Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Coral reef ecosystems in Oceania are increasingly threatened by climate-driven stressors, particularly ocean warming and acidification, which intensify coral bleaching and accelerate ecological degradation. Despite advances in monitoring technologies, significant spatial variability in reef resilience highlights the role of local governance systems, including traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), whose contribution remains insufficiently quantified. The research integrates a PRISMA-guided systematic review of 78 peer-reviewed studies (2000–2025) with multi-source datasets, including sea surface temperature anomalies (CoRTAD), thermal stress indicators (NOAA Coral Reef Watch) and benthic ecological observations (GCRMN). Comparative analyzes were conducted between TEK-managed and non-managed reef systems using standardized resilience indicators such as coral cover retention, recovery rates, and structural complexity. Statistics comparaisons were performed using an integrated analysis of the five data tables. The results indicate that the reefs under TEK-based governance exhibit 20% to 35% higher coral cover retention after bleaching events, along with faster recovery trajectories and improved ecological stability. These findings demonstrate that while global climate forcing remains the dominant driver of reef degradation, localized management practices significantly modulate ecological outcomes. The analysis of the five datasets shows that although climate-induced thermal stress remains the dominant driver of coral reef degradation, the variability in ecological outcomes across Oceania is significantly influenced by local management practices. The study concludes that integrating TEK with contemporary scientific approaches improves reef resilience and provides a scalable pathway for sustainable coral reef management. Therefore, strengthening hybrid knowledge systems is critical for improving adaptive capacity in vulnerable reef ecosystems.</p>