Silent killer: black reefs in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area

2018/10/31 by Sangeeta Mangubhai, David O. Obura · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Earth and Planetary Sciences · #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine Biology and Ecology Research #Marine and coastal plant biology #Phoenix #Reef #Geography #Algae #Fishery #Ecology #Oceanography #Geology #Archaeology #Biology

paper · doi:10.1071/pc18048

openalex publication_date 2018/10/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21

Abstract

The Phoenix Islands Protected Area is in a naturally iron-poor region in the equatorial central Pacific. The introduction of iron to this environment from shipwrecks is linked to proliferation of turf algae and cyanobacterial mats, and the formation of degraded ‘black reefs’. No recovery has been documented at black reefs observed between 2003 and 2015.

Citations

• Baseline Marine Biological Surveys of the Phoenix Islands, July 2000
• Black reefs: iron-induced phase shifts on coral reefs

Cited by

• Nikumaroro [wikipedia]

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