Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    The status of hard coral communities at Kosrae, Micronesia

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Richards, Zoe
    Date
    2015
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Richards, Z. 2015. The status of hard coral communities at Kosrae, Micronesia. Marine Biodiversity. 45 (4): pp. 655-666.
    Source Title
    Marine Biodiversity
    DOI
    10.1007/s12526-014-0266-8
    ISSN
    1867-1616
    School
    Department of Environment and Agriculture
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/51068
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Coral diversity is increasingly threatened by multiple anthropogenic and climate stressors. Threatened species assessments play an important role in guiding conservation action for management and mitigation of losses, but to provide accurate assessments it is necessary to collect quantitative data at an appropriate scale. When assessed at a global scale the level of threat facing corals in the tropical western Pacific Ocean is perceived to be low. However, whether the global threat classifications reflect the needs of species at regional scales remains to be verified. Here the status of scleractinian coral diversity is explored at a little-known Micronesian locality, Kosrae (5°15’S 162°58 E). Sixteen percent of the species recorded on the current survey are classified as Vulnerable on a global scale; however, down-scaling the assessment suggests that a larger proportion of species (up to 25%) may be vulnerable to regional extinction because they occupy a low proportion of sites. Twelve species are classified as Vulnerable at global and regional scales, and further monitoring of threatened species is needed to verify the status of 53 species that are listed as Data Deficient in the region. Despite the lower level of perceived extinction risk to coral communities in the NW Pacific, this study suggests the risk of regional diversity loss may be higher than expected. Ongoing coral reef monitoring and integrated watershed management to mitigate the threat of regional extinctions is needed.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Regional conservation status of scleractinian coral biodiversity in the republic of the marshall islands
      Richards, Zoe; Beger, M. (2013)
      Preventing the loss of biodiversity is a major challenge in mega-diverse ecosystems such as coral reefs where there is a critical shortage of baseline demographic data. Threatened species assessments play a valuable role ...
    • Biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef- how adequately is it protected?
      Richards, Zoe; Day, J. (2018)
      © 2018 Richards and Day. Background: The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the world's most iconic coral reef ecosystem, recognised internationally as a World Heritage Area of outstanding significance. Safeguarding the biodiversity ...
    • Biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef - how adequately is it protected?
      Richards, Zoe; Day, J. (2018)
      Background: The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the world’s most iconic coral reef ecosystem, recognised internationally as a World Heritage Area of outstanding significance. Safeguarding the biodiversity of this universally ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.