Climate Change, Coral Loss, and the Curious Case of the Parrotfish Paradigm: Why Don't Marine Protected Areas Improve Reef Resilience?

Annual Review of Marine Science, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 11(1), P. 307 - 334

Published: Jan. 3, 2019

Scientists have advocated for local interventions, such as creating marine protected areas and implementing fishery restrictions, ways to mitigate stressors limit the effects of climate change on reef-building corals. However, in a literature review, we find little empirical support notion managed resilience. We outline some reasons why protection herbivorous fish (especially parrotfish) had effect coral One key explanation is that impacts (e.g., pollution fishing) are often swamped by much greater ocean warming Another sheer complexity (including numerous context dependencies) five cascading links assumed managed-resilience hypothesis. If reefs cannot be saved actions alone, then it time face reef degradation head-on, directly addressing anthropogenic change—the root cause global decline.

Language: Английский

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Coral bleaching patterns are the outcome of complex biological and environmental networking

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 26(1), P. 68 - 79

Published: Oct. 16, 2019

Abstract Continued declines in coral reef health over the past three decades have been punctuated by severe mass bleaching‐induced mortality events that grown intensity and frequency under climate change. Intensive global research efforts therefore persistently focused on bleaching phenomena to understand where corals bleach, when why—resulting a large—yet still somewhat patchy—knowledge base. Particularly catastrophic 5 years catalyzed calls for more diverse set of management tools, extending far beyond mitigation protection, also include aggressive interventions. However, effectiveness these various tools now rests rapidly assimilating our knowledge base into integrated frameworks. Here, we consider how intensive has established basis complex biological environmental networks, which together regulate outcomes severity. We discuss enough scaffold conceptual frameworks underpinning susceptibility, but new are urgently required translate this an operational system informing—and testing—bleaching outcomes. Specifically, adopting network models can fully describe predict metabolic functioning holobionts, is regulated doses interactions among factors. Identifying gaps limiting operation such logical step immediately guide prioritize future experiments observations. at time‐critical point implement capacity resolve patterns emerge from biological–environmental so effectively inform evolving ecological social adaptation aimed securing reefs.

Language: Английский

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Meeting fisheries, ecosystem function, and biodiversity goals in a human-dominated world

Science, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 368(6488), P. 307 - 311

Published: April 16, 2020

The worldwide decline of coral reefs necessitates targeting management solutions that can sustain and the livelihoods people who depend on them. However, little is known about context in which different reef tools help to achieve multiple social ecological goals. Because nonlinearities likelihood achieving combined fisheries, function, biodiversity goals along a gradient human pressure, relatively small changes implemented could have substantial impacts whether these are likely be met. Critically, provide conservation benefits most for fisheries but not goals, given their degraded state levels pressure they face.

Language: Английский

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Drivers of recovery and reassembly of coral reef communities

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 286(1897), P. 20182908 - 20182908

Published: Feb. 20, 2019

Understanding processes that drive community recovery are needed to predict ecosystem trajectories and manage for impacts under increasing global threats. Yet, the quantification of in coral reefs has been challenging owing a paucity long-term ecological data high frequency disturbances. Here we investigate re-assembly bio-physical drivers determine capacity recover following 1998 bleaching event, using monitoring across four habitats Palau. Our study documents time from disturbance coral-dominated state disturbance-free regimes is at least 9-12 years. Importantly, show two achieve relative stability climax within frame. We then investigated direct indirect effects on rate dominant groups structural equation modelling approach. While rates differed among groups, found larval connectivity juvenile density were prominent fast growing Acropora but not other three groups. Competitive algae parrotfish had negative positive general, whereas wave exposure variable related morphology. Overall, habitat specific taxa specific, considerations require incorporation into planning management climate change.

Language: Английский

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Tropical fish diversity enhances coral reef functioning across multiple scales

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 5(3)

Published: March 1, 2019

Fish diversity enhances the process of herbivory on coral reefs, with consequent benefits also to ecosystem integrity.

Language: Английский

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Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: June 7, 2019

Coral reefs are among the world's most endangered ecosystems. mortality can result from ocean warming or other climate-related events such as coral bleaching and intense hurricanes. While resilient recover these impacts has been documented in throughout tropical Indo-Pacific, no similar reef-wide recovery ever reported for Caribbean. Climate change-related is unavoidable, but local management actions improve conditions regrowth establishment of juvenile corals thereby enhancing resilience Previous research determined that with sufficient herbivory limit macroalgae recruitment regrowth. Management reduces algal abundance increases potential both adult on reefs. Every year island Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean, we quantified patterns distribution reef fish, coral, algae, along replicate fixed transects at 10 m depth multiple sites 2003 to 2017. Beginning our first exploratory study 2002 until 2007 was abundant (45% cover) were rare (6% cover). Consecutive disturbances, beginning Hurricane Omar October 2008 a event 2010, resulted 22% decline cover sharp threefold increase macroalgal 18%. Juvenile densities declined about half their previous abundance. Herbivorous parrotfishes had declining stabilized around fish traps phased out fishing parrotfish banned. The average biomass 2010 2017 more than twice Eastern During this same period, density total returned pre-hurricane levels. To knowledge, example Caribbean ecosystem fully recovered severe events.

Language: Английский

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Vulnerability to collapse of coral reef ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean

Nature Sustainability, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 5(2), P. 104 - 113

Published: Dec. 6, 2021

Abstract Ecosystems worldwide are under increasing threat. We applied a standardized method for assessing the risk of ecosystem collapse, International Union Conservation Nature (IUCN) Red List Ecosystems, to coral reefs in Western Indian Ocean (WIO), covering 11,919 km 2 reef (~5% global total). Our approach combined indicators change historic extent, functioning (hard corals, fleshy algae, herbivores and piscivores) projected sea temperature warming. show that WIO vulnerable collapse at regional level, while 11 nested ecoregions they range from critically endangered (islands, driven by future warming) (continental coast northern Seychelles, principally fishing pressure). Responses avoid must include ecosystem-based management adjacent systems with mitigating adapting climate change. can be replicated across globally help countries other actors meet conservation sustainability targets set multiple conventions—including Convention on Biological Diversity’s post-2020 biodiversity framework United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Language: Английский

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Abiotic and biotic controls on coral recovery 16 years after mass bleaching

Coral Reefs, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 38(6), P. 1255 - 1265

Published: June 17, 2019

As climate changes increase heat stress on tropical ecosystems, the long-term persistence of coral reefs requires rapid recovery following bleaching events. Using extent cover return to a pre-bleaching baseline as benchmark, fast-growing and stress-tolerant growth forms suggests that can bounce back between repeated disturbances if given adequate time protection from anthropogenic disturbances. However, dynamics communities severe mass mortality are limited, particularly for fringing along inhabited coastlines where human stressors may compromise potential. Here, we examine drivers in Seychelles, 12 returned levels after event caused > 95% mortality. Six with initially low ( < 25%) recovered within 7–12 yr and, 16 yr, exceeded by 132–305%. In contrast, six high (20–60%) remained at 48–93% levels, projected take 17–29 yr. Abiotic historic conditions constrained rates, slowest times observed deep wave-exposed cover. Reefs juvenile densities nitrogen fastest, possibly due interplay nutrient enrichment, algal proliferation, recruitment. Our findings emphasize importance understanding small-scale variation potential, whereby were governed natural limits rates modified recruitment enrichment. Ultimately, climate-impacted recover moderate but, causes mortality, short windows will prevent dominance.

Language: Английский

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Habitat and fishing control grazing potential on coral reefs

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 34(1), P. 240 - 251

Published: Sept. 18, 2019

Abstract Herbivory is a key process on coral reefs, which, through grazing of algae, can help sustain coral‐dominated states frequently disturbed reefs and reverse macroalgal regime shifts degraded ones. Our understanding herbivory largely founded feeding observations at small spatial scales, yet the biomass structure herbivore populations more closely linked to processes which be highly variable across large areas, such as benthic habitat turnover fishing pressure. Though our spatiotemporal variation in grazer well developed, equivalent macroscale approaches bottom‐up top‐down controls are lacking. Here, we integrate underwater survey data fish abundances from four Indo‐Pacific island regions with estimate rates for two functions, cropping (which turf algae) scraping promotes settlement by clearing substrate), 72 reefs. By including range reef states, algal dominance heavily fished remote wilderness evaluate influences assemblages. Cropping were primarily influenced condition, maximized structurally complex high substratum availability low cover. Fishing was primary driver function, depleted most relative remote, unfished though did increase structural complexity. Ultimately, conditions functioning their effect biomass, tightly correlated rates. For given level show that higher dominated small‐bodied fishes, suggesting pressure greatest when size truncated. Stressors cause declines clear substrate algae will likely stimulate increases rates, both protected areas. In contrast, functions already impaired inhabited people, particularly where complexity has collapsed, indicating restoration these require scraper rebuilt towards levels. A free Plain Language Summary found within Supporting Information this article.

Language: Английский

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Ocean Optimism: Moving Beyond the Obituaries in Marine Conservation

Annual Review of Marine Science, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 13(1), P. 479 - 499

Published: June 6, 2020

While the ocean has suffered many losses, there is increasing evidence that important progress being made in marine conservation. Examples include striking recoveries of once-threatened species, rates protection habitats, more sustainably managed fisheries and aquaculture, reductions some forms pollution, accelerating restoration degraded use its habitats to sequester carbon provide clean energy. Many these achievements have multiple benefits, including improved human well-being. Moreover, better understanding how implement conservation strategies effectively, new technologies databases, increased integration natural social sciences, indigenous knowledge promise continued progress. Enormous challenges remain, no single solution; successful efforts typically are neither quick nor cheap require trust collaboration. Nevertheless, a greater focus on solutions successes will help them become norm rather than exception.

Language: Английский

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