g. Fox et al., 2012b). We stress that this can only be

achieved through urgently needed open political and scientific communication and collaboration, in which quantity, proportions and quality of marine environments are considered when proposing MPAs. We thank Mike Beck and James J. Roper for suggestions and corrections to the text. This study was supported by FAPESP (2010/52324-6; 2011/50242-5), CNPq (562143/2010-6, 563106/2010-7, 477156/2011-8) and CAPES, and is a contribution of the Research Center on Marine Biodiversity of the University of São Paulo. “
“Outbreaks of Selleckchem Ion Channel Ligand Library the crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, represent one of the most significant biological Nutlin-3a supplier disturbances on coral reefs ( Kayal et al., 2012). Despite recent increases in the prevalence of climate induced coral bleaching and coral disease ( Yakob and Mumby, 2010), outbreaks of A. planci remain one of the principal causes of coral loss in the Indo-Pacific ( Rivera-Posada et al., 2012). On Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (GBR), for example, it is estimated that 40% of coral loss recorded over the last 27 years is due to reef-wide outbreaks of A. planci ( De’ath et al., 2012). Given widespread declines in coral cover ( Bellwood et al., 2004 and Bruno and Selig, 2007) and associated degradation of coral reef ecosystems ( Pratchett et al.,

2009), there is an urgent need to identify immediate and practical interventions that will reduce or reverse sustained declines in coral cover. Outbreaks of A. planci, rank alongside climate change, severe tropical storms and increasing prevalence of coral disease, as one of most significant threats to coral reefs ( De’ath et al., 2012), but of these threats, outbreaks of A. planci are probably the only threat that is amenable to direct intervention. In the last few decades, it is estimated that >17 million starfishes have been killed or removed from coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific ( Pratchett et al., 2013). Control measures have been costly, largely ineffective, and often involved dangerous side effects. Currently

the most efficient technique to kill A. planci is to inject individual sea stars with lethal doses of chemicals. A variety of chemicals have been used since 1960s to control A. Astemizole planci but are noxious to the marine environment. For example, formaldehyde (CH2O) is well known for his flammable, explosive, and carcinogenic properties; copper sulfate (CuSO4) is highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates, such as crabs, shrimps, and oysters ( Yanong, 2010). Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), ammonia (NH3), ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) and many other toxic organic solvents have been also used in past control efforts ( Birkeland and Lucas, 1990 and Harriott et al., 2003). Sodium bisulfate is currently considered the best option to kill COTS in situ.