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Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Recurrent coral bleaching in north-western Australia and associated declines in coral cover

R. C. Babcock https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7756-1290 A E I J , D. P. Thomson B , M. D. E. Haywood A , M. A. Vanderklift B , R. Pillans A , W. A. Rochester A , M. Miller A , C. W. Speed C , G. Shedrawi D I , S. Field D , R. Evans D E , J. Stoddart F , T. J. Hurley G , A. Thompson H , J. Gilmour C E and M. Depczynski C E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, Saint Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

B CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, 64 Fairway, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

C Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, 64 Fairway, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

D Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, 17 Dick Perry Ave, Kensington, WA 6151, Australia.

E Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, 64 Fairway, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

F MScience, Mount Lawley, WA 6929, Australia.

G O2 Marine, 11 Mews Road, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia.

H Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB No. 3, Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia.

I Pacific Community, Promenade Roger Laroque, Noumea 98800, New Caledonia.

J Corresponding author. Email: russ.babcock@csiro.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 72(5) 620-632 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19378
Submitted: 4 April 2020  Accepted: 31 August 2020   Published: 20 November 2020

Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2021 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

Coral reefs have been heavily affected by elevated sea-surface temperature (SST) and coral bleaching since the late 1980s; however, until recently coastal reefs of north-western Australia have been relatively unaffected compared to Timor Sea and eastern Australian reefs. We compare SST time series with changes in coral cover spanning a period of up to 36 years to describe temporal and spatial variability in bleaching and associated coral mortality throughout the Pilbara–Ningaloo region. Declines in coral cover ranged from 12.5 to 51.3%, with relative declines ranging from 38 to 92%. Since 2013, coral cover throughout the region has declined to historically low levels at four of five subregions, with impaired recovery occurring at two subregions. Observations are consistent with global trends of repeated severe heat waves, coral bleaching and acute declines in coral cover. Locations within this study region have already experienced multiple coral-bleaching events within a period of less than 5 years. There is a high likelihood that reefs in the western Pilbara and northern Ningaloo regions will experience more frequent marine heatwaves, coral bleaching and mortality events in the future. Action, therefore, needs to be taken now to support the resilience of coral reef ecosystems in the region, which is arguably the most important coral-reef province on Australia’s western coast.

Keywords: climate change, coral bleaching, coral reef, cyclones, recovery, temperature variation.


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