PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Ecosystem Services of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems and a Call for Better Accounting

Coral Reefs of the World, ISSN: 2213-7203, Vol: 12, Page: 943-956
2019
  • 16
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 58
    Captures
  • 7
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    16
    • Citation Indexes
      16
  • Captures
    58
  • Mentions
    7
    • News Mentions
      7
      • 7

Most Recent News

Column: Deep Sea Reefs Must Be Conserved

[Opinion column written by Paris Stefanoudis] Sunlit coral reefs are perhaps the most famous marine habitat and many people will have snorkelled over or dived

Book Chapter Description

Accounting of the goods and services provided by ecosystems to human communities provides a basis for informed sustainable development, policy, and conservation decision-making. Coral reefs provide a myriad of such goods and services to coastal communities through direct provisioning (e.g., calories and natural products), environmental supporting and regulating services (e.g., nutrient or trophic cycling and stock support), and cultural products (e.g., tourism and culturally important ecosystems). Mid-depth coral communities (30–150 m), or mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), are not generally addressed in ecosystem services accounting for coral reefs; however, they may share many of the services associated with shallow coral reefs, as well as provide unique ecosystem services of their own. The growing understanding that MCEs occupy large areas of previously uncharacterized insular and continental shelves suggests coral reef valuations need to account for these ecosystems. As shallower resources continue to decline due to anthropogenic pressures, it is crucial that we understand how MCEs support coastal ecosystems and human communities. Here, we explore the development of an ecosystem services framework for MCEs in the context of those provided by shallow coral reefs and present a baseline for further development as new data and information about MCEs become available. We recommend future research properly account for and valuate MCE ecosystem services, both individually and as they relate to ecosystem services for shallow-water reefs.

Bibliographic Details

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know