Journal article
Winners and losers as mangrove, coral and seagrass ecosystems respond to sea-level rise in Solomon Islands
Environmental Research Letters, Vol.12(9), 094009
2017
Abstract
A 2007 earthquake in the western Solomon Islands resulted in a localised subsidence event in which sea level (relative to the previous coastal settings) rose approximately 60 cm, providing insight into impacts of future rapid changes to sea level on coastal ecosystems. Here, we show that increasing sea level by 60 cm can have contrasting impacts on mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems. Coral reef habitats were the clear winners with a steady lateral growth from 2006-2014, yielding a 157% increase in areal coverage over seven years. Mangrove ecosystems, on the other hand, suffered the largest impact through a rapid dieback of 35% (130 ha) of mangrove forest in the study area after subsidence. These forests, however, had partially recovered seven years after the earthquake albeit with a different community structure. The shallow seagrass ecosystems demonstrated the most dynamic response to relative shifts in sea level with both losses and gains in areal extent at small scales of 10-100 m. The results of this study emphasize the importance considering the impacts of sea-level rise within a complex landscape in which winners and losers may vary over time and space.
Details
- Title
- Winners and losers as mangrove, coral and seagrass ecosystems respond to sea-level rise in Solomon Islands
- Authors
- Simon Albert (Author) - University of QueenslandMegan I Saunders (Author) - University of QueenslandChris M Roelfsema (Author) - University of QueenslandJavier X Leon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringElizabeth Johnstone (Author) - University of QueenslandJock R Mackenzie (Author) - James Cook UniversityOve Hoegh-Guldberg (Author) - University of QueenslandAlistair R Grinham (Author) - University of QueenslandStuart Phinn (Author) - University of QueenslandNormal C Duke (Author) - James Cook UniversityPeter J Mumby (Author) - University of QueenslandEva Kovacs (Author) - University of QueenslandColin D Woodroffe (Author) - University of Wollongong
- Publication details
- Environmental Research Letters, Vol.12(9), 094009; 11
- Publisher
- Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
- Date published
- 2017
- DOI
- 10.1088/1748-9326/aa7e68
- ISSN
- 1748-9326
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99451063802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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