Transitional Coral Ecosystem of Taiwan in the Era of Changing Climate

Investigation of the Kuroshio-coastal current interaction and marine heatwave trends in the coral habitats of Northeastern Taiwan

“…The environmental dynamics of Taiwan's coral ecosystems are profoundly influenced by intricate topography, monsoons, oceanic currents, and their intense interplay. The variations in these oceanic characteristics directly impact the health, growth, and stability of coral ecosystems (Denis et al, 2019;Hsu et al, 2019;Kuo et al, 2023). Beyond SST and sea surface salinity (SSS), factors such as the speed of the Kuroshio Current (KC) and coastal currents, as well as their mixing, may contribute to nutrient transport and the load of suspended particulates (Hsu et al, 2018(Hsu et al, , 2020aTseng et al, 2019;Chau et al, 2021).…”

“…Coral ecosystems along the northeastern coast of Taiwan are classified as nonreefal coral communities, also termed marginal coral communities. In contrast, the coral ecosystems in I-Lan Bay are characterized as tropical coral reefs (Denis et al, 2019;Keshavmurthy et al, 2021;Kuo et al, 2023). Both are part of the intertidal shallow-water ecosystems.…”

“…In this region, the corals constitute a non-reefal coral community, dominated by species of Faviidae and Montipora spp. (Yand and Dai, 1982;Dai and Horng, 2009;Kuo et al, 2022Kuo et al, , 2023 Beginning in 2019, marine ecologists documented the first large-scale bleaching event in northern Taiwan (25 o N). The majority of coral habitats are found at depths between 2 and 12 m. The coral bleaching episodes, which usually occur in the southern tip of Taiwan and extend to Penghu, have now reached the higher latitudes of the northeastern corner (Fig.…”

Seaweed diversification driven by Taiwan’s emergence and the Kuroshio Current: insights from the cryptic diversity and phylogeography of Dichotomaria (Galaxauraceae, Rhodophyta)

“…For instance, studies show that the Kuroshio Current can act as a physical barrier for Blacktip grouper fish populations from the East China Sea and the south of mainland Japan, isolating them from their southern counterparts as they cannot cross the strong Kuroshio Current (Kuriiwa et al, 2014). An upwelling cold dome created by the Kuroshio Current branch in Northeast Taiwan has isolated coral populations between the southern Ryukyus and the East China Sea (Suzuki et al, 2016;Kuo et al, 2023), leading to the presence of cryptic coral species in Northern Taiwan, Ryukyu Island, and the East China Sea. While the effects of the Kuroshio Current on marine organism diversification are well-studied in northern Taiwan and Japan, research on the southern Taiwan and Philippines regions is scarce (Lee et al, 1999;Nan et al, 2011).…”