Post-ENSO 2024 mass bleaching and early signs of resilience in Pachyseris speciosa dominated reefs of Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

ABSTRACT: Marine heatwaves associated with El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events are a primary driver of mass coral bleaching, threatening reef ecosystems globally. This study documents a severe mass bleaching event in December 2024 on the reefs of Yenbuba, Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, Indonesia, following the 2024 ENSO, and assesses subsequent changes within one year. Using standardized Underwater Visual Census methods, we found that > 70% of colonies of the dominant coral Pachyseris speciosa exhibited severe bleaching during the thermal stress peak. Follow-up surveys in November 2025 revealed substantial recovery, with < 20% of P. speciosa colonies showing bleaching signs and widespread repigmentation observed on the reef slope at ~ 20-30 m depth. This rapid recovery, documented through paire

SUBMITTER: Ampou EE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13473566 | biostudies-literature | 2026 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature