Facing a human-dominated world, ecologists are now reconsidering the role o
f disturbance for coral reef ecosystem dynamics. Human activities alter the
natural disturbance regimes of coral reefs by transforming pulse events in
to persistent disturbance or even chronic stress, by introducing new distur
bance, or by suppressing or removing disturbance. Adding these alterations
to natural disturbance regimes will probably result in unknown synergistic
effects. Simultaneously. humans are altering the capacity of reefs to cope
with disturbance (e.g. by habitat fragmentation and reduction of functional
diversity), which further exacerbates the effects of altered disturbance r
egimes. A disturbance that previously triggered the renewal and development
of reefs might, under such circumstances, become an obstacle to developmen
t. The implications of these changes for reef-associated human activities,
such as fishing and tourism, can be substantial.