, 2002 and Marshall and Schuttenberg, 2006). Reefs with effective management that minimises anthropogenic stresses are likely to have higher resilience than reefs that are already experiencing multiple stressors (West and Salm, 2003). Cumulative effects from or on related (adjacent) ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass meadows (including effects from maintenance Nutlin-3a dredging cycles) may also have indirect consequences for the

coral reef ecosystem. This is particularly so for ecological processes, functions and reef species that have important inter-linkages with mangrove and seagrass systems (Hemminga et al., 1994, Adams et al., 2006 and Pollux et al., 2007). The timing of the dredging and

construction activities may also affect the severity of impact, depending on the degree of seasonality and day–night cycles characterising the particular reef. Impacts during, or shortly prior to and after spawning events are of particular concern, since not only Selleckchem STA-9090 adult organisms may be negatively affected, but recruitment for the entire season may be jeopardised. While sedimentation certainly is a major stressor that can lead to significant coral mortality, strong, isolated sediment pulses need not necessarily kill a reef. Many reefs, and certainly corals in most settings, can indeed survive repeated, even severe, sediment input (Browne et al., 2010). One of the most important factors mitigating against permanent damage is strong water motion, either by surge or by currents, that serves to re-suspend and remove the sediment from the corals (Stafford-Smith and Ormond, 1992, Riegl, 1995, Riegl et al., 1996 and Schleyer and Celliers, 2003). As long as the coral’s surface is free from sediment, regeneration is relatively easily achieved,

even if damage occurred. A continuous cover of sediment on corals may lead to beginning tissue necrosis within 24 h in sensitive coral species, while in tolerant species there may still be no signs of necrosis after very 14 days (Table 8). This process is particularly readily observed in soft corals. Once the sediment has been removed, however, even if tissue necroses have occurred, regeneration can take place in the space of only a few weeks (Meesters et al., 1992). Strong currents can aide passive sediment-clearing. Purely oscillating currents or surge, while temporarily cleaning colonies, may not help overall since sediments will build up around the corals and eventually smother them.