Conservation implications
The anthropogenic transformation
of Caribbean coral communities into their historically novel
configurations has widespread consequences for reef ecosystem
functioning. First, the loss of competitive Acropora corals
represents a massive simplification of reef architectural structure and
loss of carbonate production that may compromise the ability of
Caribbean reefs to keep pace with anthropogenic sea level rise
[71-72]. Second, the simplification of reef architecture has the
potential to reduce diversity as well as the overall abundance of reef
fish communities [73-74] and coral-associated invertebrates
[17]. Third, coral community turnover has reduced the recovery
potential of these reefs by selectively removing coral species with high
larval dispersal rates (Acropora ) and replacing them with species
with low larval dispersal rates (Agaricia and Porites ),
limiting the ability of relatively intact reefs to re-seed degraded ones
[75]. As climate change impacts accelerate on Caribbean reefs and
exacerbate the effects of long-standing local human disturbances, the
simultaneous mitigation of both local and global stressors is the only
viable path to reef persistence. Indeed, recent studies from the
Caribbean and Great Barrier Reef highlight the prospect of enhanced reef
resiliency (but not resistance) to climate change impacts when
land-based nutrification and overfishing are alleviated [57,76-78].