Ocean Acidification

Oceanic islands are among the most remote and understudied regions of the planet, yet they harbour unique reef fish communities that are increasingly vulnerable to global environmental change. Because these islands are geographically isolated, their populations are often assumed to respond mainly to local environmental conditions. However, by analysing temporal patterns in oceanographic variables across two distant systems (3204 km apart) in the South Mid-Atlantic Ridge (both encompassed by marine protected areas—MPAs), we found that temporal alignment in environmental conditions was associated with coordinated shifts in counts of nine reef fish populations in each study area. Among the evaluated variables, pH emerged as the most influential factor. Despite the divergent responses among reef fishes, possibly reflecting differences in physiological plasticity, shared temporal patterns in pH appeared central to parallel population patterns observed across assemblages. Increases in sea surface height and chlorophyll-a played secondary roles, potentially benefiting some populations, although such effects may be transient. These results suggest that climate-driven convergence in environmental conditions can override geographic isolation, promoting similar biological responses that may reduce resilience and increase extinction risk. Given that both islands are legally protected, our findings highlight that even MPAs are not insulated from large-scale oceanographic stressors, underscoring the need for long-term monitoring and adaptative conservation strategies for remote reef systems.

Karlovic T. C., Rodrigues A. R., Henry L., Floeter S. R., Jones K. L., Ferreira C. E. E., Polito P. S., Sato O. T. & Gasalla M. A., 2026. Responses of reef fish populations to similar environmental changes across distant oceanic islands. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 36(4): e70363. doi: 10.1002/aqc.70362. Article.