title: Water column productivity and temperature predict coral reef regeneration across the Indo-Pacific.
abstract: Predicted increases in seawater temperatures accelerate coral reef decline due to mortality by heat-driven coral bleaching. Alteration of the natural nutrient environment of reef corals reduces tolerance of corals to heat and light stress and thus will exacerbate impacts of global warming on reefs. Still, many reefs demonstrate remarkable regeneration from past stress events. This paper investigates the effects of sea surface temperature (SST) and water column productivity on recovery of coral reefs. In 71 Indo-Pacific sites, coral cover changes over the past 1-3 decades correlated negative-exponentially with mean SST, chlorophyll a, and SST rise. At six monitoring sites (Persian/Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, northern and southern Galápagos, Easter Island, Panama), over half of all corals were <31 years, implying that measured environmental variables indeed shaped populations and community. An Indo-Pacific-wide model suggests reefs in the northwest and central Indian Ocean, as well as the central west Pacific, are at highest risk of degradation, and those at high latitudes the least. The model pinpoints regions where coral reefs presently have the best chances for survival. However, reefs best buffered against temperature and nutrient effects are those that current studies suggest to be most at peril from future ocean acidification.
authors: National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Florida, USA.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Riegl
authors: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Florida, USA.
authors: P W
authors: PW
authors: Glynn
authors: Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Las Cruces, Chile.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Wieters
authors: National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Florida, USA.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Purkis
authors: National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, UK.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: d'Angelo
authors: National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, UK.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Wiedenmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000235:genetics; D000077194:Chlorophyll A; D057894:Coral Reefs; D017753:Ecosystem; D019156:Indian Ocean; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D009791:Oceanography; D010140:Pacific Ocean; D012038:Regeneration; D012623:Seawater; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002734:Chlorophyll; D000077194:Chlorophyll A
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