Why and How ecosystems change

Across the globe, coral reefs are in peril—this is already old news. Man-made stresses—overfishing, pollution and climate change—has sent even pristine coral reefs around the world into a drastic decline causing major changes in ecosystem structure. The resilience and regenerative capacity of reef ecosystems—that is, their ability to absorb shocks, resist phase shifts and regenerate after natural and human-induced disturbances—are being overwhelmed by these stresses causing dramatic shifts in species composition, often incurring huge economic losses too.