Assessing protective shading and lowering of coral nurseries during a mass bleaching event on the great barrier reef.
Saved in:
| Title: | Assessing protective shading and lowering of coral nurseries during a mass bleaching event on the great barrier reef. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Strudwick, P.1 (AUTHOR) paige.strudwick@uts.edu.au, Suggett, D. J.1,2 (AUTHOR), Edmondson, J.3 (AUTHOR), Camp, E. F.1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Coral Reefs. Aug2025, Vol. 44 Issue 4, p1093-1105. 13p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Climate change, *Coral reef restoration, *Marine heatwaves, *Protective coverings, *Coral reefs & islands, *Coral reef ecology |
| Geographic Terms: | Great Barrier Reef |
| Abstract: | Tropical coral reefs are increasingly threatened by more frequent and severe global stressors induced by Anthropogenic climate change. Restoration-based interventions, such as in situ coral propagation and out-planting, are increasingly being adopted to enhance natural recovery. However, these interventions face the same global stressors affecting natural reefs, and hence also need protection. Shading or relocating corals can reduce the severity of coral bleaching, but how such protective interventions are best suited to coral nurseries on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) remains untested. We therefore conducted a manipulative field experiment factorially crossing two treatments, adding shade structures and lowering of nurseries, to test the efficacy of decreasing solar irradiance during an ocean heatwave to improve coral-bleaching outcomes at two sites on Opal Reef, GBR in 2024. Metrics of coral health (paling and mortality) were monitored for 138 days. The nursery-lowering treatment (from 4 to 7 m) statistically improved bleaching outcomes (less paling and higher survival) at one site, but not the other. Overall, shading nurseries did not reduce coral paling or mortality, suggesting that irradiance may not have been a primary regulator of bleaching severity, or that thermal stress was not severe enough wherein shading would mitigate bleaching. Our results suggest practitioners should first consider lowering coral nurseries where possible ahead of predicted bleaching conditions as this may provide a low-cost low-effort benefit. Consideration of nursery stock importance, practitioner context, and irradiance projections will further help assess the risk/reward of additional shading. We recommend further research could evaluate different shading regimes (e.g., time and length of shading and percentage shade) on nursery corals under higher irradiance conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 1 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: enr DbLabel: Energy & Power Source An: 186952658 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Assessing protective shading and lowering of coral nurseries during a mass bleaching event on the great barrier reef. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Strudwick%2C+P%2E%22">Strudwick, P.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> paige.strudwick@uts.edu.au</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Suggett%2C+D%2E+J%2E%22">Suggett, D. J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Edmondson%2C+J%2E%22">Edmondson, J.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Camp%2C+E%2E+F%2E%22">Camp, E. F.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Coral+Reefs%22">Coral Reefs</searchLink>. Aug2025, Vol. 44 Issue 4, p1093-1105. 13p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Climate+change%22">Climate change</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coral+reef+restoration%22">Coral reef restoration</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marine+heatwaves%22">Marine heatwaves</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Protective+coverings%22">Protective coverings</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coral+reefs+%26+islands%22">Coral reefs & islands</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coral+reef+ecology%22">Coral reef ecology</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Great+Barrier+Reef%22">Great Barrier Reef</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Tropical coral reefs are increasingly threatened by more frequent and severe global stressors induced by Anthropogenic climate change. Restoration-based interventions, such as in situ coral propagation and out-planting, are increasingly being adopted to enhance natural recovery. However, these interventions face the same global stressors affecting natural reefs, and hence also need protection. Shading or relocating corals can reduce the severity of coral bleaching, but how such protective interventions are best suited to coral nurseries on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) remains untested. We therefore conducted a manipulative field experiment factorially crossing two treatments, adding shade structures and lowering of nurseries, to test the efficacy of decreasing solar irradiance during an ocean heatwave to improve coral-bleaching outcomes at two sites on Opal Reef, GBR in 2024. Metrics of coral health (paling and mortality) were monitored for 138 days. The nursery-lowering treatment (from 4 to 7 m) statistically improved bleaching outcomes (less paling and higher survival) at one site, but not the other. Overall, shading nurseries did not reduce coral paling or mortality, suggesting that irradiance may not have been a primary regulator of bleaching severity, or that thermal stress was not severe enough wherein shading would mitigate bleaching. Our results suggest practitioners should first consider lowering coral nurseries where possible ahead of predicted bleaching conditions as this may provide a low-cost low-effort benefit. Consideration of nursery stock importance, practitioner context, and irradiance projections will further help assess the risk/reward of additional shading. We recommend further research could evaluate different shading regimes (e.g., time and length of shading and percentage shade) on nursery corals under higher irradiance conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=186952658 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s00338-025-02665-2 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 1093 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Climate change Type: general – SubjectFull: Coral reef restoration Type: general – SubjectFull: Marine heatwaves Type: general – SubjectFull: Protective coverings Type: general – SubjectFull: Coral reefs & islands Type: general – SubjectFull: Coral reef ecology Type: general – SubjectFull: Great Barrier Reef Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Assessing protective shading and lowering of coral nurseries during a mass bleaching event on the great barrier reef. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Strudwick, P. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Suggett, D. J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Edmondson, J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Camp, E. F. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 08 Text: Aug2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 07224028 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 44 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Coral Reefs Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
