Marine 'refuges' may be the key to coral reef recovery following climate change

摘要

One of the most potent weapons that marine managers have in helping coral reefs adapt to climate change is the creation and protection of marine 'refugia (Riegl and Piller 2003). Pockets of highly diverse marine life could be the key to the survival and regeneration of coral reefs as climate changes take effect over the next century (Schneider, Semenov et al. 2007). The survival of the reef-building corals (Scleractinian) are the key to retaining the structural integrity of coral reefs as these provide habitat, food and shelter to a variety of other marine life.