Intrinsic and extrinsic drivers on coral reefs

Abstract

Coral populations and their recovery from stresses and disturbances will continue to be driven by combinations of factors, but categorizing them as intrinsic or extrinsic is not as useful as understanding the scales on which they operate. The process or interaction of processes that exerts the strongest influence will by logical necessity be the limiting factor to corals. Addressing regional and global problems such as greenhouse-gas emissions and species introductions will leave local factors to limit coral populations, and vice versa. Simultaneous action on anthropogenic drivers at multiple scales is the only way to mitigate and, hopefully, reverse the degradation of coral reefs.