Vulnerability of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change and local pressures DOI Open Access
Nicholas H. Wolff, Peter J. Mumby, Michelle Devlin

et al.

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 24(5), P. 1978 - 1991

Published: Feb. 8, 2018

Abstract Australia's Great Barrier Reef ( GBR ) is under pressure from a suite of stressors including cyclones, crown‐of‐thorns starfish COTS ), nutrients river run‐off and warming events that drive mass coral bleaching. Two key questions are: how vulnerable will the be to future environmental scenarios, what extent can local management actions lower vulnerability in face climate change? To address these questions, we use simple empirical mechanistic model explore six scenarios represent plausible combinations change projections (from four Representative Concentration Pathways, RCP s), cyclones stressors. Projections (2017–2050) indicate significant potential for recovery near‐term, relative current state, followed by climate‐driven decline. Under scenario unmitigated emissions 8.5) business‐as‐usual stressors, mean cover on predicted recover over next decade then rapidly decline only 3% year 2050. In contrast, strong carbon mitigation 2.6) improved water quality, predicts two decades, relatively modest sustained above 26% an analysis impacts cumulative absence such impacts, found ‐wide reef performance 27%–74% depending scenario. Up 66% loss attributable The reduce vulnerability, measured here as number years kept 30%, spatially variable. Management strategies alleviate have some midshelf reefs central 83%, but if combined with emissions.

Language: Английский

The 27–year decline of coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef and its causes DOI Open Access

Glenn De’ath,

Katharina Fabricius, Hugh Sweatman

et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 109(44), P. 17995 - 17999

Published: Oct. 1, 2012

The world’s coral reefs are being degraded, and the need to reduce local pressures offset effects of increasing global is now widely recognized. This study investigates spatial temporal dynamics cover, identifies main drivers mortality, quantifies rates potential recovery Great Barrier Reef. Based on most extensive time series data reef condition (2,258 surveys 214 over 1985–2012), we show a major decline in cover from 28.0% 13.8% (0.53% y −1 ), loss 50.7% initial cover. Tropical cyclones, predation by crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), bleaching accounted for 48%, 42%, 10% respective estimated losses, amounting 3.38% mortality rate. Importantly, relatively pristine northern region showed no overall decline. rate increase absence COTS, was 2.85% , demonstrating substantial capacity reefs. In would at 0.89% despite ongoing losses due cyclones bleaching. Thus, reducing COTS populations, improving water quality developing alternative control measures, could prevent further improve outlook Such strategies can, however, only be successful if climatic conditions stabilized, as will otherwise increase.

Language: Английский

Citations

1773
Global disparity in the resilience of coral reefs DOI
George Roff, Peter J. Mumby

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 27(7), P. 404 - 413

Published: May 31, 2012

Language: Английский

Citations

418
Terrestrial pollutant runoff to the Great Barrier Reef: An update of issues, priorities and management responses DOI

J. Brodie,

Frederieke J. Kroon, Britta Schaffelke

et al.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 65(4-9), P. 81 - 100

Published: Jan. 1, 2012

Language: Английский

Citations

400
Agriculture for Development DOI

Alain de Janvry,

Élisabeth Sadoulet

Routledge eBooks, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 448 - 476

Published: April 20, 2021

Citations

355
Predator Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (Acanthaster planci) Outbreak, Mass Mortality of Corals, and Cascading Effects on Reef Fish and Benthic Communities DOI Creative Commons
Mohsen Kayal, Julie Vercelloni,

Thierry Lison de Loma

et al.

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 7(10), P. e47363 - e47363

Published: Oct. 8, 2012

Outbreaks of the coral-killing seastar Acanthaster planci are intense disturbances that can decimate coral reefs. These events consist emergence large swarms predatory feed on reef-building corals, often leading to widespread devastation populations. While cyclic occurrences such outbreaks reported from many tropical reefs throughout Indo-Pacific, their causes hotly debated, and spatio-temporal dynamics impacts reef communities remain unclear. Based observations a recent event around island Moorea, French Polynesia, we show methodic, slow-paced, diffusive biological disturbances. insular systems like Moorea's appear originate restricted areas confined ocean-exposed base Elevated densities then progressively spread adjacent shallower locations by migrations seastars in aggregative waves eventually affect entire system. The directional migration across appears be search for prey as portions affected dense aggregations rapidly depleted living corals subsequently left behind. Coral decline impacted occurs sequential consumption species order feeding preferences. thus result predictable alteration community structure. outbreak report here is among most devastating ever reported. Using hierarchical, multi-scale approach, also how sessile benthic resident coral-feeding fish assemblages were corals. By elucidating processes involved an outbreak, our study contributes comprehending this disturbance should benefit targeted management actions ecosystems.

Language: Английский

Citations

325
Temporary refugia for coral reefs in a warming world DOI
Ruben van Hooidonk, Jeffrey Maynard, Serge Planes

et al.

Nature Climate Change, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 3(5), P. 508 - 511

Published: Feb. 21, 2013

Language: Английский

Citations

297
Marine protected areas increase resilience among coral reef communities DOI Creative Commons
Camille Mellin, M. Aaron MacNeil, Alistair J. Cheal

et al.

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 19(6), P. 629 - 637

Published: April 3, 2016

With marine biodiversity declining globally at accelerating rates, maximising the effectiveness of conservation has become a key goal for local, national and international regulators. Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely advocated conserving managing yet, despite extensive research, their benefits non-target species wider ecosystem functions remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that MPAs can increase resilience coral reef communities to natural disturbances, including bleaching, diseases, Acanthaster planci outbreaks storms. Using 20-year time series from Australia's Great Barrier Reef, show within MPAs, (1) community composition was 21-38% more stable; (2) magnitude disturbance impacts 30% lower (3) subsequent recovery 20% faster in adjacent unprotected habitats. Our results possibly through herbivory, trophic cascades portfolio effects.

Language: Английский

Citations

292
The threat to coral reefs from more intense cyclones under climate change DOI
Alistair J. Cheal, M. Aaron MacNeil,

Michael J. Emslie

et al.

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 23(4), P. 1511 - 1524

Published: Jan. 31, 2017

Ocean warming under climate change threatens coral reefs directly, through fatal heat stress to corals and indirectly, by boosting the energy of cyclones that cause destruction loss associated organisms. Although cyclone frequency is unlikely rise, intensity predicted increase globally, causing more frequent occurrences most destructive with potentially severe consequences for reef ecosystems. While increasing considered a pervasive risk reefs, quantitative estimates threats from intensification are lacking due limited data on impacts inform projections. Here, using extensive Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR), we show increases in this century sufficient greatly accelerate degradation. Coral losses outer GBR were small, localized offset gains undisturbed than decade, despite numerous periods record stress, until three unusually intense over 5 years drove cover lows >1500 km. Ecological damage was particularly central-southern region where 68% destroyed >1000 km, forcing declines species richness abundance fish communities, many local extirpations. Four later, recovery average relatively slow there further abundance. Slow community diversity appears likely such degraded starting point. Highly unusual characteristics two cyclones, aside high intensity, inflated extent ecological would typically have occurred 100s Modelling published predictions future activity, likelihood within time frames mid-century poses global threat dependent societies.

Language: Английский

Citations

251
Temporal changes in benthic assemblages on Florida Keys reefs 11 years after the 1997/1998 El Niño DOI Open Access

RR Ruzicka,

MA Colella,

JW Porter

et al.

Marine Ecology Progress Series, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 489, P. 125 - 141

Published: June 13, 2013

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 489:125-141 (2013) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10427 Temporal changes in benthic assemblages on Florida Keys reefs 11 years after 1997/1998 El Niño R. Ruzicka1,*, M. A. Colella1, J. W. Porter2, Morrison3, Kidney1, V. Brinkhuis1, K. S. Lunz1, Macaulay1, L. Bartlett1, Meyers2, Colee4 1Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Research Institute, 100 8th Avenue SE, Saint Petersburg, 33701, USA 2Odum School of Ecology, University Georgia, 140 East Green Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, 3US Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Coastal Science Center, 600 4th Street S, 4Institute Food Agricultural Services, Florida, 406 McCarty Hall C, PO Box 110339, Gainesville, 32611, *Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT: Disturbances that result mass mortality reef-building corals are changing appearance worldwide. Many transitioning away from scleractinian-coral-dominated communities composed primarily non-scleractinian taxa. This study evaluated recovery patterns reef following associated with Niño. We examined temporal trends among 5 most spatially abundant taxa stony coral species 1999 2009 at 3 spatial scales, applied a Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) determine whether their cover resulted shift community structure. Trends decreasing were not identified Keys-wide between 2009, but 2 habitats examined—shallow deep forereefs—did show significant decline cover. Concomitantly, octocoral significantly increased all habitats. The transition octocorals was evident shallow forereefs, where 9 12 overwhelmingly influenced PCoA. On sponge did increase, impart clearly defined structure like observed forereefs. Community composition patch relatively consistent during study, increase may accelerate further cold-water event 2010. These results demonstrate emerging as predominant Keys. Although have started long ago, apparent resilience present-day stressors will likely allow this continue into foreseeable future. KEY WORDS: Coral · Stony Octocorals Macroalgae Phase shifts Full text pdf format PreviousNextCite article as: Ruzicka RR, Colella MA, Porter JW, Morrison JM others Mar Ecol Prog Ser 489:125-141. Export citation Tweet linkedIn Cited by Published Vol. 489. Online publication date: August 28, 2013 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; 1616-1599 Copyright © Inter-Research.

Language: Английский

Citations

228
Thirty Years of Research on Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (1986–2016): Scientific Advances and Emerging Opportunities DOI Creative Commons
Morgan S. Pratchett, Ciemon F. Caballes, Jennifer C. Wilmes

et al.

Diversity, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 9(4), P. 41 - 41

Published: Sept. 21, 2017

Research on the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) has waxed and waned over last few decades, mostly in response to population outbreaks at specific locations. This review considers advances our understanding of biology ecology CoTS based resurgence research interest, which culminated this current special issue Biology, Ecology Management Crown-of-Thorns Starfish. More specifically, progress addressing 41 questions posed a seminal by P. Moran 30 years ago, as well exploring new directions for research. Despite plethora (>1200 articles), there are persistent knowledge gaps that constrain effective management outbreaks. Although directly some these will be extremely difficult, have been considerable CoTS, if not proximate ultimate cause(s) Moving forward, researchers need embrace technologies opportunities advance behavior, focusing key improve effectiveness reducing frequency likelihood outbreaks, preventing them altogether.

Language: Английский

Citations

197