Using Community Composition and Successional Theory to Guide Site‐Specific Coral Reef Management

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 31(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT High spatial or temporal variability in community composition makes it challenging for natural resource managers to predict ecosystem trajectories at scales relevant management. This is commonly the case nearshore marine environments, where frequency and intensity of disturbance events vary sub‐kilometer meter scale, creating a patchwork successional stages within single ecosystem. The stage impacts its stability, recovery potential, trajectory over time predictable ways. Here we demonstrate value theory interpreting fine‐scale heterogeneity using Hawaiian coral reefs as study. We tracked benthic dynamics on 36 forereefs 6‐year period (2017–2023) that captures from high surf events, heatwave, unprecedented shifts human behavior due COVID‐19 pandemic. document variation was only partially explained by island environmental regime. Through hierarchical clustering, identify three distinct types appear represent different reef development. Reefs belonging same type exhibited similar rates change cover structural complexity time, more so than located island. Importantly, communities were indicative early succession (low dominated stress‐tolerant corals) most likely experience an increase while later‐stage decline. Our findings highlight influence life history trajectories. Accounting these factors, not simply overall cover, essential designing effective management interventions. Site‐specific accounts community's unique needed effectively conserve important ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Variable photosystem II thermal stress responses of reef-building corals Pocillopora indiania and Heliopora coerulea across latitudes from the Mascarene Plateau, Indian Ocean

Deep Sea Research Part II Topical Studies in Oceanography, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 105467 - 105467

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Six decades of global coral bleaching monitoring: a review of methods and call for enhanced standardization and coordination

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: March 26, 2025

Coral bleaching poses a severe threat to the health and survival of global coral reef ecosystems, with recent events surpassing historical heat stress records. To address this crisis, improved long-term monitoring, communication, coordination are urgently required enhance conservation, management, policy responses. This study reviews survey methodologies datasets spanning 1963 2022, identifying key challenges in methodological standardization, including database duplication inconsistencies naming reporting metrics. These issues hinder comparative analyses contribute discrepancies impact assessments. We developed typology twenty-nine methods used across various scales, encompassing remote sensing tools, underwater surveys, specimen collection. Analysis 77,370 observations from three major revealed that 9.36% entries lacked descriptions. Among recorded methods, belt transects (42%), line point intercept (33%), random surveys (17%) were most widely applied. Practitioner underscored dominance situ transect visual highlighting growing adoption photo quadrats—an emerging yet underrepresented technique existing datasets. assessments, we propose standardized framework ensures open access accessible data aligns decision-makers’ needs for efficient aggregation interoperability better understand temporal spatial events. A globally coordinated coalition should unify protocols, improve data-sharing capabilities, empower regional networks through targeted training, incentives, communication channels. Strengthening field capacity taxonomy methodologies, alongside integrating advanced will quality comparability. Additionally, creating precise geolocated bridge on-the-ground systems, refining accuracy satellite-based early warning tools. Establishing interoperable online platforms further streamline integration accessibility, providing robust foundation support responses foster impactful conservation initiatives.

Language: Английский

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Spatially restricted coral bleaching as an ecological manifestation of within-colony heterogeneity

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: May 13, 2025

Language: Английский

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