The ecology of temperate reefs in a changing world

Abstract

The world’s temperate coastlines support a rich marine biodiversity and provide billions of dollars of ecosystem services to the global economy annually. Temperate coasts are, however, some of the most densely populated and impacted coastal regions of the world and are increasingly modified by a range of local and global impacts. Understanding the natural functioning of these systems, and the impact of human activities, has been the focus of intense research for more than a century. This focus has led to a community of scientists that gathers at the International Temperate Reefs Symposium (ITRS) to share advances in the field. The papers in this Theme Section (TS) are a selection of the research presented at the 12th ITRS in January 2019. The papers cover the breadth of research at the conference, from algal and animal physiology, to population dynamics and range-shifts, the effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on systems, and new insights into efforts to mitigate these impacts. These contributions bring together the rich history of the field and enhance our understanding of how these systems will function into the future.

The impacts of artificial light at night on the ecology of temperate and tropical reefs

“…Primary production is a core process underpinning the functioning of coral [ 14 ] and temperate reefs [ 15 ]. Impacts to primary production can result in the gain or loss of primary habitat, altered production and assimilation of biomass, and transfer of nutrients to higher trophic levels within the reef system [ 14 ].…”

Representation does not necessarily reduce threats to biodiversity: Australia's Commonwealth marine protected area system, 2012–2018

“…It is commendable that ecological risk assessments are being applied to Commonwealth fisheries, but full assessment of the multiple risks of fishing impacts on habitats and assemblages is necessary, followed by subsequent integration of protection measures into fisheries management. MPAs are an appropriate tool for protecting and promoting recovery of habitats and assemblages (Friedlander et al 2003;Mellin et al 2016;Russell et al 1999) and can be combined with improvement of ecological risk assessment tools and specific fisheries policy.…”