Mesophotic reefs offer thermal refuge to the 2023 Caribbean mass bleaching event in the Cayman Islands DOI Creative Commons
Gretchen Goodbody‐Gringley,

Alex Chequer

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: May 12, 2025

Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by marine heatwaves, which drive widespread coral bleaching and mortality. Mesophotic ecosystems (MCEs) have been proposed as potential thermal refuges due to their greater depth relative isolation from surface temperature extremes. Yet resilience extreme heat events remains uncertain, with location specific conclusions, thus requiring further studies. Here, we investigate the effects of 2023 heatwave in Cayman Islands, resulted prolonged sea temperatures exceeding 31 °C 17.5 DHW extensive across shallow reefs. Utilizing vertical transect surveys 10 m 50 m, assessed depth-related variations prevalence profiles. Our results indicate a significant decline increasing depth, concurrent reduction temperature. Depth-generalist species exhibited reduced at depths, whereas shallow-water specialists displayed severe bleaching. These findings suggest that while MCEs may provide refuge for some species, capacity buffer against climate-driven reef degradation is species-specific. Given frequency intensity understanding role deeper habitats mitigating loss critical informing conservation management strategies. study underscores importance protecting emphasizing need continued research on species-specific depth.

Language: Английский

Mesophotic reefs offer thermal refuge to the 2023 Caribbean mass bleaching event in the Cayman Islands DOI Creative Commons
Gretchen Goodbody‐Gringley,

Alex Chequer

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: May 12, 2025

Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by marine heatwaves, which drive widespread coral bleaching and mortality. Mesophotic ecosystems (MCEs) have been proposed as potential thermal refuges due to their greater depth relative isolation from surface temperature extremes. Yet resilience extreme heat events remains uncertain, with location specific conclusions, thus requiring further studies. Here, we investigate the effects of 2023 heatwave in Cayman Islands, resulted prolonged sea temperatures exceeding 31 °C 17.5 DHW extensive across shallow reefs. Utilizing vertical transect surveys 10 m 50 m, assessed depth-related variations prevalence profiles. Our results indicate a significant decline increasing depth, concurrent reduction temperature. Depth-generalist species exhibited reduced at depths, whereas shallow-water specialists displayed severe bleaching. These findings suggest that while MCEs may provide refuge for some species, capacity buffer against climate-driven reef degradation is species-specific. Given frequency intensity understanding role deeper habitats mitigating loss critical informing conservation management strategies. study underscores importance protecting emphasizing need continued research on species-specific depth.

Language: Английский

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