Large-scale interventions may delay decline of the Great Barrier Reef ...

• Main Authors: Condie, Scott, Anthony, Ken, Baird, Mark, Beeden, Roger, Harrison, Daniel, Plagányi, Éva, Babcock, Russell, Fletcher, Cameron, Gorton, Rebecca, Hobday, Alistair, Westcott, David
• Format: Software
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2021
• Subjects: Great Barrier Reef; Climate Adaptation; coral bleaching; meta-community model; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4695788; https://zenodo.org/record/4695788

On the iconic Great Barrier Reef (GBR) the cumulative impacts of tropical cyclones, marine heatwaves and regular outbreaks of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS) have severely depleted coral cover. Climate change will further exacerbate this situation over the coming decades unless effective interventions are implemented. Evaluating the efficacy of alternative interventions in a complex system experiencing major cumulative impacts can only be achieved through a systems-modeling approach. We have evaluated combinations of interventions using a coral reef meta-community model. The model consisted of a dynamic network of 3753 reefs supporting communities of corals and CoTS connected through ocean larval dispersal, and exposed to changing regimes of tropical cyclones, flood plumes, marine heat waves and ocean acidification. Interventions included reducing flood plume impacts, expanding control of CoTS populations, stabilising coral rubble, managing solar radiation, and introducing heat tolerant coral ... : All data within Excel files are averaged across all reefs on the Great Barrier Reef. Funding provided by: Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP)* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program (NESP)* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program (RRAP) Crossref Funder Registry ID: Funding provided by: Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Crossref Funder Registry ID: ...