Potential for Expansion of Coral Reefs into Higher Latitudes due to Climate Change

摘要

With the occurrence of recent strong climate events (e.g. El Nino 1997-1998 and La Nina 1999-2000) over the last couple of decades, it has become interesting to investigate if there have been any effects on Sea Surface temperature (SST) at geographical margins of coral reefs. It is generally accepted that the sea temperature range for coral reefs is 18-36 deg C, with the optimal range being between 22-deg and 28-deg C, although the limits of both high and low thermal stresses are species dependent and some corals in the Persian Gulf experience temperatures well outside of this range and still survive. Coral reefs dominate coastal tropical environments between latitudes 25-deg S and 25-deg N, roughly coinciding with winter minimum water temperatures of 18-deg C and above.