Changes in hermatypic coral functions in a protected natural area following two hurricanes

The Cozumel Reefs National Park (CRNP) is an important stepping-stone location in the Caribbean region, yet it has been exposed to natural disturbances such as hurricanes and thermal-stress episodes that can affect coral community structure, and the potential to change the coral functional roles. Therefore, this work evaluated the spatial and temporal variability of coral functional diversity and the Reef Function Index (RFI) of the reef community after the passage of two hurricanes in 2005. The results showed that the functional space of CRNP changed throughout the period studied (2006–2012). Differences among reef sites were evident, where Chankanaab and Colombia exhibited the highest functional dispersion, calcification rate, and colony height values. Reef Function Index also exhibited spatial variation. While most coral functions and live coral cover showed partial recovery over time, the species-specific contribution to reef functions could be at risk of being lost. Moreover, coral reefs appear to exhibit high functional vulnerability under increasingly frequent and intense natural stressors, due coral species with the most different functional roles and low abundances are isolated within the functional space. This study underscores the important use of coral functional diversity and the Reef Function Index for assessing the condition of coral reefs and their reef functioning from a geo-ecological perspective.