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Tectonic subsidence provides insight into possible coral reef futures under rapid sea-level rise

Coral Reefs volume 35, pages 155–167 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Sea-level rise will change environmental conditions on coral reef flats, which comprise extensive habitats in shallow tropical seas and support a wealth of ecosystem services. Rapid relative sea-level rise of 0.6 m over a relatively pristine coral reef in Solomon Islands, caused by a subduction earthquake in April 2007, generated a unique opportunity to examine in situ coral reef response to relative sea-level rise of the magnitude (but not the rate) anticipated by 2100. Extent of live coral was measured from satellite imagery in 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012. Ecological data were obtained from microatolls and ecological surveys in May 2013. The reef was sampled at 12 locations where dense live hard coral remained absent, remained present or changed from absent to present following subsidence. Ecological data (substratum depth, live coral canopy depth, coral canopy height, substratum suitability, recruitment, diversity and Acropora presence) were measured at each location to identify factors associated with coral response to relative sea-level rise. Vertical and horizontal proliferation of coral occurred following subsidence. Lateral expansion of live coral, accomplished primarily by branching Acropora spp., resulted in lower diversity in regions which changed composition from pavement to dense live coral following subsidence. Of the ecological factors measured, biotic factors were more influential than abiotic factors; species identity was the most important factor in determining which regions of the reef responded to rapid sea-level rise. On relatively pristine reef flats under present climatic conditions, rapid relative sea-level rise generated an opportunity for hard coral to proliferate. However, the species assemblage of the existing reef was important in determining response to sea-level change, by providing previously bare substrate with a source of new coral colonies. Degraded reefs with altered species composition and slower coral growth rates may be less able to respond to climate change-induced sea-level changes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for support from Roviana Conservation Foundation, Nixon Tooler and staff of Zipolo Habu Resort, assistance with analyses from Robert Canto and David Callaghan, and discussions with the Australia Sea Level Rise Partnership. Satellite imagery was provided by Digital Globe. MIS, JXL, SRP, CDW and PJM received funding from Australian Research Council SuperScience Grant # FS100100024.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Global Change Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Megan I. Saunders, Javier X. Leon, Stuart R. Phinn & Peter J. Mumby

  2. Marine Spatial Ecology Lab and ARC Centre of Excellence for Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Megan I. Saunders & Peter J. Mumby

  3. School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Simon Albert

  4. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Chris M. Roelfsema, Javier X. Leon & Stuart R. Phinn

  5. School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia

    Javier X. Leon

  6. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia

    Colin D. Woodroffe

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  1. Megan I. Saunders
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  2. Simon Albert
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  3. Chris M. Roelfsema
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  4. Javier X. Leon
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Correspondence to Megan I. Saunders.

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Communicated by Geology Editor Prof. Chris Perry

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Fig. S1

Histograms of frequency of occurrence of substrate depth, coral canopy depth and canopy height (cm) at locations in three categories—corals absent in satellite imagery both before and after subsidence (Absent), corals absent before and present after subsidence (Change) and corals present both before and after subsidence (Present)—on the reef flat at Kundu Kundu Island, Roviana, Solomon Islands, measured in May 2013. Dashed vertical lines indicate 60 cm depth relative to mean low water springs, which was the water level prior to April 2007 when an earthquake caused 60 cm tectonic subsidence. Prior to 2007, substrate or coral canopy to the left of the dashed lines would have been exposed at low tide (TIFF 1258 kb)

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Saunders, M.I., Albert, S., Roelfsema, C.M. et al. Tectonic subsidence provides insight into possible coral reef futures under rapid sea-level rise. Coral Reefs 35, 155–167 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-015-1365-0

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