From hendee at aoml.erl.gov Thu Jun 8 14:23:25 1995 From: hendee at aoml.erl.gov (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1995 14:23:25 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Coral Health and Monitoring News Message-ID: Greetings! Our list-server is still under construction, but we hope to have it up and running soon. When that is set up, you will receive news of coral meetings, discussions, symposia, etc, as well as be able to ask questions of others on the list, make announcements, and so forth. In the mean time, here is a little news from the Coral Health and Monitoring Program, which can be found on the World-Wide Web at http://coral.aoml.erl.gov. We have added a rather large list of literature abstracts and references relating to coral health. If you do not see your name and abstract listed, but would like to have it listed, please send the complete journal citation with abstract to hendee at aoml.erl.gov. We have begun to add some historical data (surface temperature and salinity) from the Indo-Pacific's coral reef areas, years 1900 through 1990. Currently listed are data from the Keeling, Christmas Island and Timor Sea areas. Our Coastwatch satellite image data and viewing process has improved. Images are posted daily, and are also archived so that you may view previous days and times. A sample C-MAN (Coastal-Marine Automated Network) bulletin from the Florida Keys has been posted. If you would like to begin receiving these data for selected C-MAN sites at certain times and days, please drop a line so we may add you to the subscription list. These bulletins may be sent by e-mail or faxed (U.S.A. only) to you. Historical C-MAN data will be added soon. These data will include selected Florida Keys C-MAN stations. These services are still under construction, so we appreciate your patience. If you have any suggestions, please let us know. If you know of any other coral researchers who could benefit from these services, please forward their full name and e-mail address. Many thanks for your interest and support. Sincerely yours, Jim Hendee +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ | James C. Hendee | Internet: hendee at aoml.erl.gov| | Coral Health and Monitoring Program | Voice: 305 361-4380 | | Ocean Chemistry Division | Fax: 305 361-4582 | | NOAA/AOML | COASTAL RBBS: 305 361-4524 | | 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway | | | Miami, FL 33149-1026 | | +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ From alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au Mon Jun 12 21:03:12 1995 From: alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au (Tony Larkum) Date: Tue, 13 Jun 1995 11:03:12 +1000 Subject: Coral Health and Monitoring News Message-ID: <199506130100.LAA14402@extra.ucc.su.OZ.AU> Dear James, I am sending the following update on the ENCORE experiemnt for your news bulletin. Andy Steven may have some further information on the effect on corals and other organisms and processes. "ENCORE, The Effect of Nutrient Enrichment of Coral Reefs and the Programme of Prof Larkum (School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney). The amount of phosphorus and nitrogen pouring onto the Great Barrier Reef from rivers and drainage off the land is now ten fold what it was fifty years ago. The major source is intensive agriculture with lesser contributions from sewage effluent and industry/urbanisation. In other parts of the world coral reefs have been degraded by effluent from such sources. Nutrients are high on the list of agents which may have caused this effect. The conventional thinking is that natural algae grow faster in the presence of added nutrients (N+P) and that they then overgrow and smother the coral and other animals of a typical coral reef leading eventually to the disappearance of coral and the formation of an algal reef. There is no consensus at the moment that the increased levels of nutrient (N+P) on the Great Barrier Reef are at levels that may cause concern or even that nutrients are the causal agent in decline of coral reefs elsewhere, eg Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; Philippines, Thailand. Nevertheless nutrients must be building up in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon and this poses a potential threat to the GBR and its $1.4 billion contribution to the Gross Nationa Product. To answer the questions arising from the previous discussion an in situ reef fertilisation experiment is being undertaken on the Australian Great Barrier Reef (at One Tree Island), to investigate the response of coral reefs to nutrient enrichment. This experiment, known as ENCORE, was designed by Prof Larkum (University of Sydney) and Mr. Andy Steven (GBRMPA) to quantify the fate of nitrogen and phosphorus within a coral reef, and compare their impact on a variety of coral reef organisms. Coordinated by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville (GBRMPA), 30 scientists from 8 Australian and 3 overseas organisations are undertaking research encompassing cellular through to community level responses. This research will provide a scientific basis for developing appropriate water quality management strategies in coral reef environments, and may identify a number of sub-lethal indicators of nutrient stress. Nine robots have been built and deployed in natural shallow pools (microatolls) in the main lagoon at One Tree Reef. At each low tide these robots squirt a dose of pollution (N or P or N+P) into the pool. The following organisms are being studied in detail: a range of typical corals, clams, sponges, fish, bacteria, and algae. The results to the present time are surprising in that they show a direct effect on coral growth and reproduction and on the growth of clams. Most surprising is the lack of effect on the microscopic algae which are generally considered to feed the animals of the reef. It seems that under the conditions at One Tree (and maybe generally on coral reefs) they are not limited by nutrients. The rates of primary production that have been measured are at the upper range for any known alga and therefore it is likely that the algae are limited by inorganic carbon supply rather than by nutrients. Nutrient recycling within the epilithic algal community is probably adequate to supply the N and P needs of these algae. Addition of nutrients to these algae in tanks has not increased primary productivity. Protection of the algae from grazing has also not enhanced productivity - supporting the contention that the algae are limited by carbon supply. In the longer term the biomass and possibly the primary productivity are limited by grazing, particularly by grazing fish. However the levels of nutrients that have been discharged into the pools over the last year are very low. As a result it has been decided to treble the loading in 1995. Under these conditions (the same concentration as before but delivered in three injections 30 min apart) it is expected that there will be a response of the microscopic algae in the form of a community shift whereby certain green algae will dominate and grow excessively. However this has to be put to the test. Funding for ENCORE is at two levels. The GBRMPA (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) funds the infrastructure of the project and supports a minimal amount of research. Individual researchers are mainly dependent therefore on grants that they can attract from funding bodies. Prof. Larkum had an Australian Research Council grant for his work from 1992-94. Detailed Results on the algae to the present time The algae referred to as EAC are the epilithic algal community (which we study on year-old dead Porites blocks). These have shown no response in any of the experimental atolls to added nutrients. At first we thought that this was due to the effect of severe grazing, but we found the same effect when we caged the blocks for two weeks. We then thought that the levels of added nutrients might be so low that this was the reason for no effect. So we bathed the blocks in ten-fold nutrient concentrations for 24-48 hours. This was done both with our respirometers and the "Cheshire" respirometer. Still we got no effect. So we have to conclude that the EAC is not nutrient limited in the lagoon at One Tree. (We have repeated this at several seasons so it is not a seasonal effect -although Hatcher and Larkum 1983 did detect a small effect in Spring, and it is possible that this does occur and we missed it). No inhibition of growth of crustose coralline algae - Lithothamnion and Lithophyllum spp. has been found. My group has not been studying the macroalgae. These are not common inside the microatolls but do occur on the outside rims of the microatolls - particularly at the moment Laurencia spp. Ed Drew and Bill Dennison have been studying effects of nutrients on these. Bill claims to have found a definite stimulation of growth and Ed a non-statistical stimulation. Note that this update has concentrated on the free-living micro- and macro-algae. Of course, corals and many other animals of coral reefs, have symbiotic zooxanthellae. We are not studying these algae, but many other workers are and particularly Drs. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and Assoc. Prof. D. Yellowlees of the ENCORE Project. In general past work seems to suggest that increased nitrogen causes an increased gowth of the zooxanthellae. This increased growth may adversely affect the growth of corals. Current research in the ENCORE Project is directed towards testing this hypothesis Reference. Larkum, A.W.D. and Steven, A.D.L 1994. ENCORE (The effect of nutrient enrichment on a coral reef). 1. Experimental design and research programme. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 29, 112-120 A.W.D. Larkum Professor of Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 tel (02) 351 2069 fax (02) 351 4771 email alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au" Prof Tony Larkum Sydney University alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au Ph (02) 692 2069 Fax (02) 692 4771 From hendee Sun Jun 11 12:06:45 1995 From: hendee (Jim Hendee) Date: Sun, 11 Jun 1995 12:06:45 -0400 Subject: (fwd) Re: Death of Acropora in BVI Message-ID: <199506111606.MAA19868@aoml.erl.gov> Path: news.aoml.erl.gov!usenet.fiu.edu!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!news.ultranet.com!news.sprintlink.net!demon!daflight.demon.co. uk!hugh From: Hugh Easton Newsgroups: sci.geo.oceanography Subject: Re: Death of Acropora in BVI Date: 8 Jun 1995 00:40:44 +0100 Organization: Lines: 163 Sender: news at news.demon.co.uk Message-ID: <802567217snz at daflight.demon.co.uk> References: Reply-To: hugh at daflight.demon.co.uk NNTP-Posting-Host: dispatch.demon.co.uk X-Newsreader: Demon Internet Simple News v1.27 X-Posting-Host: daflight.demon.co.uk In article mcallist at gate.net "Ray McAllister" writes: > Josh, your analysis is much more believable to me than the global warming > hypothesis. So far we have no definitive evidence for ocean warming and > may have to wait till ATOC to get anytrhing dependable. That is no longer true, at least according to an article, "Drying out the tropics", in the 6 May issue of New Scientist. Apparently there has been a recent shift in thinking among climatologists about the stability of tropical climates. More importantly for the purposes of our discussion, substantial warming has been measured in tropical oceans. "The 1980's were the warmest decade on record, and this was primarily because temperatures rose in the tropics. ... The tropical ocean temperatures were between 0.25 and 0.75 C warmer [from 1981 to 1990] compared with 1951 to 1980. Since 1976, the eastern tropical Pacific has been more than 0.5 C warmer than in the previous decades" I have also got some material which explains why high water temperatures adversely affect coral reefs: "Because reef-building corals are dependant on their plant partners, they need shallow, sunlit waters for photosynthesis to occur most rapidly. These conditions are also essential for the successful deposition of the corallite by the coral polyp. The optimum temperature for this to take place is between 26 C and 27 C (79 F and 81 F). Once the temperature falls below 23 C (73 F) or rises above 29 C (84 F), the rate of calcification rapidly decreases and the forces of erosion overwhelm those of growth and repair. Prolonged temperature changes therefore spell doom for a reef. ... There is another ominous threat to reefs connected with rising sea temperatures that has recently come to light. Coral colonies have been known to occasionally lose their zooxanthellae. The ability of the zooxanthellae to produce oxygen by photosynthesis increases with temperature. It appears that if the zooxanthellae produce too much oxygen during photosynthesis, then toxic by-products result that are damaging to the tissues of the coral polyp. Thus, the zooxanthellae may be lost through the damaged wall of the polyp back into the ocean. The coral colony turns brilliant white as it now lacks any pigmentation. The process is known as coral bleaching. Close inspection of a bleached coral colony at night will reveal that coral polyps are still present, but transparent. Such a coral may recover by obtaining new zooxanthellae from the surrounding water but it is more likely, however, that it will die. Outbreaks of coral bleaching have been recorded world-wide and cover enormous tracts of reef. At least three major occurrances since 1979 have been reported by researchers. Particularly alarming is the fact that episodes of bleaching coincide with either the hottest season for that area, or unusually hot conditions due to other factors." - Reef, pp 31 & 58-59, Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch, Headline 1991. So unusually high temperatures have two effects on corals. At temperatures above 29 C corals growth is no longer fast enough to keep up with erosion, and at temperatures substantially higher than the coral is used to, oxygen damage and coral bleaching occur. Recent research has confirmed that high water temperatures are the primary cause of coral bleaching: "Major outbreaks of "bleaching" of coral reefs in the past decade were almost always caused by unusually high sea temperatures, probably linked to global warming, according to the first global study of the phenomenon. ... Goreau, who is president of the Global Coral Reef Alliance, and his colleague, Raymond Hayes, former chairman of marine sciences at the University of the Virgin Islands, discerned a rising tide of coral bleaching between 1983 and 1991. They compared its incidence with satellite data on average ocean temperatures (Ambio, vol 23, p176). In 1983, coral was bleached throughout the Pacific, from the Java Sea to Costa Rica. Bleaching was widespread in the Caribbean in 1987, and recurred every year until 1990 - a year of record temperatures and bleaching in the Gulf region of Oman. Bleaching was again widespread in the Pacific in 1991, from Thailand to Polynesia. Bleaching occurs in all waters, from the warmest that can sustain coral reefs to the coldest. Goreau and Hayes found that the effect is triggered not by any specific temperature, but by anomalous warming locally. Bleaching invariably followed the warmest period ever recorded in an area. The threshold appeared to be a monthly mean more than 1 C higher than the long-term average. "Above [that temperature] bleaching always took place," say the researchers, "and below it did not." Most bleaching in the Pacific occurred in 1983, 1987 and 1991, when changes in ocean circulation - known as El Nino events - caused warmer water than usual to spread across the tropical Pacific. However, El Nino is unlikely to have caused the bleaching in the Caribbean, where the two researchers say that a strong warming trend persisted throughout the 1980s." - A paler shade of coral... New Scientist 11/6/94, p19. I have been collecting the CAC ENSO indices for the last year and a bit. These include the monthly average temperatures for various sectors of the Pacific. Here are the Nino 4 and Ship Track 6 figures which refer to temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. Anomaly SST(C) mar 94 Nino 4 0.2 (28.3) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (28.4) apr 94 Nino 4 0.3 (28.6) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (28.5) may 94 Nino 4 0.6 (29.1) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (29.0) Jun 94 Nino 4 0.6 (29.1) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (29.0) Jul 94 Nino 4 1.0 (29.4) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (29.3) Aug 94 Nino 4 1.0 (29.4) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.1 (29.4) sep 94 Nino 4 1.0 (29.3) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.6 (29.7) oct 94 Nino 4 1.1 (29.4) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.5 (29.6) nov 94 Nino 4 1.2 (29.5) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.5 (29.8) Dec 94 Nino 4 1.3 (29.5) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.9 (30.1) (the procedure for calculating the indices was changed at this point) Jan 95 Nino 4 1.1 (29.2) Feb 95 Nino 4 1.0 (29.0) Mar 95 Nino 4 0.2 (28.3) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (28.4) Apr 95 Nino 4 0.5 (28.8) Ship Track 6 0.5 (28.9) May 95 Nino 4 0.5 (29.1) Ship Track 6 0.5 (29.2) >From these figures you can see that 29 C was exceeded for most of the period covered, and for several months the temperature anomaly was greater than 1 C. >From here it would appear that the "global warming hypothesis" (your words not mine) has a lot going for it. > The idea that Acropora species are endangered by a combination of > factors that synergistically damage this genus is more convincing to me. For scientific or aesthetic reasons? > What about A reticularis and A hyacinthus in trhe Pacific? Judging by the figures above, I would imagine that they are in pretty bad shape. Anyone care to comment? > Bu the way, in Florida I am not so sure that A cervicornis is > threatened more than palmata, but no studies, just observation. Thanks to > all who posted on this subject. > > > Ray McAllister, Prof (Emeritus) Ocean Eng., FAU, Boca Raton, FL 33064 > Diving Dinosaur, Geologist/Oceanographer/Ocean Engineer, 43 years SCUBA > mcallist at gate.net (305) 426-0808, Author Diving Locations, Boynton/Dania > > > -- Hugh Easton From hendee at wave Thu Jun 22 13:48:03 1995 From: hendee at wave (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 13:48:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server Message-ID: Welcome to the Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server! The purpose of the Coral Health and Monitoring list-server is to provide a forum for Internet discussions and announcements pertaining to coral reef health and monitoring throughout the world. Appropriate subjects for discussion might include: o bleaching events o outbreaks of coral diseases o high predation on coral reefs o environmental monitoring sites o incidences of coral spawnings o shipwrecks on reefs o international meetings and symposia o funding opportunities o job openings in coral research o marine sanctuary news o new coral-related publications o announcements of college courses in coral reef ecology o coral health initiatives o new and historical data availability o controversial topics in coral reef ecology o recent reports on coral research o new coral-related journals -- To Subscribe to the List -- Since you just got this message, you are already subscribed to the list! However, if you wish to instruct others how to subscribe to the list, have them send e-mail to majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: subscribe coral-list -- To Un-Subscribe from the List -- To un-subscribe from the list, send e-mail to majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: unsubscribe coral-list "Your Name" -- To Post a Comment or Announcement -- To post a message to the list, simply address your comments or announcements to coral-list at reef.aoml.erl.gov. The message will be circulated to all members of the list. The members may respond to you directly, or post their comments to the list for all to read. -- Help -- To see a list of the functions and services available from the list-server, send an e-mail message to majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: help -- Problems -- If you have any problems concerning the list, please feel free to drop a line to: hendee at aoml.erl.gov. We hope you enjoy the list! Sincerely yours, Jim Hendee Louis Florit Philippe Dubosq From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Thu Jun 22 17:35:19 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 17:35:19 -0400 (EDT) Subject: remote sensing In-Reply-To: <199506222003.QAA10085@carbon.marine.usf.edu> Message-ID: Yes, because we realize the importance of remote sensing, we have included daily AVHRR satellite images of the Florida Keys Nationall Marine Sanctuary region at our Coral Health and Monitoring Home Page, http://coral.aoml.erl.gov. We still need a little work on the color, but that should be corrected soon. Jim Hendee On Thu, 22 Jun 1995, Herschel Hochman wrote: > Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 16:03:45 -0400 > From: Herschel Hochman > To: coral-list at reef.aoml.erl.gov > Cc: val at carbon.marine.usf.edu > Subject: remote sensing > > An important topic and one which is may become a valued resource is > remote sensing as applied to reef ecology. As optical sensors become > more sophisticated and more spectral bands are added to the sensors, > satellites and airplane overflights will be able to detect > differences in patterns created by the changing reef as well as the > overlying water color. There is probably significant work going on > in this area as we speak. > > Herschel Hochman > From brian_lassig at ccmail.gbrmpa.gov.au Fri Jun 23 12:40:10 1995 From: brian_lassig at ccmail.gbrmpa.gov.au (brian_lassig at ccmail.gbrmpa.gov.au) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 11:40:10 EST Subject: Crown-of-thorns Starfish Message-ID: <9505238038.AA803871610@ccmail.gbrmpa.gov.au> In the last 18 months I have received reports of increasing crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) numbers on quite a few Indo-Pacific reefs from South Africa, Red Sea, Cocos (Keelings), northern Great Barrier Reef, Malaysia, Indonesia, Fiji, Phillipines, Solomons and Samoa. Most of the reports are qualitative, but a number of the population increases are sufficiently large to cause local concern and warrant control efforts by managers and tourism operators. The apparent synchrony of these population increases across oceanic scales is interesting in terms of outbreak causality. More detailed quantitative information on the current (and historical) status of COTS populations in the Indo-Pacific region would be extremely useful. Any such information gratefully received. Brian Lassig COTS Program Coordinator, GBRMPA brianl at gbrmpa.gov.au From psa at bishop.bishop.hawaii.org Thu Jun 22 15:08:01 1995 From: psa at bishop.bishop.hawaii.org (Pacific Science Assn) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 09:08:01 -1000 (HST) Subject: Researchers Directory Message-ID: Update of Coral Reef Researchers Directory The Directory of Coral Reef Researchers of the Pacific is being updated to be world-wide in scope. The International Coral Reef Initiative and the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme are providing funds to support this effort. All researchers who have previously been contacted will receive a copy of the current entry for verification and e-mail address addition. Additional researchers will receive original questionnaires. Since questionnaires will be sent out in July and August of this year, a final draft is anticipated to be completed by the time of the International Coral Reef Symposium in Panama in June 1996. In addition, it is planned to have this directory on an internet gopher. For further information contact: L. G. Eldredge, Pacific Science Association, P.O. Box 17801, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 [TEL (808) 848-4139; FAX (808) 847-8252; Internet: psa at bishop.bishop.hawaii.org] From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Thu Jun 22 14:53:27 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 14:53:27 -0400 (EDT) Subject: ENCORE Experiment Message-ID: The following was received from Professor Tony Larkum (alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au) for inclusion in the Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server: ============================================================== "ENCORE, The Effect of Nutrient Enrichment of Coral Reefs and the Programme of Prof Larkum (School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney). The amount of phosphorus and nitrogen pouring onto the Great Barrier Reef from rivers and drainage off the land is now ten fold what it was fifty years ago. The major source is intensive agriculture with lesser contributions from sewage effluent and industry/urbanisation. In other parts of the world coral reefs have been degraded by effluent from such sources. Nutrients are high on the list of agents which may have caused this effect. The conventional thinking is that natural algae grow faster in the presence of added nutrients (N+P) and that they then overgrow and smother the coral and other animals of a typical coral reef leading eventually to the disappearance of coral and the formation of an algal reef. There is no consensus at the moment that the increased levels of nutrient (N+P) on the Great Barrier Reef are at levels that may cause concern or even that nutrients are the causal agent in decline of coral reefs elsewhere, eg Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; Philippines, Thailand. Nevertheless nutrients must be building up in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon and this poses a potential threat to the GBR and its $1.4 billion contribution to the Gross Nationa Product. To answer the questions arising from the previous discussion an in situ reef fertilisation experiment is being undertaken on the Australian Great Barrier Reef (at One Tree Island), to investigate the response of coral reefs to nutrient enrichment. This experiment, known as ENCORE, was designed by Prof Larkum (University of Sydney) and Mr. Andy Steven (GBRMPA) to quantify the fate of nitrogen and phosphorus within a coral reef, and compare their impact on a variety of coral reef organisms. Coordinated by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville (GBRMPA), 30 scientists from 8 Australian and 3 overseas organisations are undertaking research encompassing cellular through to community level responses. This research will provide a scientific basis for developing appropriate water quality management strategies in coral reef environments, and may identify a number of sub-lethal indicators of nutrient stress. Nine robots have been built and deployed in natural shallow pools (microatolls) in the main lagoon at One Tree Reef. At each low tide these robots squirt a dose of pollution (N or P or N+P) into the pool. The following organisms are being studied in detail: a range of typical corals, clams, sponges, fish, bacteria, and algae. The results to the present time are surprising in that they show a direct effect on coral growth and reproduction and on the growth of clams. Most surprising is the lack of effect on the microscopic algae which are generally considered to feed the animals of the reef. It seems that under the conditions at One Tree (and maybe generally on coral reefs) they are not limited by nutrients. The rates of primary production that have been measured are at the upper range for any known alga and therefore it is likely that the algae are limited by inorganic carbon supply rather than by nutrients. Nutrient recycling within the epilithic algal community is probably adequate to supply the N and P needs of these algae. Addition of nutrients to these algae in tanks has not increased primary productivity. Protection of the algae from grazing has also not enhanced productivity - supporting the contention that the algae are limited by carbon supply. In the longer term the biomass and possibly the primary productivity are limited by grazing, particularly by grazing fish. However the levels of nutrients that have been discharged into the pools over the last year are very low. As a result it has been decided to treble the loading in 1995. Under these conditions (the same concentration as before but delivered in three injections 30 min apart) it is expected that there will be a response of the microscopic algae in the form of a community shift whereby certain green algae will dominate and grow excessively. However this has to be put to the test. Funding for ENCORE is at two levels. The GBRMPA (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) funds the infrastructure of the project and supports a minimal amount of research. Individual researchers are mainly dependent therefore on grants that they can attract from funding bodies. Prof. Larkum had an Australian Research Council grant for his work from 1992-94. Detailed Results on the algae to the present time The algae referred to as EAC are the epilithic algal community (which we study on year-old dead Porites blocks). These have shown no response in any of the experimental atolls to added nutrients. At first we thought that this was due to the effect of severe grazing, but we found the same effect when we caged the blocks for two weeks. We then thought that the levels of added nutrients might be so low that this was the reason for no effect. So we bathed the blocks in ten-fold nutrient concentrations for 24-48 hours. This was done both with our respirometers and the "Cheshire" respirometer. Still we got no effect. So we have to conclude that the EAC is not nutrient limited in the lagoon at One Tree. (We have repeated this at several seasons so it is not a seasonal effect -although Hatcher and Larkum 1983 did detect a small effect in Spring, and it is possible that this does occur and we missed it). No inhibition of growth of crustose coralline algae - Lithothamnion and Lithophyllum spp. has been found. My group has not been studying the macroalgae. These are not common inside the microatolls but do occur on the outside rims of the microatolls - particularly at the moment Laurencia spp. Ed Drew and Bill Dennison have been studying effects of nutrients on these. Bill claims to have found a definite stimulation of growth and Ed a non-statistical stimulation. Note that this update has concentrated on the free-living micro- and macro-algae. Of course, corals and many other animals of coral reefs, have symbiotic zooxanthellae. We are not studying these algae, but many other workers are and particularly Drs. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and Assoc. Prof. D. Yellowlees of the ENCORE Project. In general past work seems to suggest that increased nitrogen causes an increased gowth of the zooxanthellae. This increased growth may adversely affect the growth of corals. Current research in the ENCORE Project is directed towards testing this hypothesis Reference. Larkum, A.W.D. and Steven, A.D.L 1994. ENCORE (The effect of nutrient enrichment on a coral reef). 1. Experimental design and research programme. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 29, 112-120 A.W.D. Larkum Professor of Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 tel (02) 351 2069 fax (02) 351 4771 email alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au" Prof Tony Larkum Sydney University alark at extro.ucc.su.oz.au Ph (02) 692 2069 Fax (02) 692 4771 From majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov Wed Jun 21 08:46:50 1995 From: majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov (majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov) Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 12:46:50 GMT Subject: Welcome to coral_reef_list Message-ID: <199506211246.MAA13354@reef.aoml.erl.gov> -- Welcome to the coral_reef_list mailing list! If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list, you can send mail to "majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov" with the following command in the body of your email message: unsubscribe coral_reef_list "James C. Hendee" Here's the general information for the list you've subscribed to, in case you don't already have it: The Coral Reef Health and Monitoring Mailing List Server The purpose of the Coral Health and Monitoring project is to provide near-real time data products related to coral health to coral reef scientists and to the general public. This mailing list server is intended to allow individuals to participate in ongoing discussions, to ease the dissimination of relevant information through e-mail facilities. From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Thu Jun 22 13:48:03 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 13:48:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server Message-ID: Welcome to the Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server! The purpose of the Coral Health and Monitoring list-server is to provide a forum for Internet discussions and announcements pertaining to coral reef health and monitoring throughout the world. Appropriate subjects for discussion might include: o bleaching events o outbreaks of coral diseases o high predation on coral reefs o environmental monitoring sites o incidences of coral spawnings o shipwrecks on reefs o international meetings and symposia o funding opportunities o job openings in coral research o marine sanctuary news o new coral-related publications o announcements of college courses in coral reef ecology o coral health initiatives o new and historical data availability o controversial topics in coral reef ecology o recent reports on coral research o new coral-related journals -- To Subscribe to the List -- Since you just got this message, you are already subscribed to the list! However, if you wish to instruct others how to subscribe to the list, have them send e-mail to majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: subscribe coral-list -- To Un-Subscribe from the List -- To un-subscribe from the list, send e-mail to majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: unsubscribe coral-list "Your Name" -- To Post a Comment or Announcement -- To post a message to the list, simply address your comments or announcements to coral-list at reef.aoml.erl.gov. The message will be circulated to all members of the list. The members may respond to you directly, or post their comments to the list for all to read. -- Help -- To see a list of the functions and services available from the list-server, send an e-mail message to majordomo at reef.aoml.erl.gov, with the following message (only!) in the body of the text: help -- Problems -- If you have any problems concerning the list, please feel free to drop a line to: hendee at aoml.erl.gov. We hope you enjoy the list! Sincerely yours, Jim Hendee Louis Florit Philippe Dubosq From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Thu Jun 22 15:00:12 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 15:00:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Ocean Warming and Coral Health Message-ID: The following was originally posted under the news group sci.geo.oceanography by Dr. Hugh Easton in response to Dr. Ray McAllister, and is re-posted here for information and comment. ============================================== In article mcallist at gate.net "Ray McAllister" writes: > Josh, your analysis is much more believable to me than the global warming > hypothesis. So far we have no definitive evidence for ocean warming and > may have to wait till ATOC to get anytrhing dependable. That is no longer true, at least according to an article, "Drying out the tropics", in the 6 May issue of New Scientist. Apparently there has been a recent shift in thinking among climatologists about the stability of tropical climates. More importantly for the purposes of our discussion, substantial warming has been measured in tropical oceans. "The 1980's were the warmest decade on record, and this was primarily because temperatures rose in the tropics. ... The tropical ocean temperatures were between 0.25 and 0.75 C warmer [from 1981 to 1990] compared with 1951 to 1980. Since 1976, the eastern tropical Pacific has been more than 0.5 C warmer than in the previous decades" I have also got some material which explains why high water temperatures adversely affect coral reefs: "Because reef-building corals are dependant on their plant partners, they need shallow, sunlit waters for photosynthesis to occur most rapidly. These conditions are also essential for the successful deposition of the corallite by the coral polyp. The optimum temperature for this to take place is between 26 C and 27 C (79 F and 81 F). Once the temperature falls below 23 C (73 F) or rises above 29 C (84 F), the rate of calcification rapidly decreases and the forces of erosion overwhelm those of growth and repair. Prolonged temperature changes therefore spell doom for a reef. ... There is another ominous threat to reefs connected with rising sea temperatures that has recently come to light. Coral colonies have been known to occasionally lose their zooxanthellae. The ability of the zooxanthellae to produce oxygen by photosynthesis increases with temperature. It appears that if the zooxanthellae produce too much oxygen during photosynthesis, then toxic by-products result that are damaging to the tissues of the coral polyp. Thus, the zooxanthellae may be lost through the damaged wall of the polyp back into the ocean. The coral colony turns brilliant white as it now lacks any pigmentation. The process is known as coral bleaching. Close inspection of a bleached coral colony at night will reveal that coral polyps are still present, but transparent. Such a coral may recover by obtaining new zooxanthellae from the surrounding water but it is more likely, however, that it will die. Outbreaks of coral bleaching have been recorded world-wide and cover enormous tracts of reef. At least three major occurrances since 1979 have been reported by researchers. Particularly alarming is the fact that episodes of bleaching coincide with either the hottest season for that area, or unusually hot conditions due to other factors." - Reef, pp 31 & 58-59, Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch, Headline 1991. So unusually high temperatures have two effects on corals. At temperatures above 29 C corals growth is no longer fast enough to keep up with erosion, and at temperatures substantially higher than the coral is used to, oxygen damage and coral bleaching occur. Recent research has confirmed that high water temperatures are the primary cause of coral bleaching: "Major outbreaks of "bleaching" of coral reefs in the past decade were almost always caused by unusually high sea temperatures, probably linked to global warming, according to the first global study of the phenomenon. ... Goreau, who is president of the Global Coral Reef Alliance, and his colleague, Raymond Hayes, former chairman of marine sciences at the University of the Virgin Islands, discerned a rising tide of coral bleaching between 1983 and 1991. They compared its incidence with satellite data on average ocean temperatures (Ambio, vol 23, p176). In 1983, coral was bleached throughout the Pacific, from the Java Sea to Costa Rica. Bleaching was widespread in the Caribbean in 1987, and recurred every year until 1990 - a year of record temperatures and bleaching in the Gulf region of Oman. Bleaching was again widespread in the Pacific in 1991, from Thailand to Polynesia. Bleaching occurs in all waters, from the warmest that can sustain coral reefs to the coldest. Goreau and Hayes found that the effect is triggered not by any specific temperature, but by anomalous warming locally. Bleaching invariably followed the warmest period ever recorded in an area. The threshold appeared to be a monthly mean more than 1 C higher than the long-term average. "Above [that temperature] bleaching always took place," say the researchers, "and below it did not." Most bleaching in the Pacific occurred in 1983, 1987 and 1991, when changes in ocean circulation - known as El Nino events - caused warmer water than usual to spread across the tropical Pacific. However, El Nino is unlikely to have caused the bleaching in the Caribbean, where the two researchers say that a strong warming trend persisted throughout the 1980s." - A paler shade of coral... New Scientist 11/6/94, p19. I have been collecting the CAC ENSO indices for the last year and a bit. These include the monthly average temperatures for various sectors of the Pacific. Here are the Nino 4 and Ship Track 6 figures which refer to temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. Anomaly SST(C) mar 94 Nino 4 0.2 (28.3) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (28.4) apr 94 Nino 4 0.3 (28.6) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (28.5) may 94 Nino 4 0.6 (29.1) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (29.0) Jun 94 Nino 4 0.6 (29.1) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (29.0) Jul 94 Nino 4 1.0 (29.4) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (29.3) Aug 94 Nino 4 1.0 (29.4) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.1 (29.4) sep 94 Nino 4 1.0 (29.3) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.6 (29.7) oct 94 Nino 4 1.1 (29.4) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.5 (29.6) nov 94 Nino 4 1.2 (29.5) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.5 (29.8) Dec 94 Nino 4 1.3 (29.5) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) 1.9 (30.1) (the procedure for calculating the indices was changed at this point) Jan 95 Nino 4 1.1 (29.2) Feb 95 Nino 4 1.0 (29.0) Mar 95 Nino 4 0.2 (28.3) Ship Track 6 (Hawaii-Fiji) (28.4) Apr 95 Nino 4 0.5 (28.8) Ship Track 6 0.5 (28.9) May 95 Nino 4 0.5 (29.1) Ship Track 6 0.5 (29.2) >From these figures you can see that 29 C was exceeded for most of the period covered, and for several months the temperature anomaly was greater than 1 C. >From here it would appear that the "global warming hypothesis" (your words not mine) has a lot going for it. > The idea that Acropora species are endangered by a combination of > factors that synergistically damage this genus is more convincing to me. For scientific or aesthetic reasons? > What about A reticularis and A hyacinthus in trhe Pacific? Judging by the figures above, I would imagine that they are in pretty bad shape. Anyone care to comment? > Bu the way, in Florida I am not so sure that A cervicornis is > threatened more than palmata, but no studies, just observation. Thanks to > all who posted on this subject. > > > Ray McAllister, Prof (Emeritus) Ocean Eng., FAU, Boca Raton, FL 33064 > Diving Dinosaur, Geologist/Oceanographer/Ocean Engineer, 43 years SCUBA > mcallist at gate.net (305) 426-0808, Author Diving Locations, Boynton/Dania > > > -- Hugh Easton From florit at wave.aoml.erl.gov Thu Jun 22 15:08:53 1995 From: florit at wave.aoml.erl.gov (Louis Florit) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 15:08:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: replying to keep the discussion going In-Reply-To: Message-ID: As a side note to all the coral-list subscribers- When you reply to a post, reply to all recipients, so that all the list also gets the reply and others can comment on your post. Lou Louis Florit Tel: (305)361-4293 U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA / AOML 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, FL 33149 From val at carbon.marine.usf.edu Thu Jun 22 16:03:45 1995 From: val at carbon.marine.usf.edu (Herschel Hochman) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 16:03:45 -0400 Subject: remote sensing Message-ID: <199506222003.QAA10085@carbon.marine.usf.edu> An important topic and one which is may become a valued resource is remote sensing as applied to reef ecology. As optical sensors become more sophisticated and more spectral bands are added to the sensors, satellites and airplane overflights will be able to detect differences in patterns created by the changing reef as well as the overlying water color. There is probably significant work going on in this area as we speak. Herschel Hochman From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Fri Jun 23 11:30:42 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 11:30:42 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Daily C-MAN data availability Message-ID: Meteorlogical and oceanographic data are now available daily from the National Data Buoy Center's C-MAN (Coastal-Marine Automated Network) stations in the Florida Keys, via our Coral Health and Monitoring Home Page at: (http://coral.aoml.erl.gov) The data will be posted at approximately 4:45 am EST (USA) every morning, and will contain data for every hour on the hour, for the previous 72 hours. The sites covered are: Fowey Rocks Molasses Reef Sombrero Key Long Key Sand Key Dry Tortugas The C-MAN bulletins have the most common parameters listed; however, we will soon be re-configuring the bulletins to include more data, for instance, relative tide level. The Florida Keys C-MAN buoys have been enhanced for oceanographic data collection (salinity, sea temperatures at different depths, and photosynthetically active radiation) by the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO). Standard meteorological parameters measured inlcude air temperature, wind speed and direction, wind gusts, and barometric pressure. These sites are maintained by Chris Humphrey and John Dotten at FIO's Keys Marine Laboratory on Long Key in the Florida Keys. You may contact them directly at (305) 664-9101, if you wish more information concerning the C-MAN stations. Other sites posted are: Conch Reef Wave Buoy (in the Florida Keys) Settlement Point, Grand Bahama Island Micronesia (Eniwetok, Kosrea, Mili and Ulithi Atoll) Please be advised that these oceanographic data are PREMLIMINARY data and have not been screened for accuracy. NOAA and FIO can not be held liable for use of these data in a manner other than for perusal of preliminary oceanographic data for scientific research on coral reefs. Historical data from the C-MAN stations will soon be made available. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Many thanks for your interest. Jim Hendee +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ | James C. Hendee | Internet: hendee at aoml.erl.gov | | Coral Health and | | | Monitoring Program | Voice: 305 361-4380 | | Ocean Chemistry Division | Fax: 305 361-4582 | | NOAA/AOML | COASTAL RBBS: 305 361-4524 | | 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway | | | Miami, FL 33149-1026 | http://coral.aoml.erl.gov | +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Fri Jun 23 17:09:14 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 17:09:14 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Lowered salinity in Florida Bay Message-ID: Those of you studying the influence of high salinity and high temperature water from Florida Bay on the survival of coral reefs along the Florida Straits may find it interesting to follow the salinities and temperatures reported from the Long Key C-MAN station (the only station in Florida Bay) and those on the oceanic side of the Florida Keys, such as Molasses Reef, Sombrero Reef, Sand Key and Dry Tortugas over the next couple of days. There has been over 11 inches of rain fallen over south Florida, the Everglades and Florida Bay over the last 72 hours, and the salinities have dropped in Florida Bay correspondingly. There may be a drop in salinities on the oceanic side, maybe not. Any unusual biological events witnessed by divers, boaters or scientists (!) in the area would be of value. Current C-MAN postings may be followed at http://coral.aoml.erl.gov/cman/cman_menu.html if you're interested. Historical oceanographic data for the region will be available soon. These data will contain, for some stations, salinities and temperatures at 1 meter, 2 meters and 3 meters deep. Jim Hendee (hendee at coral.aoml.erl.gov) From birkelan at uog9.uog.edu Sat Jun 24 03:12:17 1995 From: birkelan at uog9.uog.edu (Charles Evans Birkeland) Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 07:12:17 +0000 (WET) Subject: Coral Health and Monitoring List-Server In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Dear Dr. Hendee: Thanks for including me on your mailing list. I am sharing all the ino with my colleagues at the marine lab in Guam. Sincerely, Chuck Birkeland From jogden at seas.marine.usf.edu Mon Jun 26 10:48:31 1995 From: jogden at seas.marine.usf.edu (John Ogden) Date: Mon, 26 Jun 1995 10:48:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Lowered salinity in Florida Bay In-Reply-To: Message-ID: All of you who find the data from the Keys C-MAN stations useful, please let us know. We are in an end game to save the stations and need all of the arguments that we can muster. John C. Ogden Director Phone: 813/893-9100 Florida Institute of Oceanography Fax: 813/893-9109 830 First Street South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 From hendee at aoml.erl.gov Wed Jun 28 07:50:55 1995 From: hendee at aoml.erl.gov (James C. Hendee) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 07:50:55 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Coral Health Abstracts Message-ID: Greetings, Perci Greenberg has re-constructed our Coral Health literature abstracts compendium to include indexing by subject (e.g., coral bleaching, black-band disease, etc.), as well as by author. You may visit the page at URL: http://coral.aoml.erl.gov/bib/abstracts2.html if you're interested. Please note that we need to update the abstracts for more recent literature, so if you have published any papers on coral health and would like your abstracts cited, please forward them to us at your convenience. Many thanks. Sincerely yours, Jim Hendee +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ | James C. Hendee | Internet: hendee at aoml.erl.gov | | Coral Health and | | | Monitoring Program | Voice: 305 361-4380 | | Ocean Chemistry Division | Fax: 305 361-4582 | | NOAA/AOML | COASTAL RBBS: 305 361-4524 | | 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway | | | Miami, FL 33149-1026 | http://coral.aoml.erl.gov | +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+ From gregorh at hk.super.net Wed Jun 28 10:01:13 1995 From: gregorh at hk.super.net (gregorh at hk.super.net) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 22:01:13 +0800 Subject: Another unusual year in Asia Message-ID: <199506281401.AA02254@is1.hk.super.net> Last year in Hong Kong and southern China, we had a 100 year record rainfall and flooding of the Pearl River. Through a complex pathway, this resulted in a major hypoxia event that killed most hard corals below about 3 m depth in coastal embayments. The documented area affected exceeds 200 sq kilometres. This summer, we have had a 100 year record dry May. The lack of clouds and rain has undoubtedly helped to warm up the sea in this part of Asia. Large sharks, very uncommon in Hong Kong, have come in close to shore and there have been three fatal shark attacks within two weeks. The southwest monsoon rains have finally arrived and it will be interesting to see if we have a repeat hypoxia and mass mortality event again in July. Gregor Hodgson Binnie Consultants Ltd Hong Kong Fax (852) 2601-3331 e-mail gregorh at hk.super.net From aszmant at rsmas.miami.edu Wed Jun 28 15:45:40 1995 From: aszmant at rsmas.miami.edu (aszmant at rsmas.miami.edu) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 15:45:40 -0400 Subject: PAR data Message-ID: <199506281945.PAA23881@umigw.miami.edu> Jim: Thanks for your help with the PAR data. Is there anything we can do to help get it together? I have a question about the units of measurement of the PAR (surface) data that are included in the in your page C-man data sets: the values seem low if they are uEin /m2/sec (full sunlight is >2000 with a flat cosine collector). Do you know what kind of sensor they are (spherical or cosine; sperical values are usually even higher than cosine) and whether the units are in quanta, Watts etc? Again, thanks, Alina ***************************************************************** Dr. Alina M. Szmant RSMAS-MBF, University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy. Miami FL 33149 Tel: (305)361-4609 FAX: (305)361-4600 e-mail: ASZMANT at RSMAS.MIAMI.EDU **************************************************************** From reinhold.leinfelder at po.uni-stuttgart.de Wed Jun 28 17:33:59 1995 From: reinhold.leinfelder at po.uni-stuttgart.de (Reinhold Leinfelder) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 1995 23:33:59 +0200 Subject: Reefs and Silics Message-ID: CALL FOR PRESENTATION ON EFFECTS/ECOLOGIC ADAPTIONS OF REEF ORGANISMS TO TERRIGENEOUS INFLUX AT 'REEFS AND SILICS' ON OCCASION OF THE 8TH ICRS IN PANAMA 96 All of you are aware of the 8th ICRS next June in Panama. Some of you might have noticed that Bob Ginsburg and myself are preparing a session/subsymposium on "Reefs and Carbonate Platforms within Siliciclastic Settings. Modern and Ancient" on this occasion. We are trying to integrate geological and ecological aspects as well as linking ancient and modern examples. Response for our call for presentations was great regarding modern case studies in a more geological context. We could need some additional examples on fossil counterparts as well as on ECOLOGIC STUDIES ON MODERN OR ANCIENT REEF ORGANISMS. How do the corals and other organisms react on elevated sedimentation rates, elevated nutrients? In which way do communities shift? Would anything of this be noticeable in the fossil record (functional morphology?). To our knowledge, Hubbard 1973 and Hubbard & Pocock 1972, are still the most frequently cited publications. We are however certain that a lot of additional information particularly among reef biologists is available. Biologists, how about contributing with your knowledge to the better understanding of both modern and ancient reefs? If you are ready to present a poster or talk at the "reef and silics" session, please contact one of us at your earliest convenience. Reinhold Leinfelder, Stuttgart, Germany Robert Ginsburg, Miami, USA ******************************************* Reinhold Leinfelder Institut fuer Geologie und Palaeontologie der Universitaet Stuttgart Herdweg 51 D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany e-mail: reinhold.leinfelder at po.uni-stuttgart.de phone: ++49-711-1211340 fax: ++49-711-1211341 From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Thu Jun 29 08:30:24 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 29 Jun 1995 08:30:24 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Coral Reef Research Institue Message-ID: The following was forwarded to me from Dr. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg for inclusion in the Coral Health and Monitoring list-server. ====================== Dear James, We have just formed the Coral Reef Research Institute at the University of Sydney. The aim of this research institute is to link up university and allied researchers into a framework that can provide support and direction to programs specifically aimed at helping promoting research, education andawareness of problems facing coral reefs worldwide. The primary focus of this institute in the beginning will be southern Great Barrier Reef and western Pacific coral reef realms but it is hoped that the CRRI will be ableto link with international efforts such as yours. If you have any questions, please contact me immediately. Regards, Ove RESEARCH INSTITUTE LAUNCHED TO SECURE FUTURE OF CORAL REEFS Sydney, NSW, Monday July 3, 1995 University of Sydney, in association with the Central Queensland University, will launch the Coral Reef Research Institute (CRRI). This new institute is aimed at promoting education, research and conservation of coral reefs and will be launched during the opening of the annual Australian Marine Science Association meetings at University of Technology, Sydney on Monday, July 3. Renown diver, photographer and marine conservationist, Valorie Taylor, will offcially launch the new institute. The new institute has attracted some major scientists and scholars to its advisory council such as Sir David Attenborough, Robyn Williams, Professor Frank Talbot and Professor Michael Pitman (Chief Scientist of Australia), and is borne of concern for the declining health of the world's coral reefs. Increased nutrient levels and sediments in the waters surrounding coral reefs have been identified as major contributors to the decline of coral reefs. One of the prinicple assets of the new institute is the One Tree Island Research Station located at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. This research station along with its sister stations on Lizard, Heron and Orpheus Islands has played a key role in identifying the problems and solutions to the management of coral reefs. The effective management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has been reliant on quantifiable scientific evidence. Over the past 30 or so years, much of this valuable research has been undertaken on One Tree Island. One Tree Island Research Station is the only research facility that is wholly located within an exclusive Scientific Research Zone. This means its has vital significance as a sentinel of coral reef change occurring as a result of reef-associated human activities. The Coral Reef Research Instiute will develop and expand this role and is expected to play a leading position in helping to preserve coral reefs, along with GBRMPA, the Australian Institute for Marine Scientists and the Cooperative Research Centre for Ecological Sustainable Development of the Great Barrier Reef in Townsville. Although the new institute has the key support of people such as Sir David Attenborough and Robyn Williams, it is hoping to attract some major sponsors to help pursue its important agenda. ******************** For further information please contact: The University of Sydney - Coral Reef Research Institute Director - Dr. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg - (02) 351-2389, email oveh at bio.usyd.edu.au One Tree Island Deputy Director - Dr. Mike Kingsford - (02) 351 2440 CRRI administration assistant, Brigid McKay - (02) 351-5636, Fax: (02) 351-4119 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ove Hoegh-Guldberg Ph: (02) 351-2389 School of Biological Sciences Fax: (02) 351-4119 Building A08 Country code Australia = 61 University of Sydney 2006 NSW Australia ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV Thu Jun 29 12:19:21 1995 From: hendee at AOML.ERL.GOV (James C. Hendee) Date: Thu, 29 Jun 1995 12:19:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Molasses Reef historical data Message-ID: National Data Buoy Center quality controlled historical data files for Molasses Reef in the Florida Keys are available for the following dates via our World-Wide Web site at http://coral.aoml.erl.gov/cman/cman_menu.html : Dec 4, 1987 to Dec 31, 1987 Jan 1, 1988 to May 31, 1988 Jun 1, 1988 to Dec 31, 1988 Jan 1, 1989 to Jun 30, 1989 Jul 1, 1989 to Dec 31, 1989 Jan 1, 1990 to Mar 31, 1990 Apr 1, 1990 to Dec 31, 1990 Jan 1, 1991 to Feb 28, 1991 The data represented are barometric pressure, air temperature, sea temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and wind gusts every hour, on the hour, every day. We hope to have historical oceanographic data (other than sea temperature) available from the Florida Institute of Oceanography sensors soon, as well as more recently measured data. Jim Hendee hendee at aoml.erl.gov From coral at coral.aoml.erl.gov Tue Jun 27 19:52:12 1995 From: coral at coral.aoml.erl.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Mon, 10 Jul 1995 11:52:12 +30000 Subject: Two new coral bleaching abstracts Message-ID: Following are two new coral bleaching abstracts added to the CH&M WWW site: Gleeson, M.W. and A. E. Strong, 1995: Applying MCSST to coral reef bleaching, Adv. Space. Res., 16[10]: 151-154. ABSTRACT In the 1980s and early 1990s, coral reef bleaching events of unprecedented frequency and global extent were observed. Elevated water temperature is suspected as the primary causal stress of mass bleaching events from this period. The relationship between sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and coral bleaching events was investigated using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Multi-Channel Sea Surface Temperature (MCSST) satellite imagery from 1982-1992. Nighttime MCSST weekly averages were compared with moored-buoy temperatures for sea-truthing the satellite. Average errors from 11 individual buoy comparisons throughout the tropics were found to be approximately 0.5C. Confirmed satellite SST data were applied to bleaching events at Bermuda (1988, 1991), Tahiti (1984, 1987, 1991), and Jamaica (1987, 1989, 1990), with a non- bleached site off Belize selected as control. MCSST data showed elevated SSTs coincided with bleaching events both in onset and duration. Bleaching thresholds were developed. An MCSST Degree Heating Weeks (DHW) bleaching index was developed for the Belizean and Jamaican reef sites. A cumulative heating stress of 26 DHW is proposed as the threshold for mass reef bleaching at Belize and Jamaica. ========= Montgomery, R.S. and A.E. Strong, 1994: Coral Bleaching Threatens Ocean, Life. EOS 75[13]: 145-147. ABSTRACT [Intro] People around the world depend on the resources provided by the ocean to support life. But global-scale damage to the coral reefs, a large and integral part of the ocean environment that supports a variety of sea life, is a frightening scenario that may unfold in the coming years. Recently, a phenomenon called coral bleaching has raised concerns about the deteriorating conditions in the world's oceans and the implications for life on our planet. Coral bleaching occurs as coral tissue expels zooxanthellae, a symbiotic algae that resides in the structure of the coral and is essential to its survival. The widespread nature of the bleaching threatens the state of the environment. The zooxanthellae, besides giving color to the otherwise white coral skeleton, produce carbon compounds that nourish the coral. In return, the coral provides the algae with a home inside its skeletal structure and nitrogen and phosphorous, which are essential for its survival [Brown and Ogden, 1993.]. This delicate symbiosis can be disrupted by several factors, and this causes the coral to expel the algae. Disturbances such as extremes of temperature, hypersalinity, pollutants in the water, or changes in radiation flux cause coral bleaching. The correlation between high water temperatures and coral bleaching is of acute concern. In the 1980s, many reefs including those near Easter Island, the Great Barrier Reef, and the coasts of Central America showed signs of bleaching. More nottceable events occurred in 1983 near Panama and in 1987-1988 in the Caribbean [Ghiild, 1990]. The Panama event is connected with the 1982-1983 El Nino, which raised water temperatures in the area to above 29C. The Caribbean event, which lasted for 9 months, was associated with widespread bleaching in the reefs off Jamaica. Water temperatures in the area were above 30C at the peak of the bleaching. This event in particular raised concerns about a possible link between coral bleaching, rising water temperatures, and global warming [Goreau et al., 1993]. The possibility that a recent warming trend in the world's oceans is responsible for the recent bleaching events merits further inquiry. Evidence favoring this hypothesis exists in oceanic and atmospheric physical data, but until such evidence is examined with known bleaching events, conclusions cannot be made. From coral at coral.aoml.erl.gov Fri Jun 30 01:12:46 1995 From: coral at coral.aoml.erl.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Wed, 12 Jul 1995 17:12:46 +30000 Subject: ICRI Framework for Action Message-ID: International Coral Reef Initiative Framework For Action June 2, 1995 PREAMBLE Maintaining the biological diversity, condition, resources, and values of coral reefs and related ecosystems is a matter of global urgency. While the majority of countries which have coral reefs are developing countries, there are many reefs in the waters of developed countries. This unites the developed and developing countries and should command the attention of the international community. Coral reef survival depends upon the world community acquiring and maintaining the knowledge and capacity to conserve and sustainably use coral reefs and related ecosystems. This requires that all uses and impacts be brought within and maintained at levels which do not exceed these systems' natural capacity for production and regeneration. The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) Workshop was held at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Philippines in May, 1995 to enable countries, donors, development and funding agencies to work with coral reef managers, private sector representatives, non-governmental organisations and scientists to develop this Framework as a basis for achieving sustainable management of coral reefs and related ecosystems. The ICRI Framework for Action builds upon and reflects the principles and processes established by Agenda 21, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Global Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, Global Program of Action to Protect the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities and other relevant international programs. It has been developed as a succinct statement which should be read and interpreted in light of these documents. This Framework addresses the four elements of the ICRI Call to Action, which are: o management; o capacity building; o research and monitoring; and o review. FRAMEWORK PURPOSE The purpose of this Framework for Action is to mobilise governments and the wide range of other stakeholders whose coordinated, vigorous and effective actions are required to implement the Call to Action. PRINCIPLES The ICRI recognises the following principles: Achieving the ICRI's purpose requires the full participation and commitment of governments, local communities, donors, NGOs, the private sector, resource users and scientists; therefore true partnerships, cooperation and collaboration exemplify the ICRI activities. The over-riding priority is to support actions that will have tangible, positive and measurable effects on coral reefs and related ecosystems and on the well-being of the communities which depend upon them. Human activities are the major cause of coral reef degradation; therefore managing coral reefs means managing those human activities. Individuals whose decisions and actions affect coral reefs--from board rooms to beaches--need to become aware of and committed to the conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs and related ecosystems. The diversity of cultures, traditions and governance within nations and regions should be recognised and built upon in all the ICRI activities. Integrated coastal management, with special emphasis on community participation and benefit, provides a framework for effective coral reef and related ecosystem management. Developing national capacity to conserve and sustainably use coral reefs and related ecosystems requires a long term (decadal) commitment. Improvement of coral reef management requires a permanent commitment and an adaptive approach. Strategic research and monitoring programs should be an integral part of the ICRI because management of coral reefs and related ecosystems should be based on the most relevant scientific information. Actions promoted under this framework should take account of, and fully use, the extensive body of international agreements and organisations that address issues related to coral reefs and related ecosystems. The ICRI will facilitate the leveraging and channeling of existing resources among all sectors for the benefit of coral reefs and related ecosystems. ACTION All those committed to supporting the ICRI and this Framework for Action are called upon to take account of and to act on the following at the international, regional and national levels. Support national and regional efforts to establish and coordinate strategies, priorities and programs to implement the ICRI Framework for Action, starting with regional workshops to be held by early 1996. Ensure that sustainable management of coral reefs and related ecosystems is considered at future relevant international meetings. Develop and/or strengthen national, regional and international mechanisms for gathering and sharing information and expertise on the sustainable management of coral reefs and related ecosystems. Promote improved access to financial and technological resources to enable institutions, regional centres and networks to assist and inform governments, industries and communities. Addressing conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs and related ecosystems requires activities in the following areas: o integrated coastal management; o public awareness, education and training; o ratification of or accession to relevant international instruments; o stakeholder participation at all levels; o training policy makers and private sector decision makers in the development and implementation of coral reef management; o marine science and technology; o environmental law, particularly environmental impact assessment regulations; and o assessing the potential for micro-enterprise development and facilitating access to financing on a small to medium scale. (a) Management Encourage governments to develop and adopt integrated coastal management measures, including: o protection of the marine environment from land based sources of marine pollution; o environmentally sound land use practices, including zoning where appropriate; o measures to protect the marine environment from the adverse effect of maritime activities; o national and regional disaster strategies; o measures to prevent illegal fishing practices, achieve sustainable fisheries and protect the ecological systems that support them; o tourism management and planning; o cultural aspects of resource use; and o enforcement of regulations. Encourage governments and funding agencies to consider the ICRI Framework in project and program design and implementation. Encourage, where appropriate, an intersectoral systems approach to planning and management. Encourage improved coordination among international organisations, donors and NGOs to provide more effective programs at the regional and national level. Encourage prompt implementation of the outcomes of FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Global Program of Action to Protect the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities. Promote awareness and action by the global tourist community to minimise individual and collective impacts of tourism on coral reefs and related ecosystems. Promote the establishment and effective management of coastal and marine protected areas for coral reefs and related ecosystems, within the framework of customary international law as exemplified by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This will contribute to the development of the Global Representative System of Marine Protected Areas as proposed by the World Bank, IUCN and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Promote the regulation of international trade in endangered and threatened reef-associated species through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), and improve its implementation where required. Encourage governments to develop and promote mechanisms for regulating international trade in species that are illegally harvested. Encourage governments to develop legislation, policy and institutional capacity to apply environmental assessment to development activities. Promote appropriate technologies, including voluntary programs and economic incentives and best management practices, for control of land-based causes of marine pollution. Promote and replicate successes in integrated coastal management, including community based management, as appropriate. Support management measures to improve the socio-economic condition of local communities through such means as retraining and sustainable alternative livelihood development. (b) Capacity Building Capacity building includes establishing and strengthening human resource and institutional capabilities for coastal management, science, training and education. Encourage regional organisations to assist countries and communities implementing ICRI, for example through measures including: o preparation of project proposals o implementation of small grant programs. Establish, strengthen and sustain mutually supportive networks of centres of expertise in management of coral reefs and related ecosystems. Base human resource development strategies on needs assessments and ensure that they address: o the diversity of cultures traditions and governance structures; o increased community awareness and involvement; o improving the capacity of today's managers; o providing for the education of tomorrow's managers; o coverage of coral reef management issues in the training of all professionals whose work involves decisions which affect coral reefs and coastal resource management; o technical training needs for people at the field level; o training and supporting trainers to work at the community and field level; o evaluation of the effectiveness of training; and o the need to target children in awareness raising. Improve coordination and targeting of the education and human resource development programs provided by development partners. Support formal and informal environmental education programs for all levels of the community on the subject of coral reefs and related ecosystems, with curricula and materials tailored to the interests and needs of the regions and end-users. Encourage maximum use of national and regional expertise in management, research and capacity building activities. Support the development, identification and dissemination of materials which address the interests and needs of the regions, including: o the value of coral reefs and related ecosystems; o practical monitoring and management techniques; o inventories of formal and on-the-job training opportunities; o case studies of management, including success stories as well as examples which have not been successful; and o case studies of human impact and natural variation in coral reefs and related ecosystems. Increase the relevance to ICRI of existing donor scholarship programs by: o devoting a proportion of scholarship awards to environmental studies; and o encouraging thesis and dissertation studies carried out in home countries. Encourage the private sector's role in management of coral reefs and related ecosystems through: o use of appropriate technologies; o development of a trained and educated workforce; and o innovative approaches to better environmental operating standards. (c) Research & Monitoring Research and monitoring are needed to assess the status of coral reefs, evaluate the success of management and conservation actions and develop more effective management practices. As tropical ecosystems, coral reefs and related ecosystems are subject to dynamics which are generally less well understood than temperate systems. Therefore, without evidence it should not be assumed that they will react to natural and human disturbances in the same way as temperate systems. Research and monitoring programs should address biological, physical, social, cultural and economic studies and should be carried out over time periods appropriate to their objectives. They should be supported by information management, interpretation and dissemination. In the collection of data for both research and monitoring, resource users should be involved to the maximum extent practicable. Promote the involvement of managers in the development, conduct, interpretation and application of research and monitoring programs. Promote and assist the development and application of resource assessment methods that: o allow for rapid assessment to establish baselines and initiate management o can be used in Geographic Information and Decision Support Systems Promote the development of a Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network under the Coastal Zone Module of the Global Ocean Observing System by incorporating and, as necessary, establishing or strengthening regional nodes. Encourage studies of coral reefs and related ecosystems which: o address priority management issues in individual countries or regions; o address the synergies between human effects and natural variations as causes of stress and degradation in coral reefs and related ecosystems; o involve interdisciplinary research into human impacts with initial priority on fisheries and tourism; o integrate traditional knowledge; o quantify the socio-economic impacts of conservation and habitat destruction; o address the scales and linkages of the biological communities; and o develop methods for impact mitigation and reef restoration. Develop programs to involve communities, resource users, the private sector and others in monitoring the condition of coral reefs and related ecosystems. Encourage regional and international forums which bring together managers and scientists to identify priority information requirements for management of coral reefs and related ecosystems. (d) Review Review of the state of coral reefs and related ecosystems and of action taken to implement the ICRI Framework for Action should be conducted at national, regional and international levels on a regular basis. The four yearly cycle of the international coral reef symposia provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the ecological condition of coral reefs. This should be matched by an equivalent program to review the effectiveness of implementation of actions in accordance with the ICRI Framework For Action. At the international level, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development provides an appropriate forum for review of international actions taken at all levels by governments, international organisations and agencies. The 1996 session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, with its focus on Chapter 17 (Protection of Oceans) of Agenda 21 will deal, inter alia, with coral reefs and related ecosystems. UNEP should be encouraged to review the implementation and success of the ICRI Framework For Action through relevant programs including the Regional Seas Programmes. Similarly the IOC through the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, should be encouraged to produce reports on the ecological condition of coral reefs and related ecosystems for discussion at the quadrennial International Coral Reef Symposia and other relevant international forums.