Ch 16: Reef Resilience, Loss of Biodiversity, and the Role of Conservation
functional redundancy
A characteristic of species within an ecosystem where certain species contribute in equivalent ways to an ecosystem function such that one species may substitute for another.
corridors
A strip of natural habitat that connects two adjacent nature preserves to allow migration of organisms from one place to another
paper parks
These sites represent a failure of efforts to protect resources and ecosystem. "A legally established protected area where experts believe current protection activities are insufficient to halt degradation.
regional reserve network
a chain of small reserves that can provide insulation from storms and other stochastic events and offers significantly greater protection for marine communities than a single small reserve
meta-analysis
a procedure for statistically combining the results of many different research studies in order to find patterns
Bioindicator
a species that is especially sensitive to ecological change and thus can serve as an indicator of environmental conditions
tolerance=
acclimatization
resistance=
adaptation
steeping stones
areas of isolated habitat that extend the connection of otherwise separate populations
spillover effect
areas outside reserves also benefit by net emigration of adults and juveniles across borders
cool spots
areas with low species richness
ecological resilience
describes the amount of change or disruption that a system can absorb
marine protected areas (MPAs)
discrete regions of ocean that are legally protected from various forms of human exploitation (fishing) AKA "no take zones"
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP)
established in 1975; largest coral reef conservation areas
adaptation
genetic shift consistent with natural selection and evolutionary change as in "antibiotic resistance"
recruitment effect
increased export of propagules due to a nearby protected area
functional diversity
links the richness of species to the similarities and differences among their physical, behavioral, and physiological traits
avoidance
means of coping with environmental change and involves escape, or other reaction that mitigate stress
resilience
rate at which a material can absorb energy and return to its original state or shape after it has been deformed
coral reef resilience
refers to the maintenance of coral coverage, spatial hetergeneity, biodiversity, and connectivity with other complex ecosystems
Allee effect
relationship between reproductive success of a species and the minimum population size needed to achieve it
phase shifts
subtle but cumulative changes in the environment or severe conditions that may cause a loss of resilience and large-scale, rapid change from largely coral-dominated communities to less desirable ones
acclimatization
the gradual process by which an animal adjusts to changes in its external environment via phenotypuc mechanisms
synergistic effects
the influence of two or more interactive forces whose combined impact is greater than the sum of the individual agents acting alone ex: warming waters, increased diseases, carbonate depletion, coral bleaching
