Global trajectories of the long-term decline of coral reef ecosystems.
Degradation of coral reef ecosystems began centuries ago, but there is no global summary of the magnitude of change. We compiled records, extending back thousands of years, of the status and trends of seven major guilds of carnivores, herbivores, and architectural species from 14 regions. Large animals declined before small animals and architectural species, and Atlantic reefs declined before reefs in the Red Sea and Australia, but the trajectories of decline were markedly similar worldwide. All reefs were substantially degraded long before outbreaks of coral disease and bleaching. Regardless of these new threats, reefs will not survive without immediate protection from human exploitation over large spatial scales.
Pandolfi
John M
JM
Department of Paleobiology, MRC-121, National Museum of Natural History, Post Office Box 37012, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA. pandolfi.john@nmnh.si.edu
Bradbury
Roger H
RH
Sala
Enric
E
Hughes
Terence P
TP
Bjorndal
Karen A
KA
Cooke
Richard G
RG
McArdle
Deborah
D
McClenachan
Loren
L
Newman
Marah J H
MJ
Paredes
Gustavo
G
Warner
Robert R
RR
Jackson
Jeremy B C
JB
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000254:growth & development*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003469:Culture; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D011157:Population Dynamics; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D013997:Time Factors