Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs

2003/08/14 by Terry P. Hughes, Andrew H. Baird, David R. Bellwood +14 · 26 citations
Environmental Science · #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine and fisheries research #Marine animal studies overview

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1085046

openalex publication_date 2003/08/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02

Abstract

The diversity, frequency, and scale of human impacts on coral reefs are increasing to the extent that reefs are threatened globally. Projected increases in carbon dioxide and temperature over the next 50 years exceed the conditions under which coral reefs have flourished over the past half-million years. However, reefs will change rather than disappear entirely, with some species already showing far greater tolerance to climate change and coral bleaching than others. International integration of management strategies that support reef resilience need to be vigorously implemented, and complemented by strong policy decisions to reduce the rate of global warming.

Citations

• Seasonal and local spatial patterns in the upper thermal limits of corals on the inshore Central Great Barrier Reef
• Coral reef bleaching: ecological perspectives
• Generation times and the Quaternary evolution of reef-building corals

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• Carl Folke [wikipedia]
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