scholarly journals A global map of human pressures on tropical coral reefs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Andrello ◽  
Emily S. Darling ◽  
Amelia Wenger ◽  
Andrés F. Suárez‐Castro ◽  
Sharla Gelfand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Tropical Coral

scholarly journals A contemporary baseline record of the world’s coral reefs

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Rodriguez-Ramirez ◽  
Manuel González-Rivero ◽  
Oscar Beijbom ◽  
Christophe Bailhache ◽  
Pim Bongaerts ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Significant Contribution ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Spatially Explicit ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
Tropical Coral ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Tropical Coral Reef ◽  
Proportional Cover

Abstract Addressing the global decline of coral reefs requires effective actions from managers, policymakers and society as a whole. Coral reef scientists are therefore challenged with the task of providing prompt and relevant inputs for science-based decision-making. Here, we provide a baseline dataset, covering 1300 km of tropical coral reef habitats globally, and comprised of over one million geo-referenced, high-resolution photo-quadrats analysed using artificial intelligence to automatically estimate the proportional cover of benthic components. The dataset contains information on five major reef regions, and spans 2012–2018, including surveys before and after the 2016 global bleaching event. The taxonomic resolution attained by image analysis, as well as the spatially explicit nature of the images, allow for multi-scale spatial analyses, temporal assessments (decline and recovery), and serve for supporting image recognition developments. This standardised dataset across broad geographies offers a significant contribution towards a sound baseline for advancing our understanding of coral reef ecology and thereby taking collective and informed actions to mitigate catastrophic losses in coral reefs worldwide.

Harmful algae on tropical coral reefs: Bottom-up eutrophication and top-down herbivory

Harmful Algae ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 565-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark M. Littler ◽  
Diane S. Littler ◽  
Barrett L. Brooks
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Harmful Algae ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Tropical Coral

Status of health and conservation classification of tropical coral reefs in Lakshadweep archipelago

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Gopi ◽  
J. Joyson Joe Jeevamani ◽  
S. Goutham ◽  
Nina Tabitha Simon ◽  
V. Deepak Samuel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Tropical Coral ◽  
Lakshadweep Archipelago

scholarly journals Differential climate impacts for policy-relevant limits to global warming: the case of 1.5 °C and 2 °C

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 2447-2505 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.-F. Schleussner ◽  
T. K. Lissner ◽  
E. M. Fischer ◽  
J. Wohland ◽  
M. Perrette ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Global Mean Temperature ◽  
Mean Temperature ◽  
Tropical Coral ◽  
Agricultural Yields ◽  
Global Mean

Abstract. Robust appraisals of climate impacts at different levels of global-mean temperature increase are vital to guide assessments of dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Currently, two such levels are discussed in the context of the international climate negotiations as long-term global temperature goals: a below 2 °C and a 1.5 °C limit in global-mean temperature rise above pre-industrial levels. Despite the prominence of these two temperature limits, a comprehensive assessment of the differences in climate impacts at these levels is still missing. Here we provide an assessment of key impacts of climate change at warming levels of 1.5 °C and 2 °C, including extreme weather events, water availability, agricultural yields, sea-level rise and risk of coral reef loss. Our results reveal substantial differences in impacts between 1.5 °C and 2 °C. For heat-related extremes, the additional 0.5 °C increase in global-mean temperature marks the difference between events at the upper limit of present-day natural variability and a new climate regime, particularly in tropical regions. Similarly, this warming difference is likely to be decisive for the future of tropical coral reefs. In a scenario with an end-of-century warming of 2 °C, virtually all tropical coral reefs are projected to be at risk of severe degradation due to temperature induced bleaching from 2050 onwards. This fraction is reduced to about 90 % in 2050 and projected to decline to 70 % by 2100 for a 1.5 °C scenario. Analyses of precipitation-related impacts reveal distinct regional differences and several hot-spots of change emerge. Regional reduction in median water availability for the Mediterranean is found to nearly double from 9 to 17 % between 1.5 °C and 2 °C, and the projected lengthening of regional dry spells increases from 7 % longer to 11 %. Projections for agricultural yields differ between crop types as well as world regions. While some (in particular high-latitude) regions may benefit, tropical regions like West Africa, South-East Asia, as well as Central and Northern South America are projected to face local yield reductions, particularly for wheat and maize. Best estimate sea-level rise projections based on two illustrative scenarios indicate a 50 cm rise by 2100 relative to year 2000-levels under a 2 °C warming, which is about 10 cm lower for a 1.5 °C scenario. Our findings highlight the importance of regional differentiation to assess future climate risks as well as different vulnerabilities to incremental increases in global-mean temperature. The article provides a consistent and comprehensive assessment of existing projections and a solid foundation for future work on refining our understanding of warming-level dependent climate impacts.

scholarly journals Modelling the effects of destructive fishing practices on tropical coral reefs

1993 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
SB Saila ◽  
VLj Kocic ◽  
JW McManus
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Tropical Coral ◽  
Fishing Practices ◽  
Destructive Fishing

scholarly journals Increasing thermal stress for tropical coral reefs: 1871–2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Lough ◽  
K. D. Anderson ◽  
T. P. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Stress ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Tropical Coral

scholarly journals A possible link between coral reef success, crustose coralline algae and the evolution of herbivory

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Teichert ◽  
Manuel Steinbauer ◽  
Wolfgang Kiessling
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Coralline Algae ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Crustose Coralline Algae ◽  
Coralline Red Algae ◽  
Potential Capacity ◽  
Morphological Adaptations ◽  
Geological Past ◽  
Tropical Coral ◽  
Negative Effect

Abstract Crustose coralline red algae (CCA) play a key role in the consolidation of many modern tropical coral reefs. It is unclear, however, if their function as reef consolidators was equally pronounced in the geological past. Using a comprehensive database on ancient reefs, we show a strong correlation between the presence of CCA and the formation of true coral reefs throughout the last 150 Ma. We investigated if repeated breakdowns in the potential capacity of CCA to spur reef development were associated with sea level, ocean temperature, CO2 concentration, CCA species diversity, and/or the evolution of major herbivore groups. Model results show that the correlation between the occurrence of CCA and the development of true coral reefs increased with CCA diversity and cooler ocean temperatures while the diversification of herbivores had a transient negative effect. The evolution of novel herbivore groups compromised the interaction between CCA and true reef growth at least three times in the investigated time interval. These crises have been overcome by morphological adaptations of CCA.

scholarly journals Temporal and spatial variability in vessel noise on tropical coral reefs

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxwell B. Kaplan ◽  
T. Aran Mooney ◽  
Marc O. Lammers ◽  
Eden Zang
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Temporal And Spatial Variability ◽  
Tropical Coral ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Vessel Noise
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