Coral reef community composition in the context of disturbance history on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

ABSTRACT: Much research on coral reefs has documented differential declines in coral and associated organisms. In order to contextualise this general degradation, research on community composition is necessary in the context of varied disturbance histories and the biological processes and physical features thought to retard or promote recovery. We conducted a spatial assessment of coral reef communities across five reefs of the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia, with known disturbance histories, and assessed patterns of coral cover and community composition related to a range of other variables thought to be important for reef dynamics. Two of the reefs had not been extensively disturbed for at least 15 years prior to the surveys. Three of the reefs had been severely impacted by crown-of-thorns

SUBMITTER: Graham NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4077760 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature