Coral reefs are one of the most diverse, complex, aesthetically appealing and threatened ecosystems on earth. This collection will include information on a wide range of topics related to coral reef geology, ecology, decline and conservation. The collection was designed to be a comprehensive resource for students, teachers, reporters, scientists, and the general public. Articles can be accessed and used as stand alone entities or used in combination to form a short or long course on coral reef sciences or any of the many sub-themes included in the collection. All contributions were written by coral reef scientists. Collection authors can expand on or edit the contents list; please contact John Bruno with suggestions. If you are interested in writing an article for this collection, please go to the How to Contribute page for more information on getting involved.

* An asterisk indicates a reserved topic; these articles will be available shortly.

• History of reef science
• What is a coral reef
  • coral reef
• Types of coral reefs
  • atoll
• Coral reef geology
  • coral reef geomorphology
  • basic reef geological terminology
  • carbonate biogeochemistry
  • calcifying plants and animals
  • reef accretion
  • reef erosion
  • sea level rise
  • catch up, keep up and give up reefs*
  • coral reef sediment sources and budget
• Coral reef paleoecology: coral reefs in space and time
  • ancient coral reefs
  • corals as indicators of climate change
  • coral reefs and climate change
• Coral biology, ecology and evolution
  • coral mucus microbes*
  • early life stages of corals
• Coral reef community and ecosystem ecology
  • zonation of coral reef ecosystems
  • ecological processes on reefs
    • grazing and grazers (functional groups)
  • chemical cycling and energy transfer
  • associated habitats
    • mangroves
    • seagrass beds
  • coral reef resilience
• Species associated with coral reefs
  • coral reef fish
    • coral reef fish feeding behavior in the Caribbean
  • coral reef invertebrates
    • crown-of-thorn sea star
  • coral reef plants and algae
  • coral reef mammals, reptiles and other vertebrates
    • sea turtles
  • coral reef bacteria
• Coral reef biogeography
  • global distribution of reefs
  • global patterns of reef biodiversity
  • reef diversity, ranges and centers of endemism
• Coral reef decline
  • Coral loss
    • corals as endangered species
    • timeline of reef decline and awareness of reef degradation*
    • mapping threats to coral reefs (Reefs at Risk)*
  • Patterns of coral loss*
    • Caribbean*
    • Indo-Pacific*
    • Global*
    • coral reef phase shifts*
  • Causes of coral loss
    • coral bleaching*
      • Adaptive Bleaching Hypothesis*
      • satellite observations, and coral reef protection
    • coral diseases
      • coral resistance to disease*
    • ship groundings and anchor damage
    • terrestrial runoff onto reefs
    • threats to coral reefs
    • other causes of coral decline
  • Effects of coral loss on associated species
    • Coral loss leads to declines in fish abundance and diversity
  • Changes in assemblages of associated species
    • changes in fish communities
    • historical overfishing
    • modern coral reef fisheries
    • destructive fishing practices
    • increases in macroalgae (patterns and causes)
• Coral reef management and conservation
  • Coral reef management strategies
    • managing for reef resilience*
    • managing coral reef fisheries
    • efficacy of coral reef management strategies
  • Coral reef marine reserves
    • marine reserves
    • coral reef reserves*
      • Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve
      • Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary
      • Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
      • Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
    • coral reef restoration
    • comprehensive regional coral reef conservation plans
    • coral reef management and monitoring agencies
      • NOAA Coral Watch Program: SST, DHW, etc.*
      • Reef monitoring and Reef Check*
  • Coral reef ecosystem services
    • marine ecosystem services
• Coral reef examples (local descriptions and natural history)
  • coral reefs in Florida
  • Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, Belize
  • Northern Africa and coastal and marine environments