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Anticipative management for coral reef ecosystem services in the 21st century
Citation
Rogers, A and Harborne, AR and Brown, CJ and Bozec, Y-M and Castro, C and Chollett, I and Hock, K and Knowland, CA and Marshell, A and Ortiz, JC and Razak, K and Roff, G and Samper-Villarreal, J and Saunders, MI and Wolff, NH and Mumby, PJ, Anticipative management for coral reef ecosystem services in the 21st century, Global Change Biology, 21 pp. 504-514. ISSN 1354-1013 (2015) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Abstract
Under projections of global climate change and other stressors, significant changes in the ecology, structure and
function of coral reefs are predicted. Current management strategies tend to look to the past to set goals, focusing
on halting declines and restoring baseline conditions. Here, we explore a complementary approach to decision
making that is based on the anticipation of future changes in ecosystem state, function and services. Reviewing
the existing literature and utilizing a scenario planning approach, we explore how the structure of coral reef communities
might change in the future in response to global climate change and overfishing. We incorporate uncertainties
in our predictions by considering heterogeneity in reef types in relation to structural complexity and
primary productivity. We examine 14 ecosystem services provided by reefs, and rate their sensitivity to a range of
future scenarios and management options. Our predictions suggest that the efficacy of management is highly
dependent on biophysical characteristics and reef state. Reserves are currently widely used and are predicted to
remain effective for reefs with high structural complexity. However, when complexity is lost, maximizing service
provision requires a broader portfolio of management approaches, including the provision of artificial complexity,
coral restoration, fish aggregation devices and herbivore management. Increased use of such management tools
will require capacity building and technique refinement and we therefore conclude that diversification of our
management toolbox should be considered urgently to prepare for the challenges of managing reefs into the 21st
century.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | coral reefs, degraded ecosystems, ecosystem function, ecosystem services, habitat complexity, marine reserve |
| Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
| Research Group: | Ecology |
| Research Field: | Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) |
| Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
| Objective Group: | Marine systems and management |
| Objective Field: | Assessment and management of benthic marine ecosystems |
| UTAS Author: | Marshell, A (Dr Alyssa Marshell) |
| ID Code: | 150706 |
| Year Published: | 2015 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 83 |
| Deposited By: | Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration |
| Deposited On: | 2022-06-24 |
| Last Modified: | 2022-07-21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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