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Local processes strongly influence post-bleaching benthic recovery in the Lakshadweep Islands

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Abstract

The atoll reefs of the Lakshadweep, in the Indian Ocean suffered a catastrophic mortality of hard coral in the wake of the El Niño event of 1998. This study tracked changes to coral and other benthic elements in three atolls in the Lakshadweep from 2000 to 2003. The recovery of coral was highly site-specific, and appeared to be driven by differences in post-settlement survival of coral recruits, that were in turn, influenced by the local hydrodynamics of the atolls. Post bleaching recovery was highest on west-facing reefs, while recovery on east-facing reefs was very limited. However, no ‘phase-shift’ to macroalgal dominated reefs was evident. High herbivore pressures were perhaps the most important control of macroalgae. Five years after the mass mortality, the genera that showed the maximum gains represented a mix of different susceptibilities to bleaching, while some genera that were not particularly susceptible to bleaching showed significant declines. These results suggest that decline or recovery of coral is likely dependent on individual life history strategies, post-recruitment survival, and contingency.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Diversitas/Total Foundation. We thank the Lakshadweep Administration and the Department of Science and Technology for permissions, Lacadives Dive School for logistic support, and everyone at TESAG for administrative support. For field assistance, reviewing manuscripts, and other support, we are grateful to MK Ibrahim, Shah Jahan, Teresa Alcoverro, Nuria Marba, MD Madhusudan, Graeme Inglis, TR Shankar Raman, Paul Marshall, Charudutt Mishra, Simone Mariani, Ameer Abdullah, Oliver Floerl, Divya Mudappa, Joshua Cinner, Nadine Marshall, Anindya Sinha, Peter Mumby and two anonymous referees.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tropical Environment Studies and Geography, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    Rohan Arthur & Helene Marsh

  2. Nature Conservation Foundation, 3076/5, 4th Cross, Gokulam Park, Mysore, India, 570002

    Rohan Arthur

  3. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia

    Terence J. Done

  4. CRC Reef Research, P.O. Box 772, Townsville, QLD, 4810, Australia

    Vicki Harriott

Authors
  1. Rohan Arthur
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  2. Terence J. Done
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  3. Helene Marsh
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  4. Vicki Harriott
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rohan Arthur.

Additional information

Communicated by Ecology Editor P.J. Mumby

Vicki Harriott: deceased

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Arthur, R., Done, T.J., Marsh, H. et al. Local processes strongly influence post-bleaching benthic recovery in the Lakshadweep Islands. Coral Reefs 25, 427–440 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-006-0127-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-006-0127-4

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