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Localised hydrodynamics influence vulnerability of coral communities to environmental disturbances

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Abstract

The movement of water can have a significant influence on the vulnerability of hermatypic corals to environmental disturbances such as cyclone damage, heat stress and anoxia. Here, we explore the relationship between small reef-scale water circulation patterns and measured differences in the abundance, composition and vulnerability of coral assemblages over decades. Changes in coral cover and community structure within Bill’s Bay (Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia) over a 22-yr period, during which multiple disturbance events (including mass bleaching, anoxia, and tropical cyclones) have impacted the area, were compared with spatial variation in water residence times (WRT). We found that reef sites associated with longer water residence times (WRT >15 h) experienced higher rates of coral mortality during acute environmental disturbances compared to reef sites with shorter WRT. Shifts in coral community composition from acroporid to faviid-dominated assemblages were also more prominent at sites with long WRT compared to reef sites with shorter WRT, although shifts in community composition were also observed at sites close to shore. Interestingly, these same long-WRT sites also tended to have the fastest recovery rates so that coral cover was returned to original levels of approximately 20% over two decades. This study provides empirical evidence that spatial patterns in water circulation and flushing can influence the resilience of coral communities, thus identifying areas sensitive to emerging threats associated with global climate change.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Department of Parks and Wildlife Exmouth regional office for their support of research and monitoring within the World Heritage Ningaloo Marine Park. Comments from the editor and two anonymous reviewers and Dr. Rebecca Fisher greatly improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parks and Wildlife, Science and Conservation Division, Marine Science Program, Kensington, WA, Australia

    George Shedrawi, Kim J. Friedman, Christopher J. Simpson, Conrad W. Speed & Shaun K. Wilson

  2. The UWA Oceans Institute, Crawley, WA, Australia

    James L. Falter, Kim J. Friedman, Ryan J. Lowe, Conrad W. Speed, Shaun K. Wilson & Zhenlin Zhang

  3. School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    James L. Falter, Ryan J. Lowe & Zhenlin Zhang

  4. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia

    James L. Falter, Ryan J. Lowe & Zhenlin Zhang

  5. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia

    Morgan S. Pratchett

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  1. George Shedrawi
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  2. James L. Falter
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  3. Kim J. Friedman
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  8. Shaun K. Wilson
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  9. Zhenlin Zhang
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Correspondence to George Shedrawi.

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Shedrawi, G., Falter, J.L., Friedman, K.J. et al. Localised hydrodynamics influence vulnerability of coral communities to environmental disturbances. Coral Reefs 36, 861–872 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-017-1576-7

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