Rapid shift in benthic assemblages following coral bleaching at an upper mesophotic habitat in Taiwan

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; typically, 30–150 m depths) have traditionally been considered potential refuges for shallow-water organisms, but recent evidence suggests that this role is context-dependent. Here, we document a singular habitat at the upper mesophotic depth (- 30 m) in Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan, and assess the changes in the benthic assemblage one year after a heatwave affected the reefs. In the habitat studied, abundant branching depth-specialist corals were found free-living and thriving on the sandy-rubble bottom amidst dense filamentous turf algae. In 2022, 63.6