@article{7e38d970f1d942a487e4e3c35201f07c,
title = "Hosts of the plio-pleistocene past reflect modern-day coral vulnerability",
abstract = "The risk of global extinction of reef-building coral species is increasing.We evaluated extinction risk using a biological trait-based resiliency index that was compared with Caribbean extinction during the Plio-Pleistocene, andwith extinction risk determined by the International Union forConservation ofNature (IUCN).Through the Plio-Pleistocene, the Caribbean supported more diverse coral assemblages than today and shared considerable overlap with contemporary Indo-Pacific reefs. A clear association was found between extant Plio- Pleistocene coral genera and our positive resilience scores. Regional extinction in the past and vulnerability in the present suggests that Pocillopora, Stylophora and foliose Pavona are among the most susceptible taxa to local and regional isolation. These same taxawere among themost abundant corals in theCaribbean Pliocene. Therefore, awidespread distribution did not equatewith immunity to regional extinction. The strong relationship between past and present vulnerability suggests that regional extinction events are trait-based and not merely random episodes. We found several inconsistencies between our data and the IUCN scores, which suggest a need to critically re-examine what constitutes coral vulnerability.",
keywords = "Biological trait, Coral, Extinction risk, Plio-Pleistocene, Resilience, Vulnerability",
author = "{van Woesik}, Robert and Franklin, {Erik C.} and Jennifer O{\textquoteright}Leary and McClanahan, {Tim R.} and Klaus, {James S.} and Budd, {Ann F.}",
note = "Funding Information: Many thanks extend to Sandra vanWoesik and Peter Edmunds for editorial comments and Shirley Han for research assistance. Funding provided by the NSF (DEB-0102544, DEB-9705199, EAR-9219138, EAR-0445789 to A.F.B.; EF-0553768 to NCEAS for ?Tropical coral reefs of the future: modelling ecological outcomes from the analyses of current and historical trends? Working Group, awarded to Ruth Gates and Pete Edmunds; OCE-1041673 to M.J.D. for E.C.F., NOAA NMSP (MOA 2005-008/66882 for E.C.F.), the US EPA (FP917096 to E.C.F.). This is HIMB contribution no. 1483 and SOEST contribution no. 8550. This is contribution 61 from the Institute for Research on Global Climate Change at the Florida Institute of Technology. Funding Information: Many thanks extend to Sandra van Woesik and Peter Edmunds for editorial comments and Shirley Han for research assistance. Funding provided by the NSF (DEB-0102544, DEB-9705199, EAR-9219138, EAR-0445789 to A.F.B.; EF-0553768 to NCEAS for {\textquoteleft}Tropical coral reefs of the future: modelling ecological outcomes from the analyses of current and historical trends{\textquoteright} Working Group, awarded to Ruth Gates and Pete Edmunds; OCE-1041673 to M.J.D. for E.C.F., NOAA NMSP (MOA 2005-008/66882 for E.C.F.), the US EPA (FP917096 to E.C.F.). This is HIMB contribution no. 1483 and SOEST contribution no. 8550. This is contribution 61 from the Institute for Research on Global Climate Change at the Florida Institute of Technology. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2012 The Royal Society.",
year = "2012",
month = jun,
day = "22",
doi = "10.1098/rspb.2011.2621",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "279",
pages = "2448--2456",
journal = "Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences",
issn = "0800-4622",
publisher = "Royal Society of London",
number = "1737",
}