteria associated with healthy and with pattern pigmentation altered (pink) colonies of coral S. stellata of coral reefs of Cabo Branco, João Pessoa - PB, as well as the physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of seawater in the study area over one year. Among the environmental variables (temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity) of the reefs and beach water of Cabo Branco, only turbidity showed higher differences among the sites studied. The thermotolerant fecal coliforms, enterococci and Escherichia coli of seawater at the study sites were within the limits recommended for saline water class I (CONAMA 274/00). In general, the values of density of total heterotrophic bacteria and Vibrio spp. were significantly higher in the seawater during the months of December, January and February. According to the results of the partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was found that bacteria isolated from healthy and pink S. stellata belonged to the classes Alpha-Proteobacteria and Gamma-Proteobacteria, and the variety of genera of bacteria were very different among the isolates from the two colonies. The high percentage of Vibrio spp., bacteria that are usually related to the diseases of corals, were observed among the isolates from pink colony. / Bactérias desempenham um papel fundamental na saúde dos corais. Devido à confirmação de que elas podem ser patogênicas ou mutualistas, aumentou o interesse no estudo de microrganismos associados aos corais. Nos recifes costeiros do Estado da Paraíba observam-se casos de alteração de pigmentação no escleractíneo Siderastrea stellata, que provavelmente ocorre no processo de branqueamento de corais. Neste trabalho objetivou-se analisar a quantidade e diversidade de bactérias cultiváveis associadas ao coral S. stellata sadio e com coloração alterada (roxo) dos recifes de corais de Cabo Branco, João Pessoa PB, bem como os parâmetros físico-químicos e microbiológicos de água do mar da área estudada durante um ano. Entre as variáveis ambientais (temperatura, salinidade, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, turbidez) da água dos recifes e da praia de Cabo Branco apenas a turbidez apresentou maiores diferenças entre os locais estudados. Na base das análises de coliformes termotolerantes, Escherichia coli e enterococos foi constatado que a água dos locais analisados se enquadra dentro dos parâmetros para águas salinas de classe I (CONAMA 274/00). Em geral, os valores da densidade de bactérias totais e Vibrio spp. foram significativamente maiores em água do mar nos meses de dezembro, janeiro e fevereiro. Na base de dados de sequenciamento parcial do gene RNAr 16S foi constatado que as bactérias isoladas de S. stellata sadia e roxa pertenceram ás classes de Alfa-proteobactéria e Gama-proteobactéria, sendo que a variedade dos gêneros de bactérias foi bastante distinta entre os isolados das duas colônias. Os isolados da colônia roxa apresentaram um alto percentual de Vibrio spp., que são bactérias geralmente relacionadas com as doenças de corais.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-25T12:18:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ericka Oliveira Cavalcanti Coni 1.pdf: 2089102 bytes, checksum: 5c1509211be13fb75d7c43e4fae12914 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-02-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Coral reefs are one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. However, they have suffered declines over the past four decades. The main factors responsible for the mass mortality of corals are bleaching and disease. In Brazil diseases in corals proliferated up since 2005, threatening to wipe out some of the major endemic species and reef builders. On a global scale, the proliferation of diseases and bleaching is related to the increase in the temperature of the sea surface, while the main factors at the local scale are adding nutrients and proliferation of macroalgae in coastal waters. Despite the recognition of the influence of these factors on the vitality of corals, there is little information about the relative contribution of these different threats. The effects of global impacts can be better understood from comparative studies of coastal areas and control areas isolated and distant from the coast (eg oceanic islands), since the latter suffer less or are free of local impacts. This work has as main objectives: 1) To study the spatial and temporal dynamics in abundance and vitality of coral lone Scolymia wellsi the largest South Atlantic reef complex (Abrolhos Bank, BA), as well as to evaluate the influence of environmental variables and disorders anthropic this region and 2) compare the abundance and vitality of Scolymia spp. between a coastal system (Abrolhos Bank) and an oceanic system (Archipelago of São Pedro and São Paulo archipelago). Due to its geographic isolation, the archipelago is less susceptible to human impacts. Therefore, the results obtained here allow an assessment of the relative influence of local and global impacts on the abundance and vitality (ie proportion of tissue alive and healthy versus diseased tissue and dead) of Scolymia spp. in Brazil. / Os recifes de corais são um dos ecossistemas mais valiosos da Terra. No entanto, eles vêm sofrendo declínios acentuados nas últimas quatro décadas. Os principais fatores responsáveis pela mortalidade em massa de corais são o branqueamento e as doenças. No Brasil as doenças em corais proliferaram-se a partir de 2005, ameaçando de extinção algumas das principais espécies endêmicas e construtoras de recifes. Em escala global, a proliferação de doenças e branqueamento está relacionada com o aumento na temperatura da água superficial do mar, enquanto que os principais fatores em escala local são a adição de nutrientes e proliferação de macroalgas em águas costeiras. Apesar do reconhecimento da influência destes fatores na vitalidade dos corais, existem poucas informações sobre a contribuição relativa destas diferentes ameaças. Os efeitos de impactos globais podem ser mais bem compreendidos a partir de estudos comparativos entre áreas costeiras e áreas-controle isoladas e afastadas da costa (e.g. ilhas oceânicas), uma vez que estas últimas sofrem menos ou são isentas de impactos locais. Esta dissertação tem como objetivos principais: 1) Estudar a dinâmica espacial e temporal na abundância e vitalidade do coral solitário Scolymia wellsi no maior complexo recifal do Atlântico Sul (Banco dos Abrolhos, BA), assim como avaliar a influência de variáveis ambientais e de distúrbios antrópicos nesta região e 2) Comparar a abundância e vitalidade de Scolymia spp. entre um sistema costeiro (Banco dos Abrolhos) e um sistema oceânico (Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo, ASPSP). Devido a seu isolamento geográfico, o ASPSP é menos susceptível a impactos antrópicos. Portanto, os resultados obtidos aqui permitem uma avaliação da influência relativa dos impactos locais e globais na abundância e vitalidade (i.e. proporção de tecido vivo e saudável versus tecido doente e morto) de Scolymia spp. no Brasil.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’apporter de nouvelles contraintes sur l’hydrologie de l’Atlantique Nord-Est et de la Méditerranée occidentale depuis la dernière période glaciaire à partir de l’analyse de la composition isotopique du Nd (εNd) dans des échantillons d’eau de mer ainsi que des coraux profonds et des foraminifères, prélevés dans des carottes sédimentaires marines. Les changements de l’hydrologie des masses d’eau intermédiaire (LIW, MSW, AAIW et masses d’eau intermédiaire des gyres subtropical et subpolaire) ont été plus particulièrement étudiés car leur rôle sur les transferts de sels en Atlantique Nord et in fine sur l’AMOC est actuellement mal contraint. Ce travail a été mené au cours des périodes de changements hydrologiques majeurs et abrupts de l’océan qui se sont produits lors des variations climatiques rapides de la dernière période glaciaire (événements d’Heinrich et cycles de Dansgaard-Oeschger) et lors du dépôt du Sapropel S1 en Méditerranée orientale. Dans un premier volet, nous avons amélioré la couverture spatiale des valeurs d’εNd des masses d’eau de l’Atlantique Nord-Est et de la mer d’Alboran, préalable indispensable pour restituer l’hydrologie passée de ces régions avec le traceur εNd. Nous avons ensuite mis en évidence un changement majeur du schéma de circulation de la Méditerranée occidentale durant la période de dépôt du sapropel S1, marquée par une forte réduction des masses d’eau de la Méditerranée orientale (LIW) au sud de la Sardaigne au profit de celles provenant du Golfe du Lion (WIW). Ce changement hydrologique ainsi que ceux qui s’opèrent en Méditerranée depuis la dernière période glaciaire ne sont pas associés à de fortes modifications des valeurs d’εNd de la LIW de la mer d’Alboran et de la mer des Baléares, suggérant une stabilité de la signature isotopique en Nd de la MOW au cours du temps. Ceci a permis, à partir d’un enregistrement d’εNd obtenus sur des coraux profonds du Golfe de Cadix, de mettre en évidence une contribution plus importante de l’AAIW plus radiogénique et donc une pénétration plus marquée en Atlantique Nord de cette masse d’eau lors des périodes de fortes réductions de l’AMOC, liées à la déstabilisation des calottes de glace de l’Hémisphère Nord. / : The purpose of this thesis is to constrain the hydrology of the North-East Atlantic and western Mediterranean Sea since the last glacial period from neodymium isotopic composition (εNd) measured on seawater, cold water corals and foraminifera. In particular, hydrological changes of intermediate water masses (LIW, AAIW, MSW, mid-subtropical and subpolar gyre water) have been studied as their role on salt budget in North Atlantic and ultimately on AMOC are currently poorly constrained. This work has been conducted at times of major and abrupt hydrological changes that occurred during rapid climatic variations of the last glacial period (Heinrich and Dansgaard-Oeschger events) and during the last sapropel deposit (S1) in eastern Mediterranean Sea. In a first step, we have improved the spatial distribution of water masses εNd values in North-east Atlantic and Alboran Sea, what is an absolute prerequisite in order to track past hydrological changes in these areas with εNd proxy. Next, we have highlighted a major change of the western Mediterranean circulation pattern during the sapropel S1 deposit, which is marked south of Sardinia by a strong reduction of eastern-sourced water masses (LIW) in favor of western-sourced water masses (WIW). This hydrological change as well as those occurring in Mediterranean Sea since the last glacial period was not associated with strong modifications of εNd values in Alboran and Balearic Sea, suggesting a stability of Nd isotopic signature of MOW over the time. This has highlighted, from an εNd record obtained on cold water corals in the Gulf of Cadiz, an enhanced contribution of more radiogenic AAIW and therefore a stronger northward penetration in North Atlantic at times of reduced AMOC linked to iceberg discharges from Northern Hemisphere ice sheets.

The study (MS, diploma thesis) is based on more than 1500 rudist samples from the Upper Cretaceous sediments of localities Písečný vrch and Na Stínadlech (near Teplice). Investigated samples come mainly from the collection of A. H. Fassel and were collected at the end of the 19th century, currently stored in the Regional museum in Teplice and National museum in Prague. The rudist shells were determined by generic and species levels, including five genera and eight species. The stratigraphic age of both localities has been a subject of discussion since the second half of the 19th century. In the recent decades, the opinion on the lower turonian age prevailed. However, five of the eight species present in the studied localities demonstrate the upper cenomanian age of the assemblages, making them probably the oldest known rudist-corals assemblages of its kind. The palaeoecological analysis and the ecological relationships proposal for the studied localities is based on the research in literature on palaeoecology and evolution of the rudists, also presented in the study. Key words: Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Cenomanian - Turonian, rudists, corals, palaeoenvironment, Teplice rhyolite

The Mississippian (Kinderhookian-Osagean) Lodgepole Formation contains a diverse fossil assemblage. Taxa present include brachiopods, crinoids, gastropods, cephalopods, trilobites and corals. Corals and associated fauna were collected from four localities within the Bear River Range. These are, from north to south, Beirdneau Hollow, Spring Hollow, Leatham Hollow and Porcupine Dam. The well-preserved tabulate and rugose (compound and solitary) corals exhibit a high degree of morphologic variability. The colonial corals of the Lodgepole Formation (particularly Lithostrotionella, Syringopora) exhibit a morphologic gradient from platy to hemispherical forms. The six morphologic categories of colonial corals discussed in this study are identified by mean corallus diameter/corallum height ratios, by the corallite growth direction, and by the shape of the base of the colony. Type I corals have an average mean diameter/height ratio of 3.4; corallites are directed laterally away from the flat base. Type I corals are interpreted to have been adapted to offshore, quiet-water conditions. Type II corals are flattened hemispheres; they have an average mean diameter/height ratio of 4.1. Corallites are directed radially (i.e., with vertical as well as a lateral component) away from the flat colony base. Type II corals are interpreted in this study to have been adapted to shallow, moderately-turbulent environments in which vertical growth was inhibited. Type III corals have an average mean diameter/height ratio of 3.9 and are similar to Type II corals in all respects but one, namely that there is an absence of corallites on the crown of the corallum. This feature is called balding and is interpreted in this study to have been the result of desiccation and subsequent death of coral polyps. Type III corals are thus interpreted to have inhabited very shallow water wherein subaerial exposure of the crown of the corallum occurred during periods of exceptionally low tides. Type IV corals are dome-shaped or slightly-flattened hemispheres; they have an average mean diameter/height ratio of 2.3. Corallites are directed radially away from the flat base. Type IV corals are interpreted to have inhabited a depth zone intermediate between that of Type II corals (within or barely below tidal range) and Type I corals (near or below wave base). The average mean diameter/height ratio of Type V corals is 1.7. Corallites are directed almost entirely vertically away from the rounded-to-conical colony base. Type V corals are interpreted to have inhabited areas where sedimentation rates were sufficiently high to encourage vertical growth to the virtual exclusion of lateral growth. Type VI corals are composite corals, consisting of combinations of hemispherical forms and platy forms. This morphologic type is characterized by a change in the direction of growth during the astogenetic development of colony. The combinations of varying growth forms presumably reflect fluctuations in sedimentation rate.

Thesis: Ph. D., Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), 2017. / Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. / Includes bibliographical references. / Scleractinian corals extract calcium (Ca²⁺) and carbonate (CO₃²⁻) ions from seawater to construct their calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) skeletons. Key to the coral biomineralization process is the active elevation of the CO₃²⁻ concentration of the calcifying fluid to achieve rapid nucleation and growth of CaCO3 crystals. Coral skeletons contain valuable records of past climate variability and contribute to the formation of coral reefs. However, limitations in our understanding of coral biomineralization hinder the accuracy of (1) coral-based reconstructions of past climate, and (2) predictions of coral reef futures as anthropogenic CO₂ emissions drive declines in seawater CO₃²⁻ concentration. In this thesis, I investigate the mechanism of coral biomineralization and evaluate the sensitivity of coral reef CaCO₃ production to seawater carbonate chemistry. First, I conducted abiogenic CaCO₃²⁻ precipitation experiments that identified the U/Ca ratio as a proxy for fluid CO₃²⁻ concentration. Based on these experimental results, I developed a quantitative coral biomineralization model that predicts temperature can be reconstructed from coral skeletons by combining Sr/Ca - which is sensitive to both temperature and CO₃²⁻ - with U/Ca into a new proxy called "Sr-U". I tested this prediction with 14 corals from the Pacific Ocean and the Red Sea spanning mean annual temperatures of 25.7-30.1 °C and found that Sr-U has uncertainty of only 0.5 °C, twice as accurate as conventional coral-based thermometers. Second, I investigated the processes that differentiate reef-water and open-ocean carbonate chemistry, and the sensitivity of ecosystem-scale calcification to these changes. On Dongsha Atoll in the northern South China Sea, metabolic activity of resident organisms elevates reef-water CO₃²⁻ twice as high as the surrounding open ocean, driving rates of ecosystem calcification higher than any other coral reef studied to date. When high temperatures stressed the resident coral community, metabolic activity slowed, with dramatic effects on reef-water chemistry and ecosystem calcification. Overall, my thesis highlights how the modulation of CO₃²⁻, by benthic communities on the reef and individual coral polyps in the colony, controls the sensitivity of coral reefs to future ocean acidification and influences the climate records contained in the skeleton. / by Thomas Mario DeCarlo. / Ph. D.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management