Data from: Coral reef degradation is not correlated with local human population density

The global decline of reef-building corals is understood to be due to a
combination of local and global stressors. However, many reef scientists
assume that local factors predominate and that isolated reefs, far from
human activities, are generally healthier and more resilient. Here we show
that coral reef degradation is not correlated with human population
density. This suggests that local factors such as fishing and pollution
are having minimal effects or that their impacts are masked by global
drivers such as ocean warming. Our results also suggest that the effects
of local and global stressors are antagonistic, rather than synergistic as
widely assumed. These findings indicate that local management alone cannot
restore coral populations or increase the resilience of reefs to
large-scale impacts. They also highlight the truly global reach of
anthropogenic warming and the immediate need for drastic and sustained
cuts in carbon emissions.