1
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Chan YKS, Affendi YA, Ang PO, Baria-Rodriguez MV, Chen CA, Chui APY, Giyanto, Glue M, Huang H, Kuo CY, Kim SW, Lam VYY, Lane DJW, Lian JS, Lin SMNN, Lunn Z, Nañola CL, Nguyen VL, Park HS, Suharsono, Sutthacheep M, Vo ST, Vibol O, Waheed Z, Yamano H, Yeemin T, Yong E, Kimura T, Tun K, Chou LM, Huang D. Decadal stability in coral cover could mask hidden changes on reefs in the East Asian Seas. Commun Biol 2023; 6:630. [PMID: 37301948 PMCID: PMC10257672 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05000-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Coral reefs in the Central Indo-Pacific region comprise some of the most diverse and yet threatened marine habitats. While reef monitoring has grown throughout the region in recent years, studies of coral reef benthic cover remain limited in spatial and temporal scales. Here, we analysed 24,365 reef surveys performed over 37 years at 1972 sites throughout East Asia by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network using Bayesian approaches. Our results show that overall coral cover at surveyed reefs has not declined as suggested in previous studies and compared to reef regions like the Caribbean. Concurrently, macroalgal cover has not increased, with no indications of phase shifts from coral to macroalgal dominance on reefs. Yet, models incorporating socio-economic and environmental variables reveal negative associations of coral cover with coastal urbanisation and sea surface temperature. The diversity of reef assemblages may have mitigated cover declines thus far, but climate change could threaten reef resilience. We recommend prioritisation of regionally coordinated, locally collaborative long-term studies for better contextualisation of monitoring data and analyses, which are essential for achieving reef conservation goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y K S Chan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Y A Affendi
- Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - P O Ang
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - M V Baria-Rodriguez
- Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon, Philippines
| | - C A Chen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - A P Y Chui
- Institute of Space and Earth Information Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Giyanto
- Research Center for Oceanography, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - M Glue
- Fauna & Flora International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - H Huang
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - C-Y Kuo
- Biodiversity Research Centre, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - S W Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - V Y Y Lam
- Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Washington D.C., USA
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - D J W Lane
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
| | - J S Lian
- South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - S M N N Lin
- Fauna & Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Z Lunn
- Fauna & Flora International, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - C L Nañola
- University of the Philippines Mindanao, Davao, Philippines
| | - V L Nguyen
- Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Nha Trang, Vietnam
| | - H S Park
- Korean Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Suharsono
- Research Center for Oceanography, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - M Sutthacheep
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - S T Vo
- Institute of Oceanography, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Nha Trang, Vietnam
| | - O Vibol
- Department of Fisheries Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Z Waheed
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
| | - H Yamano
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukaba, Japan
| | - T Yeemin
- Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - E Yong
- Reef Check Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
| | - T Kimura
- Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network East Asia Region, Tokyo, Japan
- Palau International Coral Reef Center, Koror, Palau
| | - K Tun
- Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network East Asia Region, Tokyo, Japan
- National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board, Singapore, Singapore
| | - L M Chou
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - D Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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2
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Crisp SK, Tebbett SB, Bellwood DR. A critical evaluation of benthic phase shift studies on coral reefs. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 178:105667. [PMID: 35653967 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coral reef decline has accelerated in the last two decades resulting in substantial research into the phenomenon of 'phase shifts' or 'regime shifts'. However, the conclusions drawn from this research have been varied. Some of this variability may stem from methodological approaches, although the extent to which these factors have shaped our understanding remain largely unexplored. To examine this, we conducted a systematic review of the literature. In doing so, we revealed marked variability in the approaches used for studying phase shifts. Notably, very few studies clearly defined what they meant by phase shifts. Therefore, we developed a clarified definition of phase shifts, which specifically defined persistence and dominance. The applicability of this definition was tested on multi-decadal benthic composition data on the Great Barrier Reef. The number of shifts depended critically on the definition selected, suggesting that this may be a primary reason underpinning the variability in past results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K Crisp
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia.
| | - Sterling B Tebbett
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
| | - David R Bellwood
- Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
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3
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Reverter M, Jackson M, Rohde S, Moeller M, Bara R, Lasut MT, Segre Reinach M, Schupp PJ. High taxonomic resolution surveys and trait-based analyses reveal multiple benthic regimes in North Sulawesi (Indonesia). Sci Rep 2021; 11:16554. [PMID: 34400684 PMCID: PMC8367970 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95905-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As coral reef communities change and reorganise in response to increasing disturbances, there is a growing need for understanding species regimes and their contribution to ecosystem processes. Using a case study on coral reefs at the epicentre of tropical marine biodiversity (North Sulawesi, Indonesia), we explored how application of different biodiversity approaches (i.e., use of major taxonomic categories, high taxonomic resolution categories and trait-based approaches) affects the detection of distinct fish and benthic communities. Our results show that using major categories fails to identify distinct coral reef regimes. We also show that monitoring of only scleractinian coral communities is insufficient to detect different benthic regimes, especially communities dominated by non-coral organisms, and that all types of benthic organisms need to be considered. We have implemented the use of a trait-based approach to study the functional diversity of whole coral reef benthic assemblages, which allowed us to detect five different community regimes, only one of which was dominated by scleractinian corals. Furthermore, by the parallel study of benthic and fish communities we provide new insights into key processes and functions that might dominate or be compromised in the different community regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Reverter
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the Carl Von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Matthew Jackson
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the Carl Von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Sven Rohde
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the Carl Von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Mareen Moeller
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the Carl Von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Robert Bara
- Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Sam Ratulangi University, Jl. Kampus UNSRAT Bahu, 95115, Manado, Sulawesi Utara, Indonesia
| | - Markus T Lasut
- Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Sam Ratulangi University, Jl. Kampus UNSRAT Bahu, 95115, Manado, Sulawesi Utara, Indonesia
| | | | - Peter J Schupp
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the Carl Von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB), 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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4
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Gouezo M, Fabricius K, Harrison P, Golbuu Y, Doropoulos C. Optimizing coral reef recovery with context-specific management actions at prioritized reefs. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 295:113209. [PMID: 34346392 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Assisting the natural recovery of coral reefs through local management actions is needed in response to increasing ecosystem disturbances in the Anthropocene. There is growing evidence that commonly used resilience-based passive management approaches may not be sufficient to maintain coral reef key functions. We synthesize and discuss advances in coral reef recovery research, and its application to coral reef conservation and restoration practices. We then present a framework to guide the decision-making of reef managers, scientists and other stakeholders, to best support reef recovery after a disturbance. The overall aim of this management framework is to catalyse reef recovery, to minimize recovery times, and to limit the need for ongoing management interventions into the future. Our framework includes two main stages: first, a prioritization method for assessment following a large-scale disturbance, which is based on a reef's social-ecological values, and on a classification of the likelihood of recovery or succession resulting in degraded, novel, hybrid or historical states. Second, a flow chart to assist with determining management actions for highly valued reefs. Potential actions are chosen based on the ecological attributes of the disturbed reef, defined during ecological assessments. Depending on the context, management actions may include (1) substrata rehabilitation actions to facilitate natural coral recruitment, (2) repopulating actions using active restoration techniques, (3) resilience-based management actions and (4) monitoring coral recruitment and growth to assess the effectiveness of management interventions. We illustrate the proposed decision framework with a case study of typhoon-damaged eastern outer reefs in Palau, Micronesia. The decisions made following this framework lead to the conclusion that some reefs may not return to their historical state for many decades. However, if motivation and funds are available, new management approaches can be explored to assist coral reefs at valued locations to return to a functional state providing key ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Gouezo
- Palau International Coral Reef Center, PO Box 7086, Koror, Palau; Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
| | - Katharina Fabricius
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia.
| | - Peter Harrison
- Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
| | - Yimnang Golbuu
- Palau International Coral Reef Center, PO Box 7086, Koror, Palau.
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5
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Abstract
The ecosystems in the arid inland areas of Central Asia are fragile and severely degraded. Understanding and assessing ecosystem resilience is a challenge facing ecosystems. Based on the net primary productivity (NPP) data estimated by the CASA model, this study conducted a quantitative analysis of the ecosystem’s resilience and comprehensively reflected its resilience from multiple dimensions. Furthermore, a comprehensive resilience index was constructed. The result showed that plain oasis’s ecosystem resilience is the highest, followed by deserts and mountainous areas. From the perspective of vegetation types, the highest resilience is artificial vegetation and the lowest is forest. In warm deserts, the resilience is higher in shrubs and meadows and lower in grassland vegetation. High coverage and biomass are not the same as the strong adaptability of the ecosystem. Moderate and slightly inelastic areas mainly dominate the ecosystem resilience of the study area. The new method is easy to use. The evaluation result is reliable. It can quantitatively analyze the resilience latitude and recovery rate, a beneficial improvement to the current ecosystem resilience evaluation.
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6
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McLeod E, Shaver EC, Beger M, Koss J, Grimsditch G. Using resilience assessments to inform the management and conservation of coral reef ecosystems. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 277:111384. [PMID: 33059325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is causing the decline of coral reef ecosystems globally. Recent research highlights the importance of reducing CO2 emissions in combination with implementing local management actions to support reef health and recovery, particularly actions that protect sites which are more resilient to extreme events. Resilience assessments quantify the ecological, social, and environmental context of reefs through the lens of resilience, i.e., the capacity of a system to absorb or withstand stressors such that the system maintains its structure and functions and has the capacity to adapt to future disturbances and changes. Resilience assessments are an important tool to help marine managers and decision makers anticipate changes, identify areas with high survival prospects, and prioritize management actions to support resilience. While being widely implemented, however, there has not yet been an evaluation of whether resilience assessments have informed coral reef management. Here, we assess the primary and gray literature and input from coral reef managers to map where resilience assessments have been conducted. We explore if and how they have been used to inform management actions and provide recommendations for improving the likelihood that resilience assessments will result in management actions and positive conservation outcomes. These recommendations are applicable to other ecosystems in which resilience assessments are applied and will become increasingly important as climate impacts intensify and reduce the window of opportunity for protecting natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maria Beger
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK; Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jennifer Koss
- NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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7
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Gómez-Andújar NX, Hernandez-Delgado EA. Spatial benthic community analysis of shallow coral reefs to support coastal management in Culebra Island, Puerto Rico. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10080. [PMID: 33088617 PMCID: PMC7568481 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Caribbean coral reefs provide essential ecosystem services to society, including fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection from coastal erosion. However, these reefs are also exhibiting major declining trends, leading to the evolution of novel ecosystems dominated by non-reef building taxa, with potentially altered ecological functions. In the search for effective management strategies, this study characterized coral reefs in front of a touristic beach which provides economic benefits to the surrounding coastal communities yet faces increasing anthropogenic pressures and conservation challenges. Haphazard photo-transects were used to address spatial variation patterns in the reef’s benthic community structure in eight locations. Statistically significant differences were found with increasing distance from the shoreline, reef rugosity, Diadema antillarum density, among reef locations, and as a function of recreational use. Nearshore reefs reflected higher percent macroalgal cover, likely due to increased exposure from both recreational activities and nearby unsustainable land-use practices. However, nearshore reefs still support a high abundance of the endangered reef-building coral Orbicella annularis, highlighting the need to conserve these natural shoreline protectors. There is an opportunity for local stakeholders and regulatory institutions to collaboratively implement sea-urchin propagation, restoration of endangered Acroporid coral populations, and zoning of recreational densities across reefs. Our results illustrate vulnerable reef hotspots where these management interventions are needed and recommend guidelines to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás X Gómez-Andújar
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Sociedad Ambiente Marino, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Marine Resource Management, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Edwin A Hernandez-Delgado
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Sociedad Ambiente Marino, San Juan, Puerto Rico.,Center for Applied Tropical Ecology and Conservation, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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8
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Vercelloni J, Liquet B, Kennedy EV, González-Rivero M, Caley MJ, Peterson EE, Puotinen M, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Mengersen K. Forecasting intensifying disturbance effects on coral reefs. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:2785-2797. [PMID: 32115808 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Anticipating future changes of an ecosystem's dynamics requires knowledge of how its key communities respond to current environmental regimes. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is under threat, with rapid changes of its reef-building hard coral (HC) community structure already evident across broad spatial scales. While several underlying relationships between HC and multiple disturbances have been documented, responses of other benthic communities to disturbances are not well understood. Here we used statistical modelling to explore the effects of broad-scale climate-related disturbances on benthic communities to predict their structure under scenarios of increasing disturbance frequency. We parameterized a multivariate model using the composition of benthic communities estimated by 145,000 observations from the northern GBR between 2012 and 2017. During this time, surveyed reefs were variously impacted by two tropical cyclones and two heat stress events that resulted in extensive HC mortality. This unprecedented sequence of disturbances was used to estimate the effects of discrete versus interacting disturbances on the compositional structure of HC, soft corals (SC) and algae. Discrete disturbances increased the prevalence of algae relative to HC while the interaction between cyclones and heat stress was the main driver of the increase in SC relative to algae and HC. Predictions from disturbance scenarios included relative increases in algae versus SC that varied by the frequency and types of disturbance interactions. However, high uncertainty of compositional changes in the presence of several disturbances shows that responses of algae and SC to the decline in HC needs further research. Better understanding of the effects of multiple disturbances on benthic communities as a whole is essential for predicting the future status of coral reefs and managing them in the light of new environmental regimes. The approach we develop here opens new opportunities for reaching this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Vercelloni
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
- The Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Benoit Liquet
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, LMAP, Pau, France
| | - Emma V Kennedy
- The Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Manuel González-Rivero
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
- The Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - M Julian Caley
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Erin E Peterson
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Marji Puotinen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
- The Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Kerrie Mengersen
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Institute for Future Environments, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
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9
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Abstract
The concept of resilience has taken root in the discourse of environmental management, especially regarding Building with Nature strategies for embedding natural physical and ecological dynamics into engineered interventions in developed coastal zones. Resilience is seen as a desirable quality, and coastal management policy and practice are increasingly aimed at maximising it. Despite its ubiquity, resilience remains ambiguous and poorly defined in management contexts. What is coastal resilience? And what does it mean in settings where natural environmental dynamics have been supplanted by human-dominated systems? Here, we revisit the complexities of coastal resilience as a concept, a term, and a prospective goal for environmental management. We consider examples of resilience in natural and built coastal environments, and offer a revised, formal definition of coastal resilience with a holistic scope and emphasis on systemic functionality: “Coastal resilience is the capacity of the socioeconomic and natural systems in the coastal environment to cope with disturbances, induced by factors such as sea level rise, extreme events and human impacts, by adapting whilst maintaining their essential functions.” Against a backdrop of climate change impacts, achieving both socioeconomic and natural resilience in coastal environments in the long-term (>50 years) is very costly. Cost trade-offs among management aims and objectives mean that enhancement of socioeconomic resilience typically comes at the expense of natural resilience, and vice versa. We suggest that for practical purposes, optimising resilience might be a more realistic goal of coastal zone management.
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10
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Chambers JC, Allen CR, Cushman SA. Operationalizing Ecological Resilience Concepts for Managing Species and Ecosystems at Risk. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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11
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Genevier LGC, Jamil T, Raitsos DE, Krokos G, Hoteit I. Marine heatwaves reveal coral reef zones susceptible to bleaching in the Red Sea. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:2338-2351. [PMID: 30974020 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
As the Earth's temperature continues to rise, coral bleaching events become more frequent. Some of the most affected reef ecosystems are located in poorly monitored waters, and thus, the extent of the damage is unknown. We propose the use of marine heatwaves (MHWs) as a new approach for detecting coral reef zones susceptible to bleaching, using the Red Sea as a model system. Red Sea corals are exceptionally heat-resistant, yet bleaching events have increased in frequency. By applying a strict definition of MHWs on >30 year satellite-derived sea surface temperature observations (1985-2015), we provide an atlas of MHW hotspots over the Red Sea coral reef zones, which includes all MHWs that caused major coral bleaching. We found that: (a) if tuned to a specific set of conditions, MHWs identify all areas where coral bleaching has previously been reported; (b) those conditions extended farther and occurred more often than bleaching was reported; and (c) an emergent pattern of extreme warming events is evident in the northern Red Sea (since 1998), a region until now thought to be a thermal refuge for corals. We argue that bleaching in the Red Sea may be vastly underrepresented. Additionally, although northern Red Sea corals exhibit remarkably high thermal resistance, the rapidly rising incidence of MHWs of high intensity indicates this region may not remain a thermal refuge much longer. As our regionally tuned MHW algorithm was capable of isolating all extreme warming events that have led to documented coral bleaching in the Red Sea, we propose that this approach could be used to reveal bleaching-prone regions in other data-limited tropical regions. It may thus prove a highly valuable tool for policymakers to optimize the sustainable management of coastal economic zones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily G C Genevier
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Tahira Jamil
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Dionysios E Raitsos
- Remote Sensing Group, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George Krokos
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Hoteit
- Division of Physical Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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12
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Libralato S, Agnetta D. From ecological trade-offs to resilience: insights from exploited marine ecosystems. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coisb.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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13
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Rincón-Díaz MP, Pittman SJ, Arismendi I, Heppell SS. Functional diversity metrics detect spatio-temporal changes in the fish communities of a Caribbean marine protected area. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon J. Pittman
- Marine Spatial Ecology Division's Biogeography Branch; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; 1305 East-West Highway Silver Spring Maryland 20910 USA
- Marine Institute; Plymouth University; Drake Circus Plymouth Devon PL4 8AA UK
| | - Ivan Arismendi
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Selina S. Heppell
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
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14
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Rogers A, Blanchard JL, Newman SP, Dryden CS, Mumby PJ. High refuge availability on coral reefs increases the vulnerability of reef-associated predators to overexploitation. Ecology 2018; 99:450-463. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Rogers
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Goddard Building Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Julia L. Blanchard
- Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies and Centre for Marine Socioecology; University of Tasmania; 20 Castray Esplanade Hobart Tasmania 7004 Australia
| | - Steven P. Newman
- School of Marine Science and Technology; Newcastle University; Newcastle NE1 7RU UK
| | - Charlie S. Dryden
- School of Marine Science and Technology; Newcastle University; Newcastle NE1 7RU UK
| | - Peter J. Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies; School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Goddard Building Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
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15
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Abstract
Coral reefs support immense biodiversity and provide important ecosystem services to many millions of people. Yet reefs are degrading rapidly in response to numerous anthropogenic drivers. In the coming centuries, reefs will run the gauntlet of climate change, and rising temperatures will transform them into new configurations, unlike anything observed previously by humans. Returning reefs to past configurations is no longer an option. Instead, the global challenge is to steer reefs through the Anthropocene era in a way that maintains their biological functions. Successful navigation of this transition will require radical changes in the science, management and governance of coral reefs.
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16
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New Developments in the Classification, Pathogenesis, Risk Factors, Natural History, and Treatment of Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion. J Ophthalmol 2017; 2017:4936924. [PMID: 28386476 PMCID: PMC5366235 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4936924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
For years, branch retinal vein occlusion is still a controversial disease in many aspects. An increasing amount of data is available regarding classification, pathogenesis, risk factors, natural history, and therapy of branch retinal vein occlusion. Some of the conclusions may even change our impression of branch retinal vein occlusion. It will be beneficial for our doctors to get a deeper understanding of this disease and improve the treatment skills. The aims of this review is to collect the information above and report new ideas especially from the past a few years.
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