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Spatial benthic community analysis of shallow coral reefs to support coastal management in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico
Caribbean coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services to society, including fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection from coastal erosion. However, these reefs are also exhibiting major declining trends, leading to the evolution of novel ecosystems dominated by non-reef building taxa, with p...
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Published in: | PeerJ (San Francisco, CA) CA), 2020-10, Vol.8, p.e10080-e10080, Article e10080 |
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description | Caribbean coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services to society, including fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection from coastal erosion. However, these reefs are also exhibiting major declining trends, leading to the evolution of novel ecosystems dominated by non-reef building taxa, with potentially altered ecological functions. In the search for effective management strategies, this study characterized coral reefs in front of a touristic beach which provides economic benefits to the surrounding coastal communities yet faces increasing anthropogenic pressures and conservation challenges. Haphazard photo-transects were used to address spatial variation patterns in the reef’s benthic community structure in eight locations. Statistically significant differences were found with increasing distance from the shoreline, reef rugosity,
Diadema antillarum
density, among reef locations, and as a function of recreational use. Nearshore reefs reflected higher percent macroalgal cover, likely due to increased exposure from both recreational activities and nearby unsustainable land-use practices. However, nearshore reefs still support a high abundance of the endangered reef-building coral
Orbicella annularis
, highlighting the need to conserve these natural shoreline protectors. There is an opportunity for local stakeholders and regulatory institutions to collaboratively implement sea-urchin propagation, restoration of endangered Acroporid coral populations, and zoning of recreational densities across reefs. Our results illustrate vulnerable reef hotspots where these management interventions are needed and recommend guidelines to address them. |
doi_str_mv | 10.7717/peerj.10080 |
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Diadema antillarum
density, among reef locations, and as a function of recreational use. Nearshore reefs reflected higher percent macroalgal cover, likely due to increased exposure from both recreational activities and nearby unsustainable land-use practices. However, nearshore reefs still support a high abundance of the endangered reef-building coral
Orbicella annularis
, highlighting the need to conserve these natural shoreline protectors. There is an opportunity for local stakeholders and regulatory institutions to collaboratively implement sea-urchin propagation, restoration of endangered Acroporid coral populations, and zoning of recreational densities across reefs. Our results illustrate vulnerable reef hotspots where these management interventions are needed and recommend guidelines to address them.</description><identifier>ISSN: 2167-8359</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 2167-8359</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10080</identifier><identifier>PMID: 33088617</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>San Diego: PeerJ, Inc</publisher><subject>Algae ; Benthic community structure ; Caribbean Coral Reefs ; Coastal erosion ; Coastal spatial variability ; Cognition & reasoning ; Community structure ; Coral reefs ; Ecology ; Ecosystem-based management ; Ecosystems ; Endangered populations ; GIS ; Land use ; Mapping ; Marine Biology ; Natural Resource Management ; Seaweeds ; Sedimentation & deposition ; Shoreline protection ; Spatial and Geographic Information Science ; Spatial variations ; Statistical analysis ; Tourism</subject><ispartof>PeerJ (San Francisco, CA), 2020-10, Vol.8, p.e10080-e10080, Article e10080</ispartof><rights>2020 Gómez-Andújar and Hernandez-Delgado. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, reproduction and adaptation in any medium and for any purpose provided that it is properly attributed. For attribution, the original author(s), title, publication source (PeerJ) and either DOI or URL of the article must be cited. Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.</rights><rights>2020 Gómez-Andújar and Hernandez-Delgado 2020 Gómez-Andújar and Hernandez-Delgado</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-c452t-508f5dcc50d2eb343deafef976b16593c094fc346747f939544aaa3e8a4366f03</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-c452t-508f5dcc50d2eb343deafef976b16593c094fc346747f939544aaa3e8a4366f03</cites><orcidid>0000-0002-5504-2545 ; 0000-0003-3653-6037</orcidid></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktopdf>$$Uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/2450874848/fulltextPDF?pq-origsite=primo$$EPDF$$P50$$Gproquest$$Hfree_for_read</linktopdf><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://www.proquest.com/docview/2450874848?pq-origsite=primo$$EHTML$$P50$$Gproquest$$Hfree_for_read</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>230,314,727,780,784,885,25753,27924,27925,37012,37013,44590,53791,53793,75126</link.rule.ids></links><search><creatorcontrib>Gómez-Andújar, Nicolás X.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Hernandez-Delgado, Edwin A.</creatorcontrib><title>Spatial benthic community analysis of shallow coral reefs to support coastal management in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico</title><title>PeerJ (San Francisco, CA)</title><description>Caribbean coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services to society, including fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection from coastal erosion. However, these reefs are also exhibiting major declining trends, leading to the evolution of novel ecosystems dominated by non-reef building taxa, with potentially altered ecological functions. In the search for effective management strategies, this study characterized coral reefs in front of a touristic beach which provides economic benefits to the surrounding coastal communities yet faces increasing anthropogenic pressures and conservation challenges. Haphazard photo-transects were used to address spatial variation patterns in the reef’s benthic community structure in eight locations. Statistically significant differences were found with increasing distance from the shoreline, reef rugosity,
Diadema antillarum
density, among reef locations, and as a function of recreational use. Nearshore reefs reflected higher percent macroalgal cover, likely due to increased exposure from both recreational activities and nearby unsustainable land-use practices. However, nearshore reefs still support a high abundance of the endangered reef-building coral
Orbicella annularis
, highlighting the need to conserve these natural shoreline protectors. There is an opportunity for local stakeholders and regulatory institutions to collaboratively implement sea-urchin propagation, restoration of endangered Acroporid coral populations, and zoning of recreational densities across reefs. Our results illustrate vulnerable reef hotspots where these management interventions are needed and recommend guidelines to address them.</description><subject>Algae</subject><subject>Benthic community structure</subject><subject>Caribbean Coral Reefs</subject><subject>Coastal erosion</subject><subject>Coastal spatial variability</subject><subject>Cognition & reasoning</subject><subject>Community structure</subject><subject>Coral reefs</subject><subject>Ecology</subject><subject>Ecosystem-based management</subject><subject>Ecosystems</subject><subject>Endangered populations</subject><subject>GIS</subject><subject>Land use</subject><subject>Mapping</subject><subject>Marine Biology</subject><subject>Natural Resource Management</subject><subject>Seaweeds</subject><subject>Sedimentation & deposition</subject><subject>Shoreline protection</subject><subject>Spatial and Geographic Information Science</subject><subject>Spatial variations</subject><subject>Statistical analysis</subject><subject>Tourism</subject><issn>2167-8359</issn><issn>2167-8359</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2020</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>PIMPY</sourceid><sourceid>DOA</sourceid><recordid>eNpdkk1r3DAQhk1paUKaU_-AoJdCu4lkffpSKEs_FgINaXsWY3m0q8W2XMlO2X8fdTeUprpIzPvOI2lmquo1o1daM309Iab9FaPU0GfVec2UXhkum-f_nM-qy5z3tCxTK2r4y-qMc2qMYvq8uv8-wRygJy2O8y444uIwLGOYDwRG6A85ZBI9yTvo-_i7qKl4E6LPZI4kL9MU01zCkOciDCVni0NBkTCS9dJjm4Bscg9j957cLphK0l1w8VX1wkOf8fJxv6h-fv70Y_11dfPty2b98WblhKznlaTGy845SbsaWy54h-DRN1q1TMmGO9oI77hQWmjf8EYKAQAcDQiulKf8otqcuF2EvZ1SGCAdbIRgj4GYthbSHFyPtkHOmGiEU9II00KrvIdaCA_lgpbzwvpwYk1LO2Dnyi9LMZ5Anypj2NltvLdaqkJkBfD2EZDirwXzbIeQHfalOhiXbGshuTKlraZY3_xn3ccllYYcXdRoUYjF9e7kcinmnND_fQyj9s942ON42ON48Aegbq4w</recordid><startdate>20201014</startdate><enddate>20201014</enddate><creator>Gómez-Andújar, Nicolás X.</creator><creator>Hernandez-Delgado, Edwin A.</creator><general>PeerJ, Inc</general><general>PeerJ Inc</general><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>3V.</scope><scope>7XB</scope><scope>88I</scope><scope>8FE</scope><scope>8FH</scope><scope>8FK</scope><scope>ABUWG</scope><scope>AFKRA</scope><scope>AZQEC</scope><scope>BBNVY</scope><scope>BENPR</scope><scope>BHPHI</scope><scope>CCPQU</scope><scope>DWQXO</scope><scope>GNUQQ</scope><scope>HCIFZ</scope><scope>LK8</scope><scope>M2P</scope><scope>M7P</scope><scope>PIMPY</scope><scope>PQEST</scope><scope>PQQKQ</scope><scope>PQUKI</scope><scope>PRINS</scope><scope>Q9U</scope><scope>7X8</scope><scope>5PM</scope><scope>DOA</scope><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5504-2545</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3653-6037</orcidid></search><sort><creationdate>20201014</creationdate><title>Spatial benthic community analysis of shallow coral reefs to support coastal management in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico</title><author>Gómez-Andújar, Nicolás X. ; 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However, these reefs are also exhibiting major declining trends, leading to the evolution of novel ecosystems dominated by non-reef building taxa, with potentially altered ecological functions. In the search for effective management strategies, this study characterized coral reefs in front of a touristic beach which provides economic benefits to the surrounding coastal communities yet faces increasing anthropogenic pressures and conservation challenges. Haphazard photo-transects were used to address spatial variation patterns in the reef’s benthic community structure in eight locations. Statistically significant differences were found with increasing distance from the shoreline, reef rugosity,
Diadema antillarum
density, among reef locations, and as a function of recreational use. Nearshore reefs reflected higher percent macroalgal cover, likely due to increased exposure from both recreational activities and nearby unsustainable land-use practices. However, nearshore reefs still support a high abundance of the endangered reef-building coral
Orbicella annularis
, highlighting the need to conserve these natural shoreline protectors. There is an opportunity for local stakeholders and regulatory institutions to collaboratively implement sea-urchin propagation, restoration of endangered Acroporid coral populations, and zoning of recreational densities across reefs. Our results illustrate vulnerable reef hotspots where these management interventions are needed and recommend guidelines to address them.</abstract><cop>San Diego</cop><pub>PeerJ, Inc</pub><pmid>33088617</pmid><doi>10.7717/peerj.10080</doi><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5504-2545</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3653-6037</orcidid><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record> |
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subjects | Algae Benthic community structure Caribbean Coral Reefs Coastal erosion Coastal spatial variability Cognition & reasoning Community structure Coral reefs Ecology Ecosystem-based management Ecosystems Endangered populations GIS Land use Mapping Marine Biology Natural Resource Management Seaweeds Sedimentation & deposition Shoreline protection Spatial and Geographic Information Science Spatial variations Statistical analysis Tourism |
title | Spatial benthic community analysis of shallow coral reefs to support coastal management in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico |
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