Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Coral reefs as novel ecosystems
T2 - embracing new futures
AU - Graham, Nicholas A. J.
AU - Cinner, Joshua E.
AU - Norstrom, Albert V.
AU - Nystrom, Magnus
PY - 2014/4
Y1 - 2014/4
N2 - The composition and functions of many ecosystems are changing, giving rise to the concept of novel ecosystems. Although some coral reefs are becoming non-coral systems, others are becoming novel coral-dominated ecosystems driven principally by differential species responses to climate change and other drivers, but also due to species range shifts at higher latitudes, and in some cases introduced species. Returning many coral reefs to pristine baselines is unrealistic, whereas embracing novel futures enables more pragmatic approaches to maintaining or re-building the dominance of corals. Coral reefs are changing in unprecedented ways, providing the impetus to improve our understanding of reef compositions that may dominate in the future, explore new management approaches, assess changes in ecosystem services, and investigate how human societies can adapt and respond to novel futures.
AB - The composition and functions of many ecosystems are changing, giving rise to the concept of novel ecosystems. Although some coral reefs are becoming non-coral systems, others are becoming novel coral-dominated ecosystems driven principally by differential species responses to climate change and other drivers, but also due to species range shifts at higher latitudes, and in some cases introduced species. Returning many coral reefs to pristine baselines is unrealistic, whereas embracing novel futures enables more pragmatic approaches to maintaining or re-building the dominance of corals. Coral reefs are changing in unprecedented ways, providing the impetus to improve our understanding of reef compositions that may dominate in the future, explore new management approaches, assess changes in ecosystem services, and investigate how human societies can adapt and respond to novel futures.
KW - GREAT-BARRIER-REEF
KW - CLIMATE-CHANGE
KW - OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
KW - MULTIPLE STRESSORS
KW - PHASE-SHIFTS
KW - MANAGEMENT
KW - ASSEMBLAGES
KW - RESILIENCE
KW - ECOLOGY
KW - FISHES
U2 - 10.1016/j.cosust.2013.11.023
DO - 10.1016/j.cosust.2013.11.023
M3 - Journal article
VL - 7
SP - 9
EP - 14
JO - Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
JF - Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
SN - 1877-3435
ER -