Atypical weather patterns cause coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia during the 2021–2022 La Niña

McGowan, Hamish A.; Theobald, Alison

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33613-1

Cited by 13 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…While ENSO is geographically modulated by other ocean dipoles (e.g., Atlantic oscillation, Indian Ocean) (Houk et al, 2020;Krawczyk et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2017), the Pacific signal is dominant and El Niño warm phases have been related to global episodes of extreme heat stress since the 1970s, e.g., 1979-1980, 1997(Krawczyk et al, 2020Muñiz-Castillo et al, 2019;Lough et al, 2018;Le Nohaïc et al, 2017). As global warming progresses and oceans become significantly warmer, the incidence of mass bleaching is decoupling from the El Niño warm phase (Veron et al, 2009), with warmer conditions compared to 3 decades ago (McGowan and Theobald, 2023;Muñiz-Castillo et al, 2019). The global recurrence of bleaching has been reduced to an average of 6 years (Hughes et al, 2018), sooner than expected from climate models and satellite-based sea temperatures.…”

Section: Influences Of Enso On Warm-water Coral Reefsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate tipping point interactions and cascades: a review

Wunderling,

von der Heydt,

Aksenov

et al. 2024

Earth Syst. Dynam.

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Abstract. Climate tipping elements are large-scale subsystems of the Earth that may transgress critical thresholds (tipping points) under ongoing global warming, with substantial impacts on the biosphere and human societies. Frequently studied examples of such tipping elements include the Greenland Ice Sheet, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), permafrost, monsoon systems, and the Amazon rainforest. While recent scientific efforts have improved our knowledge about individual tipping elements, the interactions between them are less well understood. Also, the potential of individual tipping events to induce additional tipping elsewhere or stabilize other tipping elements is largely unknown. Here, we map out the current state of the literature on the interactions between climate tipping elements and review the influences between them. To do so, we gathered evidence from model simulations, observations, and conceptual understanding, as well as examples of paleoclimate reconstructions where multi-component or spatially propagating transitions were potentially at play. While uncertainties are large, we find indications that many of the interactions between tipping elements are destabilizing. Therefore, we conclude that tipping elements should not only be studied in isolation, but also more emphasis has to be put on potential interactions. This means that tipping cascades cannot be ruled out on centennial to millennial timescales at global warming levels between 1.5 and 2.0 ∘C or on shorter timescales if global warming surpassed 2.0 ∘C. At these higher levels of global warming, tipping cascades may then include fast tipping elements such as the AMOC or the Amazon rainforest. To address crucial knowledge gaps in tipping element interactions, we propose four strategies combining observation-based approaches, Earth system modeling expertise, computational advances, and expert knowledge.

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Section: Influences Of Enso On Warm-water Coral Reefsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate tipping point interactions and cascades: a review

Wunderling,

von der Heydt,

Aksenov

et al. 2024

Earth Syst. Dynam.

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“…'mass bleaching') (Hughes et al, 2018). Recently, in March 2022, a severe bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef affected 91% of reefs (McGowan & Theobald, 2023). While numerous environmental triggers can impair the coral-dinoflagellate symbiosis (Suggett & Smith, 2020), heat is the leading cause of mass coral bleaching (Hoegh-Guldberg, 1999), with elevated temperatures of only 1-2 C above the average summer maximum acting as a trigger (Brown, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Triggers, cascades, and endpoints: connecting the dots of coral bleaching mechanisms

Helgoe,

Davy,

Weis

et al. 2024

Biological Reviews

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The intracellular coral–dinoflagellate symbiosis is the engine that underpins the success of coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. However, the breakdown of the symbiosis and the loss of the microalgal symbiont (i.e. coral bleaching) due to environmental changes are resulting in the rapid degradation of coral reefs globally. There is an urgent need to understand the cellular physiology of coral bleaching at the mechanistic level to help develop solutions to mitigate the coral reef crisis. Here, at an unprecedented scope, we present novel models that integrate putative mechanisms of coral bleaching within a common framework according to the triggers (initiators of bleaching, e.g. heat, cold, light stress, hypoxia, hyposalinity), cascades (cellular pathways, e.g. photoinhibition, unfolded protein response, nitric oxide), and endpoints (mechanisms of symbiont loss, e.g. apoptosis, necrosis, exocytosis/vomocytosis). The models are supported by direct evidence from cnidarian systems, and indirectly through comparative evolutionary analyses from non‐cnidarian systems. With this approach, new putative mechanisms have been established within and between cascades initiated by different bleaching triggers. In particular, the models provide new insights into the poorly understood connections between bleaching cascades and endpoints and highlight the role of a new mechanism of symbiont loss, i.e. ‘symbiolysosomal digestion’, which is different from symbiophagy. This review also increases the approachability of bleaching physiology for specialists and non‐specialists by mapping the vast landscape of bleaching mechanisms in an atlas of comprehensible and detailed mechanistic models. We then discuss major knowledge gaps and how future research may improve the understanding of the connections between the diverse cascade of cellular pathways and the mechanisms of symbiont loss (endpoints).

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“…The devastating bushfire season of 2019-2020 destroyed millions of hectares of land, killed wildlife and livestock, and claimed several human lives [10][11][12]. Global warming also affects Australia's marine ecosystems, with rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification causing coral bleaching and other negative impacts on marine life [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Appraisal of Daily Temperature and Rainfall Events in the Context of Global Warming in South Australia

Ferrelli,

Pontrelli Albisetti,

Brendel

et al. 2024

Water

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In recent decades, there have been significant problems worldwide related to global warming and the intensification of extreme temperature and rainfall events. This research evaluated daily temperature and rainfall indices trends to identify whether warming signals have occurred in South Australia over the past fifty years. Extreme cold, hot, and rainfall events were calculated using climatic data from 37 weather stations. A Mann–Kendall test was used for trend analysis with Sen’s estimator. As a result, we determined that for the 1970–2021 period, the maximum and minimum temperatures increased by 1.1 and 0.7 °C, respectively, while precipitation had a negative trend (−52.2 mm per period). Since statistical significance was found in analysing extreme cold and hot events, we find that warming signals have several impacts on South Australia. In the case of rainfall events, we identified a heterogeneous pattern characterised by a reduction in the annual amount and an increase in extreme rainfall events. The findings enable us to conclude that the area shows signs of global warming that could affect the intensity and magnitude of droughts. This information is essential for continuing with current management strategies to adapt and mitigate the effects of global warming in South Australia.

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Atypical weather patterns cause coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia during the 2021–2022 La Niña

Cited by 13 publications

References 25 publications

Climate tipping point interactions and cascades: a review

Climate tipping point interactions and cascades: a review

Triggers, cascades, and endpoints: connecting the dots of coral bleaching mechanisms

Appraisal of Daily Temperature and Rainfall Events in the Context of Global Warming in South Australia

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