title: Environmental triggers for primary outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
abstract: In this paper, we postulate a unique environmental triggering sequence for primary outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS, Acanthaster planci) on the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR, Australia). Notably, we extend the previous terrestrial runoff hypothesis, viz. nutrient-enriched terrestrial runoff → elevated phytoplankton 'bloom' concentrations → enhanced COTS larval survival, to include the additional importance of strong larvae retention around reefs or within reef groups (clusters) that share enhanced phytoplankton concentrations. For the central GBR, this scenario is shown to occur when El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) linked hydrodynamic conditions cause the 'regional' larval connectivity network to fragment into smaller 'local' reef clusters due to low ocean current velocities. As inter-annual variations in hydrodynamic circulation patterns are not amenable to direct management intervention, the ability to reduce the future frequency of COTS outbreaks on the central GBR is shown to be contingent on reducing terrestrial bioavailable nutrient loads ~20-40%.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, JCU, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville MC, QLD 4810, Australia. Electronic address: swooldri23@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wooldridge
authors.affiliation: Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, JCU, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.
authors.forename: Jon E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Brodie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D057894:Coral Reefs; D017753:Ecosystem; D059000:El Nino-Southern Oscillation; D007814:Larva; D009026:Mortality; D010839:Phytoplankton; D013215:Starfish / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Acanthaster planci; Cluster coefficient; Connectivity; Graph theory; Water quality