How to Protect Coral Reefs from Bleaching Events

Purpose:

The Coral Reefers purpose is to inform the audience on the most current

research on reef resilience, causes, and effects coral bleaching has on the reef

ecosystem.

Introduction:

Coral bleaching is a worldwide phenomenon which causes corals to lose their

pigment and become “bleached.” This is caused by the rising sea surface temperatures

(Mizerek, Baird, and Madin, 2018) and ocean acidification. The higher ocean

temperatures increase, the greater the decline of coral reefs (Chung et al., 2019). Reefs

play a vital role in marine ecosystems. Without them, the entire ecosystem changes.

Research following the 2016 mass bleaching event shows that the loss of reefs leads to

a decline in biodiversity in those areas (Stuart-Smith et al., 2018). Marine species aren’t

the only ones relying on reefs for their livelihood. Fishmen and the tourism industry

depend on the health of the reefs. Further studies show how certain species traits can

determine resilience and which species of coral will be the most affected. While others

study how spatial prioritization and resilience-based programs can help the world’s coral

reefs (Chung et al., 2019).

Annotations:

Chung, A., Wedding, L., Meadows, A., Moritsch, M., Donovan, M., & Hunter, C. (2019).

Prioritizing reef resilience through spatial planning following a mass coral bleaching

event. Coral Reefs, 38(4), 837-850.

Summary: Chung discusses the use of spatial prioritization for herbivore

rehabilitation in Hawaii following 2014-2017 bleaching events that effected 75%

of reefs worldwide.

Contribution: The article by Chung focuses on coral reef restoration and its

discussion of spatial prioritization for herbivore managed areas would be an

asset to the solution portion of our review. Chung also refers to the impact this

and other reef resilience programs could have on the world’s coral reefs. This

and their results will also be included within our review. The articles by Mizerek

and Teixeira also refer reef resilience.

Mizerek, T., Baird, L., & Madin, A. (2018). Species traits as indicators of coral

bleaching. Coral Reefs, 37(3), 791-800.

Summary: Mizerek informs readers that as ocean temperatures rise, more coral

mortality will occur and how the coral’s familial traits will determine the impact

coral bleaching will have on that species.

Contribution: Mizerek’s article discusses the traits of different corals that might

lead to variations in bleaching, which compliments the reef resilience data found
 in the articles by Teixeira and Chung. Additionally, Mizerek and Teixeira both

examine how certain coral traits may cause them to be more impacted by

bleaching events. The data collected on why some corals are more greatly

affected than others will be included in the solutions section of the review.

Mizerek also focuses on a larger geographic area than the other article’s in this

bibliography making it more comprehensive.

Stuart-Smith, R., Brown, C., Ceccarelli, D., & Edgar, G. (2018). Ecosystem restructuring

along the Great Barrier Reef following mass coral bleaching. Nature, 560(7716), 92-96.

Summary: Stuart-Smith discusses how the Great Barrier Reef has changed as a

result of after the 2016 mass bleaching event and how these changes impact the

local environment.

Contribution: This article is the only one within this bibliography that focuses on

the dramatic effects coral bleaching has had on the reef ecosystem. Stuart-Smith

focuses on the world’s largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef. The data

collected on how the local species have changed and the figures would make a

compelling argument on why coral bleaching is so important and will be included

in an effects section within the review.

Teixeira, Leitão, Ribeiro, Moraes, Neves, Bastos, et al. (2019). Sustained mass coral

bleaching (2016–2017) in Brazilian turbid-zone reefs: Taxonomic, cross-shelf and

habitat-related trends. Coral Reefs, 38(4), 801-813.

Summary: Teixeira informs readers of coral bleaching off the coast of Brazil from

2016-2017 where corals with thin tissues were greatly affected and how turbidity

might protect the reefs.

Contribution: This article focuses on the reefs in South America. It names rising

ocean temperatures as the main cause for the recent bleaching event which can

be used to support the cause section of our review. Teixeira also focuses on how

differences in coral tissue thickness and turbidity may hinder or help the corals

during these events. This study reflects on reef resilience, similarly to Chung’s

article, and quotations from it would work well within our solutions section. The

article by Mizerek also discusses traits and how this can contribute to the effect

bleaching events have on corals.