Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Variations in the coral community at the high-latitude Bailong Peninsula, northern South China Sea

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

High-latitude coral communities have attracted much attention due to their potential as refuges during global climate change. However, this function is being constrained by the combined pressure of global climate and anthropogenic activities. To determine how the reef has developed, we conducted a long-term monitoring study on coral communities along the Bailong Peninsula in the northern South China Sea. The results showed that the distribution area of corals was 3.67 km2 and that corals extended about 4.7 km along the coastline. The coral distribution pattern is scattered and uneven. Our results showed that the growth of reef-building corals and coral recruitment are improving, indicating that coral recruitment plays an important role in regulating the structure of adult coral populations and promoting the development of coral communities. Bailong Peninsula is expected to become a refuge for corals provided that human activities impacting coral restoration potential are controlled.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Anthony KRN, Hoegh-Guldberg SRCA (2007) Bleaching, energetics, and coral mortality risk: effects of temperature, light, and sediment regime. Limnol Oceanogr 52(2):716726

    Google Scholar 

  • Babcock R, Smith L (2002) Effects of sedimentation on coral settlement and survivorship. Proceedings of the Ninth International Coral Reef Symposium Bali October, p 23–27

  • Baird AH, Hughes TP (2000) Competitive dominance by tabular corals: an experimental analysis of recruitment and survival of understorey assemblages. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 251(1):117–132

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beger M, Sommer B, Harrison PL, Smith SDA, Pandolfi JM, Cowie R (2014) Conserving potential coral reef refuges at high latitudes. Divers Distrib 20(3):245–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Bellwood RD, Hughes TP (2001) Regional-scale assembly rules and biodiversity of coral reefs. Science 292(5521):1532–1535

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bleuel J, Pennino MG, Longo GO (2021) Coral distribution and bleaching vulnerability areas in Southwestern Atlantic under ocean warming. Sci Rep 11(1):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown BE (1997) Coral bleaching: causes and consequences. Coral Reefs 16:129–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Budd AF, Pandolfi JM (2010) Evolutionary novelty is concentrated at the edge of coral species distributions. Science 328:1558–1561

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai Z, Chen S, Wu Z, Tong Y, Huang J, Zhang G, Li X (2015) The spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of hermatypic corals in the coastal waters of northeastern Hainan Island. Transactions Oceanol Limnol 3:78–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Celliers L, Schleyer MH (2002) Coral bleaching on high-latitude marginal reefs at Sodwana Bay South Africa. Mar Pollut Bull 44(12):1380–1387

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chabanet P, Bigot L, Nicet JB, Durville P, Obura D (2016) Coral reef monitoring in the Iles Eparses, Mozambique Channel (2011–2013). Acta Oecologica 72:62–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen B, Yu K, Liang J, Huang W, Wang G, Su H, Qin Z, Huang X, Pan Z, Luo W, Luo Y, Wang Y (2019) Latitudinal variation in the molecular diversity and community composition of Symbiodiniaceae in coral from the South China Sea. Front Microbiol 10:1278

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen T, Yu K, Shi Q, Li S, Price GJ, Wang R, Zhao M, Chen T, Zhao J (2009) Twenty-five years of change in scleractinian coral communities of Daya Bay (northern South China Sea) and its response to the 2008 AD extreme cold climate event. Chin Sci Bull 054(6):812–820

    Google Scholar 

  • Chollett I, Mumby PJ (2013) Reefs of last resort: locating and assessing thermal refugia in the wider Caribbean. Biol Cons 167(22):179–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Coles SL, Fadlallah YH (1991) Reef coral survival and mortality at low temperatures in the Arabian Gulf: new species-specific lower temperature limits. Coral Reefs 9(4):231–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Connell JH, Hughes TP, Wallace CC (1997) A 30-year study of coral abundance, recruitment, and disturbance at several scales in space and time. Ecol Monogr 67(4):461–488

    Google Scholar 

  • Côté IM, Darling ES (2010) Rethinking ecosystem resilience in the face of climate change. PLoS Biol 8(7):e1000438

    Google Scholar 

  • Crossland CJ, Hatcher BG, Smith SV (1991) Role of coral reefs in global ocean production. Coral Reefs 10(2):55–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Cropp R, Norbury J (2020) The potential for coral reefs to adapt to a changing climate-an eco-evolutionary modelling perspective. Ecol Model 426:109038

    Google Scholar 

  • Dai C, Zheng Y (2020) Corals of Taiwan Vol.1: Scleractinia fauna. Taipei: Owl Press, pp 1–560

  • Darling ES, McClanahan TR, Côté IM (2013) Life histories predict coral community disassembly under multiple stressors. Glob Change Biol 19(6):1930–1940

    Google Scholar 

  • De’Ath G, Fabricius KE, Sweatman H, Puotinen M (2012) The 27-year decline of coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef and its causes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109(44):17995–17999

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth A, Giofre N, Jones R (2017) Coral morphology and sedimentation. Mar Pollut Bull 125:289–300

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Edmondson CH (1928) The ecology of a Hawaiian coral reef. Bull Bernice P Bishop Muscol 45:1–64

  • English S, Wilkinson C, Baker V (1997) Survey manual for tropical marine resources, 2nd edition. Townville, Australia: Australian Institute of Marine Science, p 30–71

  • Evans RD, Wilson SK, Fisher R, Ryan NM, Thomson DP (2020) Early recovery dynamics of turbid coral reefs after recurring bleaching events. J Environ Manage 268:110666

    Google Scholar 

  • Feng Y, Bethel BJ, Dong C, Zhao H, Yao Y, Yu Y (2022) Marine heatwave events near Weizhou Island, Beibu Gulf in 2020 and their possible relations to coral bleaching. Sci Total Environ 2022(823):153414

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster MS, Harrold C, Hardin DD (1991) Point vs. photo quadrat estimates of the cover of sessile marine organisms. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 146 (2):0–203

  • Freitas LM, Oliveira MDM, Leão ZMAN, Kikuchi RKP (2019) Effects of turbidity and depth on the bioconstruction of the Abrolhos reefs. Coral Reefs 38:241–253

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao J, Wu G, Ya H (2017) Review of the circulation in the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea. Cont Shelf Res 138:106–119

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halfar J, Godinez-Orta L, Riegl B, Valdez-Holguin JE, Borges JM (2005) Living on the edge: high-latitude Poritescarbonate production under temperate eutrophic conditions. Coral Reefs 24(4):582–592

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamylton SM, Mallela J (2019) Reef development on a remote coral atoll before and after coral bleaching: a geospatial assessment. Mar Geol 418:106041

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harborne AR, Rogers A, Bozec Y, Mumby PJ (2017) Multiple stressors and the functioning of coral reefs. Ann Rev Mar Sci 9(1):445–468

    Google Scholar 

  • Harriott V, Banks S (2002) Latitudinal variation in coral communities in eastern Australia: a qualitative biophysical model of factors regulating coral reefs. Coral Reefs 21(1):83–94

    Google Scholar 

  • He J, Huang Z (2019) The distribution of corals in Weizhou Island Guangxi. Ocean Dev Manag 36(1):57–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Hennige SJ, Smith DJ, Walsh SJ, McGinley MP, Warner ME, Suggett DJ (2010) Acclimation and adaptation of scleractinian coral communities along environmental gradients within an Indonesian reef system. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 391:143–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill J, Wilkinson C (2004) Methods for ecological monitoring of coral reefs. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia, p 1–117

  • Hoey AS, Pratchett MS, Cvitanovic C (2011) High macroalgal cover and low coral recruitment undermines the potential resilience of the world’s southernmost coral reef assemblages. PLoS ONE 6(10):e25824

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Howe SA, Marshall AT (2001) Thermal compensation of metabolism in the temperate coral, Plesiastrea versipora (Lamarck, 1816). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 259:231–248

  • Hu W, Zhang D, Liao B, Li Y, Liu X, Ma Z, Du J, Yu W, Chen B, Zheng X (2021) Potential suitable habitat and conservation gaps of scleractinia corals along mainland China’s coast. China Environ Sci 41(1):401–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang D, Licuanan WY, Hoeksema BW, Chen CA, Ang PO, Huang H, Lane DJW, Vo ST, Waheed Z, Affendi YA, Yeemin T, Chou LM (2015) Extraordinary diversity of reef corals in the South China Sea. Mar Biodivers 45(2):157–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang H, Ma B, Lian J, Yang J, Dong Z, Fu Q, Liang W (2009) Status and conservation strategies of the coral reef in Weizhou Island Guangxi. Tropical Geography 29(4):307–318

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang H, Jiang L, Yuan T, Liu S (2021) Coral reef of Nansha Islands. Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang H, Zhang Y, Lian J, Li X, You F, Yang J, Lei X, Zhang C (2011) Structure and diversity of scleractinia coral communities along the west seashore of Xuwen County. Biodivers Sci 19(5):505–510

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang L, Huang H, Jiang L (2020) A revised taxonomy for Chinese hermatypic corals. Biodivers Sci 28(4):515–523

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang Z, Li X (2008) The research analysis of sea surface temperatures of the coastal region of Guangxi. Guangxi Sci 15(4):456–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes TP, Tanner JE (2000) Recruitment failure, life histories, and long-term decline of Caribbean corals. Ecology 81:2250–2263

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes TP, Kerry JT, Baird AH, Connolly SR, Dietzel A, Eakin CM, Heron SF, Hoey AS, Hoogenboom MO, Liu G (2018a) Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages. Nature 556(7702):492–496

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes TP, Anderson KD, Connolly SR, Heron SF, Kerry JT, Lough JM, Baird AH, Baum JK, Berumen ML, Bridge TC, Claar DC, Eakin CM, Gilmour JP, Graham NAJ, Harrison H, Hobbs JPA, Hoey AS, Hoogenboom M, Lowe RJ, McCulloch MT, Pandolfi JM, Pratchett M, Schoepf V, Torda G, Wilson SK (2018b) Spatial and temporal patterns of mass bleaching of corals in the Anthropocene. Science 359(6371):80–83

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes TP, Kerry JT, Connolly SR, Baird AH, Eakin CM, Heron SF, Hoey AS, Hoogenboom MO, Jacobson M, Liu G, Pratchett MS, Skirving WJ, Torda G (2019) Ecological memory modifies the cumulative impact of recurrent climate extremes. Nat Clim Chang 9:40–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Hui G (2009) China’s snow disaster in 2008, who is the principal player? Int J Climatol 29(14):2191–2196

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang F, Chen M, Yang S (2011) Investigating the status quo of hermatypic corals resources and its protection in Dongshan water areas Fujian Province. Resour Sci 33(2):364–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaniewska P, Alon S, Karako-Lampert S, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Levy O (2015) Signaling cascades and the importance of moonlight in coral broadcast mass spawning. Elife 4:e09991

    Google Scholar 

  • Lamb JB, Willis BL, Fiorenza EA, Couch CS, Howard R, Rader DN, True JD, Kelly LA, Ahmad A, Jompa J (2018) Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs. Science 359(6374):460–462

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lebreton L, Slat B, Ferrari F, Sainte-Rose B, Aitken J, Marthouse R, Hajbane S, Cunsolo S, Schwarz A, Levivier A (2018) Evidence that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is rapidly accumulating plastic. Sci Rep 8(1):4666

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levas S, Schoepf V, Warner ME, Aschaffenburg M, Baumann J, Grottoli AG (2018) Long-term recovery of Caribbean corals from bleaching. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 506:124–134

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li F, Shen C, Zhang Y, Zhou J, Peng H, Liu L (2019) Analysis of coral species and coverage in Xuwen Coral Reef National Nature Reserve Guangdong. Jiangsu Agric Sci 47(24):304–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Heap AD (2008) A review of spatial interpolation methods for environmental scientists. Canberra: Geoscience Australia Record 2008/23, p 1–137

  • Liang W, Li G, Fang H, Wang X, Nong H, Huang H, Li X, Lan G (2010) Species composition and distribution of coral on Weizhou Island Guangxi. Guangxi Sci 17(1):93–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu M, Shen J, Wang Y, Yang H (2011) Reef-building coral community and evolutionary characteristics of the fringing reefs on the west coast of Xuwen County, Leizhou Peninsula. Mar Geol Q Geol 31(6):37–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Madin JS (2005) Mechanical limitations of reef corals during hydrodynamic disturbances. Coral Reefs 24(4):630–635

    Google Scholar 

  • McClanahan TR, Weil E, Maina J (2009) Strong relationship between coral bleaching and growth anomalies in massive Porites. Glob Change Biol 15(7):1804–1816

    Google Scholar 

  • Moberg F, Folke C (1999) Ecological goods and services of coral reef ecosystems. Ecol Econ 29(2):215–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratchett MS, Thompson CA, Hoey AS, Cowman PF, Wilson SK (2018) Effects of coral bleaching and coral loss on the structure and function of reef fish assemblages. In: van Oppen MJH, Lough JM (eds) Coral bleaching: patterns, processes, causes and consequences. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp 265–293

  • Qi Z, Diao X, Yang T, Zeng R, Wang H, Zhou H (2022) Spatial and interspecific differences in coral-associated bacterial diversity in Hainan China. Mar Pollut Bull 175:113321

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ricardo GF, Jones RJ, Clode PL, Negri AP, Patterson HM (2016) Mucous secretion and cilia beating defend developing coral larvae from suspended sediments. PLoS ONE 11(9):e0162743

    Google Scholar 

  • Rougée LRA, Richmond RH, Collier AC (2015) Molecular reproductive characteristics of the reef coral Pocillopora damicornis. Comp Biochem Physiol a: Mol Integr Physiol 189:38–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruzicka RR, Colella MA, Porter JW, Morrison JM, Colee J (2013) Temporal changes in benthic assemblages on Florida Keys reefs 11 years after the 1997/1998 El Niño. Mar Ecol Prog 489:125–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleyer MH, Floros C, Laing SCS, Macdonald AHH, Montoya-Maya PH, Morris T, Porter SN, Seré MG (2018) What can South African reefs tell us about the future of high-latitude coral systems? Mar Pollut Bull 136:491–507

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soares MO (2020) Marginal reef paradox: a possible refuge from environmental changes? Ocean Coast Manag 185:205063

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley GD (2006) Photosymbiosis and the evolution of modern coral reefs. Science 312(5775):857–858

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • State Oceanic Adminstration (2005) HY/T 082–2005 Technical specification for eco-monitoring of coral reef ecosystem. China Standards Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Suka R, Huntington B, Morioka J, O’Brien K, Acoba T (2020) Successful application of a novel technique to quantify negative impacts of derelict fishing nets on Northwestern Hawaiian Island reefs. Mar Pollut Bull 157:111312

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson RC (2017) Future of the sea: plastic pollution. London: Government Office for Science pages: 1–39

  • Tkachenko KS, Soong K (2017) Dongsha Atoll: a potential thermal refuge for reef-building corals in the South China Sea. Mar Environ Res 127:112–125

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsang RHL, Chui AP, Wong KT, Jr PA (2018) Corallivory plays a limited role in the mortality of new coral recruits in Hong Kong marginal coral communities. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 503:100-108

  • Veron JE (1995) Corals in space and time. Cornell University Press, The Biogeography and Evolution of the Scleractinia

    Google Scholar 

  • Veron JEN (2000) Corals of the world. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville

  • Veron JEN, Minchin PR (1992) Correlations between sea surface temperature, circulation patterns and the distribution of hermatypic corals of Japan. Cont Shelf Res 12(7):835–857

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Su K, Chen X, Li L, Du J, Lao Y, Ning G, Bin L (2021) Submarine groundwater discharge-driven nutrient fluxes in a typical mangrove and aquaculture bay of the Beibu Gulf China. Mar Pollut Bull 168:112500

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wells JW (1956) Scleractinia. In: Moore RC (ed) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Geologi cal S ociety of America and Universi ty of Kansas Press, Part F. Kansas, pp 328-F444

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu Q, Huang W, Chen B, Yang E, Meng L, Chen Y, Li J, Huang X, Liang J, Yap TK, Yu K (2021) Genetic structure of Turbinaria peltata in the northern South China Sea suggest insufficient genetic adaptability of relatively high-latitude scleractinian corals to environment stress. Sci Total Environ 775:145775

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xu W, Huang C, Guo Q, Hu J, Chen S (2012) Variation Characteristics and Mutation Analysis of the Temperature in Fangchenggang of Guangxi in Recent 55 Years. Meteorol Environ Res 12:5–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu K, Zhao J, Liu T, Wei G, Wang P, Collerson KD (2004) High-frequency winter cooling and reef coral mortality during the Holocene climatic optimum. Earth Planet Sci Lett 224:143–155

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu W, Wang W, Yu K, Wang Y, Chen X (2019) Rapid decline of a relatively high latitude coral assemblage at Weizhou Island, northern South China Sea. Biodivers Conserv 28(14):3925–3949

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao M, Yu K, Zhang Q, Price QSAG (2012) Long-term decline of a fringing coral reef in the northern South China Sea. J Coastal Res 28(5):1088–1099

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q (2001) Status of tropical biological coasts of China: implications on ecosystem restoration and reconstruction. Oceanologia Et Limnologia Sinica 32(4):454–464

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Zheng Guo and Qinglong Liang for helping in the investigation and data acquisition. We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and the journal editor, Dr. V.V.S.S. Sarma, for their constructive comments, suggestions, and detailed revisions on our manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Young Science Foundation of Guangxi Province of China (No. 2017GXNSFBA198161), the Project of Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization (No. GKLMC-20A02), and the Scientific and Technological Project of Beihai of Guangxi Province (No. 201884027).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Xin Wang and Yinqiang Li contributed equally to this study.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Marine Sciences, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Xin Wang, Yinqiang Li & Kefu Yu

  2. Guangxi Key Lab of Mangrove Conservation and Utilization, Guangxi Mangrove Research Center of Guangxi Sciences Academy, Beihai, 536000, China

    Xin Wang, Mingqing Lin & Zhinan Su

  3. Forestry College of Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China

    Xin Wang

  4. Sea Area Use Dynamic Supervision Center, Fangchenggang, 53800, China

    Xiong Liu

Authors
  1. Xin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yinqiang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mingqing Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhinan Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kefu Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Xin Wang, Yinqiang Li, and Kefu Yu designed the research. Xin Wang and Yinqiang Li performed the research. Yinqiang Li, Mingqing Lin, Zhinan Su, and Xiong Liu analyzed the data and drawn all pictures. Xin Wang, Yinqiang Li, and Kefu Yu wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kefu Yu.

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: V.V.S.S. Sarma

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, X., Li, Y., Lin, M. et al. Variations in the coral community at the high-latitude Bailong Peninsula, northern South China Sea. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 274–286 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21881-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-21881-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation