@article{fdi:010084337,
  title = {{D}estructive outbreaks of the corallivorous starfish {A}canthaster cf. solarisspare coral assemblages in the shallowest reef flat areas in {N}ew {C}aledonia},
  author = {{D}umas, {P}ascal and {P}eignon, {C}hristophe and {D}umas, {M}. and {B}ourgeois, {B}. and {G}ossuin, {H}. and {F}iat, {S}ylvie},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{O}utbreaks of the corallivorous starfish {A}canthaster cf. solaris ({COTS}) are not fully understood, especially in the shallowest areas behind the reef crests where limited {COTS} impacts are often reported. {H}ere, we investigated the outbreak occurrence and compared post-outbreak habitat impacts in reef flats vs. upper fore reefs at 13 sites in {N}ew {C}aledonia. {I}n this {P}acific territory so far considered marginally affected by {COTS}, we documented wide occurrences of aggregations, combining massive population increases (maximum 605 {COTS} per swim, abundances >100 {COTS} recorded in 46% of the sites) with limited spatiotemporal boundaries. {A}bundance levels met the highest values in the literature, but were restricted to relatively small, isolated mid-shelf reefs. {T}ypical residence time was short (< two years), with at least one site where {COTS} seemingly disappeared within seven months. {T}he spread of {COTS} population and subsequent impacts appeared self-contained, and never affected the reef flats (0.5-1.5 m). {T}he transition to severely affected fore reefs was abrupt, with live coral cover divided by nine and morphological diversity halved within a very few meters (3-5 m). {W}e suggest that these differential impacts likely result from harsh environmental conditions making shallow, coral-rich areas less suitable for {COTS}, thereby pushing predation pressure further downwards.},
  keywords = {{A}canthaster outbreaks ; coral reef management ; habitat degradation ; pest species ; {NOUVELLE} {CALEDONIE} ; {PACIFIQUE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{ICES} {J}ournal of {M}arine {S}cience},
  volume = {79},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {350--361},
  ISSN = {1054-3139},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1093/icesjms/fsab262},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010084337},
}