Article
Ecology
Ariel Greiner, Marco Andrello, Emily Darling, Martin Krkosek, Marie-Josee Fortin
Summary: The study aims to determine the connectivity of coral reefs and the level of future coral cover under global scenarios of coral bleaching loss and potential recovery. The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining functional coral reef habitat outside of predicted climate refugia to sustain connectivity globally.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher Edward Cornwall, Steeve Comeau, Simon D. Donner, Chris Perry, John Dunne, Ruben van Hooidonk, Steve Ryan, Cheryl Annette Logan
Summary: Projecting the effects of climate change on net reef calcium carbonate production is crucial, especially considering corals' natural adaptive capacity to such change. This study estimates how symbiont evolution and shuffling may influence responses to ocean warming and acidification under different emissions scenarios. The results show that symbiont adaptive capacity can favor positive net reef calcium carbonate production, but the projections vary spatially and by emissions scenario.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
P. Kalmus, A. Ekanayaka, E. Kang, M. Baird, M. Gierach
Summary: Coral reefs are rapidly declining due to local environmental degradation and global climate change. The study shows that over 91% of the reef locations have exceeded the thermal threshold for irreversible damage, indicating that widespread coral degradation is no longer avoidable.
Article
Environmental Studies
Laurence H. De Clippele, Laura Alonso Diaz, Dominic A. Andradi-Brown, Muhammad Erdi Lazuardi, Mohamad Iqbal, Imam Musthofa Zainudin, Derta Prabuning, Ruben van Hooidonk, Amehr Hakim, Firdaus Agung, Agus Dermawan, Sebastian J. Hennige
Summary: Coral reefs are facing an uncertain future due to global climate change, with increasing occurrences of thermal-induced bleaching. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are becoming more important to protect the reefs. A study in Indonesia evaluated the spatial variation of severe bleaching, whether reefs with later bleaching onset are protected within MPAs, and the risk profiles for reefs related to MPAs receiving priority investments.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert van Woesik, Tom Shlesinger, Andrea G. Grottoli, Rob J. Toonen, Rebecca Vega Thurber, Mark E. Warner, Ann Marie Hulver, Leila Chapron, Rowan H. McLachlan, Rebecca Albright, Eric Crandall, Thomas M. DeCarlo, Mary K. Donovan, Jose Eirin-Lopez, Hugo B. Harrison, Scott F. Heron, Danwei Huang, Adriana Humanes, Thomas Krueger, Joshua S. Madin, Derek Manzello, Lisa C. McManus, Mikhail Matz, Erinn M. Muller, Mauricio Rodriguez-Lanetty, Maria Vega-Rodriguez, Christian R. Voolstra, Jesse Zaneveld
Summary: The global impacts of climate change are evident in every marine ecosystem, particularly on coral reefs where mass coral bleaching and mortality are common responses. Linking information across scientific disciplines and scales is a major challenge, but adopting an integrative approach can advance coral-reef science and guide conservation efforts. Establishing networks of protected reefs across national boundaries may be the best chance for corals to persist through climate change.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elizabeth C. Shaver, Elizabeth McLeod, Margaux Y. Hein, Stephen R. Palumbi, Kate Quigley, Tali Vardi, Peter J. Mumby, David Smith, Phanor Montoya-Maya, Erinn M. Muller, Anastazia T. Banaszak, Ian M. McLeod, David Wachenfeld
Summary: Recent warm temperatures caused by climate change have led to coral bleaching and mortality worldwide. As a result, restoration has been embraced as a strategy to sustain coral reefs. However, few restoration programs are incorporating climate change and resilience into project design. This article provides recommendations for integrating resilience principles into restoration design and practice, to enhance coral reef recovery, resistance, and adaptation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rachel R. R. Carlson, Jiwei Li, Larry B. B. Crowder, Gregory P. P. Asner
Summary: Turbidity from land-based runoff can have both negative and positive effects on coral bleaching during ocean heatwaves. This study used high-resolution satellite data to examine the relationship between turbidity and coral bleaching severity in Hawaii. The results showed that the effect of turbidity on bleaching severity weakened at higher temperatures, but still had a slightly negative impact in urban settings. Additionally, interactions between temperature and local variables like turbidity and wave energy were found to be the most significant drivers of bleaching severity.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robert van Woesik, Chelsey Kratochwill
Summary: Coral reefs, the most diverse marine ecosystems, are facing increased thermal stress events leading to coral bleaching. The severity of bleaching varies depending on species, location, historical conditions, and local/regional influences. The Global Coral-Bleaching Database compiles over 34,000 records from 93 countries, providing crucial information on bleaching presence, site exposure, and environmental factors.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jack V. Johnson, Jaimie T. A. Dick, Daniel Pincheira-Donoso
Summary: Marine heatwaves from global warming are causing coral bleaching and degradation of coral reefs worldwide. However, the extent of coral bleaching varies depending on the proximity of reef building corals to mangroves. Corals located further away from mangroves experience higher levels of bleaching, suggesting that the presence of co-tolerant coral species associated with mangroves may reduce bleaching. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these patterns and to collect more local-scale data.
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ji Hoon J. Han, Matthew P. Stefanak, Kuulei S. Rodgers
Summary: Terrestrial-based nutrient pollution is harmful to coral health. However, low levels of balanced nutrient enrichment may mitigate the effects of thermal stress on corals.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tom Shlesinger, Robert van Woesik
Summary: Anomalously high ocean temperatures have increased in frequency, intensity, and duration due to greenhouse gas emissions. These temperature anomalies have led to coral bleaching, mortality, and changes in community structure. However, there are geographical differences in thermal regimes and past disturbances that may result in different bleaching responses among corals within and among oceans.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
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
Adele M. Dixon, Marji Puotinen, Hamish A. Ramsay, Maria Beger
Summary: This study examines the ability of downscaled cyclones to represent observed cyclone characteristics that affect wave damage to Australian coral reef regions. The research finds spatial uncertainties in downscaled cyclogenesis and track positions limit estimates of reef damage, and the downscaled tracks perform differently for different regions. The study also suggests that there is no clear evidence that cyclones will cause more damage to Australian coral reef regions in the future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
D. Burn, A. S. Hoey, S. Matthews, H. B. Harrison, M. S. Pratchett
Summary: Climate-induced coral bleaching poses a major threat to coral assemblages worldwide, but susceptibility to bleaching varies among different coral taxa. In this study, we compared bleaching susceptibility among 10 coral morpho-taxa and two colony size classes across 33 reefs in the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea Marine Parks. We found that colony size and bleaching severity significantly influenced the hierarchy of bleaching susceptibility among taxa, with massive Porites shifting from being less likely to bleach to becoming highly susceptible as overall bleaching severity increased. Additionally, juvenile corals smaller than 5 cm in diameter were generally more resistant to bleaching, except for Montipora and Pocillopora colonies, which exhibited higher bleaching susceptibility compared to adult corals larger than 5 cm.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Christopher M. Free, Tracey Mangin, John Wiedenmann, Conner Smith, Halley McVeigh, Steven D. Gaines
Summary: Climate change is impacting marine fisheries productivity and the effectiveness of historical management approaches. Harvest control rules offer a way to enhance climate resilience, but the flexibility in specifying these rules has resulted in a variety of approaches with varying levels of resilience to climate change. We examined the control rules for all 507 US federally managed fish stocks and identified seven typologies, along with their advantages and disadvantages for managing fisheries under climate change. Based on our findings, we provide seven recommendations to improve the resilience of US federally managed fisheries to climate change.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Tania M. M. Kenyon, Christopher Doropoulos, Kennedy Wolfe, Gregory E. E. Webb, Sophie Dove, Daniel Harris, Peter J. J. Mumby
Summary: This article reviews the dynamics of rubble beds on coral reefs, with a focus on the changes expected in the generation, mobilization, binding, and coral recruitment of rubble on future reefs. It predicts that major disturbances, such as storms and coral bleaching, will increase in intensity and frequency, leading to larger quantities of coral rubble. With smaller recovery windows and increased bioerosion, smaller and less complex rubble pieces will be generated more often. The time available for binding will be reduced, and changing ocean chemistry may affect the efficacy of binders. Ultimately, increased rubble cover will negatively impact coral recruitment into rubble beds.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Amelia A. A. Desbiens, Peter J. J. Mumby, Symon Dworjanyn, Eva E. Plaganyi, Sven Uthicke, Kennedy Wolfe
Summary: This study investigated the predators of crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) and found 26 novel predators, but only 10 species regularly consumed juvenile CoTS. Most predation resulted in severed bodies and missing arms, rather than total consumption. The research highlights the importance of predators during the juvenile stage in controlling CoTS populations.
Article
Ecology
Kennedy Wolfe, Tania M. Kenyon, Amelia Desbiens, Kimberley de la Motte, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Declines in habitat complexity have led to ecological degradation in various ecosystems. Coral reefs have served as a model for studying such changes, but previous research has mainly focused on corals and fish, overlooking the dominant role of small cryptic organisms. This study used a hierarchical framework to explore whether broad seascape parameters or nested microhabitat processes better describe cryptofauna communities in coral rubble. The results showed that microhabitat complexity influenced sessile organism cover, which in turn shaped the motile cryptofauna community.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Christopher M. Free, Sean C. Anderson, Elizabeth A. Hellmers, Barbara A. Muhling, Michael O. Navarro, Kate Richerson, Lauren A. Rogers, William H. Satterthwaite, Andrew R. Thompson, Jenn M. Burt, Steven D. Gaines, Kristin N. Marshall, J. Wilson White, Lyall F. Bellquist
Summary: Marine heatwaves are increasingly impacting marine ecosystems, leading to cascading effects on coastal economies, communities, and food systems. They offer crucial insights into future climate change and stress test fisheries social-ecological systems, revealing vulnerabilities and resilience. The 2014-16 Northeast Pacific heatwave was the strongest and longest on record, resulting in significant ecological changes that affected fisheries and human livelihoods.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert A. B. Mason, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: This article analyses the future scenarios of the Great Barrier Reef under various realistic drivers and finds that under a limited warming scenario, the coral cover can eventually recover to present-day levels. However, under higher warming scenarios, the coral cover declines drastically and may even disappear.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas J. Richards, Katrina McGuigan, J. David Aguirre, Adriana Humanes, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby, Cynthia Riginos
Summary: Global environmental change is happening rapidly, with coral reefs being one of the most threatened ecosystems. To ensure the survival of wild populations, adaptation is necessary. However, our understanding of the complex ecological and evolutionary dynamics of corals is limited, hindering predictions about their ability to adapt to future conditions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Chelsey M. Beese, Peter J. Mumby, Alice Rogers
Summary: The quality of coral reef habitats is declining due to heatwaves and other disturbances, resulting in reduced complexity and energy transfer to higher trophic levels. By using a size-based ecosystem model, researchers found that providing refuge for fish between 5 and 10 cm in length can significantly enhance fish biomass and fisheries productivity. The study also identifies refuge profiles that can improve ecosystem service provision by up to sixfold.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Robert A. B. Mason, Yves-Marie Bozec, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: Boat anchoring is a common practice at coral reefs with high economic or social value, but its impact on reef resilience has been understudied. Using an individual-based model, we simulated the effects of anchor damage on coral populations and estimated the carrying capacity of anchoring for different coral assemblages. We found that even a small to medium-sized recreational vessel can cause 0 to 3.1 anchor strikes per hectare per day. In a case study of the Great Barrier Reef, we demonstrated that mitigating anchoring can lead to significant coral gains under bleaching scenarios.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kennedy Wolfe, Amelia A. A. Desbiens, Peter J. J. Mumby
Summary: Patterns of movement of marine species can provide valuable information about reproduction and dispersal strategies, species interactions, trophodynamics, and vulnerability to change, which is crucial for population and ecosystem management. In coral reefs, the highest density and diversity of metazoan taxa are found in dead coral and rubble, but the energy stored in rubble is mainly accessible to small individuals, limiting its availability to higher trophic levels.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Carolina Castro-Sanguino, Yves-Marie Bozec, Scott A. Condie, Cameron S. Fletcher, Karlo Hock, Chris Roelfsema, David A. Westcott, Peter J. Mumby
Summary: CoTS outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia have caused significant damage to coral ecosystems. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the current CoTS control program and suggests increasing control efforts to ensure coral persistence in the face of climate change impacts.
Article
Biology
Liam Lachs, Adriana Humanes, Daniel R. Pygas, John C. Bythell, Peter J. Mumby, Renata Ferrari, Will F. Figueira, Elizabeth Beauchamp, Holly K. East, Alasdair J. Edwards, Yimnang Golbuu, Helios M. Martinez, Brigitte Sommer, Eveline van der Steeg, James R. Guest
Summary: As marine species adapt to climate change, their heat tolerance will be under strong selection, but trade-offs between heat tolerance and other traits may compromise adaptation. The study focused on reef-building corals and found no trade-offs between heat tolerance and fecundity or growth. Surprisingly, faster-growing corals tended to bleach and die at higher levels of heat stress. Overall, this suggests that some high-performing corals excel across multiple traits and trade-offs may not be major barriers to adaptation or evolution interventions.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Studies
Lida Teneva, Christopher M. Free, Andrew Hume, Vera N. Agostini, Carissa J. Klein, Reg A. Watson, Steven D. Gaines
Summary: The study finds that small island nations can improve food self-sufficiency from the sea by implementing climate-adaptive fisheries governance strategies. By adjusting fisheries management every 10 years, some small island nations can achieve seafood surplus by 2050. International financial and capacity investments can support the realization of food security from the sea for those nations.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Elizabeth Buccheri, Gerard F. Ricardo, Russell C. Babcock, Peter J. Mumby, Christopher Doropoulos
Summary: This study investigated the sensitivity of coral reproduction to changes in sperm concentration and contact time between gametes. The results showed that fertilisation was most successful at high sperm concentrations and longer contact times, with variations between different coral species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liam Lachs, Simon D. D. Donner, Peter J. J. Mumby, John C. C. Bythell, Adriana Humanes, Holly K. K. East, James R. R. Guest
Summary: Recurrent mass bleaching events pose a threat to coral reefs and their future. However, this study suggests that the thermal tolerance of coral assemblages in a remote Pacific coral reef system has been increasing, leading to less severe bleaching impacts. Future climate projections indicate that further increases in thermal tolerance could substantially reduce bleaching trajectories, highlighting the importance of reducing carbon emissions.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)