Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST) Active
Florida Keys Calcification Monitoring Network
Measuring coral growth to help restore reefs
First Ecosystem-Wide Study of Seafloor Erosion
Divergence of seafloor elevation and sea level rise in coral reef ecosystems
Corals as Geochemical Archives
Reconstructing paleo-environmental conditions on the reef
Holocene Coral-Reef Development
To gain insights into the future, researchers are studying the past
Coral Reef Seafloor Erosion and Coastal Hazards
Regional-scale erosion measurements indicate that seafloor erosion is increasing water depths along the coastline
The specific objectives of this project are to identify and describe the processes that are important in determining rates of coral-reef construction. How quickly the skeletons of calcifying organisms accumulate to form massive barrier-reef structure is determined by processes of both construction (how fast organisms grow and reproduce) and destruction (how fast reefs break down by mechanical, chemical, and biological means).
Overview and Objectives
By combining our research activities involving mapping, monitoring, and retrospectively investigating reef processes such as calcification, reef metabolism, and microbial cycling, we will reveal linkages among them and establish connections to ecosystem services or outputs including reef edification, seawater chemistry, sand production, and habitat construction. Our work addresses several key issues related to the current status and potential declining health and resilience of shallow-water reef communities in the U.S. Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Florida Keys. Improved understanding and information resulting from our work will help guide policies and best management practices to preserve and restore U.S. coral reef resources.
The specific objectives of this project are to identify and describe the processes that are important in determining rates of coral-reef construction. How quickly the skeletons of calcifying organisms accumulate to form massive barrier-reef structure is determined by processes of both construction (how fast organisms grow and reproduce) and destruction (how fast reefs break down by mechanical, chemical, and biological means). The components of our project represent multiple disciplines working together to answer one fundamental question: 'what are the drivers determining calcification rates and reef construction, and will reefs cease to accrete (grow) in the near future in the context of ocean warming, ocean acidification, and/or compromised water quality?' We will also explore the seasonal, spatial (vertical and horizontal), and retrospective (historical and geological) heterogeneity in the reef processes we are investigating. A greater knowledge of the natural variability in these processes will afford us a much better chance of detecting and understanding potential impacts of global climate change or altered water quality on reef building.
Measuring Coral Growth to Help Restore Reefs
It is critical to start measuring calcification rates in a systematic way now, particularly at subtropical latitudes where conditions fluctuate seasonally, so that we can understand how dynamic ocean conditions affect calcifying organisms today and predict possible changes in the future. We established a calcification monitoring network in the Florida Keys and have been measuring calcification rates since 2009.
Coral Reef Seafloor Erosion and Coastal Hazards
Synchronized field work focused on geochemistry, geology, and metabolic processes overlaid on a habitat map of an entire reef to produce a synoptic overview of reef processes that contribute to carbonate precipitation and dissolution.
Reef History and Climate Change
Ecosystem-wide study of seafloor erosion, changing coastal water depths, and effects on coastal storm and wave impacts along the Florida Keys Coral Reef Tract in South Florida.
Holocene Coral-Reef Development
With the continuing threat of climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances, the future of Florida's coral reefs is uncertain. One way to gain insights into the future trajectories of Florida's coral reefs is to investigate how they responded to environmental disturbances in the past.
Microbial Processes on Reefs
The microbial community on coral reefs is generally underappreciated given the ubiquity, abundance, complexity, and formative role these prokaryotes serve in the metabolic and chemical processes on reefs. We use microbiological and metagenomic techniques to decipher the roles the microbial community are playing in processes such as coral disease, submarine groundwater discharge, calcification, and dissolution.
Previous Research
Community Calcification & Metabolism
Changing ocean chemistry resulting from climate change and ocean acidification also affects coral reefs at the community level. The severity of impacts to coral reefs depends, in part, on the ability of reefs to continue growing enough to keep up with rising sea level.
Benthic Habitat Mapping & Monitoring
Benthic community composition, percent cover, areal extent, and temporal stability are critical factors that contribute to the value of a given marine habitat. Knowledge of these benthic cover components provides a baseline for National Park Service resource managers, as well as a tool for planning research activities for other CREST scientists.
Coral Disease
Coral diseases have been reported worldwide and with increasing frequency. Disease is now recognized as one of the major causes of reef degradation and coral mortality.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
A 3,000‐year lag between the geological and ecological shutdown of Florida's coral reefs
A framework for identifying and characterising coral reef “oases” against a backdrop of degradation
Sea-level rise could overwhelm coral reefs
Plasticity in skeletal characteristics of nursery-raised staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis
Fidelity of the Sr/Ca proxy in recording ocean temperature in the western Atlantic coral Siderastrea siderea
Collection methods and descriptions of coral cores extracted from massive corals in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, U.S.A.
Multi-species coral Sr/Ca-based sea-surface temperature reconstruction using Orbicella faveolata and Siderastrea siderea from the Florida Straits
The structure and composition of Holocene coral reefs in the Middle Florida Keys
A geological perspective on the degradation and conservation of western Atlantic coral reefs
A new record of the late Pleistocene coral Pocillopora palmata from the Dry Tortugas, Florida reef tract, USA
The relationship between the ratio of strontium to calcium and sea-surface temperature in a modern Porites astreoides coral: Implications for using P. astreoides as a paleoclimate archive
Seasonal microbial and environmental parameters at Crocker Reef, Florida Keys, 2014–2015
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- Overview
The specific objectives of this project are to identify and describe the processes that are important in determining rates of coral-reef construction. How quickly the skeletons of calcifying organisms accumulate to form massive barrier-reef structure is determined by processes of both construction (how fast organisms grow and reproduce) and destruction (how fast reefs break down by mechanical, chemical, and biological means).
Overview and Objectives
By combining our research activities involving mapping, monitoring, and retrospectively investigating reef processes such as calcification, reef metabolism, and microbial cycling, we will reveal linkages among them and establish connections to ecosystem services or outputs including reef edification, seawater chemistry, sand production, and habitat construction. Our work addresses several key issues related to the current status and potential declining health and resilience of shallow-water reef communities in the U.S. Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Florida Keys. Improved understanding and information resulting from our work will help guide policies and best management practices to preserve and restore U.S. coral reef resources.
The specific objectives of this project are to identify and describe the processes that are important in determining rates of coral-reef construction. How quickly the skeletons of calcifying organisms accumulate to form massive barrier-reef structure is determined by processes of both construction (how fast organisms grow and reproduce) and destruction (how fast reefs break down by mechanical, chemical, and biological means). The components of our project represent multiple disciplines working together to answer one fundamental question: 'what are the drivers determining calcification rates and reef construction, and will reefs cease to accrete (grow) in the near future in the context of ocean warming, ocean acidification, and/or compromised water quality?' We will also explore the seasonal, spatial (vertical and horizontal), and retrospective (historical and geological) heterogeneity in the reef processes we are investigating. A greater knowledge of the natural variability in these processes will afford us a much better chance of detecting and understanding potential impacts of global climate change or altered water quality on reef building.
Measuring Coral Growth to Help Restore Reefs
It is critical to start measuring calcification rates in a systematic way now, particularly at subtropical latitudes where conditions fluctuate seasonally, so that we can understand how dynamic ocean conditions affect calcifying organisms today and predict possible changes in the future. We established a calcification monitoring network in the Florida Keys and have been measuring calcification rates since 2009.
Coral Reef Seafloor Erosion and Coastal Hazards
Synchronized field work focused on geochemistry, geology, and metabolic processes overlaid on a habitat map of an entire reef to produce a synoptic overview of reef processes that contribute to carbonate precipitation and dissolution.
Reef History and Climate Change
Ecosystem-wide study of seafloor erosion, changing coastal water depths, and effects on coastal storm and wave impacts along the Florida Keys Coral Reef Tract in South Florida.
Holocene Coral-Reef Development
With the continuing threat of climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances, the future of Florida's coral reefs is uncertain. One way to gain insights into the future trajectories of Florida's coral reefs is to investigate how they responded to environmental disturbances in the past.
Microbial Processes on Reefs
The microbial community on coral reefs is generally underappreciated given the ubiquity, abundance, complexity, and formative role these prokaryotes serve in the metabolic and chemical processes on reefs. We use microbiological and metagenomic techniques to decipher the roles the microbial community are playing in processes such as coral disease, submarine groundwater discharge, calcification, and dissolution.
Previous Research
Community Calcification & Metabolism
Changing ocean chemistry resulting from climate change and ocean acidification also affects coral reefs at the community level. The severity of impacts to coral reefs depends, in part, on the ability of reefs to continue growing enough to keep up with rising sea level.
Benthic Habitat Mapping & Monitoring
Benthic community composition, percent cover, areal extent, and temporal stability are critical factors that contribute to the value of a given marine habitat. Knowledge of these benthic cover components provides a baseline for National Park Service resource managers, as well as a tool for planning research activities for other CREST scientists.
Coral Disease
Coral diseases have been reported worldwide and with increasing frequency. Disease is now recognized as one of the major causes of reef degradation and coral mortality.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
- Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 73A 3,000‐year lag between the geological and ecological shutdown of Florida's coral reefs
The global‐scale degradation of coral reefs has reached a critical threshold wherein further declines threaten both ecological functionality and the persistence of reef structure. Geological records can provide valuable insights into the long‐term controls on reef development that may be key to solving the modern coral‐reef crisis. Our analyses of new and existing coral‐reef cores from throughoutAuthorsLauren Toth, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Eugene A. ShinnA framework for identifying and characterising coral reef “oases” against a backdrop of degradation
Human activities have led to widespread ecological decline; however, the severity of degradation is spatially heterogeneous due to some locations resisting, escaping, or rebounding from disturbances.We developed a framework for identifying oases within coral reef regions using long‐term monitoring data. We calculated standardised estimates of coral cover (z‐scores) to distinguish sites that deviatAuthorsJames R. Guest, Peter J. Edmunds, Ruth D. Gates, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Andreas J Andersson, Brian B. Barnes, Iliana Chollett, Travis A. Courtney, Robin Elahi, Kevin Gross, Elizabeth A. Lenz, Satoshi Mitarai, Peter J. Mumby, Hannah R. Nelson, Britt A. Parker, Hollie M. Putnam, Caroline S. Rogers, Lauren TothSea-level rise could overwhelm coral reefs
An assessment of the capacity of coral reefs to grow fast enough to keep up with projected rises in sea level finds that most reefs will fall behind if nothing is done to restore them.AuthorsIlsa B. KuffnerPlasticity in skeletal characteristics of nursery-raised staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis
Staghorn coral, Acropora cervicornis, is a threatened species and the primary focus of western Atlantic reef restoration efforts to date. We compared linear extension, calcification rate, and skeletal density of nursery-raised A. cervicornis branches reared for 6 months either on blocks attached to substratum or hanging from PVC trees in the water column. We demonstrate that branches grown on theAuthorsIlsa B. Kuffner, Erich Bartels, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Ian C. Enochs, Graham Kolodziej, Lauren Toth, Derek P. ManzelloFidelity of the Sr/Ca proxy in recording ocean temperature in the western Atlantic coral Siderastrea siderea
Massive corals provide a useful archive of environmental variability, but careful testing of geochemical proxies in corals is necessary to validate the relationship between each proxy and environmental parameter throughout the full range of conditions experienced by the recording organisms. Here we use samples from a coral-growth study to test the hypothesis that Sr/Ca in the coral Siderastrea sidAuthorsIlsa B. Kuffner, Kelsey E. Roberts, Jennifer A. Flannery, Jennifer M. Morrison, Julie N. RicheyCollection methods and descriptions of coral cores extracted from massive corals in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, U.S.A.
Cores from living coral colonies were collected from Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, U.S.A., to obtain skeletal records of past coral growth and allow geochemical reconstruction of environmental variables during the corals’ centuries-long lifespans. The samples were collected as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies project (http:/coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest) that proAuthorsMichael S. Weinzierl, Christopher D. Reich, T. Donald Hickey, Lucy A. Bartlett, Ilsa B. KuffnerMulti-species coral Sr/Ca-based sea-surface temperature reconstruction using Orbicella faveolata and Siderastrea siderea from the Florida Straits
We present new, monthly-resolved Sr/Ca-based sea-surface temperature (SST) records from two species of massive coral, Orbicella faveolata and Siderastrea siderea, from the Dry Tortugas National Park, FL, USA (DTNP). We combine these new records with published data from three additional S. siderea coral colonies to generate a 278-year long multi-species stacked Sr/Ca-SST record from DTNP. The compoAuthorsJennifer A. Flannery, Julie N. Richey, Kaustubh Thirumalai, Richard Z. Poore, Kristine L. DeLongThe structure and composition of Holocene coral reefs in the Middle Florida Keys
The Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT) is the largest coral-reef ecosystem in the continental United States. The modern FKRT extends for 362 kilometers along the coast of South Florida from Dry Tortugas National Park in the southwest, through the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), to Fowey Rocks reef in Biscayne National Park in the northeast. Most reefs along the FKRT are sheltered by thAuthorsLauren T. Toth, Anastasios Stathakopoulos, Ilsa B. KuffnerA geological perspective on the degradation and conservation of western Atlantic coral reefs
Continuing coral-reef degradation in the western Atlantic is resulting in loss of ecological and geologic functions of reefs. With the goal of assisting resource managers and stewards of reefs in setting and measuring progress toward realistic goals for coral-reef conservation and restoration, we examined reef degradation in this region from a geological perspective. The importance of ecosystem seAuthorsIlsa B. Kuffner, Lauren T. TothA new record of the late Pleistocene coral Pocillopora palmata from the Dry Tortugas, Florida reef tract, USA
Pocilloporid corals dominated shallow-water environments in the Caribbean during much of the Cenozoic; however, the regional diversity of this family declined over the last 15 My, culminating with the extinction of its final member, Pocillopora palmata, during the latest Pleistocene. Here we present a new record of P. palmata from Dry Tortugas National Park in the Florida Keys and infer its likelyAuthorsLauren T. Toth, Ilsa B. Kuffner, Hai Cheng, R. Lawrence EdwardsThe relationship between the ratio of strontium to calcium and sea-surface temperature in a modern Porites astreoides coral: Implications for using P. astreoides as a paleoclimate archive
An inverse relationship has been demonstrated between water temperature and the ratio of strontium to calcium (Sr/Ca) in coral aragonite for a number of Pacific species of the genus Porites. This empirically determined relationship has been used to reconstruct past sea-surface temperature (SST) from modern and Holocene age coral archives. A study was conducted to investigate this relationship forAuthorsTess E. Busch, Jennifer A. Flannery, Julie N. Richey, Anastasios StathakopoulosSeasonal microbial and environmental parameters at Crocker Reef, Florida Keys, 2014–2015
Crocker Reef, located on the outer reef tract of the Florida Keys (fig. 1), was the site of an integrated “reefscape characterization” effort focused on calcification and related biogeochemical processes as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coral Reef Ecosystem STudies (CREST) project. It is characterized as a senile or dead reef, with only scattered stony coral colonies and areas of sandAuthorsChristina A. Kellogg, Kimberly K. Yates, Stephanie N. Lawler, Christopher S. Moore, Nathan A. Smiley - News
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Filter Total Items: 32 - FAQ
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