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Bruce,
<br>You asked a great question and by doing so ... raise an important issue
that we are continually confronted with and that is the integration of
management with science and the integration of science with education and
outreach.
<p>I can't really take all the time that is necessary to go into a lot
of detail due to some immediate deadlines, but I can give you a couple
of examples of how I use SEAKEYS for improving management of coral reefs.
<p>1. <u>coral bleaching</u>: SEAKEYS has helped us become
much better at predicting coral bleaching events. Something that
I have observed in the community is that we are gaining more credibility
by being capable of predicting an on-coming coral bleaching event and the
public is more aroused from a curiosity viewpoint than a critical, "oh
the sky is falling sort of reaction." Additionally, I have observed
that the general public is more engaging and less critical of science when
they see it working, e.g. the prediction of a global event that effects
a resource that they care about and their business is dependent upon.
People support more research and science dollars if they can relate to
a "good cause." Also .... from a very basic viewpoint ... predictability
of coral bleaching events has helped us heighten the awareness of the public
that this is more than a local event, but that there are global implications.
This in turns helps us generate a constituency for coral reefs, etc.
<p>More appropriately, if we can forecast a coral bleaching event we can
direct research and science interests in ways that will help us get answers
to management questions (e.g. are the reefs bleaching because of a pollution
source or changing hydrographic conditions ). Additionally, if we anticipate
a severe coral bleaching event, it gives us the opportunity to reach out
to various groups (e.g. divers, fishers) and enlist their help or support
during the event for observations, support, and other
<p>2. The SEAKEYS does far more than record physical conditions that
set the scene for coral bleaching events .... it provides real-time data
that managers can pass along to the public, whether it is temperature of
the water, wave height, etc. These data are important to scientists,
managers, and the public alike.
<p>Anyway .... I have to go for now, especially before I start a thread
of conservation that I cannot MANAGE at this time.
<p>Cheers, Billy Causey
<br>
<p>Bruce at Island Resources wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>To the list ---
<p>I think I understand and support SEAKEYS as a powerful research tool,
<br>and as a way to begin to understand the dynamics of coral bleaching,
<br>for example.
<p>But not sure I understand how this changes the MANAGEMENT of the reefs.
<p>Do management practices change when bleaching occurs?
<p>What else might SEAKEYS reveal that changes reef MANAGEMENT in
<br>controlled systems like the parks and reserves in the Keys?
<p>Is this a technology that could be readily exported to Bonaire, or
<br>Saba, or San Andres?
<p>best wishes
<p>bruce potter
<p>>Jim,
<br>>I can only reinforce and support your comments on the success of the
SEAKEYS
<br>>project. As a coral reef manager I continually rely on the system
<br>>for real-time
<br>>data and for predictive conditions. The system has been particularly
<br>>useful for
<br>>predicting coral bleaching and correlating the events with Al Strong
and Jim
<br>>Hendee's more global assessments.
<br>>
<br>>Jim ... you were kind in your response. Had I invested as much
of my time and
<br>>energy into SEAKEYS as you and others have, I would have been
a little less
<br>>polite in my response. Billy Causey
<br>>
<br>>Jim Hendee wrote:
<br>>
<br>> > Dear Francisco,
<br>> >
<br>> > Sorry it
has taken me so long to get back to you on this. I think
<br>> > it is of benefit to the list to know the answer to this,
as well.
<br>> >
<br>> > If you mean,
do seven sites strung along the Florida Keys and
<br>> > Florida Bay actually continually send out meteorological
and oceanographic
<br>> > data 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for eight years continuously,
and
<br>> > provide good data, then Yes, this systems works (albeit with
much
<br>> > attention to care and maintenance by the venerable Florida
Institute of
<br>> > Oceanography field team of Chris Humphrey, Jeff Absten, Trent
Moore, Karol
<br>> > Ferguson and Dave Forcucci over the years). If you mean does
it actually
<br>> > provide *information* (as opposed to data), the answer is
still Yes. In
<br>> > this sense, the SEAKEYS system is unlike any other marine
environmental
<br>> > monitoring system in the world, because a) the data are actually
screened
<br>> > using expert heuritics and deductions to determine whether
data can
<br>> > reasonably be expected to represent good values are not,
and are reported
<br>> > back to the FIO field team and to the knowledge engineer
(that's me) in
<br>> > near real-time, and, b) the data are are transformed into
information and
<br>> > knowledge for purposes of determining whether or not conditions
are
<br>> > conducive to coral bleaching, or not. These tasks are
accomplished with
<br>> > an artificial intelligence tool--expert systems--and will
soon also be
<br>> > accomplished with another artificial intelligence tool, neural
networks.
<br>> > The suite of tools used for this particular coral bleaching
application is
<br>> > called the Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS), and is
also being
<br>> > deployed in a modeling research mode for conditions conducive
to coral
<br>> > bleaching at selected sites on the Great Barrier Reef, also
in a
<br>> > continuous mode. To learn more about these *research* products,
see
<br>> >
<br>> > <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov/sferpm/seakeys/es">http://www.coral.noaa.gov/sferpm/seakeys/es</a>
<br>> > <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov/gbr/es">http://www.coral.noaa.gov/gbr/es</a>
<br>> >
<br>> > for the Florida Keys and the GBR, respectively. (I
want to underscore
<br>> > again that these are modeling research products still under
development.
<br>> > Set aside for the moment discussions as to what *actually*
is responsible
<br>> > for coral bleaching!) Other applications are being
developed besides for
<br>> > coral bleaching, too. On a very provisional basis we are
also
<br>> > investigating the use of the SEAKEYS data for conch and spiny
lobster
<br>> > larval recruitement modeling.
<br>> >
<br>> > If you also
want to ask, "Is SEAKEYS necessary?" then the
<br>> > answer--in light of today's more rapidly deteriorating marine
environment,
<br>> > where timely decisions by marine park and sanctuary managers
are very
<br>> > critical to ensuring the integrity of their respective marine
<br>> > ecosystems--is Yes again, at least in my opinion.
<br>> >
<br>> > This is not
to say that the SEAKEYS system trivializes monitoring,
<br>> > measuring, and understanding the marine ecosystem.
We all know how
<br>> > difficult it is to understand nature, but we have to start
somewhere, and
<br>> > I personally believe that any attempt to model such a complex
phenomenon
<br>> > is worthy of the time and effort. Also, we all know
that we need
<br>> > long-term data to understand the reaction of coral reefs
to anthropogenic
<br>> > and natural perturbations.
<br>> >
<br>> > Personally,
I think the SEAKEYS system, brilliantlly conceived and
<br>> > implemented by Dr. John Ogden and his colleagues (see citation
below),
<br>> > serves as a model for other nations and should be looked
at very carefully
<br>> > and considered for implementation at their critical coral
reef areas. If
<br>> > you'd like to know more about efforts in this direction,
please ask (or
<br>> > others from coral-list can respond).
<br>> >
<br>> > I hope this
helps answer your question.
<br>> >
<br>> > Cheers,
<br>> > Jim Hendee
<br>> >
<br>> > Ogden, J.C.; Porter, J.; Smith, N.; Szmant, A.; Jaap, W.;
and Forcucci, D.
<br>> > 1994. A long-term interdisciplinary study of the Florida
Keys seascape.
<br>> > Bulletin of Marine Science 54(3): 1059-1071.
<br>> >
<br>> > On Mon, 31 Jan 2000, Francisco KELMO wrote:
<br>> >
<br>> > > Hi Folks,
<br>> > > I am afraid to ask this (I might be sounding arrongant
and/or/even
<br>> > > pretentiuos), but: Are you sure that this system works?
<br>> > > How a delicated, complicated and little understood ecosystem
can be
<br>> > > monitored in this way?
<br>> > > Many thanks for your comments, Frank.
<br>> > >
<br>> > >
<br>> > > > Date:
Mon, 31 Jan 2000 21:28:41 GMT
<br>> > > > From:
Sandra Vargo <svargo@seas.marine.usf.edu>
<br>> > > > To:
coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov
<br>> > > > Cc:
Deborah Haynes <dhaynes@seas.marine.usf.edu>,
<br>> > > >
ogden <jogden@seas.marine.usf.edu>,
<br>> > > >
milliken <milliken@seas.marine.usf.edu>
<br>> > > > Subject: Publications
using SEAKEYS monitoring station data
<br>> > > > Reply-to: Sandra Vargo
<svargo@seas.marine.usf.edu>
<br>> > >
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > > The SEAKEYS network is a series of 7 automated environmental
monitoring
<br>> > > > stations located along the Florida Reef Tract and in
Florida Bay. The
<br>> > > > data is transmitted by satellite and can be viewed on
bulletin boards
<br>> > > > maintained by NOAA/AOML and Dept. of Marine Science/University
of South
<br>> > > > Florida. The URLs are <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov/cman">http://www.coral.noaa.gov/cman</a>
and
<br>> > > > <a href="http://comps.marine.usf.edu">http://comps.marine.usf.edu</a>.
This network is supported by
<br>>grant funds. We
<br>> > > > need your help in compiling a list of users of the SEAKEYS
data and any
<br>> > > > publications which may have resulted. Please e-mail
or send by mail a
<br>> > > > list of your publications which may utilize this data
to Deborah Haynes
<br>> > > > (dhaynes@marine.usf.edu), Fax 727/553-1109, and mailing
<br>>address FIO, 830
<br>> > > > First Street S., St. Petersburg, FL 33712.
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > > Thanks for your help.
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > > Cheers,
<br>> > > > Sandy Vargo
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>> > > > The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
<br>> > > > sponsors coral-list and the Coral Health and Monitoring
Program
<br>> > > > (CHAMP, <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">http://www.coral.noaa.gov</a>).
Please visit the Web site
<br>> > > > for instructions on subscribing and unsubscribing to
coral-list.
<br>> > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>> > > >
<br>> > > F.Kelmo
<br>> > > Coral Reef Ecology
<br>> > > Benthic Ecology Research Group
<br>> > > 613 Davy Building, University of Plymouth,
<br>> > > Drake Circus, Devon, PL4 8AA
<br>> > > United Kingdon.
<br>> > > Phone: +44 (0)1752 232951 (Lab) +44 (0)870 710 5741 (home)
<br>> > > Fax: +44 (0)1752 232970
<br>> > > E-mail: fkelmo@plymouth.ac.uk
<br>> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>> > > The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
<br>> > > sponsors coral-list and the Coral Health and Monitoring
Program
<br>> > > (CHAMP, <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">http://www.coral.noaa.gov</a>).
Please visit the Web site
<br>> > > for instructions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list.
<br>> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>> > >
<br>> >
<br>> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>> > The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
<br>> > sponsors coral-list and the Coral Health and Monitoring Program
<br>> > (CHAMP, <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">http://www.coral.noaa.gov</a>).
Please visit the Web site
<br>> > for instructions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list.
<br>> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>>
<br>>--
<br>>Billy D. Causey, Superintendent
<br>>Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
<br>>PO Box 500368
<br>>Marathon, FL 33050
<br>>Phone (305) 743.2437, Fax (305) 743.2357
<br>><a href="http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/">http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/</a>
<br>>
<br>>
<br>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>>The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
<br>>sponsors coral-list and the Coral Health and Monitoring Program
<br>>(CHAMP, <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">http://www.coral.noaa.gov</a>).
Please visit the Web site
<br>>for instructions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list.
<br>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<p>Island Resources Foundation
<br>27 Years of Environmental Planning for Development
<p>><+><Web Site><+><+><<a href="http://www.irf.org/">http://www.irf.org/</a>><+><+><
Web Site><+><
<p>Island Resources Foundation |+|Island Resources
Foundation
<br>Headquarters & Library |+|Contributions and Publications
<br>6292 Estate Nazareth No. 100 |+|1718 "P" Street NW,
Suite T-4
<br>St. Thomas, VI 00802-1104 |+|Washington,
DC 20036
<br>Phone 340/775-6225 |+|Phone 202/265-9712
<br>fax 779-2022
|+|fax 232-0748
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<br>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<br>The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
<br>sponsors coral-list and the Coral Health and Monitoring Program
<br>(CHAMP, <a href="http://www.coral.noaa.gov">http://www.coral.noaa.gov</a>).
Please visit the Web site
<br>for instructions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list.
<br>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</blockquote>
<p>--
<br>Billy D. Causey, Superintendent
<br>Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
<br>PO Box 500368
<br>Marathon, FL 33050
<br>Phone (305) 743.2437, Fax (305) 743.2357
<br><A HREF="http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/">http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/</A>
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