Publicaciones

@article{Mercado-Molina2018,

title = {Growth facilitation by the octocoral Gorgonia ventalina explains spatial difference in the population size structure of the common demosponge Ircinia felix},

author = {Alex E. Mercado-Molina, Fabiola Rivera-Irizarry, Jaime Fonseca-Miranda, & Yesenia Bruno-Laureano },

editor = {Paco Cárdenas},

url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17451000.2017.1367098},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/17451000.2017.1367098},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-11-07},

journal = {Marine Biology Research  },

volume = {14, 2018},

number = {1},

pages = {41 - 51},

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 = {Acropora cervicornis, Caribbean, Climate change, Coral Reef Decline, coral reefs, Corals, Land-Based Source Pollution, Marine Protected Areas, Puerto Rico, Reef Restoration},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ruiz-Diaz2016b,

title = {The role of coral colony health state in the recovery of lesions},

author = {Claudia P. Ruiz-Diaz, Carlos Toledo-Hernandez, Alex E. Mercado-Molina, Maria E. Perez, Alberto M. Sabat},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1531},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-12},

journal = {Peer J},

volume = {PeerJ 4:e1531},

abstract = {Coral disease literature has focused, for the most part, on the etiology of the more than 35 coral afflictions currently described. Much less understood are the factors that underpin the capacity of corals to regenerate lesions, including the role of colony health. This lack of knowledge with respect to the factors that influence tissue regeneration significantly limits our understanding of the impact of diseases at the colony, population, and community level. In this study, we experimentally compared tissue regeneration capacity of diseased versus healthy fragments of Gorgonia ventalina colonies at 5 m and 12 m of depth. We found that the initial health state of colonies (i.e., diseased or healthy) had a significant effect on tissue regeneration (healing). All healthy fragments exhibited full recovery regardless of depth treatment, while diseased fragments did not. Our results suggest that being diseased or healthy has a significant effect on the capacity of a sea fan colony to repair tissue, but that environmental factors associated with changes in depth, such as temperature and light, do not. We conclude that disease doesn’t just compromise vital functions such as growth and reproduction in corals but also compromises their capacity to regenerate tissue and heal lesions.},

keywords = {coral diseases, Coral Reef Decline, Gorgonia ventalina},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ruiz-Diaz2016,

title = {Scraping and extirpating: two strategies to induce recovery of diseased Gorgonia ventalina sea fans},

author = { Claudia P. Ruiz-Diaz, Carlos Toledo-Hernandez, Alex E. Mercado-Molina,, Alberto M. Sabat},

doi = {10.1111/maec.12283},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {Marine Ecology},

abstract = {Coral diseases are currently playing a major role in the worldwide decline in coral reef integrity. One of the coral species most afflicted by disease in the Caribbean, and which has been the focus of much research, is the sea fan Gorgonia ventalina. There is, however, very little information regarding the capacity of sea fans to recover after being infected. The aim of this study was to compare the rehabilitation capacity of G. ventalina after diseased-induced lesions were eliminated either by scraping or extirpating the affected area. Scraping consisted of removing any organisms overgrowing the axial skeleton from the diseased area as well as the purple tissue bordering these overgrowths using metal bristle brushes. Extirpation consisted of cutting the diseased area, including the surrounding purpled tissue, using scissors. The number of scraped colonies that fully or partially rehabilitated after being manipulated and the rates at which the sea fans whose lesions were scrapped grew back healthy tissue were compared among: (i) colonies that inhabited two sites with contrasting environmental conditions; (ii) colonies of different sizes and (iii) colonies with different ratios of area of legions to total colony area (LA/CA). Both strategies proved to be very successful in eliminating lesions from sea fans. In the case of scraping, over 51% of the colonies recovered between 80% and 100% of the lost tissue within 16 months. The number of colonies that recovered from scraping was similar among sites and among colony sizes, but differed significantly depending on the relative amount of lesion to colony area (LA/CA). When lesions were extirpated, lesions did not reappear in any of the colonies. We conclude that lesion scraping is useful for eliminating relatively small lesions (i.e. LA/CA < 10%), as these are likely to recover in a shorter period of time, whereas for relatively large lesions (LA/CA ≥ 10%) it is more appropriate to extirpate the lesion.},

keywords = {coral diseases, Coral Reef Decline, Gorgonia ventalina},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Díaz-Ortega2014,

title = {Unsustainable Land-Based Source Pollution in a Climate of Change: A Roadblock to the Conservation and Recovery of Elkhorn Coral Acropora palmata (Lamarck 1816)},

author = {Geraldine Díaz-Ortega and Edwin A. Hernández-Delgado},

url = {https://www.sampr.org/sam/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Diaz-Ortega-and-Hernandez-Delgado-2014.pdf},

year  = {2014},

date = {2014-07-18},

journal = {Natural Resources},

volume = { 5},

pages = {561-581},

abstract = {Chronic eutrophication and turbidity are critical detrimental factors impacting coral reef ecosystems,

adversely affecting their ecological functions, services, benefits, and resilience across multiple

spatial scales and over prolonged periods of time. Inadequate land use practices and lack of

appropriate sewage treatment can adversely contribute to increase land-based source pollution

(LBSP) impacts in coastal waters and to magnify impacts by sea surface warming trends associated

to climate change. Fringing coral reefs off Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, support extensive remnant

patches of Elkhorn coral Acropora palmata (Lamarck 1816), which was listed in 2006 as a threatened

species under the US Endangered Species Act. Chronic impacts by LBSP have significantly affected

local downstream fringing reefs. We characterized the spatial extent of a water quality

stress gradient across 12 reefs along the Vega Baja coast through monthly measurements of multiple

physico-chemical parameters. Most parameters, particularly PO4, + NH4 , chlorophyll-a, and

the concentration of optical brighteners (OABs), showed a statistically significant increase

(PERMANOVA, p < 0.05) in waters close to the main pollution sources, but also in waters adjacent

to Cibuco River effluents. Dissolved oxygen also declined and turbidity increased on polluted sites.

PO4, + NH4 , and chlorophyll-a, exceeded recommended concentrations for coral reef ecosystems by factors of 7 - 50 times, 600 - 1240 times, and 17 - 83 times, respectively, depending on the source

of the effluents and the distance from sewage pollution sources. Also, water turbidity exceeded 4 -

10 times the recommended value for pristine coral reefs. Coral reefs showed significant decline in

close proximity to the polluted zone, showing a significantly different benthic community structure

(PERMANOVA, p < 0.0001) dominated by non-reef building taxa (i.e., macroalgae, algal turf)

and bare substrate. Percent coral cover and abundance of A. palmata, showed a significant increase

with distance. Coral species richness, species diversity index, and the variance in taxonomic

distinctness were very low on reef patches adjacent to the polluted zone, increased at a moderate

distance with increasing coral cover and co-existence of multiple species, and declined far

from the pollution source due to dominance exerted by A. palmata. This study suggests that

chronic LBSP resulted in a major decline of one of the largest and most dense remnant stands of A.

palmata across the northeastern Caribbean and that nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations

were unsustainable for coral reefs. This situation requires immediate solution to prevent further

damage to these unprecedented resources. It further suggests that chronic LBSP may synergistically

magnify sea-surface warming impacts driving corals to an increased state of risk in face of

forecasted climate change impacts. Actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts on

coral reefs must require a priori controls of LBSP to be effective.},

keywords = {Acropora palmata, Coral Reef Decline, Eutrophication, Land-Based Source Pollution},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}