Renewed research interest in crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.) reflecting the increasing imperative to manage ongoing coral reef degradation
Abstract
Crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS: Acanthaster spp.) remain one of the foremost causes of coral mortality on coral reefs throughout the Indo West-Pacific, and recurrent population irruptions compound upon other major disturbances, especially climate-induced coral bleaching. Renewed scientific and management interest in CoTS stems from both the initiation of new and renewed population irruptions and sustained degradation of coral reef ecosystems. This perspective reflects on recent research advances and innovations in prediction, detection and responses to changing abundance and ecological impacts of CoTS, which were partly facilitated by a co-ordinated large-scale research program conducted on Australia’s GBR. The collection of papers in the subsequent Special Issue, together with other recent publications, highlight substantial advances in CoTS research, but also critical knowledge gaps and highly tractable and urgent research priorities.
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BibTeX
@article{pratchett2026renewed,
title = {{Renewed research interest in crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.) reflecting the increasing imperative to manage ongoing coral reef degradation}},
author = {Morgan Pratchett and Ciemon Caballes and Maria Byrne and Suzanne Mills and Cameron Fletcher and Mary Bonin},
journal = {Coral Reefs},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1007/s00338-026-02934-8},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05826713v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Renewed research interest in crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.) reflecting the increasing imperative to manage ongoing coral reef degradation
AU - Morgan Pratchett
AU - Ciemon Caballes
AU - Maria Byrne
AU - Suzanne Mills
AU - Cameron Fletcher
AU - Mary Bonin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/12
JO - Coral Reefs
DO - 10.1007/s00338-026-02934-8
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05826713v1
AB - Crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS: Acanthaster spp.) remain one of the foremost causes of coral mortality on coral reefs throughout the Indo West-Pacific, and recurrent population irruptions compound upon other major disturbances, especially climate-induced coral bleaching. Renewed scientific and management interest in CoTS stems from both the initiation of new and renewed population irruptions and sustained degradation of coral reef ecosystems. This perspective reflects on recent research advances and innovations in prediction, detection and responses to changing abundance and ecological impacts of CoTS, which were partly facilitated by a co-ordinated large-scale research program conducted on Australia’s GBR. The collection of papers in the subsequent Special Issue, together with other recent publications, highlight substantial advances in CoTS research, but also critical knowledge gaps and highly tractable and urgent research priorities.
SN - 0722-4028
SN - 1432-0975
ER -