Corals at the Edge of Environmental Limits: A New Conceptual Framework to Re-Define Marginal and Extreme Coral Communities

Schoepf, Verena; Baumann, Justin H.; Barshis, Daniel J.; Camp, Emma F.; Comeau, Steeve; Cornwall, Christopher E.; Guzmán, Héctor M.; Riegl, Bernhard; Rodolfo‐Metalpa, Riccardo; Sommer, Brigitte

doi:10.2139/ssrn.4343592

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 152 publications

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“…In addition to river outflows, a seasonal upwelling reaches the Brazilian southeastern coast (~23° S) carrying cold and nutrient‐rich waters that can affect benthic communities and the ability of corals to thrive (Sumida et al., 2005). In such conditions, unfavourable for most coral species and characteristic of marginal reefs (Perry & Larcombe, 2003; Schoepf et al., 2023), the fauna is limited by their tolerance to lower temperatures, even though some typically tropical shallow‐water species can thrive, like Siderastrea stellata (Lima & Coutinho, 2016). It is difficult to foresee how the effectiveness of these potential barriers will be affected by climate change; nevertheless, such filters could be an important mechanism to prevent tropicalisation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Projected climate‐driven shifts in coral distribution indicate tropicalisation of Southwestern Atlantic reefs

Martello,

Bleuel,

Pennino

et al. 2024

Diversity and Distributions

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AimPredicting and acting on the future of ecosystems requires understanding species distribution shifts due to climate change. We investigated which corals are more likely to shift their distribution in the Southwestern Atlantic under a warming scenario.LocationSouthwestern Atlantic (SWA; 1° N–28° S).MethodsWe used spatial distribution models with a Bayesian approach to predict the current and future (2050 and 2100) coral occurrence probabilities of 12 zooxanthellate corals and hydrocorals under an intermediate scenario of increasing greenhouse gas emissions (RCP6.0) projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).ResultsWe found a decline in the occurrence probabilities of all 12 taxa within the tropics (1° N–20° S) and an increase towards subtropical sites (20–28° S) as early as 2050. The most significant declines are projected to occur between 9° S and 20° S, a region that currently hosts the richest reef complex in the South Atlantic, the Abrolhos bank. The imminent loss of suitable habitat in the tropics mostly threatens the Brazilian endemics and range restricted corals Mussismilia braziliensis and Mussismilia harttii, while more widely distributed taxa such as Siderastrea spp., Millepora spp. and Porites spp. are expected to expand their ranges southwards.Main ConclusionsThe projected declines in the tropical region are likely to reduce structural complexity causing biodiversity loss. The overall increase in occurrence probabilities in subtropical areas indicates tropicalisation of SWA reefs, which may benefit species already established in these areas and potentially enrich coral assemblages through the range expansion of taxa that currently do not occur in the region. These findings emphasise the need to support ecological corridors that could aid coral migration towards more suitable habitats under climate change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Projected climate‐driven shifts in coral distribution indicate tropicalisation of Southwestern Atlantic reefs

Martello,

Bleuel,

Pennino

et al. 2024

Diversity and Distributions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…While this approach has stirred division within conservation science, proponents argue that it might be “the only way to practically confront novel environmental regimes” [ 110 ]. The reef-of-tomorrow restoration approach provides a platform for reef sites with environmentally extreme conditions (e.g., tide pools, back reefs, CO 2 vent sites, lagoons, mangrove forests, high latitudes) to emerge as crucial areas for the long-term sustainability of the global coral reef ecosystem [ 111 ]. Although we recognize these ecosystems, and the corals supporting them, as natural resilience hotspots [ 104 , 112 ], their use as a stress-tolerant coral stock has yet to be fully integrated into active restoration efforts [ 104 ] or global conservation initiatives [ 113 ].…”

Section: Using Environmental Considerations To Innovate Restoration A...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While this approach has stirred division within conservation science, proponents argue that it might be "the only way to practically confront novel environmental regimes" [110]. The reef-of-tomorrow restoration approach provides a platform for reef sites with environmentally extreme conditions (e.g., tide pools, back reefs, CO 2 vent sites, lagoons, mangrove forests, high latitudes) to emerge as crucial areas for the long-term sustainability of the global coral reef ecosystem [111].…”

Section: The Identification Of Restoration Areas Where Environmental ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Including environmental and climatic considerations for sustainable coral reef restoration

Burdett,

Albright,

Foster

et al. 2024

PLoS Biol

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Coral reefs provide ecosystem benefits to millions of people but are threatened by rapid environmental change and ever-increasing human pressures. Restoration is becoming a priority strategy for coral reef conservation, yet implementation remains challenging and it is becoming increasingly apparent that indirect conservation and restoration approaches will not ensure the long-term sustainability of coral reefs. The important role of environmental conditions in restoration practice are currently undervalued, carrying substantial implications for restoration success. Giving paramount importance to environmental conditions, particularly during the pre-restoration planning phase, has the potential to bring about considerable improvements in coral reef restoration and innovation. This Essay argues that restoration risk may be reduced by adopting an environmentally aware perspective that gives historical, contemporary, and future context to restoration decisions. Such an approach will open up new restoration opportunities with improved sustainability that have the capacity to dynamically respond to environmental trajectories.

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“…This means there is no 'one size fits all' approach to reef management, with the goals of any management strategy dependent on how the specific ecosystem in question functions given the social and environmental context within which it exists (Bellwood et al 2019a;Williams et al 2019). Moreover, examining coral reefs in extreme and marginal contexts can yield key insights into how reefs operate outside typical domains, and may yield functionally informative insights that question widely held perceptions (although this is invariably dependent on how analogous marginal/extreme reefs are to disturbed coral reefs) (Burt et al 2020;Schoepf et al 2023;Tebbett et al 2023a). For example, the Galápagos Islands are renowned for their unique, endemic diversity.…”

Section: Future Outlook and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Studying functions on coral reefs: past perspectives, current conundrums, and future potential

Bellwood,

Brandl,

McWilliam

et al. 2024

Coral Reefs

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Function-based studies have opened a new chapter in our understanding of coral reefs. Unfortunately, we are opening this chapter as the world’s reefs rapidly transform. In this context, one of the most important roles of function-based studies is to inform coral reef conservation. At this critical juncture, we have a chance to reflect on where we have come from, and where we are going, in coral reef functional ecology, with specific consideration of what this means for our approaches to conserving reefs. As focal examples, we examine the role of corals on reefs, and the practice of culling crown-of-thorns starfish, from a functional perspective. We also consider how the papers in this special issue build on our current understanding. Ultimately, we highlight how robust scientific investigation, based on an understanding of ecosystem functions, will be key in helping us navigate reefs through the current coral reef crisis.

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Corals at the Edge of Environmental Limits: A New Conceptual Framework to Re-Define Marginal and Extreme Coral Communities

Cited by 4 publications

References 152 publications

Projected climate‐driven shifts in coral distribution indicate tropicalisation of Southwestern Atlantic reefs

Projected climate‐driven shifts in coral distribution indicate tropicalisation of Southwestern Atlantic reefs

Including environmental and climatic considerations for sustainable coral reef restoration

Studying functions on coral reefs: past perspectives, current conundrums, and future potential

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