Global Diversity of the Stylasteridae (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Athecatae)

The history and rate of discovery of the 247 valid Recent stylasterid species are discussed and graphed, with emphasis on five historical pulses of species descriptions. A table listing all genera, their species numbers, and their bathymetric ranges are presented. The number of species in 19 oceanographic regions is mapped, the southwestern temperate Pacific (region including New Zealand) having the most species; species are cosmopolitan from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic at depths from 0 to 2789 m. The current phylogenetic classification of the genera is briefly discussed. An illustrated glossary of 53 morphological characters is presented. Biological and ecological information pertaining to reproduction, development, commensals, and distribution is discussed. Aspects of stylasterid mineralogy and taxa of commercial value are discussed, concluding with suggestions for future work

Growth of the hermatypic coral Montastraea cavernosa in the Veracruz Reef System

The hermatypic coral Montastraea cavernosa is one of the most important reef-builders in the Veracruz Reef System, an ecosystem that has developed in a highly turbid environment. Despite the ecological importance of this species, studies about its growth rate are scarce. This study therefore aims to present the annual growth rates of the scleractinian coral M. cavernosa for the period 1923–2001 in the southern Gulf of Mexico (SGM). Average extension rate was 2.9 ± 0.9 mm yr–1 (σ), which is slightly lower, although not significantly different, than previous records for this species from other reef settings. No correlation was found between sea surface temperature and extension rate, indicating that growth could be influenced by some other factor. We suggest that, as the coastal SGM is a turbid environment, the conditions for coral development are harsher than in other reef areas with pristine waters, and that this could negatively affect the coral's performance, reducing its growth rate.

Heavy metals in macroalgae from the Veracruz Reef System, Southern Gulf of Mexico

The environmental levels of the heavy metals Cd, Cu and Pb were determined in benthic macroalgae in the summer season of 2007 at the Veracruz Reef System, southern Gulf of Mexico. Caulerpa, Dyctiota and Galaxaura samples were hand-collected, at 8-10 m depth, in the leeward reef slope at each of six selected reefs: Galleguilla, Blanquilla and Isla Verde reefs from the north reef group, and La Blanca, Isla de Enmedio and Anegada de Afuera reefs from the south reef group. Total average concentration of heavy metals were: Cu 2930±1867 ng g-1, Pb 22.8±13.0 ng g-1 and Cd 13.7±9.5 ng g-1, and it was considered that they varied in concordance with their availability in the water column. Heavy metal concentrations were lower in the south reef group than in its the counterpart, probably due to the presence of quelating sedimentary particles. The low concentrations of heavy metals in the macroalgae of the Veracruz Reef System reported here suggest that the coastal area in front of the port of Veracruz should not be considered as contaminated nowadays

Status of Caribbean Reefs: Initial Results from the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program

Since June, 1998, over twenty large-scale ARGRRA assessments have been undertaken in the western Atlantic covering approximately 300 reef sites. At each site, nonpermanent 10-m line transects were used to measure a suite of standardized benthic parameters including coral cover, coral mortality (recent and old), coral size (diameter and height), coral condition, coral recruits, relative abundance of algae (turf, crustose coralline, and macro), macroalgal height, and Diadema antillarum abundances. In addition, the sizes and abundances of selected fish families were assessed using nonpermanent 30x2 m belt transects and overall fish diversity was measured with a roving diver census. All data have been compiled into a single ACCESS database using standardized species codes and hierarchically defined location codes. These data establish a baseline scale of Caribbean-wide reef condition and can be used to identify degraded, normal, or luxuriant areas

The Coral Trait Database, a curated database of trait information for coral species from the global oceans.

Trait-based approaches advance ecological and evolutionary research because traits provide a strong link to an organism's function and fitness. Trait-based research might lead to a deeper understanding of the functions of, and services provided by, ecosystems, thereby improving management, which is vital in the current era of rapid environmental change. Coral reef scientists have long collected trait data for corals; however, these are difficult to access and often under-utilized in addressing large-scale questions. We present the Coral Trait Database initiative that aims to bring together physiological, morphological, ecological, phylogenetic and biogeographic trait information into a single repository. The database houses species- and individual-level data from published field and experimental studies alongside contextual data that provide important framing for analyses. In this data descriptor, we release data for 56 traits for 1547 species, and present a collaborative platform on which other trait data are being actively federated. Our overall goal is for the Coral Trait Database to become an open-source, community-led data clearinghouse that accelerates coral reef research