Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective
In recent years, marine scientists have become increasingly alarmed over the decline of live coral cover throughout the Caribbean and tropical western Atlantic region. The Holocene and Pleistocene fossil record of coral reefs from this region potentially provides a wealth of long-term ecologic infor...
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ftrwuniv:oai:docs.rwu.edu:fcas_fp-1333 2023-05-15T17:35:35+02:00 Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective Greenstein, Benjamin J. Curran, H. Allen Pandolfi, J. M. 1998-01-01T08:00:00Z https://docs.rwu.edu/fcas_fp/333 https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050125 unknown DOCS@RWU https://docs.rwu.edu/fcas_fp/333 https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050125 Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications Acropora cervicornis Shifting baseline syndrome Pleistocene fossil coral reef assemblages Biology Marine Biology text 1998 ftrwuniv https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050125 2022-04-10T20:36:09Z In recent years, marine scientists have become increasingly alarmed over the decline of live coral cover throughout the Caribbean and tropical western Atlantic region. The Holocene and Pleistocene fossil record of coral reefs from this region potentially provides a wealth of long-term ecologic information with which to assess the historical record of changes in shallow water coral reef communities. Before fossil data can be applied to the modern reef system, critical problems involving fossil preservation must be addressed. Moreover, it must be demonstrated that the classic reef coral zonation patterns described in the early days of coral reef ecology, and upon which “healthy” versus “unhealthy” reefs are determined, are themselves representative of reefs that existed prior to any human influence. To address these issues, we have conducted systematic censuses of life and death assemblages on modern “healthy” patch reefs in the Florida reef tract that conform to the classic Caribbean model of reef coral zonation, and a patch reef in the Bahamas that is currently undergoing a transition in coral dominance that is part of a greater Caribbean-wide phenomenon. Results were compared to censuses of ancient reef assemblages preserved in Pleistocene limestones in close proximity to each modern reef. We have determined that the Pleistocene fossil record of coral reefs may be used to calibrate an ecological baseline with which to compare modern reef assemblages, and suggest that the current and rapid decline of Acropora cervicornis observed on a Bahamian patch reef may be a unique event that contrasts with the long-term persistence of this taxon during Pleistocene and Holocene time. Text North Atlantic Roger Williams University: DOCS@RWU Coral Reefs 17 3 249 261 |
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Roger Williams University: DOCS@RWU |
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ftrwuniv |
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Acropora cervicornis Shifting baseline syndrome Pleistocene fossil coral reef assemblages Biology Marine Biology |
spellingShingle |
Acropora cervicornis Shifting baseline syndrome Pleistocene fossil coral reef assemblages Biology Marine Biology Greenstein, Benjamin J. Curran, H. Allen Pandolfi, J. M. Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective |
topic_facet |
Acropora cervicornis Shifting baseline syndrome Pleistocene fossil coral reef assemblages Biology Marine Biology |
description |
In recent years, marine scientists have become increasingly alarmed over the decline of live coral cover throughout the Caribbean and tropical western Atlantic region. The Holocene and Pleistocene fossil record of coral reefs from this region potentially provides a wealth of long-term ecologic information with which to assess the historical record of changes in shallow water coral reef communities. Before fossil data can be applied to the modern reef system, critical problems involving fossil preservation must be addressed. Moreover, it must be demonstrated that the classic reef coral zonation patterns described in the early days of coral reef ecology, and upon which “healthy” versus “unhealthy” reefs are determined, are themselves representative of reefs that existed prior to any human influence. To address these issues, we have conducted systematic censuses of life and death assemblages on modern “healthy” patch reefs in the Florida reef tract that conform to the classic Caribbean model of reef coral zonation, and a patch reef in the Bahamas that is currently undergoing a transition in coral dominance that is part of a greater Caribbean-wide phenomenon. Results were compared to censuses of ancient reef assemblages preserved in Pleistocene limestones in close proximity to each modern reef. We have determined that the Pleistocene fossil record of coral reefs may be used to calibrate an ecological baseline with which to compare modern reef assemblages, and suggest that the current and rapid decline of Acropora cervicornis observed on a Bahamian patch reef may be a unique event that contrasts with the long-term persistence of this taxon during Pleistocene and Holocene time. |
format |
Text |
author |
Greenstein, Benjamin J. Curran, H. Allen Pandolfi, J. M. |
author_facet |
Greenstein, Benjamin J. Curran, H. Allen Pandolfi, J. M. |
author_sort |
Greenstein, Benjamin J. |
title |
Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective |
title_short |
Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective |
title_full |
Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective |
title_fullStr |
Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective |
title_full_unstemmed |
Shifting ecological baselines and the demise of Acropora cervicornis in the western North Atlantic and Caribbean Province: a Pleistocene perspective |
title_sort |
shifting ecological baselines and the demise of acropora cervicornis in the western north atlantic and caribbean province: a pleistocene perspective |
publisher |
DOCS@RWU |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
https://docs.rwu.edu/fcas_fp/333 https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050125 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications |
op_relation |
https://docs.rwu.edu/fcas_fp/333 https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050125 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s003380050125 |
container_title |
Coral Reefs |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
249 |
op_container_end_page |
261 |
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1766134790912737280 |