UNSPECIFIED (2002) Erosion vs. recovery of coral reefs after 1998 El nino: Chagos reefs, Indian Ocean. AMBIO, 31 (1). pp. 40-48. ISSN 0044-7447

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Abstract

Three years after most corals died on the central Indian Ocean reefs of Chagos, erosion and recovery were studied to 30 m depth. Mortality was near-total to 15 m deep in northern atolls, and to > 35 m in central and southern atolls. Some reef surfaces have `dropped' 1.5 m due to the loss of dense coral thickets. Coral bioerosion is substantial, reducing 3-D reef `structure' and forming unconsolidated rubble. Juvenile corals are abundant, though mostly on eroding or unstable substrates, and are of less robust species. Reef fish abundance and diversity at 15 m depth remains high; species dependent on corals have diminished, while some herbivores and detritivores have increased. A new sea surface temperature (SST) data set shows that mean SST has risen 0.65degreesC since 1950. The critical SST causing the mortality in Chagos was 29.9degreesC.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
Journal or Publication Title:	AMBIO
Publisher:	ROYAL SWEDISH ACAD SCIENCES
ISSN:	0044-7447
Date:	February 2002
Volume:	31
Number:	1
Number of Pages:	9
Page Range:	pp. 40-48
Publication Status:	Published
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/11179

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

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