Natural disasters can devastate a region, abruptly killing the species that form an ecosystem’s structure. But how this transpires can influence recovery.

Kopecky and his colleagues at the NSF-funded Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) site at Moorea Coral Reef noticed that the reef didn't experience the same remarkable recovery in the following years.

Discovery of 'pristine' coral reef near Tahiti could help save dying coral reefs around the world, scientist says. Up to 14% of the coral reefs in the world were killed between 2009 and 2018.

The team has a suite of ongoing experiments in Moorea, including one exploring how the reef recovers when dead coral skeletons are removed. Several others are testing the assumptions Kopecky used ...

The Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Site (17.50°S, 149.83°W) comprises the fringe of coral reefs and lagoons surrounding the volcanic island of Moorea in the Society ...

In 2005, the Moorea reefs faced hordes of crown-of-thorn sea stars, which eat coral polyps. ... Northridge and who studies the Moorea coral reef, was “blown away” by the reef’s recovery.

His parents were pearl farmers, and he grew up on a remote island in Moorea. From that close vantage, he has witnessed the deterioration of the coral reef, which led him to start the organization ...

A cyclone walloped Moorea's reefs in 2010. "It removed basically every single coral colony off the fore reef," Kopecky said. "But within about five years, it recovered back to the amount of coral ...

Historically, tropical storms and cyclones have been the biggest disruptors to Moorea’s reefs. “They tend to scrape all the coral off the reef and leave behind a flat surface,” said lead ...