Multiple stressor effects on coral reef ecosystems

• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14819
• Publication Date: 2019-09-04T08:40:38Z
• Authors: Joanne I. Ellis; Tahira Jamil; Holger Anlauf; Darren J. Coker; Joao Curdia; Judi Hewitt; Burton H. Jones; George Krokos; Benjamin Kürten; Dasari Hariprasad; Florian Roth; Susana Carvalho; Ibrahim Hoteit
• Keywords: Ocean Acidification; Biogeochemical Cycle; Marine ecosystem

Global climate change has profound implications on species distributions and ecosystem functioning. In the coastal zone, ecological responses may be driven by various biogeochemical physical environmental factors. Synergistic interactions can occur when combined effects of stressors exceed their individual effects. The Red Sea, characterized strong gradients in temperature, salinity, nutrients along latitudinal axis provides a unique opportunity to study over range these variables. Using multiple linear regression models integrating situ, satellite oceanographic data, we investigated response coral reef taxa local recent variability. Taxa functional groups responded combination (temperature, air-sea heat fluxes, irradiance, wind speed), fishing pressure (chlorophyll - phosphate, nitrate, nitrite) model for each showed interactive climate, nutrient nature (antagonistic or synergistic) was dependent stressor pair. Variables consistently associated with highest number synergistic included flux terms, speed followed pressure. Hard corals coralline algae abundance were sensitive changing conditions where decreased percentage cover. These suggest that negative eutrophication exacerbate impact corals. A high also recorded algae, however this group, increased algal abundance. This is applying analysis variables simultaneously understand field. observed have important understanding impacts marine ecosystems whether managing stressors, such as enrichment activities, help mitigate global drivers change.