2023

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Please email Sarah (sl1868@nova.edu) if you would like a PDF copy of any of the papers listed below.

* asterisk denotes lab researcher or graduate student author

2025

Liberman R, A Hiley*, LK Huebner, MA Colella, RR Ruzicka, DS Gilliam, NP Jones*. 2025. Octocoral dynamics over a decade on Florida's coral reef. Scientific Reports 15:37635. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-21610-5

Perez DM*, NP Jones*, EA Goergen*, DS Gilliam. 2025. Twenty years of change in a southeast Florida Acropora cervicornis thicket. Frontiers in Marine Science 12. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1641098

Manzello DP, R Cunning, RF Karp, AC Baker, E Bartels, R Bonhag, A Borreil, A Bourque, KT Brown, AW Bruckner, B Corbett, M D'Alessandro, C Dahlgren, J Dilworth, E Geiger, DS Gilliam, M Gomez, G Hanson, C Harrell, D Hesley, LK Huebner, CD Kenkel, HR Koch, J Kuehl, IB Kuffner, MC Ladd, S Lee, KC Lesneski, A Lewan, D Lirman, G Liu, SB Matsuda, PH Montoya-Maya, J Moore, EM Muller, K Nedimyer, JE Parkinson, R Ruzicka, J Spadaro, BL Spady, J Stein, JD Unsworth, C Walter, ADE Wen, DE Williams, SD Williams, OM Williamson. 2025. Heat-driven functional extinction of Caribbean Acropora corals from Florida's Coral Reef. Science 390:361-366. doi: 10.1126/science.adx7825

Jones NP*, SE Leinbach*, DS Gilliam. 2025. Interspecific variation in demographics reveals ecological winners and losers in a highly disturbed coral reef system. Coral Reefs. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02681-2

Short ML, HG Close, DS Gilliam, J Figueiredo. 2025. A reproductive and trophic analysis of corals in a degraded environment. Coral Reefs. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02655-4

Gamache MH, EA Goergen*, DS Gilliam, IB Baums, JE Parkinson. 2025. High within-colony growth variation can obscure host and symbiont genotype effects in nursery-reared corals. Coral Reefs. doi: 10.1007/s00338-025-02803-w

2024

Jones NP*, DS Gilliam. 2024. Temperature and local anthropogenic pressures limit stony coral assemblage viability in southeast Florida. Marine Pollution Bulletin 200:116098. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116098

Jones NP*, DS Gilliam. 2024. Spatial differences in recruit density, survival, and size structure prevent population growth of stony coral assemblages in southeast Florida. Frontiers in Marine Science 11:1369286. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1369286

2023

Jones NP*, MS Pratchett, RJ Milligan, DS Gilliam. 2023. High incidence of partial colony mortality constrains realized growth for three coral species in Southeast Florida. Marine Ecology Progress Series 721:59-70. doi: 10.3354/meps.14420

Kiel PM, N Formel, M Jankulak, AC Baker, R Cunning, DS Gilliam, CD Kenkel, C Langdon, D Lirman, C Lustic, K Maxwell, AL Moulding, A Moura, EM Muller, S Schopmeyer, RS Winters, IC Enochs. 2023. Acropora cervicornis Data Coordination Hub, an open access database for evaluating genet performance. Bulletin of Marine Science 99(2):119-136. doi: 10.5343/bms.2022.0064

2022

Jones NP*, RR Ruzicka, MA Colella, MS Pratchett, DS Gilliam. 2022. Frequent disturbances and chronic pressures constrain stony coral recovery on Florida's Coral Reef. Coral Reefs, 41:1665-1679. doi: 10.1007/s00338-022-02313-z

Hayes NH*, CJ Walton, DS Gilliam. 2022. Tissue loss disease outbreak significantly alters the Southeast Florida stony coral assemblage. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9:975894. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.975894

2021

Cunning R, KE Parker, K Johnson-Sapp, RF Karp, AD Wen, OM Williamson, E Bartels, M D'Alessandro, DS Gilliam, G Hanson*, J Levy, D Lirman, K Maxwell, WC Million, AL Moulding, A Moura, EM Muller, K Nedimyer, B Reckenbeil, R van Hooidonk, C Dahlgren, C Kenkel, JE Parkinson, AC Baker. 2021. Census of heat tolerance among Florida's threatened staghorn corals finds resilient individuals throughout existing nursery populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288:20211613. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1613

VanWynen CM*, MV Hightshoe*, ND Fogarty, CP Dahlgren, DS Gilliam. 2021. Should Hybrids Be Used in Coral Nurseries? A Case Study Comparing Caribbean Acropora spp. and Their Hybrid in the Bahamas. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8:669966. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.669966

Jones NP*, L Kabay*, K Semon Lunz, DS Gilliam. 2021. Temperature stress and disease drives the extirpation of the threatened pillar coral, Dendrogyra cylindrus, in southeast Florida. Scientific Reports, 11:14113. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-93111-0

Glynn PW, Coffman B, Dettloff K, Dominguez J, Gillette P, Martinez N, Jones N*, Riegl BM. 2021. Non-native brittle star interactions with native octocoral epizoites: an endemic benthic ctenophore in peril? Marine Biology 168:142. doi: 10.1007/s00227-021-03927-7

van Woesik R, RB Banister, E Bartels, DS Gilliam, EA Goergen*, C Lustic, K Maxwell, A Moura, EM Muller, S Schopmeyer, RS Winters, D Lirman. 2021. Differential survival of nursery-reared Acropora cervicornis outplants along the Florida reef tract. Restoration Ecology, 29(1):e13302. doi: 10.1111/rec.13302

2020

Carrasco-Pena A, M Omer, B Masa, Z Shepard, T Scofield, S Bhattacharya, N Orlovskaya, BE Collins, SN Yarmolenko, J Sankar, G Subhash, DS Gilliam, JE Fauth. 2020. Mechanical properties, spectral vibrational response, and flow-field analysis of the aragonite skeleton of the staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis). Coral Reefs, 39:1779-1792. doi: 10.1007/s00338-020-02003-8

Jones NP*, J Figueiredo, DS Gilliam. 2020. Thermal stress-related spatiotemporal variations in high-latitude coral reef benthic communities. Coral Reefs, 39:1661-1673. doi: 10.1007/s00338-020-01994-8

Omer M, A Carrasco-Pena, N Orlovskaya, BE Collins, SN Yarmolenko, J Sankar, G Subhash, DS Gilliam, JE Fauth. 2020. Structural and mechanical properties of staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) CaCO₃ aragonite skeletons, cleaned by chemical bleaching and biological processes. Advances in Applied Ceramics, 119(8):434-438. doi: 10.1080/17436753.2020.1815500

Goergen EA*, K Semon Lunz, DS Gilliam. 2020. Spatial and temporal differences in Acropora cervicornis colony size and health. Advances in Marine Biology, 87(1):83-114. doi: 10.1016/bs.amb.2020.08.004

2019

Goergen EA*, AL Moulding, BK Walker, DS Gilliam. 2019. Identifying Causes of Temporal Changes in Acropora cervicornis Populations and the Potential for Recovery. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2019.00036

2018

Goergen EA*, Z Ostroff*, DS Gilliam. 2018. Genotype and attachment technique influence the growth and survival of line nursery corals. Restoration Ecology, 26(4):622-628. doi: 10.1111/rec.12545

Goergen EA*, DS Gilliam. 2018. Outplanting technique, host genotype, and site affect the initial success of outplanted Acropora cervicornis. PeerJ 6:e4433. doi: 10.7717/peerj.4433

Chaves-Fonnegra A*, B Riegl, S Zea, JV Lopez, T Smith, M Brandt, DS Gilliam. 2018. Bleaching events regulate shifts from corals to excavating sponges in algae-dominated reefs. Global Change Biology 24(2):773-785. doi: 10.1111/gcp.13962

Walton CJ*, NK Hayes*, DS Gilliam. 2018. Impacts of a regional, multi-year, multi-species coral disease outbreak in Southeast Florida. Frontiers in Marine Science 5:323. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00323

2017

Schopmeyer SA, D Lirman, E Bartels, DS Gilliam, EA Goergen*, SP Griffin, ME Johnson*, C Lustic, K Maxwell, CS Walker. 2017. Regional restoration benchmarks for Acropora cervicornis. Coral Reefs 36:1047-1057. doi: 10.1007/s00338-017-1596-3

Halperin AA*, A Chaves-Fonnegra*, DS Gilliam. 2017. Coral-excavating sponge Cliona delitrix: current trends of space occupation on high latitude coral reefs. Hydrobiologia 790:299-310. doi: 10.1007/s10750-016-3042-x

2016

D'Antonio NL*, DS Gilliam, BK Walker. 2016. Investigating the spatial distribution and effects of nearshore topography on Acropora cervicornis abundance in Southeast Florida. PeerJ 4:e2473. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2473

St. Gelais AT*, A Chaves-Fonnegra*, AL Moulding, VN Kosmynin, DS Gilliam. Siderastrea siderea spawning and oocyte resorption at high latitude. Invertebrate Reproduction & Development 60(3):212-222. doi: 10.1080/07924259.2016.1194334

St. Gelais AT*, A Chaves-Fonnegra*, AS Brownlee*, VN Kosmynin, AL Moulding, DS Gilliam. 2016. Fecundity and sexual maturity of the coral Siderastrea siderea at high latitude along the Florida Reef Tract, USA. Invertebrate Biology 135(1):46-57. doi: 10.1111/ivb.12115

2015

Halperin AA*, A Chaves-Fonnegra*, DS Gilliam. 2015. Effects of excavating-sponge removal on coral growth. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 96(2):473-479. doi: 10.1017/S0025315415001228

2014

Larson EA*, DS Gilliam, M López-Padierna*, BK Walker. 2014. Possible recovery of Acropora palmata (Scelractinia: Acroporidae) within the Veracruz Reef System, Gulf of Mexico: a survey of 24 reefs to assess the benthic communities. Revista de Biología Tropical 62(S3):75-84. doi: 10.15517/rbt.v62i0.15903

Lirman, D, N Formel, S Schopmeyer, JS Ault, SG Smith, D Gilliam, B Riegl. 2014. Percent recent mortality (PRM) of stony corals as an ecological indicator of coral reef condition. Ecological Indicators 44:120-127. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2013.10.021

2013

Walker BK, DS Gilliam. 2013. Determining the Extent and Characterizing Coral Reef Habitats of the Northern Latitudes of the Florida Reef Tract (Martin County). PLoS ONE 8(11):e80439. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080439

2012

Schopmeyer SA, D Lirman, E Bartels, J Byrne, DS Gilliam, J Hunt, ME Johnson*, EA Larson*, K Maxwell, K Nedimyer, C Walter. 2012. In Situ Coral Nurseries Serve as Genetic Repositories for Coral Reef Restoration after an Extreme Cold-Water Event. Restoration Ecology 20(6):696-703. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-100X.2011.00836.x

Walker BK, EA Larson*, AL Moulding, DS Gilliam. 2012. Small-scale mapping of indeterminate arborescent acroporid coral (Acropora cervicornis) patches. Coral Reefs 31:885-894. doi: 10.1007/s00338-012-0910-3

Moulding AL, VN Kosmynin, DS Gilliam. 2012. Coral recruitment to two vessel grounding sites off southeast Florida, USA. Revista de Biología Tropical 60(S1):99-108. Link

Lueg, JR*, AL Moulding, VN Kosmynin, DS Gilliam. 2012. Gametogenesis and Spawning of Solenastrea bournouni and Stephanocoenia intersepta in Southeast Florida, USA. Journal of Marine Biology 2012:370247. doi: 10.1155/2012/370247

2011

Johnson ME*, C Lustic, E Bartels, IB Baums, DS Gilliam, L Larson*, D Lirman, MW Miller, K Nedimyer, S Schopmeyer. 2011. Caribbean Acropora restoration guide: best practices for propagation and population enhancement. The Nature Conservancy, 54 pgs. Link

Lirman D, S Schopmeyer, D Manzello, LJ Gramer, WF Precht, F Muller-Karger, K Banks, B Barnes, E Bartels, A Bourque, J Byrne, S Donahue, J Duquesnel, L Fisher, D Gilliam, J Hendee, M Johnson*, K Maxwell, E McDevitt, J Monty*, D Rueda, R Ruzicka, S Thanner. 2011. Severe 2012 Cold-Water Event Caused Unprecedented Mortality to Corals of the Florida Reef Tract and Reversed Previous Survivorship Patterns. PLoS ONE 6(8):e23047. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023047

2010

CM Eakin, JA Morgan, SF Heron, TB Smith, G Liu, L Alvarez-Filip, B Baca, E Bartels, C Bastidas, C Bouchon, M Brandt, AW Bruckner, L Bunkley-Williams, A Cameron, BD Causey, M Chiappone, TRL Christensen, MJC Crabbe, O Day, E de la Guardia, G Díaz-Pulido, D DiResta, DL Gil-Agudelo, DS Gilliam, RN Ginsburg, S Gore, HM Guzmán, JC Hendee, EA Hernández-Delgado, E Husain, CFG Jeffrey, RJ Jones, E Jordán-Dahlgren, LS Kaufman, DI Kline, PA Kramer, JC Lang, D Lirman, J Mallela, C Manfrino, J Maréchal, K Marks, J Mihaly, WJ Miller, EM Mueller, EM Muller, CA Orozco Toro, HA Oxenford, D Ponce-Taylor, N Quinn, KB Ritchie, S Rodríguez, A Rodríguez Ramírez, S Romano, JF Samhouri, JA Sánchez, GP Schmahl, BV Shank, WJ Skirving, SCC Steiner, E Villamizar, SM Walsh, C Walter, E Weil, EH Williams, K Woody Roberson, Y Yusuf. 2010. Caribbean Corals in Crisis: Record Thermal Stress, Bleaching, and Mortality in 2005. PLoS ONE 5(11):e13969. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013969

Jordan LKB, KW Banks, LE Fisher, BK Walker, DS Gilliam. 2010. Elevated sedimentation on coral reefs adjacent to a beach nourishment project. Marine Pollution Bulletin 60:261-271. doi: 10.1016/marpolbul.2009.08.032

2008

Riegl B, RP Moyer, BK Walker, K Kohler, D Gilliam, RE Dodge. 2008. A Tale of Germs, Storms, and Bombs: Geomorphology and Coral Assemblage Structure at Vieques (Puerto Rico) Compared to St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands). Journal of Coastal Research 24(4(244)):1008-1021. doi: 10.2112/06-0814.1

2007

Vargas-Ángel, EC Peters, E Kramarsky-Winter, DS Gilliam, RE Dodge. 2007. Cellular reactions to sedimentation and temperature stress in the Caribbean coral Montastraea cavernosa. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 96:140-145. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2007.01.003

2005

Jordan LKB, DS Gilliam, RE Spieler. 2005. Reef fish assemblage structure affected by small-scale spacing and size variations of artificial patch reefs. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 326:170-186. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2005.05.023

2002

Sherman RL, DS Gilliam, RE Spieler. 2002. Artificial reef design: void space, complexity, and attractants. ICES Journal of Marine Science 59:S196-S200. doi: 10.1006/jmsc.2001.1163

2001

Spieler RE, DS Gilliam, RL Sherman. 2001. Artificial substrate and coral reef restoration: What do we need to know to know what we need. Bulletin of Marine Science 69(2):1013-1030. Link

Sherman RL, DS Gilliam, RE Spieler. 2001. Site-dependent differences in artificial reef function: implications for coral reef restoration. Bulletin of Marine Science 69(2):1053-1056. Link

1999

Sherman RL, DS Gilliam, RE Spieler. 1999. A preliminary examination of depth associated spatial variation in fish assemblages on small artificial reefs. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 15(3):97-151. doi: 10.1046/j.1439-0426.1999.00120.x

1996

Sherman RL, DS Gilliam. 1996. Hepato-somatic indices and lifestyles in some batoid elasmobranchs. Florida Scientist 49(4):275-278. Link