Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs
Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the persistence of coral reefs. Sustained and ongoing increases in ocean temperatures and acidification are altering the structure and function of reefs globally. Here, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of the effects of climate change...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2016-05-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/8/2/12 |
| _version_ | 1811263948518850560 |
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| author | Andrew S. Hoey Emily Howells Jacob L. Johansen Jean-Paul A. Hobbs Vanessa Messmer Dominique M. McCowan Shaun K. Wilson Morgan S. Pratchett |
| author_facet | Andrew S. Hoey Emily Howells Jacob L. Johansen Jean-Paul A. Hobbs Vanessa Messmer Dominique M. McCowan Shaun K. Wilson Morgan S. Pratchett |
| author_sort | Andrew S. Hoey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change is one of the greatest threats to the persistence of coral reefs. Sustained and ongoing increases in ocean temperatures and acidification are altering the structure and function of reefs globally. Here, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of the effects of climate change on scleractinian corals and reef fish. Although there is considerable among-species variability in responses to increasing temperature and seawater chemistry, changing temperature regimes are likely to have the greatest influence on the structure of coral and fish assemblages, at least over short–medium timeframes. Recent evidence of increases in coral bleaching thresholds, local genetic adaptation and inheritance of heat tolerance suggest that coral populations may have some capacity to respond to warming, although the extent to which these changes can keep pace with changing environmental conditions is unknown. For coral reef fishes, current evidence indicates increasing seawater temperature will be a major determinant of future assemblages, through both habitat degradation and direct effects on physiology and behaviour. The effects of climate change are, however, being compounded by a range of anthropogenic disturbances, which may undermine the capacity of coral reef organisms to acclimate and/or adapt to specific changes in environmental conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:55:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6590baa5a68643d4be549872bbabf8c3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T19:55:38Z |
| publishDate | 2016-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-6590baa5a68643d4be549872bbabf8c32022-12-22T03:18:41ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182016-05-01821210.3390/d8020012d8020012Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral ReefsAndrew S. Hoey0Emily Howells1Jacob L. Johansen2Jean-Paul A. Hobbs3Vanessa Messmer4Dominique M. McCowan5Shaun K. Wilson6Morgan S. Pratchett7ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, AustraliaCenter for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAEDepartment of Marine Science, University of Texas, Port Aransas, TX 78373-5015, USADepartment of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Bentley WA 6102, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, AustraliaMarine Science Program, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Kensington WA 6151, AustraliaARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, AustraliaClimate change is one of the greatest threats to the persistence of coral reefs. Sustained and ongoing increases in ocean temperatures and acidification are altering the structure and function of reefs globally. Here, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of the effects of climate change on scleractinian corals and reef fish. Although there is considerable among-species variability in responses to increasing temperature and seawater chemistry, changing temperature regimes are likely to have the greatest influence on the structure of coral and fish assemblages, at least over short–medium timeframes. Recent evidence of increases in coral bleaching thresholds, local genetic adaptation and inheritance of heat tolerance suggest that coral populations may have some capacity to respond to warming, although the extent to which these changes can keep pace with changing environmental conditions is unknown. For coral reef fishes, current evidence indicates increasing seawater temperature will be a major determinant of future assemblages, through both habitat degradation and direct effects on physiology and behaviour. The effects of climate change are, however, being compounded by a range of anthropogenic disturbances, which may undermine the capacity of coral reef organisms to acclimate and/or adapt to specific changes in environmental conditions.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/8/2/12adaptationacclimatizationthermal bleachingocean acidificationnovel ecosystemdistorted food webs |
| spellingShingle | Andrew S. Hoey Emily Howells Jacob L. Johansen Jean-Paul A. Hobbs Vanessa Messmer Dominique M. McCowan Shaun K. Wilson Morgan S. Pratchett Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs Diversity adaptation acclimatization thermal bleaching ocean acidification novel ecosystem distorted food webs |
| title | Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs |
| title_full | Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs |
| title_fullStr | Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs |
| title_short | Recent Advances in Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Coral Reefs |
| title_sort | recent advances in understanding the effects of climate change on coral reefs |
| topic | adaptation acclimatization thermal bleaching ocean acidification novel ecosystem distorted food webs |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/8/2/12 |
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