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Showing 15961 – 15962 of 15962 publications

Water quality as a regional driver of coral biodiversity and macroalgae on the Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef — 2010 — WHE26CAEC6AA2

Poor water quality significantly degrades coral biodiversity and promotes macroalgae growth on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), according to a large-scale study. The research found that inshore reefs, characterized by lower water clarity and higher chlorophyll levels due to runoff, exhibit reduced richness in hard corals and phototrophic octocorals while experiencing a fivefold increase in macroalgal cover compared to offshore regions. Water quality explained 18–46% of the variation in these biotic groups, with spatial patterns also playing a role. The study identifies potential water quality guidelines—Secchi disk depth >10 meters and chlorophyll <0.45 g/L—that correlate with low macroalgal cover and high coral richness. Improving water quality on 23% of GBR reefs currently exceeding these thresholds could reduce macroalgae by 39% and boost hard coral and phototrophic octocoral richness by 16% and 33%, respectively, offering a target for pollution reduction strategies.

Zooplankton of lakes in the spurs of the Putorana Plateau and adjacent territories (North of Krasnoyarsk Krai)

Putorana Plateau — 2010 — WHEC6FA3066F8

A comprehensive analysis of zooplankton communities in the Putorana Plateau and adjacent territories reveals that calanoid copepods dominate in terms of biomass, accounting for 78.8% of cases, with Heterocope appendiculata being the most frequent subdominant species (26.9%). The study, conducted across four large and 35 small lakes from 10 areas between 2001 and 2004, identified 14 crustacean zooplankton species for the first time in the region and expanded the known range of several species. Notably, cladoceran biomass exceeded 50% only in 31% of cases, indicating a prevalence of copepods in these ecosystems. The research also highlights that zooplankton diversity increases from north to south and east to west, correlating with climatic gradients. These findings suggest potential impacts of global warming on species distribution and community structure.