Husbandry & Science14

• Altered Coral‐Turf Algae Competition Leads to the Passive Dissolution of Coral Skeletons Under Ocean Acidification

  Ocean acidification alters competition between turf algae and corals, passively dissolving coral skeletons and shifting reef carbonate budgets. This mechanism explains how OA degrades reef structure beyond direct effects on coral calcification.

  Global Change Biology Communications · Joshua M. Heitzman et al. · Aug 9 · doi.org

• Energetic and carbon allocation strategies shape coral holobiont responses to combined thermal and nutrient stress

  Research on coral holobionts exposed to combined thermal and nutrient stress shows stressor interactions severely reduce photosynthate transfer and cause bleaching. Understanding these combined stressors is critical for predicting reef responses to climate change and eutrophication.

  Frontiers in Microbiology · Kiara Lange et al. · Aug 10 · doi.org

• Short-term air exposure triggers redox metabolic shifts in the reef-building coral Pavona cactus

  Study shows Pavona cactus corals shift their redox metabolism during aerial exposure and re-immersion, mimicking low-tide stress. Understanding intertidal coral physiology informs care of shallow-water species and stress responses.

  Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology · Luiza de Castro Mastrangelo Dias et al. · Aug 13 · doi.org

• Beyond corals: unveiling the ecological roles of macroalgae in the Red Sea - a review

  A review of macroalgae ecological roles in Red Sea reefs as primary producers, habitat engineers, and food-web support. Understanding algal function and structure in reef systems informs stocking decisions and tank community composition.

  Frontiers in Marine Science — Journal · Nahlah A. Alsuwaiyan · Aug 14 · frontiersin.org

• Reef fish escape responses selectively match predator attack speeds

  Coral reef fish escape responses scale sharply with predator attack speed, and fish discriminate predation threats from harmless stimuli in real time. This reveals how prey fish physiology and behavior evolved to match ecological predation risk.

  PLoS ONE · Sara Linde Neven et al. · Aug 12 · doi.org

• Trophic Antioxidant Transfer as a Measure for Scalable Coral Conservation Strategies

  Researchers investigated whether antioxidant-rich food webs can enhance coral resilience to thermal stress and bleaching. If validated, feeding corals' symbiotic algae or the coral animal itself with antioxidant sources could mitigate heat-induced oxidative damage.

  Antioxidants · Juan José Dorantes‐Aranda et al. · Aug 11 · doi.org

• 🙌 Our colleague Dr. Darren Pilcher has a new paper!

  New model predicts acidified bottom-water conditions months in advance on the Bering Sea Shelf. Acidification forecasting matters for understanding environmental stress on cold-water systems and wild reefs.

  Ocean Acidification Research Center — Bluesky · Aug 13 · bsky.app

• Treating Brown Jelly

  Post addresses treatment of brown jelly disease in corals. Brown jelly is a common coral disease in aquaculture; effective treatment guidance has direct husbandry application.

  Reefs.com · Tidal Gardens · Aug 12 · reefs.com

• Isotope metrics refine herbivory among three nominally herbivorous reef fishes of socio-ecological importance

  Amino acid isotope analysis reveals that three nominally herbivorous reef fish species have different true nutritional sources and functional roles. This refines which fish actually perform algal removal and thus reef herbivory.

  Coral Reefs · Joshua Pi et al. · Aug 11 · doi.org

• Evolutionary diversification of pelagic larval duration in three reef fish families

  Study of pelagic larval-duration evolution in reef-fish families reveals macroevolutionary patterns in early-life traits. Understanding larval ecology informs both wild recruitment and captive breeding prospects.

  Belgian journal of zoology · Emmanuele Huet et al. · Aug 10 · doi.org

• The inaudible impact: physiological stress responses to ultrasonic exposure in the solitary ascidian Ciona intestinalis

  Study examines physiological stress responses of ascidians to ultrasound exposure at 30 kHz. Understanding impacts of underwater noise on sessile invertebrates has relevance to aquarium equipment and husbandry stress factors.

  Frontiers in Marine Science — Journal · Francesca Cima · Aug 12 · frontiersin.org

• 🌊 🏠 Let's hear it for the #IntertidalZone dwellers!

  Scripps researchers completed large-scale genetic census of California intertidal marine life. Intertidal biodiversity data contributes to understanding of shallow-water temperate marine ecology.

  Scripps Institution of Oceanography — Bluesky · Aug 12 · bsky.app

• Wildfire Smoke Is Hitting My Reef Tank… What Happens to pH and CO₂

  Wildfire smoke affects local air quality and may alter reef-tank pH and CO₂ levels. Relevant to reef keeping but the mechanism and magnitude of effect are not explained.

  5 min ReefDudes · ReefDudes · Aug 10 · youtube.com

• #ThrowbackThursday DNA analysis revealed that the brood pouch seen in male pregnancy in seahorses and…

  DNA analysis reveals rapid evolutionary innovation in seahorse male pregnancy and brood-pouch development rather than gradual change. Seahorse reproduction biology is notable but tangential to reef-tank husbandry.

  Project Seahorse — Bluesky · Aug 13 · bsky.app