Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, 2020, 58, 1–78
© S. J. Hawkins, A. L. Allcock, A. E. Bates, A. J. Evans, L. B. Firth, C. D. McQuaid, B. D. Russell, I. P. Smith, S. E. Swearer, P. A. Todd, Editors
Taylor & Francis
Priority species to support the functional integrity of coral reefs
Kennedy Wolfe1, Ken Anthony2, Russell C. Babcock3, Line Bay2, David G. Bourne2,4, Damien Burrows5, Maria Byrne6, Dione J. Deaker6, Guillermo Diaz-Pulido7, Pedro R. Frade4,8, Manuel Gonzalez-Rivero2, Andrew Hoey9, Mia Hoogenboom4,9, Mark McCormick9, Juan-Carlos Ortiz1,2, Tries Razak7, Anthony J. Richardson3,10, George Roff1, Hannah Sheppard-Brennand6, Jessica Stella11, Angus Thompson2, Sue-Ann Watson9,12, Nicole Webster2,13, Donna Audas11, Roger Beeden11, Jesseca Carver11, Mel Cowlishaw11, Michelle Dyer11, Paul Groves11, Dylan Horne11, Lauric Thiault14, Jason Vains11, David Wachenfeld11, Damien Weekers11, Genevieve Williams11 & Peter J. Mumby1
1Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
2Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
3Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Oceans and Atmosphere, Queensland Biosciences Precinct, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia
4College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
5TropWATER – Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
6School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
7School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
8Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
9ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
10School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
11Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
12Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Museum of Tropical Queensland, Queensland Museum, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
13Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
14National Center for Scientific Research, PSL Université Paris, CRIOBE, USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE-UPVD, Maison des Océeans, 195 rue Saint-Jacques, 75005, Paris, France, and Laboratoire d’Excellence CORAIL, 98729 Moorea, French Polynesia
Abstract Ecosystem-based management on coral reefs has historically focussed on biodiversity conservation through the establishment of marine reserves, but it is increasingly recognised that a subset of species can be key to the maintenance of ecosystem processes and functioning. Specific provisions for these key taxa are essential to biodiversity conservation and resilience-based adaptive management. While a wealth of literature addresses ecosystem functioning on coral reefs, available information covers only a subset of specific taxa, ecological processes and environmental stressors. What is lacking is a comparative assessment across the diverse range of coral reef species to synthesise available knowledge to inform science and management. Here we employed expert elicitation coupled with a literature review to generate the first comprehensive assessment of 70 taxonomically diverse and functionally distinct coral reef species from microbes to top predators to summarise reef functioning. Although our synthesis is largely through the lens of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, a particularly data-rich system, it is relevant to coral reefs in general. We use this assessment to evaluate which taxa drive processes that maintain a healthy reef and whether management of these taxa is considered a priority (i.e. are they vulnerable?) or is f...
