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  • Interdependency of tropical marine ecosystems in response to climate change

    Author(s)
    Saunders, Megan I
    Leon, Javier X
    Callaghan, David P
    Roelfsema, Chris M
    Hamylton, Sarah
    Brown, Christopher J
    Baldock, Tom
    Golshani, Aliasghar
    Phinn, Stuart R
    Lovelock, Catherine E
    Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove
    Woodroffe, Colin D
    Mumby, Peter J
    Griffith University Author(s)
    Brown, Chris J.
    Year published
    2014
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    Ecosystems are linked within landscapes by the physical and biological processes they mediate. In such connected landscapes, the response of one ecosystem to climate change could have profound consequences for neighbouring systems. Here, we report the first quantitative predictions of interdependencies between ecosystems in response to climate change. In shallow tropical marine ecosystems, coral reefs shelter lagoons from incoming waves, allowing seagrass meadows to thrive. Deepening water over coral reefs from sea-level rise results in larger, more energetic waves traversing the reef into the lagoon1,2, potentially generating ...
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    Ecosystems are linked within landscapes by the physical and biological processes they mediate. In such connected landscapes, the response of one ecosystem to climate change could have profound consequences for neighbouring systems. Here, we report the first quantitative predictions of interdependencies between ecosystems in response to climate change. In shallow tropical marine ecosystems, coral reefs shelter lagoons from incoming waves, allowing seagrass meadows to thrive. Deepening water over coral reefs from sea-level rise results in larger, more energetic waves traversing the reef into the lagoon1,2, potentially generating hostile conditions for seagrass. However, growth of coral reef such that the relative water depth is maintained could mitigate negative effects of sea-level rise on seagrass. Parameterizing physical and biological models for Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, we find negative effects of sea-level rise on seagrass before the middle of this century given reasonable rates of reef growth. Rates of vertical carbonate accretion typical of modern reef flats (up to 3 mm yr−1) will probably be insufficient to maintain suitable conditions for reef lagoon seagrass under moderate to high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios by 2100. Accounting for interdependencies in ecosystem responses to climate change is challenging, but failure to do so results in inaccurate predictions of habitat extent in the future.
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    Journal Title
    Nature Climate Change
    Volume
    4
    Issue
    8
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2274
    Subject
    Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)
    Atmospheric Sciences
    Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
    Environmental Science and Management
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/173589
    Collection
    • Journal articles

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