Published

Credit: MCR LTER

Credit: MCR LTER

The diverse coral community on Moorea’s outer reefs has repeatedly shown a remarkable ability to recover rapidly following massive disturbances. In the last decade, a predator outbreak and cyclone devastated coral across the seascape, yet recovery was more rapid than has been observed anywhere in the world. Moorea Coral Reef LTER researchers have gained critical insights into the processes, connectivities, and feedbacks governing coral reef resilience. This has provided the basis for general management strategies to help restore and strengthen coral reef community resilience.

Learn more

  1. Comeau, S et al. 2015. Ocean acidification accelerates dissolution of experimental coral reef communities. Biogeosciences. doi: 10.5194/bg12-365-2015
  2. Comeau, S et al. 2016. Framework of barrier reefs threatened by ocean acidification. Global Change Biology. doi: 10.1111/gcb.13023
  3. Holbrook, SJ et al. 2018. Recruitment drives spatial variation in recovery rates of resilient coral reefs. Scientific Reports. doi: 10.1038/s41598- 018-25414-8

Contact

Russell Schmitt
schmitt@lifesci.ucsb.edu

Posted:  July 10, 2020