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Winslow EM, Speare KE, Adam TC, Burkepile DE, Hench JL, Lenihan HS. Corals survive severe bleaching event in refuges related to taxa, colony size, and water depth. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9006. [PMID: 38637581 PMCID: PMC11026537 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58980-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Marine heatwaves are increasing in frequency and duration, threatening tropical reef ecosystems through intensified coral bleaching events. We examined a strikingly variable spatial pattern of bleaching in Moorea, French Polynesia following a heatwave that lasted from November 2018 to July 2019. In July 2019, four months after the onset of bleaching, we surveyed > 5000 individual colonies of the two dominant coral genera, Pocillopora and Acropora, at 10 m and 17 m water depths, at six forereef sites around the island where temperature was measured. We found severe bleaching increased with colony size for both coral genera, but Acropora bleached more severely than Pocillopora overall. Acropora bleached more at 10 m than 17 m, likely due to higher light availability at 10 m compared to 17 m, or greater daily temperature fluctuation at depth. Bleaching in Pocillopora corals did not differ with depth but instead varied with the interaction of colony size and Accumulated Heat Stress (AHS), in that larger colonies (> 30 cm) were more sensitive to AHS than mid-size (10-29 cm) or small colonies (5-9 cm). Our findings provide insight into complex interactions among coral taxa, colony size, and water depth that produce high spatial variation in bleaching and related coral mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin M Winslow
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
| | - Kelly E Speare
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Thomas C Adam
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Deron E Burkepile
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - James L Hench
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA
| | - Hunter S Lenihan
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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2
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Prada C, López-Londoño T, Pollock FJ, Roitman S, Ritchie KB, Levitan DR, Knowlton N, Woodley C, Iglesias-Prieto R, Medina M. Linking photoacclimation responses and microbiome shifts between depth-segregated sibling species of reef corals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211591. [PMID: 35316949 PMCID: PMC8889182 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Metazoans host complex communities of microorganisms that include dinoflagellates, fungi, bacteria, archaea and viruses. Interactions among members of these complex assemblages allow hosts to adjust their physiology and metabolism to cope with environmental variation and occupy different habitats. Here, using reciprocal transplantation across depths, we studied adaptive divergence in the corals Orbicella annularis and O. franksi, two young species with contrasting vertical distribution in the Caribbean. When transplanted from deep to shallow, O. franksi experienced fast photoacclimation and low mortality, and maintained a consistent bacterial community. By contrast, O. annularis experienced high mortality and limited photoacclimation when transplanted from shallow to deep. The photophysiological collapse of O. annularis in the deep environment was associated with an increased microbiome variability and reduction of some bacterial taxa. Differences in the symbiotic algal community were more pronounced between coral species than between depths. Our study suggests that these sibling species are adapted to distinctive light environments partially driven by the algae photoacclimation capacity and the microbiome robustness, highlighting the importance of niche specialization in symbiotic corals for the maintenance of species diversity. Our findings have implications for the management of these threatened Caribbean corals and the effectiveness of coral reef restoration efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Prada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Tomás López-Londoño
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - F Joseph Pollock
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Nature Conservancy, Hawai'i and Palmyra Programs, 923 Nu'uanu Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96817, USA
| | - Sofia Roitman
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, 208 Mueller Lab, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kim B Ritchie
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of South Carolina Beaufort, 801 Carteret Street, Beaufort, SC 29906, USA
| | - Don R Levitan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Nancy Knowlton
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Cheryl Woodley
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | | | - Mónica Medina
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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3
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Ainsworth TD, Leggat W, Silliman BR, Lantz CA, Bergman JL, Fordyce AJ, Page CE, Renzi JJ, Morton J, Eakin CM, Heron SF. Rebuilding relationships on coral reefs: Coral bleaching knowledge-sharing to aid adaptation planning for reef users: Bleaching emergence on reefs demonstrates the need to consider reef scale and accessibility when preparing for, and responding to, coral bleaching. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100048. [PMID: 34351637 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Coral bleaching has impacted reefs worldwide and the predictions of near-annual bleaching from over two decades ago have now been realized. While technology currently provides the means to predict large-scale bleaching, predicting reef-scale and within-reef patterns in real-time for all reef users is limited. In 2020, heat stress across the Great Barrier Reef underpinned the region's third bleaching event in 5 years. Here we review the heterogeneous emergence of bleaching across Heron Island reef habitats and discuss the oceanographic drivers that underpinned variable bleaching emergence. We do so as a case study to highlight how reef end-user groups who engage with coral reefs in different ways require targeted guidance for how, and when, to alter their use of coral reefs in response to bleaching events. Our case study of coral bleaching emergence demonstrates how within-reef scale nowcasting of coral bleaching could aid the development of accessible and equitable bleaching response strategies on coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy D Ainsworth
- Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - William Leggat
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA
| | - Coulson A Lantz
- Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Jessica L Bergman
- Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alexander J Fordyce
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Charlotte E Page
- Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Juliana J Renzi
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA
| | - Joseph Morton
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA
| | - C Mark Eakin
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch, College Park, Maryland, USA
- Global Science and Technology, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
| | - Scott F Heron
- Physical Sciences and Marine Geophysics Laboratory, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
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4
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Cramer KL, Donovan MK, Jackson JBC, Greenstein BJ, Korpanty CA, Cook GM, Pandolfi JM. The transformation of Caribbean coral communities since humans. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10098-10118. [PMID: 34367562 PMCID: PMC8328467 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The mass die-off of Caribbean corals has transformed many of this region's reefs to macroalgal-dominated habitats since systematic monitoring began in the 1970s. Although attributed to a combination of local and global human stressors, the lack of long-term data on Caribbean reef coral communities has prevented a clear understanding of the causes and consequences of coral declines. We integrated paleoecological, historical, and modern survey data to track the occurrence of major coral species and life-history groups throughout the Caribbean from the prehuman period to the present. The regional loss of Acropora corals beginning by the 1960s from local human disturbances resulted in increases in the occurrence of formerly subdominant stress-tolerant and weedy scleractinian corals and the competitive hydrozoan Millepora beginning in the 1970s and 1980s. These transformations have resulted in the homogenization of coral communities within individual countries. However, increases in stress-tolerant and weedy corals have slowed or reversed since the 1980s and 1990s in tandem with intensified coral bleaching and disease. These patterns reveal the long history of increasingly stressful environmental conditions on Caribbean reefs that began with widespread local human disturbances and have recently culminated in the combined effects of local and global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L. Cramer
- Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - Mary K. Donovan
- Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science and School of Geographical Sciences and Urban PlanningArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - Jeremy B. C. Jackson
- Center for Biodiversity and Conservation and Department of PaleontologyAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryNew YorkNYUSA
| | | | - Chelsea A. Korpanty
- MARUM Center for Marine Environmental SciencesUniversity of BremenBremenGermany
| | - Geoffrey M. Cook
- Department of Biology and Health ScienceNew England CollegeHennikerNHUSA
| | - John M. Pandolfi
- Centre for Marine ScienceSchool of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesThe University of QueenslandSt LuciaQldAustralia
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5
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Sexual Reproduction of Scleractinian Corals in Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems vs. Shallow Reefs. CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-92735-0_35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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6
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MacDonald C, Jones GP, Bridge T. Marginal sinks or potential refuges? Costs and benefits for coral-obligate reef fishes at deep range margins. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1545. [PMID: 30404872 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Escalating climate-related disturbances and asymmetric habitat losses will increasingly result in species living in more marginal habitats. Marginal habitats may represent important refuges if individuals can acquire adequate resources to survive and reproduce. However, resources at range margins are often distributed more sparsely; therefore, increased effort to acquire resources can result in suboptimal performance and lead to marginal populations becoming non-self-sustaining sink-populations. Shifting resource availability is likely to be particularly problematic for dietary specialists. Here, we use extensive in situ behavioural observations and physiological condition measurements to examine the costs and benefits of resource-acquisition along a depth gradient in two obligate corallivore reef fishes with contrasting levels of dietary specialization. As expected, the space used to secure coral resources increased towards the lower depth margin. However, increased territory sizes resulted in equal or greater availability of resources within deeper territories. In addition, we observed decreased competition and no differences in foraging distance, pairing behaviour, body condition or fecundity at greater depths. Contrary to expectation, our results demonstrate that coral-obligate fishes can select high-quality coral patches on the deeper-reef to access equal or greater resources than their shallow-water counterparts, with no extra costs. This suggests depth offers a viable potential refuge for some at-risk coral-specialist fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chancey MacDonald
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia .,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - Geoffrey P Jones
- Marine Biology and Aquaculture Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia
| | - Tom Bridge
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Australia.,Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Museum of Tropical Queensland, Queensland Museum Network, 70-102 Flinders Street, Townsville 4810, Australia
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7
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Muir PR, Marshall PA, Abdulla A, Aguirre JD. Species identity and depth predict bleaching severity in reef-building corals: shall the deep inherit the reef? Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1551. [PMID: 29021175 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass bleaching associated with unusually high sea temperatures represents one of the greatest threats to corals and coral reef ecosystems. Deeper reef areas are hypothesized as potential refugia, but the susceptibility of Scleractinian species over depth has not been quantified. During the most severe bleaching event on record, we found up to 83% of coral cover severely affected on Maldivian reefs at a depth of 3-5 m, but significantly reduced effects at 24-30 m. Analysis of 153 species' responses showed depth, shading and species identity had strong, significant effects on susceptibility. Overall, 73.3% of the shallow-reef assemblage had individuals at a depth of 24-30 m with reduced effects, potentially mitigating local extinction and providing a source of recruits for population recovery. Although susceptibility was phylogenetically constrained, species-level effects caused most lineages to contain some partially resistant species. Many genera showed wide variation between species, including Acropora, previously considered highly susceptible. Extinction risk estimates showed species and lineages of concern and those likely to dominate following repeated events. Our results show that deeper reef areas provide refuge for a large proportion of Scleractinian species during severe bleaching events and that the deepest occurring individuals of each population have the greatest potential to survive and drive reef recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Muir
- Biodiversity, Queensland Museum, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia .,Global Change Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Paul A Marshall
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia.,Reef Ecologic, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ameer Abdulla
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - J David Aguirre
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, Auckland 4474, New Zealand
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8
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Montero-Serra I, Linares C, Doak DF, Ledoux JB, Garrabou J. Strong linkages between depth, longevity and demographic stability across marine sessile species. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2017.2688. [PMID: 29491172 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the role of the environment in shaping the evolution of life histories remains a major challenge in ecology and evolution. We synthesize longevity patterns of marine sessile species and find strong positive relationships between depth and maximum lifespan across multiple sessile marine taxa, including corals, bivalves, sponges and macroalgae. Using long-term demographic data on marine sessile and terrestrial plant species, we show that extreme longevity leads to strongly dampened population dynamics. We also used detailed analyses of Mediterranean red coral, with a maximum lifespan of 532 years, to explore the life-history patterns of long-lived taxa and the vulnerability to external mortality sources that these characteristics can create. Depth-related environmental gradients-including light, food availability, temperature and disturbance intensity-drive highly predictable distributions of life histories that, in turn, have predictable ecological consequences for the dynamics of natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Montero-Serra
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Linares
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - D F Doak
- Environmental Studies Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - J B Ledoux
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - J Garrabou
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.,Aix-Marseille University, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Université de Toulon, CNRS/IRD, Marseille, France
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9
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27 years of benthic and coral community dynamics on turbid, highly urbanised reefs off Singapore. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36260. [PMID: 27824083 PMCID: PMC5099948 DOI: 10.1038/srep36260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Coral cover on reefs is declining globally due to coastal development, overfishing and climate change. Reefs isolated from direct human influence can recover from natural acute disturbances, but little is known about long term recovery of reefs experiencing chronic human disturbances. Here we investigate responses to acute bleaching disturbances on turbid reefs off Singapore, at two depths over a period of 27 years. Coral cover declined and there were marked changes in coral and benthic community structure during the first decade of monitoring at both depths. At shallower reef crest sites (3–4 m), benthic community structure recovered towards pre-disturbance states within a decade. In contrast, there was a net decline in coral cover and continuing shifts in community structure at deeper reef slope sites (6–7 m). There was no evidence of phase shifts to macroalgal dominance but coral habitats at deeper sites were replaced by unstable substrata such as fine sediments and rubble. The persistence of coral dominance at chronically disturbed shallow sites is likely due to an abundance of coral taxa which are tolerant to environmental stress. In addition, high turbidity may interact antagonistically with other disturbances to reduce the impact of thermal stress and limit macroalgal growth rates.
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10
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Coral community response to bleaching on a highly disturbed reef. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20717. [PMID: 26876092 PMCID: PMC4753424 DOI: 10.1038/srep20717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
While many studies of coral bleaching report on broad, regional scale responses, fewer examine variation in susceptibility among coral taxa and changes in community structure, before, during and after bleaching on individual reefs. Here we report in detail on the response to bleaching by a coral community on a highly disturbed reef site south of mainland Singapore before, during and after a major thermal anomaly in 2010. To estimate the capacity for resistance to thermal stress, we report on: a) overall bleaching severity during and after the event, b) differences in bleaching susceptibility among taxa during the event, and c) changes in coral community structure one year before and after bleaching. Approximately two thirds of colonies bleached, however, post-bleaching recovery was quite rapid and, importantly, coral taxa that are usually highly susceptible were relatively unaffected. Although total coral cover declined, there was no significant change in coral taxonomic community structure before and after bleaching. Several factors may have contributed to the overall high resistance of corals at this site including Symbiodinium affiliation, turbidity and heterotrophy. Our results suggest that, despite experiencing chronic anthropogenic disturbances, turbid shallow reef communities may be remarkably resilient to acute thermal stress.
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