Rewilding Can Help Islands Adapt to Rising Seas
Tropical atoll islands with thriving native vegetation and seabird populations can adapt to rising sea levels by supporting natural ecosystems, new research indicates.
Research suggests that restoring natural biodiversity can help vulnerable atoll islands keep pace with rising sea levels. An international team of scientists found that islands with native vegetation and established seabird populations are naturally active systems capable of changing and adapting to their environment.
The study, led by marine ecologist Nick Graham at Lancaster University and published in Science Advances, examined 28 atoll islands across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The findings indicate that restoring ecosystems reinforces island growth and stability.
Seabirds transport nutrients from the open ocean to the atolls, fostering the growth of land plants, marine life, and corals. This provides more material for reef building. Parrotfish and other reef dwellers convert dead coral into sand, maintaining beaches, while native plants' extensive root networks stabilize sediments.
The threat of sea-level rise is particularly acute for low-lying tropical atolls. This research offers a hopeful outlook, as healthy ecosystems can significantly enhance the islands' resilience to changing conditions without extensive human intervention.