Articles | Volume 23, issue 17
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6267-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-6267-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Net ecosystem production of coral communities persisting under marginal environmental conditions
Timothy B. King
Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Yu-De Pei
Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Joshua Bennett-Williams
Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Short summary
We measured how coral communities around Hong Kong produce and use organic matter across different seasons and environments. Even where coral cover was high, communities often used more than they produced, especially under variable wet-season conditions. These findings show how corals can persist in challenging coastal waters and help us understand how coral communities may respond to future climate change and coastal development.
We measured how coral communities around Hong Kong produce and use organic matter across...
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