When coral reefs are πλ™damaged, their ecosystems rap ÷¶idly change to achieve★ ∞↕ a new stable state. This process, known as a reg§ ime shift, is happening on a global<↕ scale: corals that were previously hyperdiverse ↕εare now being dominated b≠"φ¶y macroalgae (rather than corals), losi↓•ng animal diversity, and potentialσ€ly losing it as a re®↑sult. ecosystem services. System shifts are not ≥×universal, however, and dδ≥$εisturbed reefs can revδ↑ert to their coral-dominated state.
Nicholas Graham and colleagues used¶← long-term data from 21 disturbed reefs in th<✘e Indo-Pacific region to study the ♥↔factors that determine Ω<≠Ωwhether a reef will recover or undergo a system∑ ic transformation. Through this natural exδΩperiment, they identified thresholds for featu≈₽res such as structural complexity, water dept$>φh and fish density that determine the∑★ reef's response to an ™ extreme weather event.Ω÷γ These results deepen our understandinφ£g of one of the greatest threats to marine biodiv∞£ersity, and may also lead to preemptive actioε•&n to mitigate the impacts of clim∞σ∏£ate change on tropical coral reefs.
Source: "Nature"←££€;