Post-storm predation pressure intensifies on surviving coral fragments

Evidence

Knowlton et al (1981) found that fragments of Acropora cervicornis that had survived a very intense cyclone (hurricane) in Jamaica suffered over 99% mortality during the following 5 months. Prédation, and perhaps disease, caused much of this mortality. The number of predators had been reduced by only half by the storm, whereas the corals were reduced by 99%, so predator pressure on the survivors was much more intense after the storm. — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 888

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the polyad thread that disturbance aftermath, not just disturbance itself, shapes recovery — echoes the standing interest in listening/observing post-disturbance states. — connects to: Larger disturbances produce fewer surviving coral fragments than smaller ones — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 911; Postfire recovery speed depends on reproductive mode and stored reserves — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 664; Disturbance resource boosts are transient pulses that pioneer traits exploit — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 1261

Broader Connections

• Larger disturbances produce fewer surviving coral fragments than smaller ones #expands (0.85) — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 911
• Disturbance resource boosts are transient pulses that pioneer traits exploit #qualifies (0.78) — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 1261
• Postfire recovery speed depends on reproductive mode and stored reserves #qualifies (0.75) — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 664