[Coral-List] [External Email] Re: New Paper: Resilient corals in the Phoenix Islands

[Douglas Fenner]

   Maybe, to follow Darwin, the "evolution" of coral reefs might be a good
term.  Lots of change over time, some patterns in the change, but death not
certain, perhaps with the exception of during the next ice age, when all
currently living reefs will be high in the air, dry and all the sea life
that was on them will not be living on them.  But other generations of that
same sea life will be living deeper and ready to re-invade the remaining
reef structure when the sea levels rise again, and the reefs come alive
again, Phoenix-life.  But probably not worth squabbling over particular
words, it is the reality of the reef and whatever changes and/or cycles
they may go through that is the important part, not so much what words we
use.  Maybe.    Cheers, Doug

On Fri, Sep 17, 2021 at 6:21 AM David Blakeway via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> Great post Austin,
> I was discussing with a colleague this morning that we'd like to live in a
> country that would elect an ecologist as President/Prime Minister (ours has
> qualifications in law and marketing).
>
> I *assumed *that the deeper seaward corals at Kiribati would be ok, like
> those in the Line Islands described by Fox et al. But given what you are
> saying, and other examples (e.g. Mike's Isla del Canio) that's often not
> the case.
>
> Halard - thanks for raising those points. You are of course right that the
> reef will continue to grow outward. 'Terminal' was a poor word choice on my
> part. 'Senescent' or 'senile' is more appropriate, and is what Maxwell
> (1968) and Hopley (1982) used in their original 'lifespan' descriptions.
> Kiribati's senile stage will, I believe, almost certainly involve the loss
> of all lagoon corals. In fact the eastern lagoons of Kiribati may already
> be devoid of live coral. Senile Kiribati will perhaps be less like
> Washington Island though; more like Starbuck Island (-5.64, -155.88) which
> clearly shows internal 'Kiribati-like' structures.
> I don't think the lifespan idea is a dangerous concept. Most every reef is
> on a natural trajectory to something different. If we want to understand
> anthropogenic effects it would be very helpful to first understand that
> natural trajectory.
>
> Maxwell, WGH. 1968. Atlas of the Great Barrier Reef
> Hopley, D. 1982. Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef
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