One-Third of Reef-Building Corals Face Elevated Extinction Risk from Climate Change and Local Impacts

Abstract

The conservation status of 845 zooxanthellate reefbuilding coral species have been assessed using IUCN Red List Criteria. Of the 704 species that could be assigned conservation status, 32.8% are in categories with elevated risk of extinction. Declines in abundance are associated with bleaching and diseases driven by elevated sea surface temperatures, with extinction risk further exacerbated by local-scale anthropogenic disturbances. The proportion of corals threatened with extinction has increased dramatically in recent decades and exceeds most terrestrial groups. The Caribbean has the largest proportion of corals in high extinction risk categories while the Coral Triangle (western Pacific) has the highest proportion of species in all categories of elevated extinction risk. Our results emphasize the widespread plight of coral reefs and the urgent need to enact conservation measures.Coral reefs harbor the highest concentration of marine biodiversity. They have high esthetic, recreational and resource values that have prompted close scientific scrutiny, including long-term monitoring (1, 2) and face increasing threats at local and global scales. Globally, rapid build-up of carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere is leading to both rising sea surface temperatures (with an increased likelihood of mass coral bleaching and mortality) and acidification (8). Ocean acidification is reducing ocean carbonate ion concentrations and the ability of corals to build skeletons (9). Local threats include human disturbances such as increased coastal development, sedimentation resulting poor land-use and watershed management, sewage discharges, nutrient loading and eutrophication from agrochemicals, coral mining, and over fishing (1-7). Local anthropogenic impacts reduce the resilience of corals to withstand global threats, resulting in a

Macroalgal terpenes function as allelopathic agents against reef corals

“…1) (18). Despite some inconsistencies associated with taxonomic relatedness (see responses of A. millepora vs. M. digitata, both in the family Acroporidae, to algal contact), these differences in coral sensitivity to algal allelopathy parallel the differing tolerances of the genera Acropora and Porites to climate-induced bleaching and mirror the high extinction risk of Acropora and stability of Porites at a global scale (31). Therefore, differential effects of macroalgae on corals may reinforce trajectories of coral decline initially produced by large-scale disturbance.…”

Faunal breaks and species composition of Indo-Pacific corals: the role of plate tectonics, environment and habitat distribution

“…We evaluated this expectation using three species traits: depth range, wave exposure tolerance and turbidity tolerance. Depth range was measured in 10 m increments from 0-10 m to more than 50 m, after Carpenter et al [44]. Wave and turbidity tolerance were collated from Diaz & Madin [45].…”

Phylogeographic mitogenomics of Atlantic codGadus morhua: Variation in and among trans‐Atlantic, trans‐Laurentian, Northern cod, and landlocked fjord populations

“…Genetic structure can be influenced by a number of factors including habitat loss, changes to environmental conditions, overexploitation, and the introduction of invasive species (Frankham, 1995; Wilson, 1988). The marine environment has been particularly impacted by overexploitation and environmental change (Alheit & Hagen, 1997; Carpenter et al., 2008; Hoelzel, 1999; Lluch‐Belda et al., 1992; Schultz, Baker, Toonen, & Bowen, 2009). For example, the most recent Pleistocene glaciations (ca.…”