Cumming, Graeme S., Pratchett, Morgan S., and Gurney, Georgina G. (2020) New and emerging directions in coral reef conservation. Biological Conservation, 241. 108372.

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Abstract

Coral reefs around the world have recently been decimated by successive years of worldwide mass bleaching linked to global climate change and the increasing incidence of marine heatwaves. Coral reef scientists, managers, and users are struggling to come to terms with the impacts of what is a very large-scale and seemingly unmanageable driver of change, at least at the localised scale of most management jurisdictions. Although coral reefs will undoubtedly persist in some form, sustained and ongoing anthropogenic disturbances have drastically altered their biodiversity, composition, ecological roles and functions, and ecosystem services. This demands a re-think of conservation objectives, directions, and approaches, including assessment of key management tools and approaches that we have relied on; and the incorporation of governance approaches that take a social-ecological systems perspective. This special issue, which presents a range of perspectives relating to coral reef conservation, will help scientists and managers to think through opportunities and constraints for coral reef conservation in a changing world.

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