On the Challenges of Identifying Benthic Dominance on Anthropocene Coral Reefs
Tebbett, Sterling B., Crisp, Samantha K., Evans, Richard D., Fulton, Christopher J., Pessarrodona, Albert, Wernberg, Thomas, Wilson, Shaun K., and Bellwood, David R. (2023) On the Challenges of Identifying Benthic Dominance on Anthropocene Coral Reefs. BioScience, 73 (3). pp. 220-228.
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Abstract
The concept of dominance is frequently used to describe changes in rapidly reconfiguring ecosystems, but the definition of dominance can vary widely among studies. Using coral reefs as a model, we use extensive benthic composition data to explore how variability in applying dominance concepts can shape perceptions. We reveal that coral dominance is sensitive to the exclusion of key algal groups and the categorization of other benthic groups, with ramifications for detecting an ecosystem phase shift. For example, ignoring algal turf inflates the dominance of hard and soft corals in the benthic habitats underpinning reef ecosystems. We need a consensus on how dominance concepts are applied so that we can build a more comprehensive understanding of ecosystem shifts across a broad range of aquatic and terrestrial settings. For reefs, we highlight the benefits of comprehensive and inclusive surveys for evaluating and managing the altered ecosystem states that are emerging in the Anthropocene.
| Item ID: | 78971 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1525-324 |
| Keywords: | algal turf, benthic dominance, coral reef, macroalgae, phase shift |
| Copyright Information: | © The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Institute of Biological Sciences. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions@oup.com |
| Funders: | Australian Research Council (ARC) |
| Projects and Grants: | ARC CE140100020, ARC FL190100062, ARC DP190100058 |
| Date Deposited: | 03 Aug 2023 01:34 |
| FoR Codes: | 31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310305 Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) @ 100% |
| SEO Codes: | 18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1805 Marine systems and management > 180501 Assessment and management of benthic marine ecosystems @ 100% |
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