Macroalgae exhibit diverse responses to human disturbances on coral reefs.

Cannon, SE; Donner, SD; Liu, A; González Espinosa, PC; Baird, AH; Baum, JK; Bauman, AG; Beger, M; Benkwitt, CE; Birt, MJ; Chancerelle, Y; Cinner, JE; Crane, NL; Denis, V; Depczynski, M; Fadli, N; Fenner, D; Fulton, CJ; Golbuu, Y; Graham, NAJ; Guest, J; Harrison, HB; Hobbs, J-PA; Hoey, AS; Holmes, TH; Houk, P; Januchowski-Hartley, FA; Jompa, J; Kuo, C-Y; Limmon, GV; Lin, YV; McClanahan, TR; Muenzel, D; Paddack, MJ; Planes, S; Pratchett, MS; Radford, B; Reimer, JD; Richards, ZT; Ross, CL; Rulmal, J; Sommer, B; Williams, GJ; Wilson, SK

Macroalgae exhibit diverse responses to human disturbances on coral reefs.

Cannon, SE Donner, SD Liu, A González Espinosa, PC Baird, AH Baum, JK Bauman, AG Beger, M Benkwitt, CE Birt, MJ Chancerelle, Y Cinner, JE Crane, NL Denis, V Depczynski, M Fadli, N Fenner, D Fulton, CJ Golbuu, Y Graham, NAJ Guest, J Harrison, HB Hobbs, J-PA Hoey, AS Holmes, TH Houk, P Januchowski-Hartley, FA Jompa, J Kuo, C-Y Limmon, GV Lin, YV McClanahan, TR Muenzel, D Paddack, MJ Planes, S Pratchett, MS Radford, B Reimer, JD Richards, ZT Ross, CL Rulmal, J Sommer, B

Williams, GJ Wilson, SK

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Publisher:: WILEY
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Glob Chang Biol, 2023, 29, (12), pp. 3318-3330
Issue Date:: 2023-06

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Cannon, SE
dc.contributor.author	Donner, SD
dc.contributor.author	Liu, A
dc.contributor.author	González Espinosa, PC
dc.contributor.author	Baird, AH
dc.contributor.author	Baum, JK
dc.contributor.author	Bauman, AG
dc.contributor.author	Beger, M
dc.contributor.author	Benkwitt, CE
dc.contributor.author	Birt, MJ
dc.contributor.author	Chancerelle, Y
dc.contributor.author	Cinner, JE
dc.contributor.author	Crane, NL
dc.contributor.author	Denis, V
dc.contributor.author	Depczynski, M
dc.contributor.author	Fadli, N
dc.contributor.author	Fenner, D
dc.contributor.author	Fulton, CJ
dc.contributor.author	Golbuu, Y
dc.contributor.author	Graham, NAJ
dc.contributor.author	Guest, J
dc.contributor.author	Harrison, HB
dc.contributor.author	Hobbs, J-PA
dc.contributor.author	Hoey, AS
dc.contributor.author	Holmes, TH
dc.contributor.author	Houk, P
dc.contributor.author	Januchowski-Hartley, FA
dc.contributor.author	Jompa, J
dc.contributor.author	Kuo, C-Y
dc.contributor.author	Limmon, GV
dc.contributor.author	Lin, YV
dc.contributor.author	McClanahan, TR
dc.contributor.author	Muenzel, D
dc.contributor.author	Paddack, MJ
dc.contributor.author	Planes, S
dc.contributor.author	Pratchett, MS
dc.contributor.author	Radford, B
dc.contributor.author	Reimer, JD
dc.contributor.author	Richards, ZT
dc.contributor.author	Ross, CL
dc.contributor.author	Rulmal, J
dc.contributor.author	Sommer, B https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0617-7790
dc.contributor.author	Williams, GJ
dc.contributor.author	Wilson, SK
dc.date.accessioned	2024-03-15T03:21:16Z
dc.date.available	2023-03-01
dc.date.available	2024-03-15T03:21:16Z
dc.date.issued	2023-06
dc.identifier.citation	Glob Chang Biol, 2023, 29, (12), pp. 3318-3330
dc.identifier.issn	1354-1013
dc.identifier.issn	1365-2486
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176765
dc.description.abstract	Scientists and managers rely on indicator taxa such as coral and macroalgal cover to evaluate the effects of human disturbance on coral reefs, often assuming a universally positive relationship between local human disturbance and macroalgae. Despite evidence that macroalgae respond to local stressors in diverse ways, there have been few efforts to evaluate relationships between specific macroalgae taxa and local human-driven disturbance. Using genus-level monitoring data from 1205 sites in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, we assess whether macroalgae percent cover correlates with local human disturbance while accounting for factors that could obscure or confound relationships. Assessing macroalgae at genus level revealed that no genera were positively correlated with all human disturbance metrics. Instead, we found relationships between the division or genera of algae and specific human disturbances that were not detectable when pooling taxa into a single functional category, which is common to many analyses. The convention to use percent cover of macroalgae as an indication of local human disturbance therefore likely obscures signatures of local anthropogenic threats to reefs. Our limited understanding of relationships between human disturbance, macroalgae taxa, and their responses to human disturbances impedes the ability to diagnose and respond appropriately to these threats.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	WILEY
dc.relation.ispartof	Glob Chang Biol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/gcb.16694
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	05 Environmental Sciences, 06 Biological Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Ecology
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.subject.classification	37 Earth sciences
dc.subject.classification	41 Environmental sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Coral Reefs
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Seaweed
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Pacific Ocean
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Seaweed
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Pacific Ocean
dc.subject.mesh	Coral Reefs
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Coral Reefs
dc.subject.mesh	Ecosystem
dc.subject.mesh	Seaweed
dc.subject.mesh	Anthozoa
dc.subject.mesh	Pacific Ocean
dc.title	Macroalgae exhibit diverse responses to human disturbances on coral reefs.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	29
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-03-15T03:21:15Z
pubs.issue	12
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	29
utslib.citation.issue	12

Abstract:

Scientists and managers rely on indicator taxa such as coral and macroalgal cover to evaluate the effects of human disturbance on coral reefs, often assuming a universally positive relationship between local human disturbance and macroalgae. Despite evidence that macroalgae respond to local stressors in diverse ways, there have been few efforts to evaluate relationships between specific macroalgae taxa and local human-driven disturbance. Using genus-level monitoring data from 1205 sites in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, we assess whether macroalgae percent cover correlates with local human disturbance while accounting for factors that could obscure or confound relationships. Assessing macroalgae at genus level revealed that no genera were positively correlated with all human disturbance metrics. Instead, we found relationships between the division or genera of algae and specific human disturbances that were not detectable when pooling taxa into a single functional category, which is common to many analyses. The convention to use percent cover of macroalgae as an indication of local human disturbance therefore likely obscures signatures of local anthropogenic threats to reefs. Our limited understanding of relationships between human disturbance, macroalgae taxa, and their responses to human disturbances impedes the ability to diagnose and respond appropriately to these threats.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/176765