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Climate change alterations to ecosystem dominance: how might sponge-dominated reefs function?

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posted on 2023-05-20, 02:18 authored by Bell, JJ, Rovellini, A, Davy, SK, Taylor, MW, Elizabeth FultonElizabeth Fulton, Dunn, MR, Bennett, HM, Kandler, NM, Luter, HM, Webster, NS
Anthropogenic stressors are impacting ecological systems across the world. Of particular concern are the recent rapid changes occurring in coral reef systems. With ongoing degradation from both local and global stressors, future reefs are likely to function differently from current coral‐dominated ecosystems. Determining key attributes of future reef states is critical to reliably predict outcomes for ecosystem service provision. Here we explore the impacts of changing sponge dominance on coral reefs. Qualitative modelling of reef futures suggests that changing sponge dominance due to increased sponge abundance will have different outcomes for other trophic levels compared with increased sponge dominance as a result of declining coral abundance. By exploring uncertainty in the model outcomes we identify the need to (1) quantify changes in carbon flow through sponges, (2) determine the importance of food limitation for sponges, (3) assess the ubiquity of the recently described “sponge loop,” (4) determine the competitive relationships between sponges and other benthic taxa, particularly algae, and (5) understand how changing dominance of other organisms alters trophic pathways and energy flows through ecosystems. Addressing these knowledge gaps will facilitate development of more complex models that assess functional attributes of sponge‐dominated reef ecosystems.

History

Publication title

Ecology

Volume

99

Issue

9

Pagination

1920-1931

ISSN

0012-9658

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Ecological Soc Amer

Place of publication

1707 H St Nw, Ste 400, Washington, USA, Dc, 20006-3915

Rights statement

© 2018 by the Ecological Society of America

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Ecosystem adaptation to climate change

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