Underlying drivers of coral reef vulnerability to bleaching in the Mesoamerican Reef.

Autor: Muñiz-Castillo AI; Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Mérida, 97310, Yucatán, Mexico. israel@healthyreefs.org.; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Puerto Morelos, Mexico. israel@healthyreefs.org., Rivera-Sosa A; Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Mérida, 97310, Yucatán, Mexico., McField M; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Fort Lauderdale, USA. mcfield@healthyreefs.org.; Smithsonian Marine Station, Smithsonian Institution, Fort Pierce, 34949, FL, USA. mcfield@healthyreefs.org., Chollett I; Sea Cottage, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, Ireland., Eakin CM; Corals and Climate, Silver Spring, 20904, MD, USA., Enríquez S; Laboratorio de Fotobiología. Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales Puerto Morelos, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cancun, 77500, Quintana Roo, Mexico., Giró A; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Guatemala City, Guatemala., Drysdale I; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Tegucigalpa, Honduras., Rueda M; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Puerto Morelos, Mexico., Soto M; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Puerto Morelos, Mexico., Craig N; Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, Belmopan, Belize., Arias-González JE; Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos, Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Mérida, 97310, Yucatán, Mexico. earias@cinvestav.mx.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Communications biology [Commun Biol] 2024 Nov 06; Vol. 7 (1), pp. 1452. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Nov 06.
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-07128-y
Abstrakt: Coral bleaching, a consequence of stressed symbiotic relationships between corals and algae, has escalated due to intensified heat stress events driven by climate change. Despite global efforts, current early warning systems lack local precision. Our study, spanning 2015-2017 in the Mesoamerican Reef, revealed prevalent intermediate bleaching, peaking in 2017. By scrutinizing 23 stress exposure and sensitivity metrics, we accurately predicted 75% of bleaching severity variation. Notably, distinct thermal patterns-particularly the climatological seasonal warming rate and various heat stress metrics-emerged as better predictors compared to conventional indices (such as Degree Heating Weeks). Surprisingly, deeper reefs with diverse coral communities showed heightened vulnerability. This study presents a framework for coral reef bleaching vulnerability assessment, leveraging accessible data (including historical and real-time sea surface temperature, habitat variables, and species composition). Its operational potential lies in seamless integration with existing monitoring systems, offering crucial insights for conservation and management.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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