Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Wenhui Zhao, Yi Huang, Steven Siems, Michael Manton
Summary: The study revealed a significant negative correlation between total cloud cover anomaly (TCCA) and lagged sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the Great Barrier Reef region, which is greater in magnitude and spatial extent compared to the SSTA-ENSO correlation. This suggests that local-scale reduced cloud cover plays a crucial role in the formation of warm shallow water and occurrence of thermal coral bleaching events in the region.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Macarena Blanco-Pimentel, Nicolas R. Evensen, Camilo Cortes-Useche, Johanna Calle-Trivino, Daniel J. Barshis, Victor Galvan, Erika Harms, Megan K. Morikawa
Summary: After experiencing a significant decline, Caribbean coral reefs are facing further threats from disease outbreaks, overfishing, and warming events. Restoration efforts are being pursued, but face challenges such as economic feasibility, long-term stability, and understanding biological and ecological factors.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Ravikumar C. Nair, K. R. Muraleedharan, S. Abdul Azeez, P. K. Dinesh Kumar
Summary: This study confirms the reliability of remote sensing datasets by comparing them with in situ measurements and investigates the impact of sea surface temperature and salinity on coral bleaching. The results show a high correlation between satellite observations and in situ measurements, allowing for the analysis of inter-annual variations. The study also identifies a bleaching threshold temperature and the prevalence of warm waters in the coral environment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gregory P. Asner, Nicholas R. Vaughn, Roberta E. Martin, Shawna A. Foo, Joseph Heckler, Brian J. Neilson, Jamison M. Gove
Summary: Corals are important habitat-building organisms in tropical reefs, supporting a quarter of all ocean species and providing ecosystem services to millions of people. However, marine heat waves threaten coral reefs by killing individual colonies and reducing diversity. This study used aerial imaging spectroscopy to monitor coral mortality during a major heat wave in Hawaii, and found that certain reefs had lower coral loss and therefore may serve as refugia. Human and environmental factors, such as coastal development and sedimentation levels, played a role in differentiating resilient reefs from more vulnerable ones.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jenny Fong, Peter A. Todd
Summary: The study reveals that interactions between corals and macroalgae vary greatly across sites and seasons, with different coral species showing varying effects on macroalgae. It is important to consider seasonal fluctuations of macroalgae for understanding their overall long-term impacts.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. E. Lawman, S. G. Dee, K. L. DeLong, A. M. S. Correa
Summary: Rising temperatures and ocean acidification due to climate change pose significant threats to coral reef ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean Sea. The decline in coral reefs since the 1970s has been substantial, with few reefs still exhibiting healthy coral cover. This study uses climate model simulations to assess the individual impacts of climate stressors on corals and highlights the need for mitigation efforts to protect these ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andreas Dietzel, Sean R. Connolly, Terry P. Hughes, Michael Bode
Summary: This study found that recent mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef have larger and more continuous spatial footprints than previous bleaching events, posing an unprecedented threat to coral species resilience. In contrast to the impacts of a severe tropical cyclone, the bleaching events isolated severely affected reefs from the nearest mildly affected reefs by greater distances, highlighting the significant threat to coral species posed by the spatial footprint of these recent bleaching events.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Michael J. Williamson, Emma J. Tebbs, Terence P. Dawson, Henry J. Thompson, Catherine E. Head, David M. P. Jacoby
Summary: This study utilizes satellite remote sensing to collect data on coral reefs' exposure to multiple environmental stressors and develops a toolbox for monitoring such exposure. Through an analysis of coral reefs worldwide, the study identifies factors such as depth, current, and sea surface temperature that contribute to environmental stress exposure.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Angela Randazzo-Eisemann, Joaquin Rodrigo Garza-Perez, Baruch Figueroa-Zavala
Summary: The study found that coral diseases outbreaks, along with the effects of coastal development and thermal stressors, have significantly decreased the coverage and abundance of major reef-building corals in the Akumal reef over the past two decades, shifting the dominant species to non-framework weedy life history strategies.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Miriam Reverter, Stephanie B. Helber, Sven Rohde, Jasper M. de Goeij, Peter J. Schupp
Summary: Non-random community changes are becoming more frequent in many ecosystems, with coral reefs experiencing shifts towards communities dominated by other than hard corals. Despite the existence of various alternative communities, knowledge remains scattered on the global diversity and functioning of alternative coral reef benthic communities.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Don R. Levitan, Rachael M. Best, Peter J. Edmunds
Summary: In 1983-1984, a mass mortality event led to a significant population reduction of Diadema antillarum, which caused algae blooms and devastation of coral populations in the Caribbean. Limited recovery was observed, but in 2022, a second mass mortality event occurred. Analysis of sea urchin populations from St. John, US Virgin Islands, revealed a 98.00% reduction compared to 2021 and a 99.96% reduction compared to 1983. This mortality event eliminated algal-free halos, increasing the risk of coral-free communities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Deborah L. Santavy, Susan K. Jackson, Benjamin Jessup, Jeroen Gerritsen, Caroline Rogers, William S. Fisher, Ernesto Weil, Alina Szmant, David Cuevas-Miranda, Brian K. Walker, Christopher Jeffrey, Patricia Bradley, David Ballantine, Loretta Roberson, Hector Ruiz-Torres, Brandi Todd, Tyler Smith, Randy Clark, Ernesto Diaz, Jorge Bauza-Ortega, Christina Horstmann, Sandy Raimondo
Summary: With the decline in coral reef condition worldwide, it is important to understand and communicate the response of coral reefs to management actions, environmental contamination, and natural disasters. A narrative model has been developed to evaluate the condition of coral reefs and detect changes using narrative descriptions. The model can be used to assess actions that affect coral reef ecosystems and develop management plans.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Pedro H. C. Pereira, Gislaine V. Lima, Antonio V. F. Pontes, Luis G. F. Cortes, Erandy Gomes, Claudio L. S. Sampaio, Taciana Kramer Pinto, Ricardo J. Miranda, Andrei Tiego Cunha Cardoso, Julia Caon Araujo, Jose Carlos Sicoli Seoane
Summary: Thermal stress is the main cause of coral reef degradation, and its effects on Southwestern Atlantic (SWA) reefs have been under-studied. The SWA is a hotspot for coral endemism, with a high risk of extinction due to low-functional redundancy. Previous studies have suggested the possibility of a thermal refuge in the SWA, but our findings indicate a different trend. We report an unprecedented coral mortality event in the largest coastal Brazilian Marine Protected Area (MPA) following the worst thermal stress event since 1985.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leila Chapron, Verena Schoepf, Stephen J. Levas, Matthew D. Aschaffenburg, Mark E. Warner, Andrea G. Grottoli
Summary: This study finds that natural physiological variability among coral species appears to be a stronger predictor of coral bleaching resilience than intra- or inter-annual physiological variability within a coral species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Mark T. Gibbs, Maxine Newlands
Summary: The allocation and management of spatially-bound property rights is crucial in natural resource management, especially in high-income countries. The rapid expansion of coral reef restoration activities globally requires adaptation of management regimes, which may clash with traditional approaches in low-income nations hosting coral reefs. Communities must carefully consider how to manage increasing activities in order to avoid unintended consequences of western governance and management instruments.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Hugo B. Harrison, Mariana Alvarez-Noriega, Andrew H. Baird, Scott F. Heron, Chancey MacDonald, Terry P. Hughes
Review
Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth Mcleod, Kenneth R. N. Anthony, Peter J. Mumby, Jeffrey Maynard, Roger Beeden, Nicholas A. J. Graham, Scott F. Heron, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Stacy Jupiter, Petra MacGowan, Sangeeta Mangubhai, Nadine Marshall, Paul A. Marshall, Tim R. McClanahan, Karen Mcleod, Magnus Nystrom, David Obura, Britt Parker, Hugh P. Possingham, Rodney V. Salm, Jerker Tamelander
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Charlotte E. Page, William Leggat, Scott F. Heron, Severine M. Choukroun, Jon Lloyd, Tracy D. Ainsworth
Article
Environmental Sciences
Matthew Curnock, Nadine A. Marshall, Lauric Thiault, Scott F. Heron, Jessica Hoey, Genevieve Williams, Bruce Taylor, Petina L. Pert, Jeremy Goldberg
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
William P. Leggat, Emma F. Camp, David J. Suggett, Scott F. Heron, Alexander J. Fordyce, Stephanie Gardner, Lachlan Deakin, Michael Turner, Levi J. Beeching, Unnikrishnan Kuzhiumparambil, C. Mark Eakin, Tracy D. Ainsworth
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sun W. Kim, Eugenia M. Sampayo, Brigitte Sommer, Carrie A. Sims, Maria del C. Gomez-Cabrera, Steve J. Dalton, Maria Beger, Hamish A. Malcolm, Renata Ferrari, Nicola Fraser, Will F. Figueira, Stephen D. A. Smith, Scott F. Heron, Andrew H. Baird, Maria Byrne, C. Mark Eakin, Robert Edgar, Terry P. Hughes, Nicole Kyriacou, Gang Liu, Paloma A. Matis, William J. Skirving, John M. Pandolfi
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jamie M. Caldwell, Greta Aeby, Scott F. Heron, Megan J. Donahue
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lauric Thiault, Matthew I. Curnock, Georgina G. Gurney, Scott F. Heron, Nadine A. Marshall, Erin Bohensky, Nao Nakamura, Petina L. Pert, Joachim Claudet
Summary: The study found that stakeholders' perceptions of threats related to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia tended to align after consecutive years of mass coral bleaching events. Climate change emerged as the most frequently reported threat by all stakeholder groups, followed by concerns about fishing and poor water quality. Additionally, there was a convergence in threat prioritization within and across stakeholder groups after the bleaching events, indicating new opportunities for strategic public engagement and management support.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Austin Greene, William Leggat, Megan J. Donahue, Aurie J. Raymundo, Jamie M. Caldwell, Tess Moriarty, Scott F. Heron, Tracy D. Ainsworth
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Austin Greene, Megan J. Donahue, Jamie M. Caldwell, Scott F. Heron, Erick Geiger, Laurie J. Raymundo
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
William Leggat, Scott F. Heron, Alexander Fordyce, David J. Suggett, Tracy D. Ainsworth
Summary: Despite decades of research into coral bleaching, a standardized metric for comparing ecological observations and experimental simulations is still lacking. The introduction of the experimental Degree Heating Week (eDHW) metric aims to standardize the variable thermal conditions employed in experimental studies of coral bleaching.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Riccardo Losciale, Rachel Hay, Michael Rasheed, Scott Heron
Summary: Seagrass meadows, one of the world's greatest natural assets, are declining globally due to human activities and climate change. However, there is a lack of public awareness about the importance of seagrasses, especially in comparison to coral reefs. It is crucial to enhance public understanding of seagrasses and their vulnerability to climate change.
ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Gerry Giliant Salamena, Scott F. Heron, Peter V. Ridd, James C. Whinney
Summary: This study conducted the first implementation of environmental risk assessment (ERA) on marine plastic accumulation in the water body of small islands in the Indonesian Coral Triangle region. The study found that the flushing time of Ambon Bay was 1-1.5 weeks, with higher risks and vulnerabilities in the inner and inshore areas compared to the mid and offshore areas. The findings of this study can be informative for other embayments in Indonesia's Coral Triangle region.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Riccardo Losciale, Jon Day, Scott Heron
Summary: Climate change poses a increasing threat to World Heritage sites and their associated communities, particularly in relation to seagrass habitats. However, there is a lack of research on the value, conservation status, and climate change impacts on seagrass within these sites.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Alexander J. Fordyce, Tracy A. Ainsworth, Scott F. Heron, William Leggat
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2019)