A remote coral reef shows macroalgal succession following a mass bleaching event

A remote coral reef at Kapou (Lisianski) Island in Papahānaumokuākea experienced unprecedented heat stress in 2014, leading to nearly total loss of live coral cover. Following the bleaching event, macroalgae such as Halimeda and Boodlea rapidly colonized the newly available substrata. While Halimeda remained dominant, other algae began to establish themselves between 2017 and 2021, increasing benthic diversity. Erosion of reef substrata continued post-bleaching, with signs of coral recovery observed through new Montipora colonies. The study used underwater photogrammetric techniques to track these changes from 2014 to 2021, highlighting the complex successional dynamics following mass coral mortality.

Fukunaga, A., Burns, J. H. R., Pascoe, K. H., & Kosaki, R. K. (2022). A remote coral reef shows macroalgal succession following a mass bleaching event. Ecological Indicators, 142, 109175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109175