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Updated: Jul 11, 2026
07:59
Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities
Published on: January 6, 2023
Long-term region-wide declines in Caribbean corals.
Toby A Gardner1, Isabelle M Côté, Jennifer A Gill
1School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|July 19, 2003
Summary
Caribbean coral reefs have experienced an 80% decline in hard coral cover over 30 years. Local factors synchronized across the region are driving this massive, persistent loss, jeopardizing reef resilience.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Ecology
- Conservation Science
Background:
- Coral reefs are vital marine ecosystems facing unprecedented threats.
- Caribbean reefs have shown significant degradation over recent decades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the extent and temporal patterns of hard coral cover decline across the Caribbean basin.
- To investigate the synchrony and potential drivers of coral loss across different subregions.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of coral cover data spanning three decades.
- Comparative analysis of coral cover changes across various time periods and subregions within the Caribbean.
Main Results:
- Average hard coral cover reduced by 80% (from ~50% to 10%) across the Caribbean in 30 years.
- Coral loss patterns showed regional synchrony, suggesting widespread local causes.
- While the rate of decline slowed recently, significant losses continue.
Conclusions:
- The Caribbean coral reef ecosystem has suffered a massive, region-wide decline.
- Local factors acting synchronously have driven substantial coral loss.
- The resilience of Caribbean reefs to future environmental changes is severely compromised.
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