Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

Terry P. Hughes; James T. Kerry; Mariana Alvarez Noriega; Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero; Kristen D. Anderson; Andrew H. Baird; Russell C. Babcock; Maria Beger; David R. Bellwood; Ray Berkelmans; Tom C. Bridge; Ian R. Butler; Maria Byrne; Neal E. Cantin; Steeve Comeau; Sean R. Connolly; Graeme S. Cumming; Steven J. Dalton; Guillermo Diaz-Pulido; C. Mark Eakin; Will F. Figueira; James P. Gilmour; Hugo B. Harrison; Scott F. Heron; Andrew S. Hoey; Jean Paul A. Hobbs; Mia O. Hoogenboom; Emma V. Kennedy; Chao Yang Kuo; Janice M. Lough; Ryan J. Lowe; Gang Liu; Malcolm T. McCulloch; Hamish A. Malcolm; Michael J. McWilliam; John M. Pandolfi; Rachel J. Pears; Morgan S. Pratchett; Verena Schoepf; Tristan Simpson; William J. Skirving; Brigitte Sommer; Gergely Torda; David R. Wachenfeld; Bette L. Willis; Shaun K. Wilson

doi:10.1038/nature21707

Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

Terry P. Hughes, James T. Kerry, Mariana Alvarez Noriega, Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero, Kristen D. Anderson, Andrew H. Baird, Russell C. Babcock, Maria Beger, David R. Bellwood, Ray Berkelmans, Tom C. Bridge, Ian R. Butler, Maria Byrne, Neal E. Cantin, Steeve Comeau, Sean R. Connolly, Graeme S. Cumming, Steven J. Dalton, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, C. Mark EakinWill F. Figueira, James P. Gilmour, Hugo B. Harrison, Scott F. Heron, Andrew S. Hoey, Jean Paul A. Hobbs, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Emma V. Kennedy, Chao Yang Kuo, Janice M. Lough, Ryan J. Lowe, Gang Liu, Malcolm T. McCulloch, Hamish A. Malcolm, Michael J. McWilliam, John M. Pandolfi, Rachel J. Pears, Morgan S. Pratchett, Verena Schoepf, Tristan Simpson, William J. Skirving, Brigitte Sommer, Gergely Torda, David R. Wachenfeld, Bette L. Willis, Shaun K. Wilson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

2192 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

During 2015-2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	373-377
Number of pages	5
Journal	Nature
Volume	543
Issue number	7645
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21707
Publication status	Published - 15 Mar 2017
Externally published	Yes

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Hughes, T. P., Kerry, J. T., Alvarez Noriega, M., Álvarez-Romero, J. G., Anderson, K. D., Baird, A. H., Babcock, R. C., Beger, M., Bellwood, D. R., Berkelmans, R., Bridge, T. C., Butler, I. R., Byrne, M., Cantin, N. E., Comeau, S., Connolly, S. R., Cumming, G. S., Dalton, S. J., Diaz-Pulido, G., ... Wilson, S. K. (2017). Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals. Nature, 543(7645), 373-377. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21707

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title = "Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals",

abstract = "During 2015-2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs.",

author = "Hughes, {Terry P.} and Kerry, {James T.} and {Alvarez Noriega}, Mariana and {\'A}lvarez-Romero, {Jorge G.} and Anderson, {Kristen D.} and Baird, {Andrew H.} and Babcock, {Russell C.} and Maria Beger and Bellwood, {David R.} and Ray Berkelmans and Bridge, {Tom C.} and Butler, {Ian R.} and Maria Byrne and Cantin, {Neal E.} and Steeve Comeau and Connolly, {Sean R.} and Cumming, {Graeme S.} and Dalton, {Steven J.} and Guillermo Diaz-Pulido and Eakin, {C. Mark} and Figueira, {Will F.} and Gilmour, {James P.} and Harrison, {Hugo B.} and Heron, {Scott F.} and Hoey, {Andrew S.} and Hobbs, {Jean Paul A.} and Hoogenboom, {Mia O.} and Kennedy, {Emma V.} and Kuo, {Chao Yang} and Lough, {Janice M.} and Lowe, {Ryan J.} and Gang Liu and McCulloch, {Malcolm T.} and Malcolm, {Hamish A.} and McWilliam, {Michael J.} and Pandolfi, {John M.} and Pears, {Rachel J.} and Pratchett, {Morgan S.} and Verena Schoepf and Tristan Simpson and Skirving, {William J.} and Brigitte Sommer and Gergely Torda and Wachenfeld, {David R.} and Willis, {Bette L.} and Wilson, {Shaun K.}",

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Hughes, TP, Kerry, JT, Alvarez Noriega, M, Álvarez-Romero, JG, Anderson, KD, Baird, AH, Babcock, RC, Beger, M, Bellwood, DR, Berkelmans, R, Bridge, TC, Butler, IR, Byrne, M, Cantin, NE, Comeau, S, Connolly, SR, Cumming, GS, Dalton, SJ, Diaz-Pulido, G, Eakin, CM, Figueira, WF, Gilmour, JP, Harrison, HB, Heron, SF, Hoey, AS, Hobbs, JPA, Hoogenboom, MO, Kennedy, EV, Kuo, CY, Lough, JM, Lowe, RJ, Liu, G, McCulloch, MT, Malcolm, HA, McWilliam, MJ, Pandolfi, JM, Pears, RJ, Pratchett, MS, Schoepf, V, Simpson, T, Skirving, WJ, Sommer, B, Torda, G, Wachenfeld, DR, Willis, BL & Wilson, SK 2017, 'Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals', Nature, vol. 543, no. 7645, pp. 373-377. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature21707

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T1 - Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

AU - Hughes, Terry P.

AU - Kerry, James T.

AU - Alvarez Noriega, Mariana

AU - Álvarez-Romero, Jorge G.

AU - Anderson, Kristen D.

AU - Baird, Andrew H.

AU - Babcock, Russell C.

AU - Beger, Maria

AU - Bellwood, David R.

AU - Berkelmans, Ray

AU - Bridge, Tom C.

AU - Butler, Ian R.

AU - Byrne, Maria

AU - Cantin, Neal E.

AU - Comeau, Steeve

AU - Connolly, Sean R.

AU - Cumming, Graeme S.

AU - Dalton, Steven J.

AU - Diaz-Pulido, Guillermo

AU - Eakin, C. Mark

AU - Figueira, Will F.

AU - Gilmour, James P.

AU - Harrison, Hugo B.

AU - Heron, Scott F.

AU - Hoey, Andrew S.

AU - Hobbs, Jean Paul A.

AU - Hoogenboom, Mia O.

AU - Kennedy, Emma V.

AU - Kuo, Chao Yang

AU - Lough, Janice M.

AU - Lowe, Ryan J.

AU - Liu, Gang

AU - McCulloch, Malcolm T.

AU - Malcolm, Hamish A.

AU - McWilliam, Michael J.

AU - Pandolfi, John M.

AU - Pears, Rachel J.

AU - Pratchett, Morgan S.

AU - Schoepf, Verena

AU - Simpson, Tristan

AU - Skirving, William J.

AU - Sommer, Brigitte

AU - Torda, Gergely

AU - Wachenfeld, David R.

AU - Willis, Bette L.

AU - Wilson, Shaun K.

PY - 2017/3/15

Y1 - 2017/3/15

N2 - During 2015-2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs.

AB - During 2015-2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs.

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DO - 10.1038/nature21707

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VL - 543

SP - 373

EP - 377

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 7645

ER -

Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

Abstract

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