[Coral-List] Coral mortality in a warmer and acidified ocean

Risk, Michael riskmj at mcmaster.ca
Tue Feb 7 09:49:42 EST 2017


   Hi Esther.

   Always good to hear from you.

   We don’t let just anybody in. We like them to be tough, self-reliant, and
   immune to propaganda.

   Sometimes (often) to get away from things I walk through our forests. But
   those forests are not what they were-first, we lost the American Chestnut,
   back in the 40’s, to an imported blight. Then the Dutch Elm disease hit,
   wiping out magnificent old trees that caused Toronto to be called the Green
   City, because that was all you could see from the air. Then the Spruce
   Budworm, the Pine Beetle…and now there’s the Emerald Ash Borer, imported
   from the orient and spread by movement of firewood by ignorant people. (We
   have Ash >1m diam. that are now doomed.)

   Most of these are imports; all have their activity accelerated by global
   warming and humans. You may have a point. When I dove the Caribbean in the
   60’s  and  70’s I don’t recall ever seeing diseased corals, and Cliona
   delitrix was a rarity. Both of these phenomena are driven by nutrients.

   Mike

   On Feb 6, 2017, at 8:37 PM, Esther Peters <[1]estherpeters at verizon.net>
   wrote:

   Thanks, Mike, for the immigration instructions....
   Which reminded me, what I think we are missing in the current global change
   crisis is not just the temperature and pH changes, but the "globalization
   change" that has brought about rapid mixing of species, from one ocean or
   continent to another that have been separated by geographic and geologic
   barriers for eons, by transportation via seas, skies, and roadways; the
   demand by humans to bring species to locations where they weren't previously
   found, either on purpose or accidentally. The result is they have escaped
   from our homes and businesses, or from bilge or ballast water, airplane or
   shipping cargo and baggage. They have been introduced into situations where
   they may conquer native species and alter ecosystems. And for every foreign
   macro-organism  that we can easily find in a new habitat, there may be
   associated microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoa, algae, metazoans) as
   well, that may cause diseases or mortalities when they infect hosts that
   lack the immune responses to deal with them.
   I think this problem is also contributing to why organisms are not thriving
   where they once did, on top of the changing abiotic factors in our world.
   Esther
   On 2/4/2017 9:15 AM, Risk, Michael wrote:

        Good day.
        Please  excuse me if I sound somewhat testy-as I said, these are
     perilous
        times, when we scientists should all be on our best behaviour. Not only
     will
        we thereby gain merit-some of you living in that nation which is about
     to be
        made great again (or not) need to realise there are people looking over
     your
        shoulder, searching for excuses.
        Don’t shoot the messenger. Do not allow your opinion of the messenger
     to
        cloud your appraisal of the message.
        Read  the freakin paper. It is free access. It clearly states Acropora
        “...has  not  only survived these environmental changes, but has
     maintained
        its distinct skeletal biomineralization pattern for at least 40 My.”
     Those
        environmental changes involved large swings in temperature and pH.
        Arguments that the present rate of change is more rapid than those that
     came
        before  are valid, but irrelevant to what I think is the central
     message: how
        did we get here?
        If we really want to save the reefs of today, we must be able to
     say-from
        what? As a group, we have probably been aware that the most important
     thing
        we could possibly do is identify and prioritise the threats to reefs.
        We have yet to do this, which is a signal failure of the group. I
     realise
        that absorbing the results of this work may shake some shibboleths, but
     that
        is how science advances.
        Instructions  outlining  how  to  emigrate  to  Canada  may  be  found
        at [1][2]http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGlish/immigrate/index.asp
        Mike
        On Feb 3, 2017, at 6:52 PM, Steve Mussman <[2][3]sealab at earthlink.net>
     wrote:
        As  a scientifically literate non-scientist, the first thing I do when
        examining new information is consider the source(s).  So while in this
     case
        I don't advocate shooting the messenger, I certainly have the right to
        question his motives especially considering the fact that this isn't
     the
        first time he has chosen to cite a source which you have described as
     having
        questionable credibility.  By accepting such sources we begin to
     legitimize
        them. Next thing you know "alternative science" will creep into our
     lexicon
        right along with "alternative facts".
        Regards,
        Steve
        Sent from my iPad
        Sent from my iPad
          On Feb 2, 2017, at 1:05 PM, Risk, Michael <[3][4]riskmj at mcmaster.ca>
     wrote:
          Hi Pedro (Doug, Gene).
          These are perilous times, with science seemingly under threat from
     all
          sides
          and societies increasingly polarized. This is especially true of the
     US.
          It is increasingly important to all of us on this list that we stick
     to
          the
          science. Gene's scientific credentials should need no repeating to
     anyone
          on
          this list. He also performs a valuable although sometimes annoying
     service
          by posting items that cause us to think, or cause our hair to catch
     on
          fire.
          This recent exchange I think can be used as a microcosm to formulate
     our
          proper  responses.  We  must not fall into the trap of shooting the
          messenger.
          It is true that Gene's posting came from a website that some of us
     would
          not
          deem as credible. Nonetheless, however, the description of the
     science
          itself was accurate. Gracious behaviour on our part would be to thank
     Gene
          for bringing this to our attention.
          Lost in the noise is the essential conclusion of this piece of
     science,
          and
          I am disappointed that this seems not to have been absorbed. We as a
     group
          need to accept that one of our major genera of reef building corals
     has
          sailed  through  previous  climate  changes  with its skeletal
     architecture
          intact. We either have to  accept that the recent declines are due to
          local
          stresses,   or  we need to devise experiments to challenge the
     original
          findings.
          Mike
          On    Feb    1,    2017,   at   3:00   PM,   Pedro   H.   Rodríguez
          <[1][4][5]phernanrod at yahoo.com>
          wrote:
          Doug,
          Thanks  for  checking the references provided to the list to support
     a
          counter-argument.  An  apparent need for attention has, once again,
          disguised
          as   someone's   "pushing  the boundary" of the science with a
     fact-based
          argument. This is a huge disservice to the List- many people not have
     the
          time to check every claim that poses as a scientifically-based
     argument.
          As
          a defense mechanism, some of us pay special attention to claims made
     by
          frequently debunked offenders.
          Best,Pedro
          Message: 1
          Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2017 11:20:08 -0500
          From: Douglas Fenner <[2][5][6]douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>
          Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Coral mortality in a warmer and acidified
             ocean
          To: Nicole Crane <[3][6][7]nicrane at cabrillo.edu>
          Cc: Eugene Shinn <[4][7][8]eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>,
             "[5][8][9]coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov"
          <[6][9][10]coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
          Message-ID:
             <[7][10][11]CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at ma
     il.gmail.
          com>
          Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
          Well,  all  of the wording in Gene's message other than the article
          reference
          was from the "CO2 Science" website, except where it quotes the
     article...
          _______________________________________________
          Coral-List mailing list
          [8][11][12]Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
          [12][13]http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
          Risk, Michael
          [9][13][14]riskmj at mcmaster.ca
          References
          1. [14][15]mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
          2. [15][16]mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
          3. [16][17]mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
          4. [17][18]mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
          5. [18][19]mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
          6. [19][20]mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
          7.
     [20][21]mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gm
     a
          [22]il.com
          8. [21][23]mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
          9. [22][24]mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
          _______________________________________________
          Coral-List mailing list
          [23][25]Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
          [24][26]http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
        Risk, Michael
        [25][27]riskmj at mcmaster.ca
     References
        1. [28]http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGlish/immigrate/index.asp
        2. [29]mailto:sealab at earthlink.net
        3. [30]mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
        4. [31]mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
        5. [32]mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
        6. [33]mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
        7. [34]mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
        8. [35]mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
        9. [36]mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
       10.
     [37]mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail.
     com
       11. [38]mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
       12. [39]http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
       13. [40]mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
       14. [41]mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
       15. [42]mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
       16. [43]mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
       17. [44]mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
       18. [45]mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
       19. [46]mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
       20.
     [47]mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail.
     com
       21. [48]mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
       22. [49]mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
       23. [50]mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
       24. [51]http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
       25. [52]mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
     _______________________________________________
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   Risk, Michael
   [55]riskmj at mcmaster.ca

References

   1. mailto:estherpeters at verizon.net
   2. http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGlish/immigrate/index.asp
   3. mailto:sealab at earthlink.net
   4. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
   5. mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
   6. mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
   7. mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
   8. mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
   9. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  10. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  11. mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail
  12. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  13. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
  14. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  15. mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
  16. mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
  17. mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
  18. mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
  19. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  20. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  21. mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gma
  22. http://il.com/
  23. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  24. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  25. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  26. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
  27. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  28. http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGlish/immigrate/index.asp
  29. mailto:sealab at earthlink.net
  30. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  31. mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
  32. mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
  33. mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
  34. mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
  35. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  36. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  37. mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail.com
  38. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  39. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
  40. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  41. mailto:phernanrod at yahoo.com
  42. mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
  43. mailto:nicrane at cabrillo.edu
  44. mailto:eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
  45. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  46. mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  47. mailto:CAOEmEkF34OUZHy2WWtY6=3opq5eX3TLhj+eybY4YJUun6ZODNw at mail.gmail.com
  48. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  49. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  50. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  51. http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
  52. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca
  53. mailto:Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
  54. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
  55. mailto:riskmj at mcmaster.ca


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