Can biological invasions save Caribbean coral reefs?
Can biological invasions save Caribbean coral reefs?
It is widely accepted that coral reefs are in decline globally, due to climate change as well as more direct human impacts such as poor water quality and overharvesting 1, 2, 3. Biological invasions are also seen as a major threat 4, 5, 6; however, they may not all be negative. An invasion of Red Sea rabbitfishes is disrupting Mediterranean ecosystems by removing macro-algae — meanwhile, in contrast, the Caribbean is suffering from excess macro-algal growth. We suggest that an invasion of the Caribbean by rabbitfishes may prove beneficial, and that the future of Caribbean coral reefs may depend upon a rabbitfish invasion.
R13-R14
Bellwood, David R.
829e5839-9ac7-4f63-961c-8d0bf8caab8a
Goatley, Christopher Harry Robert
b158dc1a-76f3-4ace-9d33-260d8c76ac93
9 January 2017
Bellwood, David R.
829e5839-9ac7-4f63-961c-8d0bf8caab8a
Goatley, Christopher Harry Robert
b158dc1a-76f3-4ace-9d33-260d8c76ac93
Bellwood, David R. and Goatley, Christopher Harry Robert
(2017)
Can biological invasions save Caribbean coral reefs?
Current Biology, 27, .
(doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.11.018).
Abstract
It is widely accepted that coral reefs are in decline globally, due to climate change as well as more direct human impacts such as poor water quality and overharvesting 1, 2, 3. Biological invasions are also seen as a major threat 4, 5, 6; however, they may not all be negative. An invasion of Red Sea rabbitfishes is disrupting Mediterranean ecosystems by removing macro-algae — meanwhile, in contrast, the Caribbean is suffering from excess macro-algal growth. We suggest that an invasion of the Caribbean by rabbitfishes may prove beneficial, and that the future of Caribbean coral reefs may depend upon a rabbitfish invasion.
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Published date: 9 January 2017
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Local EPrints ID: 470222
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/470222
ISSN: 0960-9822
PURE UUID: 95f24c3a-12eb-4c7b-a120-a55b1a6cf3a2
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Date deposited: 04 Oct 2022 16:51
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:14
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Author:
David R. Bellwood
Author:
Christopher Harry Robert Goatley
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