Rapid change in coral composition alters the footprint of mass bleaching.

In the Great Barrier Reef, five mass bleaching events from 2016–2024 reshaped coral assemblages, shifting recovery patterns and bleaching/mortality responses by region and recovery interval.

• Why it matters: High bleaching frequency and shorter recovery windows may change long-term reef resilience, but the spatial consequences of repeated disturbances were unclear.
• What they did: Using bleaching and mortality surveys from 2016 and 2024, the study compared regions with 3–4 events since 2016 versus 7–8 years since the last major event.
• The result: Far northern regions (3–4 events) showed delayed recovery and lower bleaching and mortality in 2024, while central and northern regions (7–8 years) rapidly recovered with more fast-growing, heat-sensitive Acropora and severe 2024 bleaching and mortality.

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