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