Morphological traits can track coral reef responses to the Anthropocene

Zawada, Kyle J. A.; Madin, Joshua S.; Baird, Andrew H.; Bridge, Tom C. L.; Dornelas, María

doi:10.1111/1365-2435.13358

Cited by 67 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…However, a focus on coral cover alone can mask important changes to reef composition and diversity. These shifts can have major consequences for the trait composition of assemblages [30][31][32], potentially affecting ecosystem functions such as carbonate accretion or the provision of habitat structure [33,34]. Analysis of species-level abundances and functional traits over years and decades is, therefore, required to reveal the capacity for response diversity to maintain reef functional composition as vulnerable species decline.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deficits in functional trait diversity following recovery on coral reefs

et al. 2020

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The disturbance regimes of ecosystems are changing, and prospects for continued recovery remain unclear. New assemblages with altered species composition may be deficient in key functional traits. Alternatively, important traits may be sustained by species that replace those in decline (response diversity). Here, we quantify the recovery and response diversity of coral assemblages using case studies of disturbance in three locations. Despite return trajectories of coral cover, the original assemblages with diverse functional attributes failed to recover at each location. Response diversity and the reassembly of trait space was limited, and varied according to biogeographic differences in the attributes of dominant, rapidly recovering species. The deficits in recovering assemblages identified here suggest that the return of coral cover cannot assure the reassembly of reef trait diversity, and that shortening intervals between disturbances can limit recovery among functionally important species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deficits in functional trait diversity following recovery on coral reefs

et al. 2020

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“…Coral mortality ranged from 50% to 75% on Lizard Island after the 2016 coral bleaching (Hughes et al, ), dramatically altering the structure and composition of these coral assemblages (Álvarez‐Noriega et al, ; Madin et al, ). It should be noted that the loss of live coral cover prior to the onset of our study (Zawada, Madin, et al, ) means that it was not representative of a baseline state.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Ontogenetic differences in reef fishes’ responses to changes in coral convexity is a likely consequence of greater reliance of juvenile than adult fishes on complex habitats for protection from predators (Almany, ; Connell & Jones, ). The consecutive coral bleaching events at Lizard Island led to significant loss of complex coral colonies (Zawada, Madin, et al, ), in turn reducing the availability of suitable recruitment habitat and refuge area for reef fishes with a consequent increase in juvenile predation rates (Ault & Johnson, ; McCormick, Chivers, Allan, & Ferrari, ). Fishes in their early‐life stages are extremely prone to predation, with daily mortality rates reaching over 60% for new recruits (Goatley & Bellwood, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In accordance, we hypothesized a disproportionate effect among small‐bodied reef fishes and in early‐life stages to shifts in coral convexity at the assemblage scale due to these groups’ high vulnerability to predation and constrained mobility (Nash, Welsh, Graham, & Bellwood, ; Welsh, Goatley, & Bellwood, ). Although our study system previously suffered a localized loss of live coral following two cyclones, a widespread morphological shift in coral assemblages has occurred after a severe bleaching event in 2016 (Zawada, Madin, Baird, Bridge, & Dornelas, ). In this light, we were able to test whether changes in the fine‐scale morphological makeup of remaining live corals affect reef fish assemblage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate‐driven shift in coral morphological structure predicts decline of juvenile reef fishes

Fontoura

Zawada

D’agata

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

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Rapid intensification of environmental disturbances has sparked widespread decline and compositional shifts in foundation species in ecosystems worldwide. Now, an emergent challenge is to understand the consequences of shifts and losses in such habitat‐forming species for associated communities and ecosystem processes. Recently, consecutive coral bleaching events shifted the morphological makeup of habitat‐forming coral assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Considering the disparity of coral morphological growth forms in shelter provision for reef fishes, we investigated how shifts in the morphological structure of coral assemblages affect the abundance of juvenile and adult reef fishes. We used a temporal dataset from shallow reefs in the northern GBR to estimate coral convexity (a fine‐scale quantitative morphological trait) and two widely used coral habitat descriptors (coral cover and reef rugosity) for disentangling the effects of coral morphology on reef fish assemblages. Changes in coral convexity, rather than live coral cover or reef rugosity, disproportionately affected juvenile reef fishes when compared to adults, and explained more than 20% of juvenile decline. The magnitude of this effect varied by fish body size with juveniles of small‐bodied species showing higher vulnerability to changes in coral morphology. Our findings suggest that continued large‐scale shifts in the relative abundance of morphological groups within coral assemblages are likely to affect population replenishment and dynamics of future reef fish communities. The different responses of juvenile and adult fishes according to habitat descriptors indicate that focusing on coarse‐scale metrics alone may mask fine‐scale ecological responses that are key to understand ecosystem functioning and resilience. Nonetheless, quantifying coral morphological traits may contribute to forecasting the structure of reef fish communities on novel reef ecosystems shaped by climate change.

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“…The works highlight some common changes occurring to coral reefs in the Anthropocene that are challenging their historical functional role. Under intense bleaching‐induced coral mortality, coral assemblages are becoming morphologically less diverse and dominated by taxa with a higher morphological “compactness” (Zwada, Madin, Baird, Bridge, & Dornelas, ). Concurrently, reductions in carbonate production and reef accretion are occurring that, in combination with bioerosion, are resulting in net‐erosional states and the flattening of reef seascapes (Perry & Alvarez‐Filip, ).…”

Section: Unravelling the Anthropocene For Coral Reefs From A Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rethinking coral reef functional futures

Williams

Graham

2019

Functional Ecology

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Tropical coral reefs currently face an unprecedented restructuring since their extant form and function emerged ~24 million years ago in the early Neogene. They have entered the Anthropocene—an epoch where humans have become the dominant force of planetary change. Human impacts on and interactions with coral reefs are escalating across multiple trophic levels and scales, but we have a rudimentary understanding of what this means for their functional ecology. The overall goal of this special feature is to unpack what the Anthropocene means for the functional ecology of coral reefs, laying the foundations for new approaches and research directions in coral reef science. The collection describes the functional changes and novel dynamics that characterise Anthropocene reefs, from variations in their taxonomy and geology through to the resulting shifts in ecosystem services they provide to humanity. Common changes to coral reefs are occurring that are challenging their historical functional role. These include reductions in benthic calcifiers and declining carbonate production, and benthic assemblage shifts leading to a loss of structural complexity and flattening of reef seascapes. As reefs as we know them are lost from some locations, range extensions and the “tropicalisation” of temperate locations present novel ecosystem configurations that are challenging ecological paradigms and our historical approach to ecosystem management. Hindering our progress, however, is a “functionality crisis.” Coral reef functional ecology to date has lacked a clear and universal definition of the term “function,” and many assumed links between taxa and reef processes lack empirical evidence. Moving forward, we must establish causal links between functional traits, the species that possess them, and specific ecosystem processes if we are to successfully manage Anthropocene reefs. The functional space coral reefs occupy has arguably widened, presenting ethical challenges surrounding the increasingly interventionist management practices required to achieve particular functional endpoints. For us to steer coral reefs towards a desirable functional future will require a more mechanistic understanding between ecosystem attributes and the provision of services, acknowledging that such services are coproduced by the ecosystem and society. Ultimately, this era in coral reef ecology requires a new approach to coral reef science, one that addresses the complex socio‐ecological nature of coral reefs. These works outline a path ahead for defining and studying the functional ecology of coral reefs, drive debate as to what we want their functional future to look like and call for ecosystem function to be at the heart of managing coral reef futures during this period of rapid transition.

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Morphological traits can track coral reef responses to the Anthropocene

Cited by 67 publications

References 77 publications

Deficits in functional trait diversity following recovery on coral reefs

Deficits in functional trait diversity following recovery on coral reefs

Climate‐driven shift in coral morphological structure predicts decline of juvenile reef fishes

Rethinking coral reef functional futures

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