Article Summaries | Reef Resilience

Sources and Trends of Artificial Sweeteners in Coastal Waters in the Bay of Cadiz (NE Atlantic)

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study looked at artificial sweeteners as a novel indicator of sewage pollution. These synthetic substances are persistent in the environment and do not change form during wastewater treatment. Artificial sweeteners can be detected in significant concentrations in...

Multiple Human Pressures in Coastal Habitats: Variation of Meiofaunal Assemblages Associated with Sewage Discharge in a Post-Industrial Area

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This paper investigated the impact of heavy metals and hydrocarbons from sewers on meiofaunal diversity. These land-based contaminants are typically from industrial wastewater but their hazard is compounded in combination with sewage. This study sampled sites at...

Rapid Sewage Pollution Assessment by Means of the Coverage of Epilithic Taxa in a Coastal Area in the SW Atlantic

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study investigated changes in abundance and diversity of epilithic and benthic communities in coastal waters. As untreated effluent discharge increases with tourism, these organisms can be used as indicators of contamination. Measuring abundance is a cost...

Cost, Energy, Global Warming, Eutrophication and Local Human Health Impacts of Community Water and Sanitation Service Options

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study evaluated the sustainability of community water systems based on metrics of human health, environmental impact, economic tradeoffs, eutrophication potential, and technical resilience. Five systems currently in use in the coastal town of Falmouth, MA on Cape...

Hawaii’s Cesspool Problem: Review and Recommendations for Water Resources and Human Health

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This article discusses the problems of outdated and ineffective cesspools on the islands of Hawaii, which threaten both marine ecosystems and humans. Through an in-depth literature review, the study explores understanding and knowledge gaps around contamination and...

Nitrogen Pollution Interacts with Heat Stress to Increase Coral Bleaching Across the Seascape

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study of the impact of anthropogenically derived nutrients on bleaching patterns in Pocillopora and Acropora corals determined that nutrient loading exacerbates the bleaching potential from heat stress and acidification. Anthropogenically sourced nutrients far...

Rainfall and Streamflow Effects on Estuarine Staphylococcus Aureus and Fecal Indicator Bacteria Concentrations

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This article investigated correlations between rainfall events, river runoff, and concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus in nearshore waters. Background information about the health hazard of these bacteria suggests that little is understood about...

The Globalization of Cultural Eutrophication in the Coastal Ocean: Causes and Consequences

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

In this article, the Authors outline key anthropogenic stressors in the marine environment, specifically nutrients. Increases in eutrophication point to nutrient enrichment due to land-based pollution and is defined as cultural eutrophication. The paper discusses the...

Sanitation in Challenging Environments (SCE) Project: Mobilizing Sector Engagement and Innovation in Cambodia

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This paper presents sanitation options where “conventional sanitation solutions are not appropriate due to difficult geographical and/or geological conditions”. Cambodia is the focus area of this study and recognized for flooding, high water tables, and coastal...

Widespread Sewage Pollution of the Indian River Lagoon System, Florida (USA) Resolved by Spatial Analyses of Macroalgal Biogeochemistry

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This paper provides evidence of sewage-derived pollution as cause of ecosystem damage in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, making a case for the need to improve sewage treatment infrastructure. Analysis of existing wastewater treatment (WWTP) plants show that inclusion...

Spatial Distribution of Sewage Pollution on a Hawaiian Coral Reef

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study used nitrogen isotopes in macroalgal tissue and various fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) to measure water quality in surface and benthic waters with the goal of determining the impact of sewage pollution on coral reefs. Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD)...

Effects of Tourism-Derived Sewage on Coral Reefs: Isotopic Assessments Identify Effective Bioindicators

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study explored four coral reef organisms as bioindicators to increase understanding of the impacts of sewage-derived nutrients over various time scales on Palau Redang and Palau Tioman in Malaysia. Comparisons between developed tourism areas and uninhabited areas...

Predicting the Impact of Logging Activities on Soil Erosion and Water Quality in Steep, Forested Tropical Islands

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This study explored how deforestation contributes to erosion and land-based pollution that impairs downstream water quality and the need for integrating terrestrial management into marine ecosystem protection efforts. This investigation provides evidence for managers...

Decision Analysis to Support Wastewater Management in Coral Reef Priority Area

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

To effectively protect coral reefs near West Maui, improved sewage management and identification of priority areas is needed. This study used biophysical modeling, economic analysis, and ecosystem service valuation to evaluate areas most in need of immediate cesspool...

A Septic Waste Index Model to Measure the Impact of Septic Tanks on Coastal Water Quality and Coral Reef Communities in Rincon, Puerto Rico

by reefres | Apr 9, 2021

This review of sewage management in Puerto Rico highlights widespread dependence on septic tanks (>50%) and ample anecdotes of leaking or overflow events resulting from high precipitation. This study investigated the impact of septic tanks on coastal water quality,...

Using Resilience Assessments to Inform the Management and Conservation of Coral Reef Ecosystems

by Cherie Wagner | Nov 30, 2020

As climate change continues to be a leading cause of coral reef decline across the globe, reef managers increasingly are seeking management and conservation actions that can help them prioritize and enhance reef resilience. Resilience assessments are one tool...

Trophic Interactions in Coral Reef Restoration: A Review

by Cherie Wagner | Nov 30, 2020

Although coral restoration is a popular method of management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems, its ecological basis is under-developed. For example, in addition to well-known restoration methods such as outplanting nursery-raised corals, managers and...

Resilience Concepts and Their Application to Coral Reefs

by Cherie Wagner | Nov 30, 2020

Although the concept of resilience is widely used in coral reef science and management, the evaluation of ecosystem resilience has been challenging because it can be difficult to quantify and assess. Scientists have proposed the resilience-based management (RBM)...

Meeting Fisheries, Ecosystem Function, and Biodiversity Goals in a Human-Dominated World

by Cherie Wagner | Jun 11, 2020

Coral reef ecosystems play an important role both in promoting marine biodiversity and supporting the communities that depend on them. This study examines the conditions in which multiple social and ecological goals, such as the biomass of fisheries, parrotfish...

Coral Restoration – A Systematic Review of Current Methods, Successes, Failures and Future Directions

by reefres | Jun 8, 2020

In this study, the authors synthesized the available knowledge in a comprehensive global review of coral restoration methods, incorporating data from the peer-reviewed scientific literature, complemented with grey literature and through a survey of coral restoration...

Sources and Trends of Artificial Sweeteners in Coastal Waters in the Bay of Cadiz (NE Atlantic)

Multiple Human Pressures in Coastal Habitats: Variation of Meiofaunal Assemblages Associated with Sewage Discharge in a Post-Industrial Area

Rapid Sewage Pollution Assessment by Means of the Coverage of Epilithic Taxa in a Coastal Area in the SW Atlantic

Cost, Energy, Global Warming, Eutrophication and Local Human Health Impacts of Community Water and Sanitation Service Options

Hawaii’s Cesspool Problem: Review and Recommendations for Water Resources and Human Health

Nitrogen Pollution Interacts with Heat Stress to Increase Coral Bleaching Across the Seascape

Rainfall and Streamflow Effects on Estuarine Staphylococcus Aureus and Fecal Indicator Bacteria Concentrations

The Globalization of Cultural Eutrophication in the Coastal Ocean: Causes and Consequences

Sanitation in Challenging Environments (SCE) Project: Mobilizing Sector Engagement and Innovation in Cambodia

Widespread Sewage Pollution of the Indian River Lagoon System, Florida (USA) Resolved by Spatial Analyses of Macroalgal Biogeochemistry

Spatial Distribution of Sewage Pollution on a Hawaiian Coral Reef

Effects of Tourism-Derived Sewage on Coral Reefs: Isotopic Assessments Identify Effective Bioindicators

Predicting the Impact of Logging Activities on Soil Erosion and Water Quality in Steep, Forested Tropical Islands

Decision Analysis to Support Wastewater Management in Coral Reef Priority Area

A Septic Waste Index Model to Measure the Impact of Septic Tanks on Coastal Water Quality and Coral Reef Communities in Rincon, Puerto Rico

Using Resilience Assessments to Inform the Management and Conservation of Coral Reef Ecosystems

Trophic Interactions in Coral Reef Restoration: A Review

Resilience Concepts and Their Application to Coral Reefs

Meeting Fisheries, Ecosystem Function, and Biodiversity Goals in a Human-Dominated World

Coral Restoration – A Systematic Review of Current Methods, Successes, Failures and Future Directions

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