[Coral-List] reef geology and today's reefs

Szmant, Alina szmanta at uncw.edu
Mon Sep 23 18:54:34 EDT 2013


Hello Mike:

FYI, about 1/4 of the semester long coral reef ecology course I used to teach was about the geological history and processes of reef formation (starting with Pre-Cambrian stromatolites, etc), processes of reef growth (using Hallock-Muller and Hubbard chapters, and other sources, including the Adey 1976 paper you have now discredited), and emphasizing the critical role of sea level change, tectonic activity, bioerosion, etc on reef morphology.  So I do get it.  

However, the reefs we saw when we were young would not have looked like they did then (1960s and 70s) if the rates of mortality we have witnessed since the 1980s had been in effect the previous 1000 years (or even the 50 years before the 30 years).  No doubt something major has shifted in the factors that affect coral reef viability since the 1980s, and in my opinion, that is global warming induced bleaching and consequent disease outbreaks, and coral mortality from both these sources.  Bleaching and disease outbreaks occur far away from human habitation and sewage outfalls.  Sewage, sediments, even overfishing which is more pervasive than eutrophication, can make things worse but are not the primary cause of coral mortality.  And global warming is a direct consequence of each and every one of us, too many humans doing all the varied things we do.  Yes meteorites and changes in volcanism have had major impacts on all marine fauna including corals in the past, but that doesn't obviate that we are today's equivalent to a large meteor impact or cataclysmic change in Earth tectonics. 

Alina
(b.t.w.  Bob Ginsburg long ago bestowed upon me the title of 'honorary geologist' because he recognized that I recognized the importance of geological processes to coral reef ecology).

Further, for anyone who is still reading this far into the message, back during the 3 Hs meeting in Miami in 1994, I brought up the oxymoron of sustainable development as a solution to helping coral reefs survive, and also that it was the issue of human population growth that was the ultimate factor for reef decline.  I got silence and scoffs for my efforts...



*************************************************************************
Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Professor of Marine Biology
Center for Marine Science and Dept of Biology and Marine Biology
University of North Carolina Wilmington
5600 Marvin Moss Ln
Wilmington NC 28409 USA
tel:  910-962-2362  fax: 910-962-2410  cell: 910-200-3913
http://people.uncw.edu/szmanta
*******************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Risk [mailto:riskmj at univmail.cis.mcmaster.ca] 
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 7:49 AM
To: Szmant, Alina; Peter Sale; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Gene Shinn re Reef Reminiscences

Hello Alina.

I think we all owe Peter a vote of thanks for producing Reef Rem in the first place. A useful and in many ways profoundly sad compendium.

I do not doubt that honest efforts were made to solicit geological input. Obviously, those approached felt they had more important things to do at the time. But that is not the point.

Geology brings a different mindset to the table, one that views modern reefs as one more in a set with a long history-approx. 2.5 billion years, depending on how you define "reefs." Geologists are used to seeing reefs extinguished.

I recently posted something about reef history on this List, and received the following response from a profoundly biological colleague:
"I think the problem is that corals dying like flies through geologic time (and they have) when humans didn't have anything to do with it just doesn't fit certain agendas......."

So be nice to a geologist to-day. Reef ecology must be multidisciplinary to be effective.

Mike

On Sun, 22 Sep 2013 22:27:34 -0400
 "Szmant, Alina" <szmanta at uncw.edu> wrote:
> To second Peter's message, I personally tried with multiple entreaties 
> to get Gene Shinn, Bob Ginsburg and Ian McIntyre to contribute to Reef 
> Reminiscences, and all declined for one reason or another.  Peter 
> approached several prominent reef geologists who worked on Pacific 
> coral reefs.  " You can lead a horse to water (but you can't make 
> him/it drink). "  Maybe next time.
> 
>
*************************************************************************
> Dr. Alina M. Szmant
> Professor of Marine Biology
> Center for Marine Science and Dept of Biology and Marine Biology 
> University of North Carolina Wilmington
> 5600 Marvin Moss Ln
> Wilmington NC 28409 USA
> tel:  910-962-2362  fax: 910-962-2410  cell: 910-200-3913 
> http://people.uncw.edu/szmanta
> *******************************************************
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Peter 
> Sale
> Sent: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 5:14 PM
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Gene Shinn re Reef Reminiscences
> 
> Hey, Gene, you old curmudgeon,
> I cannot resist this.
> Yes, all the scientists who contributed to Reef Reminiscences are 
> biologists.  The geologists we invited to participate declined.  Do 
> you remember me asking you to write something?
> And yes, geologists on average do seem to have a better understanding 
> of deep time than do biologists, so I am sorry they did not get 
> represented in Reef Reminiscences..
> Peter Sale
>  
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Mike Risk
Marine Ecologist
PO Box 1195
Durham Ontario
N0G 1R0




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