El Nino-driven phase shift to algal dominance on Isla del Cano's coral reefs: implications for urgent restoration.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The 2023-24 El Niño event caused extreme marine heat stress and widespread coral bleaching. Coral reefs at the Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño and the northern coast of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, underpin critical ecosystem services, including biodiversity conservation and marine tourism, and have previously withstood similar events with minimal coral loss. Evaluating the ecological impacts of the 2023-24 El Niño is essential to assess coral reef resilience and guide future management.

Methods

Coral Reef Watch sea surface temperature (SST) data (1985-2025; CoralTemp V3.1) were used to calculate long-term SST trends and degree heating weeks (DHW). Reef surveys were conducted at nine sites between 2019 and 2025, with primary benthic composition and coral health

SUBMITTER: Palmer CV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12640635 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature