We present the results of our 15th horizon scan of novel issues that could influence
biological conservation in the future. From an initial list of 96 issues, our international panel …

Echinoderm mass mortality events shape marine ecosystems by altering the dynamics
among major benthic groups. The sea urchin Diadema antillarum, virtually extirpated in the …

In 1983 to 1984, a mass mortality event caused a Caribbean-wide,> 95% population
reduction of the echinoid grazer, Diadema antillarum. This led to blooms of algae …

That coral reefs are in decline worldwide, particularly in the Caribbean, will come as no
surprise. This decades-long decline has reached a potential tipping point as the weight of …

Sea urchins are primary herbivores on coral reefs, regulating algal biomass and facilitating
coral settlement and growth. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Recurring mass mortality …

Mass mortality of the dominant coral reef herbivore Diadema antillarum in the Caribbean in
the early 1980s contributed to a persistent phase shift from coral-to algal-dominated reefs. In …

Tropical western Atlantic reefs have gradually shifted from being dominated by corals to
being mainly covered by macroalgae. The mass-mortality of the sea urchin Diadema …

Understanding early life histories of keystone marine herbivores can broaden insight into
population dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Settlement, defined as the transitional …

The 1983–1984 mortality event of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum reduced
their population by up to 99% and was accompanied by a phase shift from coral dominated …

The long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum controls reef dynamics by grazing on algae
and increasing coral recruitment. Populations of Diadema never recovered after a mass-die …