Discovery of a recovering climax Acropora community in Kanton Lagoon in the remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area

A resilient coral community in Kanton Lagoon, part of the remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), has shown remarkable recovery from near-total mortality caused by thermal stress. Despite temperatures reaching up to 30.5°C, which typically induces bleaching, Acropora stands within the lagoon exhibited minimal signs of thermal stress, suggesting that recovering coral species may have developed greater resistance. An expedition in 2015 documented a 52.8% recovery of hard corals, indicating a potential shift toward a more thermally tolerant climax community. This discovery highlights the capacity for coral reefs to rebound under protected conditions, even after severe disturbances.

Mangubhai, S., Nand, Y., & Rotjan, R. (2018). Discovery of a recovering climax Acropora community in Kanton Lagoon in the remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area. Pacific Conservation Biology, 25(3), 322–323. https://doi.org/10.1071/pc18051