The Great Barrier Reef
50
concept, and recognising that reefs vary along the
GBR, a spatial management protocol can use an
‘umbrella’ approach. If large spatial units (e.g. individual reefs) can be managed or protected from some
type of anthropogenic pressure, then all habitats contained within that spatial unit will be automatically
protected as well. In addition, if these units can be
placed along all axes of the main environmental gradients such as latitude and shelf position, then in all
probability this protection will extend over the entire
range of habitats without really needing to know
exactly how to define habitats for each species, or even
know which habitats occur on each reef. Such an
approach was used in the zoning of the GBR in which
large regional areas with clusters of similar habitats
(‘bioregions’) were identified and different zoning
levels applied to protect representative habitats across
the reef (see Chapter 12).
To summarise: on coral reefs living organisms contribute to the habitat structure of a vast array of organisms, and so ecological processes such as competition,
predation, and biological disturbance interact with
physical processes such as water movement and physical disturbance to alter the physical structure of the habitat. In this way, local biological processes, perhaps
correlated over large spatial and temporal scales,
can exert very strong effects on those organisms that
respond to the habitat-forming organisms. The diversity
of habitat-responding organisms is not restricted to
places in which the habitat-former is present; many
‘coral reef’ organisms are not associated with corals
themselves, but rather the habitat heterogeneity they
provide. Temporal and spatial variability in habitat
structure generates a range of opportunities for habitat
responding organisms to coexist at a range of spatial
scales. Although defining habitats for individuals and
assemblages is problematic, recognising that habitat is a
spatial concept means that management of habitats can
be a relatively simple process, as long as big enough
areas of space are controlled. This diversity of places to
live, in combination with the vast array of organisms that
are available and able to live in these places undoubtedly combine to maintain biodiversity on the GBR.
ADDITIONAL READING
Connell, J. H. (1978). Diversity in tropical rain forests
and coral reefs. Science 199: 1302–1310.
Done, T. J. (1992). Effects of tropical cyclone waves on
ecological and geomorphological structures on the
Great Barrier Reef. Continental Shelf Research 12:
859–872.
Halford, A., Cheal A. J., Ryan, D., and Williams D. M.
(2004). Resilience to large-scale disturbance in coral
and fish assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef.
Ecology 85: 1892–1905.
Hughes, T. P., Rodrigues, M. J., Bellwood, D. R.,
Ceccarelli, D., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., McCook, L.,
Steneck, R. S., and B. Willis. (2007). Phase shifts,
herbivory, and the resilience of coral reefs to climate
change. Current Biology 17: 360–365.
Jones, G. P., and Andrew, N. L. (1993). Temperate reefs
and the scope of seascape ecology. In ‘Proceedings
of the Second International Temperate Reef
Symposium, NIWA Marine, Wellington, New
Zealand’. (Eds C. N. Battershill, D. R. Schiel,
G. P. Jones, R. G. Creese, and A. B. MacDiarmid.)
pp. 63–76. (NIWA Marine: Wellington.)
Jones, G. P., and Syms, C. (1998). Disturbance, habitat
structure and the ecology of fishes on coral reefs.
Australian Journal of Ecology 23: 287–297.
Jones, G. P., McCormick, M. I., Srinivasan, M., and
Eagle, J. V. (2004). Coral decline threatens fish
biodiversity in marine reserves. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America 101: 8251–8253.
Syms, C., and Jones, G. P. (2001). Soft corals exert no
direct effects on coral reef fish assemblages. Oecologia
127: 560–571.
See website for an extended list, with updates:
http://www.australiancoralreefsociety.org
50
concept, and recognising that reefs vary along the
GBR, a spatial management protocol can use an
‘umbrella’ approach. If large spatial units (e.g. individual reefs) can be managed or protected from some
type of anthropogenic pressure, then all habitats contained within that spatial unit will be automatically
protected as well. In addition, if these units can be
placed along all axes of the main environmental gradients such as latitude and shelf position, then in all
probability this protection will extend over the entire
range of habitats without really needing to know
exactly how to define habitats for each species, or even
know which habitats occur on each reef. Such an
approach was used in the zoning of the GBR in which
large regional areas with clusters of similar habitats
(‘bioregions’) were identified and different zoning
levels applied to protect representative habitats across
the reef (see Chapter 12).
To summarise: on coral reefs living organisms contribute to the habitat structure of a vast array of organisms, and so ecological processes such as competition,
predation, and biological disturbance interact with
physical processes such as water movement and physical disturbance to alter the physical structure of the habitat. In this way, local biological processes, perhaps
correlated over large spatial and temporal scales,
can exert very strong effects on those organisms that
respond to the habitat-forming organisms. The diversity
of habitat-responding organisms is not restricted to
places in which the habitat-former is present; many
‘coral reef’ organisms are not associated with corals
themselves, but rather the habitat heterogeneity they
provide. Temporal and spatial variability in habitat
structure generates a range of opportunities for habitat
responding organisms to coexist at a range of spatial
scales. Although defining habitats for individuals and
assemblages is problematic, recognising that habitat is a
spatial concept means that management of habitats can
be a relatively simple process, as long as big enough
areas of space are controlled. This diversity of places to
live, in combination with the vast array of organisms that
are available and able to live in these places undoubtedly combine to maintain biodiversity on the GBR.
ADDITIONAL READING
Connell, J. H. (1978). Diversity in tropical rain forests
and coral reefs. Science 199: 1302–1310.
Done, T. J. (1992). Effects of tropical cyclone waves on
ecological and geomorphological structures on the
Great Barrier Reef. Continental Shelf Research 12:
859–872.
Halford, A., Cheal A. J., Ryan, D., and Williams D. M.
(2004). Resilience to large-scale disturbance in coral
and fish assemblages on the Great Barrier Reef.
Ecology 85: 1892–1905.
Hughes, T. P., Rodrigues, M. J., Bellwood, D. R.,
Ceccarelli, D., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., McCook, L.,
Steneck, R. S., and B. Willis. (2007). Phase shifts,
herbivory, and the resilience of coral reefs to climate
change. Current Biology 17: 360–365.
Jones, G. P., and Andrew, N. L. (1993). Temperate reefs
and the scope of seascape ecology. In ‘Proceedings
of the Second International Temperate Reef
Symposium, NIWA Marine, Wellington, New
Zealand’. (Eds C. N. Battershill, D. R. Schiel,
G. P. Jones, R. G. Creese, and A. B. MacDiarmid.)
pp. 63–76. (NIWA Marine: Wellington.)
Jones, G. P., and Syms, C. (1998). Disturbance, habitat
structure and the ecology of fishes on coral reefs.
Australian Journal of Ecology 23: 287–297.
Jones, G. P., McCormick, M. I., Srinivasan, M., and
Eagle, J. V. (2004). Coral decline threatens fish
biodiversity in marine reserves. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America 101: 8251–8253.
Syms, C., and Jones, G. P. (2001). Soft corals exert no
direct effects on coral reef fish assemblages. Oecologia
127: 560–571.
See website for an extended list, with updates:
http://www.australiancoralreefsociety.org