Project: CAREER: Life after death in coral reefs: Testing the pivotal role of dead corals in ecosystem resilience

NSF Award Abstract:
Many ecosystems including coral reefs, hemlock forests, kelp beds, and seagrass meadows are defined by ‘foundation species’ which are the large and conspicuous organisms that create habitat. Decades of research reveal the importance of foundation species for sustaining the biodiversity and ecosystem functions that underlie critical ecosystem services including water purification, storm protection, and food provision. Although foundation species commonly ameliorate stress, create habitat, and modify resource availability through their physical presence rather than their actions, and many foundation species remain as physical structures after death, we know surprising little about their ecological role after death. The research component of this project focuses on corals because of the conspicuous reef structures they leave behind after death and the value of these reef structures for the resilience and function of tropical coastal ecosystems. The education and outreach component of the project build academic capacity and a broad understanding of the importance of foundation species for coastal resilience among underrepresented stakeholder groups in three ways: First, the project increases diversity of participants by recruiting teachers and high school students from underrepresented groups for teacher workshops that involve trips to research sites and virtual precollege courses that connect students nationwide to researchers at the University of Florida. Second, the project promotes globalization for effective world citizens by leading University of Florida undergraduates in international research experiences at Caribbean field sites, and University of Florida graduate students in outreach activities with conservation NGOs in Panama. Third, the project improves retention and provide networking opportunities by fostering mentorship relationships and inviting students and teachers to participate in a regional marine science symposium.

Coastal ecosystems around the world are changing at an unprecedented rate due to local and global anthropogenic stressors. Among the most obvious and important changes are shifts in the composition of the dominant, habitat-forming organisms (known as foundation species) that define many ecosystems by driving patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Working in coral reefs, which have been a model system for exploring state shifts and ecosystem resilience, this project explores how dead foundation species play a pivotal role in determining whether and how communities recover from disturbance. The goals of the project are three-fold: (1) Explore the traits of dead corals and how they contrast with living corals, (2) Track the fate of dead coral in the seascape (i.e., return to coral or shift to novel ecosystem), and (3) Test how consumers mediate the role of dead coral in setting ecosystem trajectories. These goals are being pursued through an international research program that employs a complementary set of field surveys, experiments, and modeling.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.