One-third of reef-building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts.
The conservation status of 845 zooxanthellate reef-building coral species was assessed by using International Union for Conservation of Nature 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 that of most terrestrial groups. The Caribbean has the largest proportion of corals in high extinction risk categories, whereas 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.
Carpenter
Kent E
KE
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Species Programme Species Survival Commission (SSC), Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA. kcarpent@odu.edu
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Bruckner
Andrew
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Chiriboga
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JC
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GJ
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Alasdair J
AJ
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Douglas
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Guzmán
Héctor M
HM
Hoeksema
Bert W
BW
Hodgson
Gregor
G
Johan
Ofri
O
Licuanan
Wilfredo Y
WY
Livingstone
Suzanne R
SR
Lovell
Edward R
ER
Moore
Jennifer A
JA
Obura
David O
DO
Ochavillo
Domingo
D
Polidoro
Beth A
BA
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William F
WF
Quibilan
Miledel C
MC
Reboton
Clarissa
C
Richards
Zoe T
ZT
Rogers
Alex D
AD
Sanciangco
Jonnell
J
Sheppard
Anne
A
Sheppard
Charles
C
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Simon
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Turak
Emre
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D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D017691:Caribbean Region; D002980:Climate; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D053476:Extinction, Biological; D017752:Greenhouse Effect; D019156:Indian Ocean; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012623:Seawater; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature