Global warming and recurrent mass bleaching of corals

Terry P. Hughes (), James T. Kerry, Mariana Álvarez-Noriega, Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero, Kristen D. Anderson, Andrew H. Baird, Russell C. Babcock, Maria Beger, David R. Bellwood, Ray Berkelmans, Tom C. Bridge, Ian R. Butler, Maria Byrne, Neal E. Cantin, Steeve Comeau, Sean R. Connolly, Graeme S. Cumming, Steven J. Dalton, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, C. Mark Eakin, Will F. Figueira, James P. Gilmour, Hugo B. Harrison, Scott F. Heron, Andrew S. Hoey, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, Mia O. Hoogenboom, Emma V. Kennedy, Chao-yang Kuo, Janice M. Lough, Ryan J. Lowe, Gang Liu, Malcolm T. McCulloch, Hamish A. Malcolm, Michael J. McWilliam, John M. Pandolfi, Rachel J. Pears, Morgan S. Pratchett, Verena Schoepf, Tristan Simpson, William J. Skirving, Brigitte Sommer, Gergely Torda, David R. Wachenfeld, Bette L. Willis and Shaun K. Wilson
Additional contact information
Terry P. Hughes: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
James T. Kerry: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Mariana Álvarez-Noriega: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Jorge G. Álvarez-Romero: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Kristen D. Anderson: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Andrew H. Baird: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Russell C. Babcock: Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organization
Maria Beger: School of Biology, University of Leeds
David R. Bellwood: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Ray Berkelmans: College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University
Tom C. Bridge: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Ian R. Butler: Australian Research Council, Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland
Maria Byrne: School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney
Neal E. Cantin: Australian Institute of Marine Science
Steeve Comeau: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley
Sean R. Connolly: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Graeme S. Cumming: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Steven J. Dalton: Fisheries Research
Guillermo Diaz-Pulido: School of Environment, and Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
C. Mark Eakin: Coral Reef Watch, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Will F. Figueira: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney
James P. Gilmour: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Oceans Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia
Hugo B. Harrison: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Scott F. Heron: Coral Reef Watch, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Andrew S. Hoey: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Jean-Paul A. Hobbs: Curtin University
Mia O. Hoogenboom: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Emma V. Kennedy: School of Environment, and Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University
Chao-yang Kuo: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Janice M. Lough: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Ryan J. Lowe: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley
Gang Liu: Coral Reef Watch, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Malcolm T. McCulloch: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley
Hamish A. Malcolm: Fisheries Research
Michael J. McWilliam: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
John M. Pandolfi: Australian Research Council, Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland
Rachel J. Pears: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Morgan S. Pratchett: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Verena Schoepf: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Coral Reef Studies, Oceans Institute and School of Earth and Environment, University of Western Australia, Crawley
Tristan Simpson: Torres Strait Regional Authority
William J. Skirving: Coral Reef Watch, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Brigitte Sommer: Australian Research Council, Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland
Gergely Torda: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
David R. Wachenfeld: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Bette L. Willis: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Shaun K. Wilson: Kensington

Nature, 2017, vol. 543, issue 7645, 373-377

Abstract: Abstract During 2015–2016, record temperatures triggered a pan-tropical episode of coral bleaching, the third global-scale event since mass bleaching was first documented in the 1980s. Here we examine how and why the severity of recurrent major bleaching events has varied at multiple scales, using aerial and underwater surveys of Australian reefs combined with satellite-derived sea surface temperatures. The distinctive geographic footprints of recurrent bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 1998, 2002 and 2016 were determined by the spatial pattern of sea temperatures in each year. Water quality and fishing pressure had minimal effect on the unprecedented bleaching in 2016, suggesting that local protection of reefs affords little or no resistance to extreme heat. Similarly, past exposure to bleaching in 1998 and 2002 did not lessen the severity of bleaching in 2016. Consequently, immediate global action to curb future warming is essential to secure a future for coral reefs.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/nature21707

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