Local conditions magnify coral loss after marine heatwaves

Science, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 372(6545), С. 977 - 980

Опубликована: Май 27, 2021

Climate change threatens coral reefs by causing heat stress events that lead to widespread bleaching and mortality. Given the global nature of these mass mortality events, recent studies argue mitigating climate is only path conserve reefs. Using a analysis 223 sites, we show local stressors act synergistically with kill corals. Local factors such as high abundance macroalgae or urchins magnified loss in year after bleaching. Notably, combined effects increasing intensified loss. Our results offer an optimistic premise effective management, alongside efforts mitigate change, can help survive Anthropocene.

Язык: Английский

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The role of large wild animals in climate change mitigation and adaptation

Current Biology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 32(4), С. R181 - R196

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2022

Язык: Английский

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A roadmap to integrating resilience into the practice of coral reef restoration

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 28(16), С. 4751 - 4764

Опубликована: Апрель 22, 2022

Abstract Recent warm temperatures driven by climate change have caused mass coral bleaching and mortality across the world, prompting managers, policymakers, conservation practitioners to embrace restoration as a strategy sustain reefs. Despite proliferation of new reef efforts globally increasing scientific recognition research on interventions aimed at supporting resilience impacts, few programs are currently incorporating in project design. As will continue degrade reefs for decades come, guidance is needed support managers conduct that promotes through enhanced recovery, resistance, adaptation. Here, we address this critical implementation gap providing recommendations integrate principles into design practice, including planning design, selection, site broader ecosystem context. We also discuss future opportunities improve methods outcomes response change. one most vulnerable ecosystems change, enhance help ensure greater chance success warming world. They more likely provide essential contributions global targets protect natural biodiversity human communities rely

Язык: Английский

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Interactions between coral restoration and fish assemblages: implications for reef management

Journal of Fish Biology, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 97(3), С. 633 - 655

Опубликована: Июнь 21, 2020

Abstract Corals create complex reef structures that provide both habitat and food for many fish species. Because of numerous natural anthropogenic threats, coral reefs are currently being degraded, endangering the assemblages they support. Coral restoration, an active ecological management tool, may help reverse some current trends in degradation through transplantation stony corals. Although restoration techniques have been extensively reviewed relation to survival, our understanding effects adding live cover complexity on fishes is its infancy with a lack scientifically validated research. This study reviews limited data assemblages, complements this more extensive interactions between how might inform efforts. It also discusses which key species or functional groups promote, facilitate inhibit efforts and, turn, can be optimised enhance assemblages. By highlighting critical knowledge gaps interactions, aims stimulate research into role projects. A greater roles would whether projects return their compositions alternative develop, over what timeframe. alleviation local global stressors remains priority, important tool; increased replanted corals support ensuring success people nature.

Язык: Английский

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Persistent thermally driven shift in the functional trait structure of herbivorous fishes: Evidence of top‐down control on the rebound potential of temperate seaweed forests?

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 28(7), С. 2296 - 2311

Опубликована: Янв. 4, 2022

Extreme climatic events can reshape the functional structure of ecological communities, potentially altering interactions and ecosystem functioning. While these shifts have been widely documented, evidence their persistence potential flow-on effects on following relaxation extreme remains limited. Here, we investigate changes in trait - encompassing dimensions resource use, thermal affinity, body size herbivorous fishes a temperate reef system that experienced an marine heatwave (MHW) subsequent return to cool conditions. We quantify how modified nature intensity herbivory-related functions (macroalgae, turf, sediment removal), explored recovery dynamics macroalgal foundation species. The fish assemblage shifted as result MHW, from dominance cool-water browsing species increased evenness distribution abundance among tropical guilds supporting novel herbivory roles (i.e. scraping, cropping, sucking). Despite declined period cooling after underlying displayed limited recovery. Concomitantly, algal assemblages lack formerly dominant foundational species, kelp Ecklonia radiata, transitioning alternative state dominated by turf Sargassum spp. Our study demonstrates legacy effect MHW exemplified value monitoring phenotypic (trait mediated) core processes predict adapt future configurations changing ecosystems.

Язык: Английский

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Modeling the effects of selectively fishing key functional groups of herbivores on coral resilience

Ecosphere, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 15(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024

Abstract Mounting evidence suggests that fishing can be a major driver of coral‐to‐macroalgae regime shifts on tropical reefs. In many small‐scale coral reef fisheries, fishers target herbivorous fishes, which weaken resilience via reduced herbivory macroalgae then outcompete corals. Previous models explored the effects harvesting herbivores revealed hysteresis in herbivory–benthic state relationship results bistability coral‐ and macroalgae‐dominated states over some levels pressure, has been supported by empirical evidence. However, past have not accounted for functional differences among or how fisher selectivity different herbivore groups may alter benthic dynamics resilience. Here, we use dynamic model links differential two key to outcome competitive between macroalgae. We show depends only level but also types targeted fishers. Selectively browsing are capable consuming mature (e.g., unicornfish) increases precariousness moving system close tipping point. By contrast, selectively grazing preventing from becoming established parrotfishes) increase catch yields substantially more before point is reached. this lower with increasing effort comes at cost range bistable; makes shift triggered disturbance difficult impractical reverse. Our suggest management strategies fisheries should consider harvested coupled influence light trade‐off recovery following large disturbances.

Язык: Английский

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Restoration of herbivory on Caribbean coral reefs: are fishes, urchins, or crabs the solution?

Frontiers in Marine Science, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 11

Опубликована: Март 18, 2024

That coral reefs are in decline worldwide, particularly the Caribbean, will come as no surprise. This decades-long has reached a potential tipping point weight of effects climate change have decidedly to bear on planet’s most diverse marine ecosystem. Whether can persist without restorative intervention is debatable, which prompted surge reef restoration projects focusing primarily cultivation and transplantation fragments onto degraded reefs. But that widespread approach does little address underlying causes loss, one proliferation macroalgae deleterious corals. An emerging solution this problem enhancement herbivory through improved management herbivores, artificial herbivore settlement, or their mariculture subsequent stocking. review explores nuances biology well-studied Caribbean herbivores (fishes, sea urchins, crabs) it relates investigates promise stocking strategy. Fish, urchin, crab differ appreciably life histories, confers advantages disadvantages with respect effectiveness grazers. Mariculture herbivorous fish for essentially non-existent so reestablishment grazing abundance focuses protection fishery regulations, but only at few locations Caribbean. urchins crabs purposes its infancy, promising especially whose larval rearing less difficult. Perhaps biggest challenge either taxon “scaling-up” from research settings large-scale needed Numerous studies extol benefits functional redundancy complementarity ecosystem stability, whether principal applies function untested. We identify gaps our knowledge best practices conclude some practical guidance establishment targets macroalgal reduction, along strategic advice grazer given habitat.

Язык: Английский

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Marine reserves, fisheries ban, and 20 years of positive change in a coral reef ecosystem

Conservation Biology, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 35(5), С. 1473 - 1483

Опубликована: Апрель 28, 2021

Abstract By 2004, Belize was exhibiting classic fishing down of the food web. Groupers (Serranidae) and snappers (Lutjanidae) were scarce fisheries turned to parrotfishes (Scarinae), leading a 41% decline in their biomass. Several policies enacted 2009–2010, including moratorium on parrotfish new marine park with no‐take areas. Using 20‐year time series reef fish benthos, we evaluated impact these approximately 10 years after implementation. Establishment Southwater Caye Marine Reserve led recovery snapper at 2 out 3 sites, but there no evidence outside reserve. Snapper populations an older reserve continued increase, implying that least 9 is required for recovery. Despite concerns over feasibility banning harvest once it has become dominant fin fishery, returned exceeded biomass levels prior fishery. The majority changes involved increase density; species composition adult body size generally exhibited little change. Recovery occurred equally well reserves areas open other forms fishing, strong compliance. Temporal trends grazing intensity strongly negatively associated cover macroalgae, which by 2018 had fallen lowest observed since measurements began 1998. Coral remained resilient exhibit periods net disturbance. We found harvesting feasible appears help constrain can otherwise impede coral resilience.

Язык: Английский

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Adoption of coral propagation and out-planting via the tourism industry to advance site stewardship on the northern Great Barrier Reef

Ocean & Coastal Management, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 225, С. 106199 - 106199

Опубликована: Май 16, 2022

Язык: Английский

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Geo‐ecological functions provided by coral reef fishes vary among regions and impact reef carbonate cycling regimes

Ecosphere, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 13(12)

Опубликована: Дек. 1, 2022

Abstract Coral reef fishes perform essential and well‐documented ecological functions on reefs, but also contribute important geo‐ecological functions, which influence carbonate cycling regimes. These include framework modification (through bioerosion breakage), the production, reworking, transport of reefal sediments. To explore how these vary across reefs regions, we compiled a dataset available taxa‐specific function rates applied to fish census data from sites in Pacific Ocean (PO), Indian (IO), Greater Caribbean (GC), each region displaying gradient biomass. The highest overall occur at biomass PO (Kingman Reef) IO (Chagos Archipelago), where dominates sediment generation (up 7 kg m −2 year −1 ). At lowest sites, are driven mainly by breakage lower (~2 Sediment reworking high all (~1–5 ) higher than other low sites. Geo‐ecological generally GC despite total being comparable to, or even exceeding, some with ~1 dominant function. site‐level differences partly reflect biomass, assemblage size structure species identity critical, few families (and species) underpinning regulating “health” fish‐driven regime. Reefs modification, production define one end this spectrum, while little new is produced dominates. While additional species‐level rate urgently needed better constrain rates, transitions align ideas about progressive shutdown regimes ecologically perturbed implications for reef‐building, shoreline supply, carbon nutrient cycling.

Язык: Английский

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