How quickly did new corals reach the global average coral cover after bleaching?

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Ecosystems worldwide are recovering from human-induced disturbances through natural processes or restoration, but recovery dynamics and their implications for broader ecosystem management remain unclear. Researchers used coral reefs as a case study to explore these dynamics.

At Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, they tracked the fate of 809 individual coral recruits that settled after a severe bleaching event. Recruited Acropora corals first detected in 2020 grew to a coral cover level equivalent to the global average within just two years. The researchers found that 11.5 Acropora recruits per square meter were sufficient to reach this cover within two years. However, wave exposure, growth form and colony density had a marked effect on recovery rates.

The results emphasize considering natural recovery in management and restoration. They also suggest that lessons from reef recovery can inform understanding of recovery dynamics in high-diversity ecosystems disturbed by climate.