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One-third of reef-building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts

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Carpenter, Kent E., Abrar, Muhammad, Aeby, Greta, Aronson, Richard B. (Richard Beer), Banks, Stuart, Bruckner, Andrew W., Chiriboga, Angel, Cortés, Jorge, 1955- , Delbeek, J. Charles, 1958-, DeVantier, Lyndon et al.
. (2008) One-third of reef-building corals face elevated extinction risk from climate change and local impacts. Science, Volume 321 (Number 5888). pp. 560-563. ISSN 0036-8075

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Abstract

The conservation status of 845 zooxanthellate reef- building coral species was assessed by using International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Criteria. Of the 704 species that could be assigned conservation status, 32.8% are in categories with elevated risk of extinction. Declines in abundance are associated with bleaching and diseases driven by elevated sea surface temperatures, with extinction risk further exacerbated by local- scale anthropogenic disturbances. The proportion of corals threatened with extinction has increased dramatically in recent decades and exceeds that of most terrestrial groups. The Caribbean has the largest proportion of corals in high extinction risk categories, whereas the Coral Triangle ( western Pacific) has the highest proportion of species in all categories of elevated extinction risk. Our results emphasize the widespread plight of coral reefs and the urgent need to enact conservation measures.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Life Sciences (2010- ) > Biological Sciences ( -2010)
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Coral reef ecology -- Research, Coral declines, Coral reef conservation, Climatic changes -- Environmental aspects, Coral reefs and islands -- Climatic factors -- Research
Journal or Publication Title: Science
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
ISSN: 0036-8075
Official Date: 25 July 2008
Volume: Volume 321
Number: Number 5888
Number of Pages: 4
Page Range: pp. 560-563
Identification Number: 10.1126/science.1159196
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
Funder: Charles Darwin Foundation, Conservation International (Philippines), Darwin Initiative, First Philippine Conservation Incorporated, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Zoological Society of London, Royal Caribbean Cruises (Firm), Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Conservation International
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26. We thank T. Haas, the New Hampshire Charitable
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Royal Caribbean Cruises Ocean Fund for their generous
support of the IUCN Coral Red List Assessment. We also
thank the following for help and support: M. Alava,
J. Baillie, D. Bass, H. Reyes Bonilla, T. Brooks,
H. Froyalde, P. Glynn, S. Henderson, C. Hickman,
M. Hoffmann, D. Huang, R. McManus, M. Palomar,
C. Pollock, R. Quicho, M. Smith, M. Syahrir, R. Trono,
M. Vera, D. Zebrowski, Charles Darwin Foundation,
CI Philippines, Darwin Initiative, First Philippine
Conservation Incorporated, Gordon and Betty Moore
Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, and the
Zoological Society of London.
URI: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/29696

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