New findings from research conducted in Moorea reveal that the existence of coral skeletons has a significant impact on the recovery of reefs following bleaching events. Natural disasters can wreak havoc in a region, leading to the abrupt destruction of species that make up an ecosystem. The mann
Professor Deron Burkepile observes coral in the process of bleaching in the reefs around Moorea. Credit: Jeff Liang
Previous work at Moorea showed that tropical reefs can host either coral- or seaweed-dominated communities. These distinct states are resilient to small disturbances, but a large shock can flip the ecosystem from one to the other in a process called hysteresis. Once this happens, the reef won’t revert to its previous state even if the conditions do. The system has found a new equilibrium.
Coral skeletons seem to protect young algae from herbivores that would otherwise keep it in check. The animals can’t get in all the crevices, so the algae gains a foothold from which to spread. However, coral skeletons provide many benefits. They form a habitat for sundry kinds of animals and some evidence suggests that the structural complexity of a reef correlates with faster coral recovery.
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