Page 12 - Livre_MOW2022_EN

10 | CORALS, THE EXPOSED NERVES OF THE OCEAN

David Souter
Research Director at the Australian Institute
of Marine Science, coordinator for the
Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network
(GCRMN)

The conclusions of GCRMN’s report show a in Australia. Furthermore, Australian coral reefs also
significant decline in global coral cover, with suffered from the impact of high-intensity cyclones
signs of resilience since 2019. How should we and starfish epidemics, especially over the last two
interpret this recent trend? decades. Coral reefs in the East Asian Seas region
Although it is too early, the slight increase in co- did not experience such serious and frequent dis-
ral cover in 2019 shows that on average coral reefs turbances and therefore proved more resilient to
“The slight maintain their ability to recover (i.e. they are resi- the pressure of rising water temperatures.
increase in coral lient). Moreover, this increase occurred at a time
cover in 2019 when sea temperatures were persistently high. This Are you planning to include new types of data in
may therefore be initial evidence that corals adapt
future reports?
shows that, on to higher sea temperatures. Yes. The implementation of mechanisms allowing
average, the us to incorporate data on reef fish in the next report
world’s coral The Coral Triangle in Southeast Asia seems to will be a priority for GCRMN. Moreover, we are also
hoping to include data describing changes in the
be exempt from the effects of rising water tem-
reefs have peratures, whilst the Australian Great Barrier structure of coral communities and the physical en-
maintained Reef is particularly affected. Why is there such vironment that affects coral reefs (sea temperature,
nutrients, cyclones…). The next report will also in-
a discrepancy?
their ability to Although Australia’s coral reefs are extremely diver- corporate socio-economic data: it will also describe
recover.” sified (~600 species) compared to global standards, the way in which reef status affects the human po-
they are not as diversified as those found in the Co- pulations which depend on them for their food, their
ral Triangle, which present the greatest biodiversity jobs and other economic and recreational activities.
in the world (~800 species). The discrepancy in the
status of these two regions is due to the different
disturbance regimes. Coral reefs in East Asia and
Australia suffered the effects of marine heatwaves
which resulted in mortality as a consequence of co-
ral bleaching. However, the extent, gravity and fre-
quency of coral bleaching were much more severe