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Steibl S, Kench PS, Young HS, Wegmann AS, Holmes ND, Bunbury N, Teavai-Murphy TH, Davies N, Murphy F, Russell JC. Rethinking atoll futures: local resilience to global challenges. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:258-266. [PMID: 38114338 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Atoll islands are often perceived as inevitably lost due to rising sea levels. However, unlike other islands, atoll islands are dynamic landforms that have evolved, at least historically, to vertically accrete at a pace commensurate with changing sea levels. Rather than atoll islands' low elevation per se, the impairment of natural accretion processes is jeopardising their persistence. While global marine impacts are deteriorating coral reefs, local impacts also significantly affect accretion, together potentially tipping the scales toward atoll island erosion. Maintaining atoll island accretion requires intact sediment generation on coral reefs, unobstructed sediment transport from reef to island, and available vegetated deposition sites on the island. Ensuring the persistence of atoll islands must include global greenhouse gas emission reduction and local restoration of accretion processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Steibl
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Paul S Kench
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hillary S Young
- Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Nancy Bunbury
- Seychelles Islands Foundation, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Neil Davies
- Tetiaroa Society, Tetiaroa, French Polynesia; Gump South Pacific Research Station, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - James C Russell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
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Kench PS, Liang C, Ford MR, Owen SD, Aslam M, Ryan EJ, Turner T, Beetham E, Dickson ME, Stephenson W, Vila-Concejo A, McLean RF. Reef islands have continually adjusted to environmental change over the past two millennia. Nat Commun 2023; 14:508. [PMID: 36720884 PMCID: PMC9889315 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36171-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Global environmental change is identified as a driver of physical transformation of coral reef islands over the past half-century, and next 100 years, posing major adaptation challenges to island nations. Here we resolve whether these recent documented changes in islands are unprecedented compared with the pre-industrial era. We utilise radiometric dating, geological, and remote sensing techniques to document the dynamics of a Maldivian reef island at millennial to decadal timescales. Results show the magnitude of island change over the past half-century (±40 m movement) is not unprecedented compared with paleo-dynamic evidence that reveals large-scale changes in island dimension, shape, beach levels, as well as positional changes of ±200 m since island formation ~1,500 years ago. Results highlight the value of a multi-temporal methodological approach to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic trajectories of reef islands, to support development of adaptation strategies at timeframes relevant to human security.
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Affiliation(s)
- P S Kench
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - C Liang
- Department of Environmental Management, Southern Institute of Technology, Invercargill, New Zealand
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - M R Ford
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - S D Owen
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - M Aslam
- Small Island Research Station, Fares-Maathodaa Island, Huvadhoo Atoll, Maldives
| | - E J Ryan
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - T Turner
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - E Beetham
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - M E Dickson
- School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - W Stephenson
- School of Geography, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - A Vila-Concejo
- School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - R F McLean
- School of Science, University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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Schmidt DN, O'Donnell T. Introduction to the Special Issue-Nurturing resilient marine ecosystems. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210120. [PMID: 35574853 PMCID: PMC9108933 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela N. Schmidt
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
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