title: Improving the construction of functional models of alternative persistent states in coral reefs using insights from ongoing research programs: a discussion paper.
abstract: Extensive degradation of coral reefs makes it imperative to create functional models that demonstrate ecological processes which occur in alternative states that persist over time. These models provide important information that can help in decision making regarding management measures for both the prevention of further degradation and the recovery of these ecosystems. Development of these models requires identifying and testing the ecological processes that will impose the reduction of coral cover and, preferably, identifying the disturbance that triggers this phenomenon. For this reason, research programs are a useful tool which allows a focus on the production of information for modeling. It should start with survey investigations and tests of hypotheses concerning the cause of the reduction of coral cover. Subsequently, projects should be guided by the most probable hypotheses, focusing on one guild or functional group at a time until the "trigger" process which unleashed the disturbance is identified. Even if incomplete, these models already provide information for focusing management steps.
authors: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC Sala 220 Maracanã, 20559-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: igorcruz@gmail.com.
authors: Igor C S
authors: IC
authors: Cruz
authors: Departamento de Oceanografia, Instituto de Geociência, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, s/n - Federação, CEP 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil. Electronic address: kikuchi@ufba.br.
authors: Ruy K P
authors: RK
authors: Kikuchi
authors: Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC Sala 220 Maracanã, 20559-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: jcreed@uerj.br.
authors: Joel C
authors: JC
authors: Creed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D057894:Coral Reefs; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics
keywords: Alternative stable states; Anthropogenic impacts; Community shift; Community structure; Ecological relationships; Phase shift; Regime shift; Restoration ecology; Studies to ecosystem management