Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review
Increasing evidence suggests that coral reefs exposed to elevated turbidity may be more resilient to climate change impacts and serve as an important conservation hotspot. However, logistical difficulties in studying turbid environments have led to poor representation of these reef types within the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/6/251 |
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| author | Adi Zweifler (Zvifler) Michael O’Leary Kyle Morgan Nicola K. Browne |
| author_facet | Adi Zweifler (Zvifler) Michael O’Leary Kyle Morgan Nicola K. Browne |
| author_sort | Adi Zweifler (Zvifler) |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increasing evidence suggests that coral reefs exposed to elevated turbidity may be more resilient to climate change impacts and serve as an important conservation hotspot. However, logistical difficulties in studying turbid environments have led to poor representation of these reef types within the scientific literature, with studies using different methods and definitions to characterize turbid reefs. Here we review the geological origins and growth histories of turbid reefs from the Holocene (past), their current ecological and environmental states (present), and their potential responses and resilience to increasing local and global pressures (future). We classify turbid reefs using new descriptors based on their turbidity regime (persistent, fluctuating, transitional) and sources of sediment input (natural versus anthropogenic). Further, by comparing the composition, function and resilience of two of the most studied turbid reefs, Paluma Shoals Reef Complex, Australia (natural turbidity) and Singapore reefs (anthropogenic turbidity), we found them to be two distinct types of turbid reefs with different conservation status. As the geographic range of turbid reefs is expected to increase due to local and global stressors, improving our understanding of their responses to environmental change will be central to global coral reef conservation efforts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:37:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e65d2c5f955464291c7735c19e05e1c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:37:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e65d2c5f955464291c7735c19e05e1c2023-11-21T23:10:16ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182021-06-0113625110.3390/d13060251Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A ReviewAdi Zweifler (Zvifler)0Michael O’Leary1Kyle Morgan2Nicola K. Browne3School of Earth Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, AustraliaSchool of Earth Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, AustraliaAsian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, SingaporeSchool of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, AustraliaIncreasing evidence suggests that coral reefs exposed to elevated turbidity may be more resilient to climate change impacts and serve as an important conservation hotspot. However, logistical difficulties in studying turbid environments have led to poor representation of these reef types within the scientific literature, with studies using different methods and definitions to characterize turbid reefs. Here we review the geological origins and growth histories of turbid reefs from the Holocene (past), their current ecological and environmental states (present), and their potential responses and resilience to increasing local and global pressures (future). We classify turbid reefs using new descriptors based on their turbidity regime (persistent, fluctuating, transitional) and sources of sediment input (natural versus anthropogenic). Further, by comparing the composition, function and resilience of two of the most studied turbid reefs, Paluma Shoals Reef Complex, Australia (natural turbidity) and Singapore reefs (anthropogenic turbidity), we found them to be two distinct types of turbid reefs with different conservation status. As the geographic range of turbid reefs is expected to increase due to local and global stressors, improving our understanding of their responses to environmental change will be central to global coral reef conservation efforts.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/6/251turbiditycoral reefsedimentationclimate changeresilience |
| spellingShingle | Adi Zweifler (Zvifler) Michael O’Leary Kyle Morgan Nicola K. Browne Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review Diversity turbidity coral reef sedimentation climate change resilience |
| title | Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review |
| title_full | Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review |
| title_fullStr | Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review |
| title_short | Turbid Coral Reefs: Past, Present and Future—A Review |
| title_sort | turbid coral reefs past present and future a review |
| topic | turbidity coral reef sedimentation climate change resilience |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/6/251 |
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