[Coral-List] Coral Reef research needs

Jim Bohnsack jim.bohnsack at noaa.gov
Fri Oct 14 14:59:04 EDT 2011


Coral reef health can be defined as the sustained self-renewal of the 
community and conservation as the effort to understand and promote the 
capacity for self-renewal (Leopold, 1949).  Science deals primarily with 
the "understanding issues" and management deals primarily with 
"promoting the capacity for self-renewal".  As an ecologist I submit 
that the most important current research need is to fill the human 
dimension gap by answering the following questions for management 
jurisdictions.

*Human activities*
What types of human activities use or impact coral reefs?
      How many people participate in each activity?
      Where  (the spatial footprint - locations, spatial distribution, 
and concentrations)
      When (diurnal, weekly, and seasonal patterns)?
      At what intensity and duration?
      What goods and services are provided by each activity (i.e. 
measured social and economic benefits)?
      What are the absolute and relative impacts and costs of each 
activity (i.e. environmental, social, and economic -- low, medium, or high)?
What activities are compatible, incompatible, conflicting, or unsustainable?
How to human activities respond to changes in coral reef quality?

*Employment *
What is the diversity of employment supported by coral reefs (job types 
and numbers employed)?
What is the quality of employment (economic revenue and satisfaction)?
How does employment respond to changes in coral reef quality?

*Environmental ethics *
     What types of environmental ethics are practiced by each sector and 
in what proportions? (i.e. frontier development, romantic preservation, 
utilitarian conservation, or ocean biotic ethic).
    How do ethical practices respond to changes in to resource quality, 
quantity, value or education and understanding?
    What is the level of compliance with management practices and how 
can it be most effectively improved?

References:
Bohnsack, J.A.  2003. Shifting baselines, marine reserves, and Leopold's 
Biotic ethic.  Gulf and Caribbean Research 14(2): 1-7.
Hyun, K.  2006.  Matters of consequence: Looking at marine fisheries 
management through Leopol's land ethic lens.  Fisheries 31(4): 188-189
Leopold, A.  1949.  A sand County Almanac.  Oxford University Press, 
Inc. London 226 p.
Williams, C.D.  1997.  Sustainable fisheries: Economics, ecology, and 
ethics.  Fisheries 22(2): 6-11.

James A. Bohnsack, Ph.D.
SEFSC, NOAA Fisheries Service
75 Virginia Beach Dr.
Miami, FL  33149
305-361-4252
******************************************
"All ethics so far evolved rest on a single premise: that the
individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts."
   Aldo Leopold.
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Message: 8 Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:07:05 -0400
From: Arthur Paterson <arthur.e.paterson at noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Coral Reef research needs

Julian, This list seems short on social science research requirements. 
Regards

Arthur Paterson On 9/28/2011 7:57 AM, Julian @ Reefcheck Malaysia wrote:
 > Hi listers
 >
 > If I were to put together a list of the most important research needs in
 > coral reef science and management, what should be on the list? What 
are the
 > most pressing or important areas that need to be looked at? In my 
ignorance,
 > some areas that stand out are:

 > -          Resilience
 > -          Connectivity
 > -          Economics
 > -          Rehabilitation
 > -          Climate change/acidification.
 >
 > But I am sure listers can improve greatly on this list. I would 
appreciate
 > your thoughts.
 >
 > Thanks and regards,
 > Julian Hyde
 > General Manager
 > Reef Check Malaysia Bhd
 > 03 2161 5948
 > www.reefcheck.org.my
 >
 > Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rcmalaysia
 >
 > "The bottom line of the Millenium Asessment findings is that human 
actions
 > are depleting Earth's natural capital, putting such strain on the
 > environment that the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain future
 > generations can no longer be taken for granted."
 >
 >
 >
 > _______________________________________________
 > Coral-List mailing list
 > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
 > http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list


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