From jlichtman at rsmas.miami.edu Sun Feb 2 14:53:33 1997 From: jlichtman at rsmas.miami.edu (Jimmy Lichtman) Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 14:53:33 -0500 Subject: anyone know bill wilson? Message-ID: i'm trying to get in touch with a fellow named bill wilson. i understand he is a coral reef conservationist now in palau. the last address i have for him is in santa cruz, ca. grateful for any info., -jimmy |\ ( ) ______________________________________________|_\_________________________ Jimmy Lichtman, Graduate Student ----- -_-_ Marine Affairs, Univ. of Miami -- - - Celebrate the 1997 International Year of the Reef From jlichtman at rsmas.miami.edu Sun Feb 2 14:56:14 1997 From: jlichtman at rsmas.miami.edu (Jimmy Lichtman) Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 14:56:14 -0500 Subject: reefwatcher? Message-ID: anyone know if reefwatcher, based in york england, is still in business. i'm trying to find a good group to direct divers who are interested in helping to protect reefs. they seemed like a they were doing good work. anyone out there have anyplace they like to direct divers to? -jimmy |\ ( ) ______________________________________________|_\_________________________ Jimmy Lichtman, Graduate Student ----- -_-_ Marine Affairs, Univ. of Miami -- - - Celebrate the 1997 International Year of the Reef From llmb at acpub.duke.edu Sun Feb 2 20:00:49 1997 From: llmb at acpub.duke.edu (Leah Bunce) Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 20:00:49 -0500 (EST) Subject: reefwatcher? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: I was in touch with Reefwatch in November 1993 and at that time Tim Austin was coordinator. From looking over my communication with them (regarding a study of reefs they did in Antigua) it seems that Lynne Barratt was on maternity leave at the time and so I would guess that she is the current coordinator. Regardless, all I have is Dr. Austin's contact info which is: Dept. of Biology, Univ. of York, York, Y01 5DD, England, UK; tel: (0) 904-432945; fax: (0) 904-432860 I assume being in Florida that you've contact Reef Education Foundation (REEF). Earthwatch may have some dive study sites as well. Good luck, Leah Bunce ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, Marine Laboratory 135 Duke Marine Lab Rd., Beaufort NC 28516 phone 919/504-7570; fax 919/504-7648 e-mail: llmb at acpub.duke.edu http://www.env.duke.edu/marinelab/marine.html From bt3171 at qmw.ac.uk Mon Feb 3 13:54:16 1997 From: bt3171 at qmw.ac.uk (Cassian Edwards) Date: Mon, 03 Feb 1997 18:54:16 +0000 Subject: Standardised Methods For Underwater Censuses Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19970203185416.00667d5c@alpha.qmw.ac.uk> Hello all, I wonder if someone can tell me whether there is any standardisation in the methods used to assess both fish and algal abundance on coral reefs. Considering it is the International Year of the Reef, I wondered if there is a general consensus among tropical marine biologists as to methods used in the quantification of these parameters. Please reply to my email rather than the list. If anyone is interested in the replies I receive then let me know and I will forward messages - that is if I get any at all!! Thankyou. Cassian Edwards. ********************************************************** * Cassian Edwards, * * School of Biological Sciences, * * Queen Mary and Westfield College (London University), * * Mile End Road, * * E1 4NS, * * England. * * * * email: c.edwards at qmw.ac.uk * ********************************************************** From penwellr at fiu.edu Mon Feb 3 23:57:19 1997 From: penwellr at fiu.edu (Rebecca Penwell) Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 23:57:19 -0500 (EST) Subject: who coral-list In-Reply-To: Message-ID: I would greatly apprecixate it if anyone could send me any information that they may have come across on marine parks and marine reserves. Thank you. appreciaeate Rebecca A. Penwell Florida International University 9141 SW 122nd Ave. Apt.#108 Miami, FL 33186 305-273-5586 From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Tue Feb 4 09:51:36 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 09:51:36 -0500 (EST) Subject: revised coral reef success criteria Message-ID: The latest, and probably final, version of "SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM SUCCESS INDICATOR - 11: Improvement of Coral Reef Conditions," by Dr. Michael P. Crosby (NOAA/NOS) can now be found at: http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/themes/coralesi2.html Cheers, JCH From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Tue Feb 4 12:02:27 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Tue, 4 Feb 1997 12:02:27 -0500 (EST) Subject: cyanide and blast fishing update Message-ID: Forwarded message from cemrino at klink.com.ph ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 16:42:37 +0800 From: CEMRINO, Inc. To: hendee at aoml.noaa.gov Subject: To coralist: preserves Several recent messages have expressed concern for the effects of overfishing, cyanide and blast fishing on coral reefs. I would like to make a few points about progress combating these in the central Philippines that might be helpful to some readers. In the province of Negros Oriental, blast fishing has been stopped, cyanide fishing in non-existent, and about 19 preserves are in place and working. This began with a Silliman University team over 20 years ago which included Angel Alcala, Lawton Alcala, and Alan White, and has continued with research by Gary Russ, and by CEMRINO- a support group funded by the European Union, and continuing work by Lawton Alcala and the Research Management Division of the provincial government. For many years, work centered on Sumilon Island, which had successes and failures, and Apo Island- a continuing success. Marine reserves are well-known for allowing the recovery of fish stocks within the reserve, which can lead to 1. some fish wandering outside the preserve and getting caught, thus increasing total fish catches. 2. Increased maximum fish size leading to greatly increased egg & larvae production to re-seed other overfished areas by dispersal. 3. Increased fish size and density necessary for dive tourism. Bohnsack (1994) has argued eloquently for point 2. But I would like to propose that point 1 is actually the most critical in the short term. This is because developing countries like the Philippines have little or no capacity for enforcement of regulations. IF FISHERMEN FIND THEIR CATCHES INCREASING AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MARINE RESERVE, THEY WILL BECOME ITS STRONGEST DEFENDERS, indeed, it's only effective defenders. This is the key that makes preserves work- if the fishermen don't want it or don't care, the preserve will fail, if they do want it, it has a good chance, especially if they are supported. This makes community-based preserves an imperative. The national government can declare preserves and parks, that will remain "paper parks" and may even hasten overuse. In Negros Oriental, many years of working with the fishermen, teaching, involving them in decisions, etc. have paid off. The sanctuary at Apo took several years to become firmly defended by the fishermen, but now it is secure, and fish catches are up and dive tourism is growing. Fishermen may take some convincing, but once they find their catches improving they become strong defenders of the preserve. One of our new preserves is swarming with fish after only 2 years! These preserves are, in effect, natural fish farms. And the word spreads. Setting up preserves in this province is now much easier than it used to be- 19 are now in place, all but a couple started in the last few years. We have been kept busy just surveying the places fishermen are suggesting for reserves- it's a popular concept here with fishermen- "the other village has one, how come we can't have one?" Our provincial government is committed to devoting scarce resources to continuing the work. And now, a variety of other groups in other provinces are starting to do the same thing. This is an idea whose time has come- it's catching on like a spark in dry grass, because everybody benefits- fisherman, conservationist, and diver. A critical factor seems to be that the community that fishes a reef lives within easy sight of the reef. Offshore reefs are much harder to patrol and defend- Sumilon had no resident fishing community, while Apo does, which is a major reason for the difference in outcome. Probably the best reef in the country is Tubbataha, which is so remote it is very hard to defend- see Alan White's book. During the education of resident fishing communities, the destructive nature of cyanide, blast, and compressor fishing can be emphasized, so that fishing outside the preserve can allow some recovery. Fishing villages here will drive off destructive fishers from elsewhere or even confiscate gear. In the future, dive tourism could bring in much more income than fishing from the same reefs. I point to Cozumel, Mexico, where a coral reef preserve about 15 miles long hosts about 50 dive boats a day and 2000 dives. This supports 50 dive shops, the owners and employees of the boats, hotels, restaurants, curio shops, airlines, and all their suppliers. A town of 80,000 people lives mostly off diving, and Cozumel ranks along with Alcapulco and Cancun among Mexico's biggest foreign-exchange earners. Some (but not all) dive operators and divers are worried about the effect of diving on the reef, yet the relatively mild effects of hurricane Gilbert (Fenner, 1991) far overshadowed the effects of divers, and the reefs are recovering from the hurricane in spite of 2000 dives/day continuing 365 days a year. Divers do some damage, but there is a growing concern among divers to protect reefs, and frankly, we may not have any other viable options (Gary Russ, 1996 argues we have no alternative to preserves). We can't turn the clock back to when only 1 or 2 billion people were crowded on this earth, and fish were abundant. Tourism can be badly mismanaged so that the wealthy come to sun on a beach in an all-inclusive resort guarded by barbed wire to keep the poor out, and almost all the money goes to wealthy owners in developed countries. Dive tourism doesn't have to be that way, and dive shops, hotels, and restaurants can be locally-owned, generate lots of jobs, and generate good will, as in Cozumel. The preserve idea is catching on just in time, because the general impression that many sites have been destroyed is quite right. And it may get worse. President Ramos on Dec 9 stated in a speech that the present human population of the Philippines is growing at 2.32% a year, and food production is growing at 1% a year. Better dissemination of new varieties of rice and corn would speed food production, but unless the human population growth is greatly reduced, all our efforts are going to be temporary victories- we will win the battle but loose the war. Solving the population problem will not solve other problems, but other problems cannot be solved (more than temporarily) without solving the population problem, and that includes fisheries and coral reef protection. Improving education, women's status, and income all help population efforts. -Douglas Fenner Arquiza, Y. and A. White. 1994. Tales from Tubbataha. Bandillo ng Palawan Foundation, Inc., Puerto Princessa, Palawan 136 pp. Bohnsack, J. A. 1994. Marine reserves: they enhance fisheries, reduce conflicts, and protect resources. NAGA, the ICLARM Quarterly 17(3) 4-7. Also in Oceanus 1993, 36(3) Fenner, D. P. 1991. Effects of Hurricane Gilbert on Coral reefs, fishes and sponges at Cozumel, Mexico. Bulletin of Marine Science 48: 719-730. Russ, G. R. 1996. Fisheries management: what chance on coral reefs? NAGA 19(3): 5-9. Russ, G. R. & A. C. Alcala. 1994. Sumilon Island reserve: 20 years of hopes and frustrations. NAGA 17(3) 8-12. Centre for the Establishment of Marine Reserves in Negros Oriental (CEMRINO) P.O. Box 187 Dumaguete City 6200 Negros Oriental Philippines Tel./Fax: (+63 35) 225 5563 From birkelan at uog9.uog.edu Tue Feb 4 23:47:41 1997 From: birkelan at uog9.uog.edu (Charles Evans Birkeland) Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 04:47:41 +0000 (WET) Subject: Bruce Hatcher address Message-ID: Dear Colleages: Does anyone have the latest e-mail address for Dr. Bruce G. Hatcher. I've tried hatcher at caribsurf.com and hatcher_b at col.barbet.net and bhatcher at ac.dal.ca They are all sent back as unknown addresses. Sorry to bother you all, but I have urgent business. Thanks. Sincerely, Charles Birkeland birkelan at uog9.uog.edu From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Wed Feb 5 08:07:14 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 08:07:14 -0500 (EST) Subject: use: majordomo@coral.aoml.noaa.gov instead Message-ID: First, let me apologize to those of you who will be receiving multiple copies of this message. Many of you are subscribed to all three listservers. Because of the recent physical change in the location of the listserver, I would like to ask that *instead* of sending many of your administrative requests (i.e., subscribe, unsubscribe, who, lists, etc.) to: majordomo at reef.aoml.noaa.gov please instead use, majordomo at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hopefully, all messages sent to workstation reef will still be forwarded correctly to workstation coral without your noticing anything. However, there have apparently been a few instances where there have been problems. Therefore, if you have problems, please try resending your majordomo request to coral instead of reef. Many thanks for your patience. Cheers, Jim Hendee Lists Administrator From tsocci at usgcrp.gov Wed Feb 5 13:35:53 1997 From: tsocci at usgcrp.gov (Tony Socci) Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 13:35:53 -0500 Subject: February 10th US Global Change Seminar: "Assessing Regional Climate Impacts Using Global-Scale General Circulation Models" Message-ID: U.S. Global Change Research Program Second Monday Seminar Series Assessing U.S. Regional Climate Impacts Using Global-Scale General Circulation Models Is it feasible to use global-scale general circulation models (GCMs) to assess climate impacts on regional and local scales? How reliable are these methods and how well do they estimate regional climate factors such as rainfall and stream flow? What can such estimates tell us about the regional scale impacts of climate change? Public Invited Monday, February 10, 1997, 3:15-4:45 PM Rayburn House Office Bldg., Room B369, Washington, DC Reception Following INTRODUCTION Dr. Joel Scheraga, Director of the Climate, Policy, and Assessment Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. SPEAKERS Dr. Eric J. Barron, Director of the Earth System Science Center, Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA. Dr. Robert G. Crane, Professor of Geography and Associate Dean for Education, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, College Park, PA. Overview Global-scale climate models (GCMs) can be successfully employed in examining the potential climate impacts of global warming on a regional scale, using a variety of recently developed techniques. Regional climate change results (assuming a doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration) derived from such techniques project, for example, that the northeastern U.S. will have higher wintertime precipitation while the southwestern U.S. is projected to be substantially drier during winter. In summer, warmer global conditions are predicted to lead to increased precipitation over the southern U.S. These results would suggest that the Susquehanna River Basin, which is being examined closely, would receive higher levels of precipitation during every season in a doubled CO2 world, with the largest increases being in spring and summer. Global climate models, coupled with careful, regional modeling and analysis techniques, are the only tool available for providing long-term predictions of future climate and for assessing the climate implications of human activities. These comprehensive models require considerable computer resources, and consequently, they resolve the Earth's atmosphere and land surface only at very coarse spatial resolution (hundreds of miles). Using this spatial resolution, the ability of global models to produce simulations of the variables essential for assessing the regional impacts of global climate change on human or ecological systems is generally limited. For example, because precipitation is highly variable in time and geographic location, the prediction of this critical variable by global models tends to be inadequate for use in evaluating the regional consequences of precipitation changes for agriculture and/or water resources. In order to address this fundamental dilemma, two unique approaches are being explored so that results from global-scale climate models can, in fact, be successfully transformed into information that is useful in examining regional-scale changes relating to economic or ecological interests in a particular area. The first technique is called "nesting," and involves embedding a high resolution, limited-area climate model within a global-scale General Circulation Model (GCM) of the atmosphere. This is now being done for the United States. With this technique, the prediction of precipitation, particularly in the central U.S., is substantially improved compared to the global-scale model. The model results show a high correspondence with observations. Furthermore, the high resolution precipitation prediction provides a firm foundation for predicting river flow in major regions of the U.S. such as the Susquehanna River Basin which feeds into Chesapeake Bay. This has been demonstrated by an ability to simulate precipitation over the Basin and to match observed measurements of precipitation and water flow when the mesoscale model is coupled to a hydrologic model. The reason for the improved prediction of precipitation in the nested model is directly related to achieving better representation of the precipitation physics and because of the improved incorporation of topography. Statistical techniques also have significant potential as a method of "downscaling" (scaling from a coarse resolution model to a high spatial resolution prediction for a region). As an example, a set of so-called "neural net transfer functions" (a set of mathematical expressions) are being used to derive high resolution precipitation predictions for the Susquehanna River Basin based on global-scale GCM predictions of the circulation and humidity, an approach similar to what is used to derive local weather forecasts. The downscaled precipitation is, once again, a close match to the observed data. The improved ability to simulate precipitation using both downscaling methods and nested models indicates potential for greatly improved estimates of the regional impacts of climate change. For this reason, both techniques are being used to produce precipitation predictions for the initial case of a warmer world resulting from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The nested model domain includes the entire continental United States. In winter, the northeastern U.S. is predicted to have higher precipitation (rising from an average of 1-2 mm/day to 2-4 mm/day), and the southwestern U.S. is predicted to be substantially drier. In summer, the largest changes from a doubled CO2 concentration involve increased precipitation over the southern U.S. The neural net technique, which is centered on the Susquehanna River Basin, indicates higher precipitation during every season in a doubled CO2 world, with a substantial increase (32%) in spring and summer. The smallest increases occur in the southeastern part of the Basin. Such increases would have dramatic effects on river flow, on valley communities, and on the Chesapeake Bay. Biographies Dr. Eric Barron received his bachelor's degree in geology from Florida State University in 1973. He then began the study of oceanography and climate at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami, receiving his master's degree in 1976 and his Ph.D. in 1980. His career in climate modeling was initiated with a supercomputing fellowship at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in 1976. In 1980 he accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at NCAR in Boulder, Colorado, and in 1981 he joined the staff in the Climate Section at NCAR. In 1985 he returned to the University of Miami as an Associate Professor. In 1986 he became a member of the Pennsylvania State University faculty as Director of the Earth System Science Center and an Associate Professor of Geosciences. His position currently remains the Director of the Earth System Science Center and Professor of Geosciences. Areas of specialization include, global change, numerical models of the climate system, and study of climate change throughout Earth history. Dr. Robert Crane received his bachelor's degree in physical geography from the University of Reading, England, in 1976. He did graduate work in polar climatology, microwave remote sensing, and sea ice-atmosphere interactions at the University of Colorado's Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) and the National Snow and Ice Data Center, receiving a Master's degree in 1978 and a Ph.D. in 1981. As a Research Associate in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), he continued his work on the microwave remote sensing of sea ice. Subsequently, Dr. Crane spent a year as a visiting professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He joined the faculty of the Pennsylvania State University in 1985. Dr. Crane held a joint appointment in the Department of Geography and in the Earth System Science Center from 1985 to 1993, serving as Associate Director of the Center from 1990 to 1993. He was appointed Associate Dean for Education in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences in 1993, and currently holds the position of Associate Dean and Professor of Geography. His areas of specialization include sea ice-atmosphere interactions, synoptic climatology, and regional-scale climate change. The Next Seminar is scheduled for Monday, March 3, 1997 Planned Topic: Ecological and Climatic Consequences of Human-Induced Changes in the Global Nitrogen Balance For more information please contact: Anthony D. Socci, Ph.D., U.S. Global Change Research Program Office Code YS-1, 300 E St., SW, Washington, DC 20546 Telephone: (202) 358-1532; Fax: (202) 358-4103 E-Mail: TSOCCI at USGCRP.GOV. Additional information on the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and this Seminar Series is available on the USGCRP Home Page at: http://www.usgcrp.gov. Normally these seminars are held on the second Monday of each month. From alan at biologia.univalle.edu.co Wed Feb 5 06:19:32 1997 From: alan at biologia.univalle.edu.co (HACEDOR DE VIDA) Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 16:19:32 +0500 (GMT) Subject: Coral reef and Oceanography. Message-ID: I need information abouth oceanographic research in coral reef zone. ============================================================================== ALAN GIRALDO LOPEZ Desde el momento que no puedes lo UNIVERSIDAD DEL VALLE que quieres, procura querer lo que FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS te sea posible. DEPARTAMENTO DE BIOLOGIA Terencio BIOLOGIA MARINA A.A. 25360 CALI.COLOMBIA FAX. (00572)(3392440) E-mail alan at biomarina.univalle.edu.co (00572)(3301922) ============================================================================== From cr10 at york.ac.uk Thu Feb 6 04:24:50 1997 From: cr10 at york.ac.uk (Callum Roberts) Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 09:24:50 GMT Subject: Timescales of reserve benefits Message-ID: CEMRINO wrote: "Marine reserves are well-known for allowing the recovery of fish stocks within the reserve, which can lead to 1. some fish wandering outside the preserve and getting caught, thus increasing total fish catches. 2. Increased maximum fish size leading to greatly increased egg & larvae production to re-seed other overfished areas by dispersal. 3. Increased fish size and density necessary for dive tourism. Bohnsack (1994) has argued eloquently for point 2. But I would like to propose that point 1 is actually the most critical in the short term. This is because developing countries like the Philippines have little or no capacity for enforcement of regulations. IF FISHERMEN FIND THEIR CATCHES INCREASING AFTER THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MARINE RESERVE, THEY WILL BECOME ITS STRONGEST DEFENDERS. A response to the interesting and very encouraging posting by CEMRINO, relating particularly to point 1 above. Overspill from reserves is clearly one important mechanism by which they can benefit fishers. However, I doubt that the timescale over which such a benefit will occur will be much faster than that over which benefits from increased egg production accrue. Fish densities need to build up in reserves before significant export of juveniles and adults will occur. By this time, reserves should also be acting as an egg source for replenishment of fishing grounds. In the short term (2-3 years) it is likely that reserves will impose a cost on fishers. In the longer term, the benefits from reserves are likely to greatly outweigh the start-up costs. Garry Russ has shown empirically a delayed overspill from a Philippine reserve, taking approximately nine years befored he could detect enhanced abundance of fish adjacent to the reserve. Joshua Nowlis and I have done some modelling work to look a timescales and magnitudes of costs and benefits of reserve creation. If you would like a copy of the paper email Josh (jnowlis at uvi.edu) or me. Overcoming short-term costs of reserve establishment may be a difficult hurdle for poor fishers who are already struggling hard to make a living. There is a very good case for development projects seeking to establish reserves to help people over this hump with some form of subsidy, compensation or alternative livelihood provision. That would give reserves a better fighting chance of getting to the stage where they begin pouring benefits back directly to the fishing community, and they attract the support of fishers on their own merits. Best wishes, Callum Roberts Nowlis, J.S. and C.M. Roberts (in press) You can have your fish and eat it too: theoretical approaches to marine reserve design. Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Symposium, Panama. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr Callum Roberts Dept of Environmental Economics and Environmental Management University of York York, YO1 5DD UK Tel: +44 (0)1904 434066; Fax: +44 (0)1904 432998; email cr10 at york.ac.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Thu Feb 6 10:45:50 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 10:45:50 -0500 (EST) Subject: Corals and Paleoclimate (fwd) Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: 6 Feb 1997 09:10:11 U From: Mark Eakin To: ListServer coral-list , DAVEL at cc.usu.edu Subject: Re: Corals and Paleoclimate Reply to: RE>Corals and Paleoclimate I recommend a scan of recent issues of Paleoceanography to start you on your literature search. some recent papers include: Wellington, G. M., R. B. Dunbar, et al. (1996). "Calibration of stable oxygen isotope signatures in Galapagos corals." Paleoceanography 11(4): 467-480. Allison, N., A. Tudhope, et al. (1996). "Factors influencing the stable carbon and oxygen isotopic composition of Porites lutea coral skeletons from Phuket, South Thailand." Coral Reefs 15(1): 43-57. Slowey, N. C. and T. J. Crowley (1995). "Interdecadal variability of Northern Hemisphere circulation recorded by Gulf of Mexico corals." Geophysical Research Letters 22(17): 2345-2348. Cabioch, G., L. Montaggioni, et al. (1995). "Holocene initiation and development of New Caledonian fringing reefs, SW Pacific." Coral Reefs 14(3): 131-? Kan, H., N. Hori, et al. (1995). "The evolution of narrow reef flats at high-latitude in the Ryukyu Islands." Coral Reefs 14(3): 123-? Dunbar, R. B., G. M. Wellington, et al. (1994). "Eastern Pacific sea surface temperature since 1600 A.D.: the d18O record of climate variability in Galapagos corals." Paleoceanography 9(2): 291-315. Edwards, R. L., J. W. Beck, et al. (1993). "A large drop in atmospheric 14C/12C and reduced, melting in the Younger Dryas, documented with 230Th ages of corals." Science 260(May 14): 962-968. Also, several paleoclimatic data sets generated from corals are available from the World Data Center for Paleoclimatology at: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/paleo.html Cheers, __________________________________________________________ C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D. NOAA/Global Programs, 1100 Wayne Ave., Suite 1210 Silver Spring, MD USA 20910-5603 Voice: 301-427-2089 ext. 19 Fax: 301-427-2073 Internet: eakin at ogp.noaa.gov -------------------------------------- Date: 1/23/97 1:50 PM To: Mark Eakin From: DAVEL at cc.usu.edu Hi, I'm trying to locate information on the use of sclerochronology in Quaternary paleoclimate studies. Any references or pointers to sites would be appreciated. Thanks Dave ------------------ RFC822 Header Follows ------------------ Received: by ogp.noaa.gov with ADMIN;23 Jan 1997 13:49:43 U Received: by coral.aoml.noaa.gov (950413.SGI.8.6.12/930416.SGI) for coral-list-outgoing id QAA13486; Thu, 23 Jan 1997 16:54:43 GMT Received: from SNEEZY.USU.EDU by coral.aoml.noaa.gov via ESMTP (950413.SGI.8.6.12/930416.SGI) for id LAA13481; Thu, 23 Jan 1997 11:54:39 -0500 From: DAVEL at cc.usu.edu Received: from cc.usu.edu by cc.usu.edu (PMDF V5.0-5 #11556) id <01IEJQWIV1XC90P3M9 at cc.usu.edu> for coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov; Thu, 23 Jan 1997 09:53:58 -0600 (MDT) Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 09:53:58 -0600 (MDT) Subject: Corals and Paleoclimate To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Message-id: <01IEJQWIYNW290P3M9 at cc.usu.edu> X-VMS-To: IN%"coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Sender: owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: bulk From strong at nadn.navy.mil Thu Feb 6 16:31:04 1997 From: strong at nadn.navy.mil (Prof Alan E Strong) Date: Thu, 6 Feb 1997 16:31:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: Bleaching Hotspot chart changes--Help Message-ID: Coral Reef Enthusiasts: We are looking for your feedback on this new experimental product. http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climohot.html Comments had come it that the black background was using up lots of printer ink...so, not to exhaust ink supplies [and wear out your precious printers], we have made some changes....is this better? Also, added some links to papers in process...hope this proves beneficial. Comments solicited. Al Strong [and Chris Duda] ***************************************************************************** Alan E. Strong Physical Scientist/Oceanographer Adj. Asst. Professor NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 US Naval Academy NOAA Science Center -- RM 711 Oceanography Department Camp Springs, MD 20233 Annapolis, MD 21402 301-763-8102 410-293-6566 [v-mail] Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov strong at nadn.navy.mil FAX: 301-763-8020 FAX: 410-293-2137 http://www.nadn.navy.mil/Oceanography/FACULTY/AES_resume.html ***************************************************************************** From acohen at whoi.edu Fri Feb 7 10:53:09 1997 From: acohen at whoi.edu (Anne Cohen) Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 07:53:09 -0800 Subject: email address for Gary Williams Message-ID: <32FB4FE5.7F15@whoi.edu> Does anyone have the email address of Dr Gary C. Williams, marine invertebrate biologist ? thank you Anne Cohen From poseidon at infochan.com Fri Feb 7 07:55:07 1997 From: poseidon at infochan.com (Hannie and/or Theo Smit) Date: Fri, 07 Feb 1997 07:55:07 -0500 Subject: Proliferation of sargassum weed after hurricane Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19970207125507.0068d640@infochan.com> We are dive operators in Montego Bay, Jamaica (on the north coast) and very much involved in the Montego Bay Marine Park. One of the problems that we encounter on some of the reefs in Montego Bay, and from personal observation it also occurs in Negril is the recurring presence of sargassum weed every winter, starting from november when it starts to transform the reef into something more resembling an algae meadow until the end of april when the winterstorms have beaten all life out of it. I apologize for this non-scientific approach, I may not know the latin names, but I am very concerned about what happens in our reefs. The problem is that this type of algae was non existent to rare on our reefs prior to hurricane Gilbert. This hurricane did not do too much damage to the coral structures here, but actually cleaned some areas of other type of algae. It hit in September 1988 and in November of the same year we saw our first massive overrun with sargassum weed, and it has been repeated every winter since that year. Some of the areas that have more offshore currents coming in are not as badly affected as the reefs with relatively little current activity. Is there anyone who has done studies on this type of algae, the way it is spread and perhaps even has suggestions as to how to get rid of it??? Probably to much to ask for, but anyone with suggestions can e-mail us (unless it is of interest to the whole list) at poseidon at infochan.com We are gratefull for any suggestions on literature, publications etc. dealing with this matter. Hannie Smit Poseidon Divers Montego Bay Jamaica poseidon at infochan.com Montego Bay Marine Park: http//www.montego-bay-jamaica.com/mbmp/ From 73261.2212 at compuserve.com Wed Feb 5 15:14:15 1997 From: 73261.2212 at compuserve.com (Harry McCarty) Date: 05 Feb 97 15:14:15 EST Subject: response to Rebecca Penwell Message-ID: <970205201414_73261.2212_FHO42-2@CompuServe.COM> In response to Rebecca Penwell and all, We have just published a review of the effects of chemicals on corals and coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves, and fishes, discussed in the context of ecosystem management and ecological risk assessment. The citation is: Peters, E.C., N.J. Gassman, J.C. Firman, R.H. Richmond, and E.A. Power. 1997. Ecotoxicology of tropical marine ecosystems. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 16(1):12-40. We have not received the reprints yet, but please let me know if you would like to receive one and I will get that to you as soon as I can. I can be reached by e-mail at: peteres at tetratech-ffx.com Esther Peters Tetra Tech, Inc. 10306 Eaton Place, Suite 340 Fairfax, VA 22030 From moreno at bio.usyd.edu.au Fri Feb 7 22:16:10 1997 From: moreno at bio.usyd.edu.au (Guillermo Moreno) Date: Sat, 08 Feb 1997 14:16:10 +1100 Subject: No subject Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19970208031610.006822cc@mail.bio.usyd.edu.au> Dear Colleagues: I am in the process of leaving Australia to do trave through southeast Asia, China, India and eventually Europe. I am not looking for any permanent jobs but would be quite interested in participating as a volunteer on sampling trips, teaching, or helping you or your students with research. I hope that this sort of interaction will allow me to have a more complete feel for the places that I will visit. I have a wide range of skills and would enjoy to have the opportunity to work on various projects through my travels. I have done lots of work with fish, invertebrates and phytoplankton. Although my specialty is marine science I can do whatever people need and I am more than keen to help. If you are interested please drop me an email and I can send you a CV if necessary. Please forward this message to those people who you think might be interested. Thank you for your help. Regards Dr. Guillermo Moreno School of Biological Sciences The University of Sydney Australia From eakin at ogp.noaa.gov Mon Feb 10 09:29:43 1997 From: eakin at ogp.noaa.gov (Mark Eakin) Date: 10 Feb 1997 09:29:43 U Subject: FWD>Web Site for 1997 Revie Message-ID: Mail*Link(r) SMTP FWD>Web Site for 1997 Review of Agenda 21 > > Mail*Link(r) SMTP FWD>Web Site for 1997 Review of Agenda 21 > > (fwd) > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------- > > Date: 2/6/97 11:09 AM > > From: Tony Socci > > > ******************************************************************** > > >> > * > * > > >> > * ANNOUNCEMENT > * > > >> > * > * > > >> > * A WEB PAGE CONTAINING INFORMATION ON THE 1997 REVIEW OF AGENDA 21 > * > > >> > * IS LAUNCHED TODAY > * > > >> > * > * > > >> > * THE SITE ADDRESS IS: > * > > >> > http://www.un.org/dpcsd/earthsummit > > * > > >> > * > * > > >> > * PLEASE HELP DISSEMINATE THIS ANOUNCEMENT > > >> > AMONG YOUR CONTACTS > > >> > * > * > > >> > * > * > > > > > > > > > > > > Anthony D. Socci, Ph.D. > > Program Associate > > Office of the US Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) > > Code YS-1 > > 300 E St., SW > > Washington, DC 20546 > > > > Tel: (202) 358-1532 > > Fax: (202) 358-4103 > > E-mail: tsocci at usgcrp.gov > > World Wide Web Address: http://www.usgcrp.gov/ From osha at pobox.com Wed Feb 12 10:01:46 1997 From: osha at pobox.com (Osha Gray Davidson) Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 09:01:46 -0600 Subject: Manado reefs Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970212150146.0068beb0@soli.inav.net> I'm trying to track down as much information as possible on the structure and flora and fauna of the reefs around Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Can anyone help? I'm aware of one study, but can't seem to find it: Anon. 1981. "Coral reefs, associated habitats and species in the vicinity of Menado [sic]: Assessment of their conservation value." World Wildlife Fund, Bogor. Can someone help me obtain a copy? Much thanks, Osha Gray Davidson 14 S. Governor St. Iowa City, IA 52240 USA +++++++++++ PH: (319) 338-4778 FAX: (319) 338-8606 e-mail: osha at pobox.com Center for International and Comparative Studies, University of Iowa From reefnet at cerf.net Wed Feb 12 13:15:24 1997 From: reefnet at cerf.net (Wendy Holland) Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 10:15:24 -0800 (PST) Subject: http://www.reefnet.org Message-ID: New Issue of Reefnet at http://www.reefnet.org REEF RESEARCH Seaweed Stories Mark Hay Discusses Secondary Metabolites, Species Diversity, Associational Defenses, Co-Evolution and More FIELD REPORTS Spectacular Spawnings Ken Clifton on His Discovery (interview posted Feb. 21st.) NGO NEWS 16th International Seaweed Symposium CONSERVATION STRATEGIES Coastal Management of the East Asian Seas Alan White Discusses Sri Lanka and the Philippines From jogden at seas.marine.usf.edu Wed Feb 12 15:21:08 1997 From: jogden at seas.marine.usf.edu (John Ogden) Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 15:21:08 -0500 (EST) Subject: ISRS-Sollins Fellowship Message-ID: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 12, 1997 USF GRADUATE STUDENT IS AWARDED FIRST ISRS-SOLLINS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE Dr. John C. Ogden, President of the International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) announced today that Melanie Dotherow-McField, a graduate student in the Department of Marine Science at the University of South Florida, has been awarded the first ISRS-Sollins Fellowship in Coral Reef Ecosystem Science. The fellowship, worth approximately $13,000, was established last year by Professor Phillip Sollins of Oregon State University with a donation to the Society in partnership with the Center for Marine Conservation in Washington, DC. Ms.McField's application was selected by a committee of the ISRS and the CMC from a total of 29 applicants from all over the world. Ms. McField has worked in Belize since 1990, as a biologist with the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, as the Belize Representative of the International Tropical Conservation Foundation, and as a consultant with the Coastal Zone Management Project. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Belize Audubon Society. Ms. McField will use this Fellowship to support her graduate research on a survey of coral reef community structure and the investigation of their relationship to existing reef management efforts at various locations along the barrier reef complex. The information collected will also represent the baseline data for a long-term coral reef monitoring program conducted with the assistance of the Belize Fisheries Department and Coastal Zone Management Project. As a citizen of Belize, she will assist in the continuation of these conservation efforts in Belize upon completion of her PhD. Ms. McField's graduate supervisor is Dr. Pamela Hallock-Muller, Professor of Marine Science, who began her research on coral reefs as a graduate student at the University of Hawaii in the 1970's. Dr. Hallock and her graduate students at USF are investigating human impacts on coral reef ecosystems, including nutrient enrichment, diver impacts, and ultraviolet radiation. Dr. Steven Miller, ISRS Recording Secretary, who organized the applications and the review said: "We are very grateful to Professor Sollins for establishing this fellowship at the start of the 1997 International Year of the Reef, a global effort to raise public consciousness about threatened coral reefs." The coral reefs of Belize are among the most magnificent in the Caribbean Sea. The International Society for Reef Studies is an organization of 800 members from over 50 countries including students, scientists, resource managers, and policy-makers dedicated to the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge and understanding of coral reefs, both living and fossil. The ISRS publishes the scientific journal CORAL REEFS, the newsletter REEF ENCOUNTER, and holds an international meeting each year. Every four years the Society co-sponsors the International Coral Reef Symposium. The last Symposium, organized by the University of Panama and the Smithsonian Institution, was held in Panama last June and attracted over 1300 participants from all over the world. The next one will be held in Indonesia in the year 2000. For additional information contact: Dr. Steven Miller NOAA Nat. Undersea Res. Prog. 514 Caribbean Drive Key Largo, FL 33037 Tel: 305-451-0233 Email: smiller at gate.net OR 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 saucerms at prel.hawaii.edu Thu Feb 13 19:22:56 1997 From: saucerms at prel.hawaii.edu (Suesan Saucerman) Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 13:22:56 -1100 Subject: No subject Message-ID: <9702140022.AA12470@prel.hawaii.edu> A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text Size: 970 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/pipermail/coral-list-old/attachments/19970213/46e5db96/attachment.pl From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Fri Feb 14 09:05:54 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 09:05:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: Acropora Home Page Message-ID: The list may be interested in the following Home Page, which has some nice Acropora-related information, especially rearing and propagation. Cheers, Jim Hendee ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 00:51:10 -0600 (CST) From: Kubicki To: hendee at aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Acropora Hello, I just finished a website dealing with my experience working with the genus Acropora. I thought you might find its contents interesting. Let me know what you think. The address is: www.wavetech.net/~kubicki Thank You, Brian Kubicki From aoctd at wizard.net Fri Feb 14 10:46:12 1997 From: aoctd at wizard.net (Tanya Dobrzynski) Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 10:46:12 -0500 Subject: info request: global coral reef coverage Message-ID: <199702141540.KAA17630@wizard.wizard.net> Can anyone verify either of the following fisgure for global coral reef coverage? I have read most often 600,000 sq km but recently heard that 230,000 sq km is a more accurate assessment. Thanks for your time, Tanya Dobrzynski American Oceans Campaign aoctd at wizard.net From TJA at spc.org.nc Sat Feb 15 00:08:00 1997 From: TJA at spc.org.nc (Tim Adams) Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 16:08:00 +1100 Subject: info request: global coral reef coverage Message-ID: The $1,000,000 question! Has anyone actually yet published any information to update Smith's estimate in 1978 (Nature 273: 225-6)? Has anyone even defined what "coral reef coverage" actually means? (dead structural coral is almost as important as live coral in providing fish habitat, for instance) It is a little difficult to develop national policies and management measures (and sustainability indicators in particular) for artisanal and subsistence coral reef fisheries, for example, when you don't even know this fundamental statistic for anything except a few reefs in a few countries. And as Tanya presumably has found, it is impossible to estimate global potentials and limits when there are so many gaps and discrepancies. I would also be *very* interested in any replies to this question... Tim Adams South Pacific Commission tja at spc.org.nc >---------- >From: Tanya Dobrzynski[SMTP:aoctd at wizard.net] >Sent: Saturday, February 15, 1997 2:46 AM >To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov >Subject: info request: global coral reef coverage > >Can anyone verify either of the following fisgure for global coral >reef coverage? I have read most often 600,000 sq km but recently >heard that 230,000 sq km is a more accurate assessment. > >Thanks for your time, > >Tanya Dobrzynski >American Oceans Campaign >aoctd at wizard.net > From tremle at folly.cofc.edu Mon Feb 17 07:15:29 1997 From: tremle at folly.cofc.edu (tremle at folly.cofc.edu) Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 08:15:29 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Reply to GIS/reef inquiry Message-ID: The following is a summary list of all the replies given in response to my request for information, references, and on-going research using GIS for coral reef conservation, ecological research and/or management. Many thanks to all who offered suggestions- Eric ====> You might check with a group at University of Miami, the Center for Marine and Environmental Analyses Their home page is: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/cmea/ Mark Eakin ++++++++++ Mapping and GIS analysis of the global distribution of coral reef fishes on an equal-area grid by McAllister, Schueler, Roberts and Hawkins. Chapter 10 in Mapping the Diversity of Nature Edited by Ronald I. Miller. 1994. Chapman and Hall, London. McAllister mcall at superaje.com ++++++++++ As president of a French GIS working on coral reefs, as "Groupement d'Inter?t Scientifique" (GIS) "Environnement marin et littoral de l'?le de Mayotte" (Comoro Archipelago, SW Indian Ocean), I would greatly know what you understand by GIS in your meaning. Looking forewards hearing you. Bernard A. Thomassin ++++++++++ The official global (GCRMN) coral reef database is ReefBase which is compiled by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge (on behalf of ICLARM, Manilla). The base maps and data are collated and stored using ArcInfo. The URL is- http://www.wcmc.org.uk/data/database/reefbase.html Thomas Lankester toml at eos.co.uk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ One address : emgarcia at skynet.usb.ve (or garcia with accent on the i). Evaristo Caraballo Coastal and Marine Projects Coordinator Fundacion para la Defensa de la Naturaleza fudena at conicit.ve +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Eric -- Did you ever get in touch with Bjorn Schreiber who did the mapping of lobster and conch habitat in Turks and Caicos? Try either of these addresses: czsb at ocag.ch bjs at swissline.ch ( Bj?rn Schreiber) or check with Chris Nunnes, the fisheries director who has a new e-mail account at Chris at Caribsurf.com bruce +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I suggest you contact Marji Puotinen. She did a Masters degree (sort of under me) at Duke University and has since moved on to James Cook University in Australia where she is doing a PhD. Her Masters work involved using GIS to distinguish manangement strategies for different sectors of the Great Barrier Reef, and I'm relatively sure she is combining GIS and reefs for her PhD. MARJI PUOTINEN To: tremle at folly.cofc.edu Subject: Hello Eric, I am Francois Smith from the Southeastern Remote Sensing Center. I read your e-mail message requesting coral reef GIS. I am doing my dissertation on seagrass monitoring using remotely sensed data, so I have come across a study or two pertaing to coral reefs. John Jensen has done some satellite study of coral reefs in Cozumel, this processed data could be used as an image base for GIS. I have myself toyed with the idea of sreen digitzing from aerial photos I have of San Salvador, the coral features. Anyway, maybe you check some readings from Bjorn Kjerve, and Thomas Goreau as I know they are coral people who have been dabbling in remote sensing and GIS. Also, I went to a big conference in Puerto Rico which was on the techniques of remote sensing and GIS for the conservation of Caribbean's natural resources. It was called "Conference for Remote Sensing And Environmental Monitoring For the Sustained Development Of The Americas." If you find the proceedings of this you should be s! et. Also, you must be right next door to the NOAA Charlston Center. They are on the Fort Johnson too, and I know they maintain a library of publications on all this oceanographic and marine stuff (ask for Eric Dobson and mention my name). Anyway, if none of that pans out you are welcome to contact me because I am interested in this too and maybe could help develop something. Good Luck, Francois Smith SERSC Manager SCDNR Columbia SC 803-734-9046 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Paul Sammarco To: tremle at folly.cofc.edu Subject: Re: GIS and reef studies Please contact the following person for information on coral reef GIS's: Ms. Catherine Edgeworth Department of Geography Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Best Wishes, Paul W. Sammarco, Ph.D. Professor LUMCON +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: James Porter My student, Rob Sutherland did his Master's thesis on an ARC-INFO GIS study of Key West coral reefs. My secretary Laurie Anderson could photocopy it for you at cost. She can be reached at (706) 542-3379. Jim Porter. P.S. Talk to Dr. Ouida Meier in Phil Dustan's lab. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: MARJI PUOTINEN To: tremle at folly.cofc.edu Subject: coral reefs and GIS Hi Eric, I am also using Arc Info to study coral reefs for my PHD work entitled, "Tropical cyclone impacts on coral reefs: modelling the disturbance regime in the Great Barrier Reef Region." This work has several purposes for management, such as: 1) being able to predict where most of the damage from a storm might be so that field studies can be properly and cost effectively designed, 2) being able to reconstruct the history of cyclone disturbance over the GBR, to see if any areas are more "at risk" from cyclones than others (if so, perhaps you wouldn't want these to be your protected areas, or you wouldn't want to put tourist facilities there). Like you, I've found virtually no references of others doing reef studies with GIS, in fact, I'm interested in the studies you've found. Pretty soon, though, you'll be able to add some of my work to your bibliography as I'm just about to put out an atlas of cyclones through the GBR which I've constructed using ArcInfo and ArcView. Also, I've got a few papers to pull out of what I've done for the atlas so hopefully I'll get those together soon. I'm also doing some spatial analysis for Dr. Terry Hughes (a coral reef ecologist here at James Cook University) for a study of coral larvae survivorship across the entire GBRR. Some papers should come out of that work next year some time. Also, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, responsible for the wise use of the GBR Marine Park, have Arc-Info and sometimes use it for reef "studies" but this sort of thing is rarely published. Similarly, the Queensland Dept. of Environment also uses Arc-Info. Really, I can't think of anything else as you and I seem to be pioneers in this area. I'm interested to hear more about what you're doing, and let me know if you'd like more info about my work. I'll keep you posted on my upcoming publications if you wish. Looking forward to hearing from you again! Marji Puotinen ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Rick Smith To: tremle at folly.cofc.edu Subject: GIS - coral reefs Dear Eric, I received your e-mail via James Cook University and Dr.Terry Done (Australian Institute of Marine Science). As AIMS we are part of a larger program called the "CRC (Cooperative Research Centre) program". The CRC was set up to manage and protect the reefs rich resources. The CRC comprises of five partners AIMS (Australian Institute of Marine Science, James Cook University, GBRMPA (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority), DPI (Dept. of Primary Industries) and AMPTO (Assoc. of Marine Park Tourism Operators). With particular emphasis on tourism, the CRC for the "Sustainable development of the Great Barrier Reef" helps expand reef-based industries and provides information for better science-based Reef management and decision making. The overall project has a GIS component of which I am involved as a GIS Technician (working at AIMS). The GIS system is still very much in its infancy. We currently use GIS (Arc/Info, Arcview and GRID) for "specific problems" such as working out "distribution of sediment types", "calculating bathymetry", "water volume" etc. for scientists involved in the CRC. Hopefully in the near future we will address the need for a system that is designed specifically around menus etc. for more general use. However, at the moment the GIS at AIMS is more question-answer driven. I suspect that you are probably more interested in overall management of coral reefs using GIS. I suggest that GBRMPA would be worth investigating as they are more involved in planning rather than the science. However I would be more than willing to help out if this is not the case. Internet addresses - "AIMS - http://www.aims.gov.au", "GBRMPA - http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au" Good luck! Rick. Rick Smith Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB #3, Townsville, Qld., 4810, AUSTRALIA Phone: (077) 534334 Fax: (077) 725852 email: r.smith at aims.gov.au ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: Manoj Shivlani To: tremle at folly.cofc.edu Subject: Re: GIS and reef studies Hello, This may be a little late, but if it would be useful you may want to contact the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) at: NOAA/FKNMS PO Box 500368 Marathon, FL 33050 305-743-2437 or check their web site, which has an email address. The science person there is Ben Haskell, and I think that they are doing a fed-state project with Florida Dept. of Env. Protection (DEP) on using GIS on their marine reserves. Also, the state has a statewide GIS project in the works. Hope this helps. Manoj Shivlani Research Associate Marine Affairs and Policy RSMAS/University of Miami 4600 Rickenbacker Csway Miami, FL 33149 ................................................................. Eric Treml tremle at folly.cofc.edu Grice Marine Biological laboratory (803) 795-9877 University of Charleston 205 Fort Johnson Rd Charleston, S.C. 29412 ................................................................. From bob_buddemeier at msmail.kgs.ukans.edu Sun Feb 16 16:05:01 1997 From: bob_buddemeier at msmail.kgs.ukans.edu (Bob Buddemeier) Date: 16 Feb 1997 15:05:01 -0600 Subject: More on reef area Message-ID: <199702171415.JAA08340@coral.aoml.noaa.gov> Some comments on the reef area issue: 1. From the standpoint of new data, project Reefbase and John McManus (J.McManus at cgnet.com) are the obvious contacts. 2. As part of her work on modeling reef area, Joanie Kleypas (kleypas at ncar.ucar.edu) has reviewed the various reef area estimates -- there are at least a half-dozen, ranging from 100,000 to 2-4,000,000 km2 (which makes the Smith '78 value right about in the middle). 3. Estimates of reef area will necessarily depend on scale, definition, and desired application --- so, a. All of the above numbers are probably right -- if you want the area dominated by live coral and coralline alage it is somewhere in the low end of the range, but if you want all reef-derived sedimentary structures and/or communities containing some reef organisms, it's the higher extreme. b. The Reefbase project is producing estimates that are arguably more accurate and precise -- for the definitions and criteria they use. That won't make their numbers noticeably better for other purposes, although it will probably improve the basis for other estimates. 4. There is no one-size-fits-all "best" number --each researcher is going to have to interpret the available data from the standpoint of his/her needs and applications and justify an appropriate value. What we can say is that values for various definitions have been estimated with a probable accuracy of better than an order of magnitude, but (my opinion here) getting below a factor of 2-3 in the possible range is not very likely at the global scale. This is the same conceptual problem as in previous questions about nutrient tolerances, temperature thresholds etc. -- corals and reef communities are both very heterogeneous classifications, so any generalizations have to be accepted as fairly sloppy. R. W. Buddemeier _______________________________________________________________________________ To: 'coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov' From: Tim Adams on Sat, Feb 15, 1997 1:39 Subject: RE: info request: global coral reef coverage RFC Header:Received: by msmail.kgs.ukans.edu with SMTP;15 Feb 1997 01:27:55 -0600 Received: by coral.aoml.noaa.gov (950413.SGI.8.6.12/930416.SGI) for coral-list-outgoing id EAA03411; Sat, 15 Feb 1997 04:12:38 GMT Received: from asterix.spc.org.nc by coral.aoml.noaa.gov via ESMTP (950413.SGI.8.6.12/930416.SGI) for id XAA03406; Fri, 14 Feb 1997 23:12:27 -0500 Received: (from mail at localhost) by asterix.spc.org.nc (8.7.4/8.7.3) id PAA13213 for ; Sat, 15 Feb 1997 15:08:32 +1100 Received: from tazar.spc.org.nc(202.0.156.6) by asterix.spc.org.nc via smap (V1.3) id sma013209; Sat Feb 15 15:08:10 1997 Received: by tazar.spc.org.nc with SMTP (Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.994.63) id <01BC1B5A.6CF03760 at tazar.spc.org.nc>; Sat, 15 Feb 1997 16:08:04 +1100 Message-ID: From: Tim Adams To: "'coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov'" Subject: RE: info request: global coral reef coverage Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 16:08:00 +1100 X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.994.63 Encoding: 38 TEXT Sender: owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: bulk The $1,000,000 question! Has anyone actually yet published any information to update Smith's estimate in 1978 (Nature 273: 225-6)? Has anyone even defined what "coral reef coverage" actually means? (dead structural coral is almost as important as live coral in providing fish habitat, for instance) It is a little difficult to develop national policies and management measures (and sustainability indicators in particular) for artisanal and subsistence coral reef fisheries, for example, when you don't even know this fundamental statistic for anything except a few reefs in a few countries. And as Tanya presumably has found, it is impossible to estimate global potentials and limits when there are so many gaps and discrepancies. I would also be *very* interested in any replies to this question... Tim Adams South Pacific Commission tja at spc.org.nc >---------- >From: Tanya Dobrzynski[SMTP:aoctd at wizard.net] >Sent: Saturday, February 15, 1997 2:46 AM >To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov >Subject: info request: global coral reef coverage > >Can anyone verify either of the following fisgure for global coral >reef coverage? I have read most often 600,000 sq km but recently >heard that 230,000 sq km is a more accurate assessment. > >Thanks for your time, > >Tanya Dobrzynski >American Oceans Campaign >aoctd at wizard.net > From cr10 at york.ac.uk Mon Feb 17 11:27:14 1997 From: cr10 at york.ac.uk (Callum Roberts) Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 16:27:14 GMT Subject: Reef area Message-ID: Mark Spalding has recently written a paper in which he estimates global reef area under three different definitions of a reef (using the World Conservation Monitoring Centre's GIS of reef distribution). I believe that one of these definitions comes up with the figure of 230,000km2 mentioned in an earlier posting. I also have a feeling that the paper is now in press with Coral Reefs. Mark is currently in the field in the Seychelles and so cannot enter this discussion himself. His email is: Mark.Spalding at wcmc.org.uk I am sure he would be very happy to respond to interested people on his return. Best wishes, Callum Roberts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr Callum Roberts Dept of Environmental Economics and Environmental Management University of York York, YO1 5DD UK Tel: +44 (0)1904 434066; Fax: +44 (0)1904 432998; email cr10 at york.ac.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From reefnet at cerf.net Mon Feb 17 13:28:34 1997 From: reefnet at cerf.net (Wendy Holland) Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 10:28:34 -0800 (PST) Subject: coral reef researchers in Puerto Rico and the Grenadines Message-ID: Dear Coral-List Members, Does anyone know who is doing interesting research on coral reefs in Puerto Rico, the Grenadines or any of the Windward Islands? Please send me email addresses if are familiar with experts in those areas. Leaving for the Caribbean the 25th and would appreciate any suggestions.Thank you. Wendy Holland Wendy Holland Productions 98 Main Street, Suite 421 Tiburon, CA 94920 USA 1-415-257-5677 reefnet at cerf.net http://www.reefnet.org From pbarriga at javercol.javeriana.edu.co Mon Feb 17 18:25:27 1997 From: pbarriga at javercol.javeriana.edu.co (BARRIGA AMAYA PABLO BI) Date: Mon, 17 Feb 1997 18:25:27 -0500 (BOGOTA) Subject: No subject Message-ID: this is the first message I write to this conversation group. I don't know if this will be consider impertinent but i plan to do my thesis in coral reef pathogens and here in Colombia (South America)there's not many institutions that can sponsor of financiate this project. if you know any institution which can support me finantially i'll be glad to receive information about it. From Mark.Spalding at wcmc.org.uk Tue Feb 18 10:15:11 1997 From: Mark.Spalding at wcmc.org.uk (Mark.Spalding at wcmc.org.uk) Date: Tue, 18 Feb 97 15:15:11 GMT Subject: global reef area Message-ID: <9702181519.AA06281@wcmc.org.uk> Thanks to Callum for his message on my behalf, I have in fact just got back from the Seychelles. Our coral reef area paper is indeed "in press" in Coral Reefs, but attached is an abstract. I would agree with Bob Buddermeier's comments. There is an enormous range in the area estimates produced by different authors much of which can be related to differences in definition. "Our" global area (255,000km2) focusses on the shallow areas of reef associated with the classic (Darwinian) reef-types. Largely due to lack of consistent mapped information around the globe we ignore the deeper submerged structures and areas of "reefal shelf". I suspect that, even if we had all the information we could possibly want, we could expect global reef areas to vary by more than a factor of 10 simply due to very legitimate and useful variance in definition. Best wishes Mark D. Spalding E-mail: mark.spalding at wcmc.org.uk World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Rd Cambridge, CB3 0DL Fax: +44 1223 277136 United Kingdom Tel: +44 1223 277314 NEW ESTIMATES OF GLOBAL AND REGIONAL CORAL REEF AREAS. M.D. Spalding and A.M. Grenfell. Abstract Global and regional coral reef area statistics are of considerable value in fields ranging from global environmental change to fisheries to conservation. Although widely quoted, Smith's (1978) figure of 600,000 km2 is only an approximate calculation. The World Conservation Monitoring Centre has prepared a new estimate of reef coverage by mapping emergent reef crest and very shallow reef systems. These data were rasterised, using 1 km grid squares, as a means of reducing errors arising from variation in scale. Global and regional reef coverages were calculated from the resultant grid. The total global area is estimated at 255,000 km2, considerably lower than many previous estimates. Variation in reef area estimates is, in part, a function of variation in reef definition. From kleypas at sage.cgd.ucar.edu Tue Feb 18 14:48:48 1997 From: kleypas at sage.cgd.ucar.edu (Joanie Kleypas) Date: Tue, 18 Feb 1997 12:48:48 -0700 (MST) Subject: global reef area Message-ID: <199702181948.MAA01560@hopi.cgd.ucar.edu> TO REINFORCE THE MANY OPEN RESPONSES SENT TO CORAL-LIST, BELOW IS A COPY OF MY DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE ORIGINAL TWO ENQUIRERS. MUCH OF THIS IS REDUNDANT, BUT AT LEAST WE'RE ALL AGREEING ON SOME THINGS. Your question is a good one. Estimates of reef coverage on the earth are only now being updated. Below is a quick table of various estimates of reef cover from the literature. ============================================================================ SOURCE ESTIMATE NOTE 10^3 km^2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smith, 1978 617 reef coverage to 30 m depth De Vooys, 1979 100 Achituv & Dubinsky, 1990 2000 Crossland et al., 1991 617 used Smith's estimate to include photic zone reefs, where sediments 80% reefal Copper, 1994 1500 added relict reefs, carbonate banks and inter-reef tract to Crossland et al. estimate Kleypas 584-3930 range of modeled results based on light-dependent reef depth limit Spalding and Grenfell 255 "emergent reef crest and very shallow reef systems" ============================================================================ There is a wide range of values, due to two major factors which I outline below. 1. The fuzzy definition of what constitutes a coral reef The definition of "coral reef" is often different for biologists/ecologists versus geologists. The geological definition requires that the coral community accumulate enough calcium carbonate to form an identifiable buildup with structural relief relative to the surrounding sea bed. But corals can certainly exist without forming a reef. Geologists call these "coral communities" rather than reefs; that is, a coral reef has the capacity to accumulate carbonate and keep up with sea level rise, while a coral community does not have that capacity. Hence, where the individual researcher "drew the line" between coral reefs and coral communities has something to do with his/her estimate of coral cover. (It should be noted that from an ecological standpoint, however, this distinction makes little difference -- coral communities seem to function ecologically very much the same as coral reefs. Thus conservation issues generally apply to both coral reefs and communities.) 2. Our poor knowledge of reef distribution Reefs are poorly charted on navigational charts. Navigators tend to call any structure that is a navigational hazard (reefs, submerged rocks, shoals, etc) a "reef", while structures which exist below the depth where they pose navigational risk tend not to be charted as "reefs". John McManus (ICLARM, Philippines) and Mark Spalding (WCMS - World Conservation Monitoring Centre) are compiling area coverage estimates for the ReefBase project (see web site: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/data/database/reefbase.html). Their estimates are based on these charted reefs only; but will eventually be the most accurate. My own method has been to estimate reef area coverage by modeling suitable reef habitat on the globe, based on environmental tolerances for reef-building corals (e.g., temperature, light, salinity). These reef area estimates vary greatly (584,000 - 3,242,000 km2) depending on the light level chosen in the model as "limiting" to reef growth. Based on comparisons of the model predictions with known reef locations, and the overall observation that most active coral reef growth is limited to around 30 m depth, the LOWER FIGURE is likely the best guess. This lower figure is also surprisingly close to Steve Smith's 1978 figure, which he came up with before any of these global marine data sets were around! I have a paper in review to Paleoceanography on these estimates and can send you a draft or preprint if necessary. added comments: COMPARED TO MARK SPALDING'S ESTIMATE OF 255,000 KM2, THE MODELED VALUES ARE HIGH BECAUSE THEY DO INCLUDE DEEPER SUBMERGED REEFS AND "REEFAL SHELF"; AND ALSO BECAUSE THE RESOLUTION IS LOWER (MARKS: 1 KM; MINE: 9KM). ------------------------------------ You might want to get Mark Spalding's latest estimate! -- YOU ALREADY HAVE THIS BY NOW. cheerio, Joanie **************************************************************************** J. Kleypas Climate Change Research Section National Center for Atmospheric Research PO Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307-3000 PH: (303) 497-1615 FAX: (303) 497-1348 kleypas at ncar.ucar.edu **************************************************************************** From woodley at uwimona.edu.jm Fri Feb 21 10:00:31 1997 From: woodley at uwimona.edu.jm (Jeremy Woodley) Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 10:00:31 -0500 (GMT-0500) Subject: Coordination of GCRMN and Reef Check In-Reply-To: <330BE5E5.668C@usthk.ust.hk> Message-ID: With respect to co-ordination, how does Reef Check fit in with GCRMN's three levels (Research, Government & Community)? Will it be integrated with the latter, or is it a fourth mode? Jeremy Woodley, Centre for Marine Sciences, University of the West Indies, Jamaica. On Thu, 20 Feb 1997, Gregor Hodgson wrote: > Coordination of GCRMN and Reef Check > > There are several global and regional coral reef monitoring initiatives > that have been started, and there is a need to coordinate them to avoid > overlap and duplication of effort. The two largest programs are GCRMN > and Reef Check. Both of these programs have the same overall objectives > of measuring human impacts and natural variation in coral reef > communities sufficiently to determine their status and trends. > > At this time, we would like to clarify the relationship between GCRMN > and Reef Check. These two programs were designed to complement each > other by dividing the available resources. GCRMN is presently best set > up to work with governments and to make use of monitoring teams composed > purely of scientists. Reef Check is best equipped to utilize monitoring > teams composed of recreational divers, led by a marine scientist. > > Therefore, we would encourage all monitoring teams to register > accordingly with the appropriate program -- scientific teams with GCRMN > and recreational diver teams with Reef Check. Note that dual > registration with both programs will also be accepted. Beyond 1997 and > IYOR, the goal will be to merge these two programs. > > With your help, by the end of 1997, we will have an unprecedented > synoptic view of the global health of coral reefs. > > > Gregor Hodgson Clive Wilkinson > Reef Check Coordinator Coordinator, > Global Coral Reef Monitoring > Network > > From HILLISL at naos.si.edu Fri Feb 21 11:05:41 1997 From: HILLISL at naos.si.edu (Llewellya Hillis) Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 11:05:41 -0500 Subject: global reef area Message-ID: E-mail service at the Pacific end of the canal in Panama has had many recent problems so I am just now catching up on the reef area discussion. Estimates for areas of deeper and outer regions of reefs are especially important for carbonate budgets involving Halimeda bioherms, meadows (eg 20-40m on the western Great Bahama Bank slope) and draperies (50% cover for some areas of wall, 50-58m depth, Enewetak where Halimeda grows at least to 140m). Both John Milliman and I relied extensively on areas from Smith's paper in developing our recent budgets (Milliman, J.D. 1993: "Production and accumulation of calcium carbonate in the ocean:..." Global Biogeochemical Cycles 7:927-957 and Hillis, L. "Coralgal reefs from a calcareous green alga perspective, and a first carbonate budget".Proc. 8th Intl. Coral Reef Symposium (in press). Llewellya Hillis -------------------------------------------------------------------- Llewellya Hillis Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Unit 0948, APO AA 34002-0948 email: stri01.naos.hillisl at ic.si.edu L From rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk Sun Feb 23 09:02:09 1997 From: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk (Gregor Hodgson) Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 22:02:09 +0800 Subject: US Reef Check Coordinator Needed Message-ID: <33104DE0.CAE@usthk.ust.hk> Reef Check has grown rapidly. Many of the recreational diver/marine scientist teams are located in the southeastern US. As we approach the summer, and more teams join in, it would be helpful if an existing organization (NGO) or individuals would step forward to offer to help coordinate the US teams in this project. Our European, Asian, and UK coordinators are already running with the ball and having a lot of fun. The majority of the work will be done by our website; http://rcsg2.ust.hk/~cckcheng/reef/reef.html however, we anticipate that we will need some help with: 1) Matching volunteer teams with marine scientists 2) Ensuring teams avoid choosing overlapping sites 3) Coordinating a training session. 4) Ensuring that the data are submitted in the proper format. In return you will receive: 1) Potentially very good PR opportunity with local, regional and international media 2) Excellent fund-raising opportunity associated with the PR 3) The satisfaction of having helped to lead a global survey that should provide us for the first time, some indication of the shape of the world's reefs. A number of scientists in the Florida area have pledged to assist with Reef Check coordination, however, scientists are not best placed to lead the above work. Please contact me if you or your organization would like to volunteer to help coordinate the US activities. Thank you. Gregor Hodgson, PhD Institute for Environmental Studies, Research Centre Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, HONG KONG e-mail: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk fax: (852) 2358-1582 tel: (852) 2358-8568 From dfs7 at cornell.edu Mon Feb 24 12:56:19 1997 From: dfs7 at cornell.edu (Dan Shapiro) Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 12:56:19 -0500 (EST) Subject: No subject Message-ID: COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT: TROPICAL MARINE SCIENCE (Cornell University and Shoals Marine Laboratory) This summer we will take 12 students to Akumal, a small resort town located on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Students will study basic coral reef ecology and conservation, learn to identify local hard and soft coral species, collect data for the Akumal Coral Reef Monitoring Project, and design and implement independent research projects. The course is designed for self-motivated undergraduate students interested in learning about basic coral reef ecology, conservation, and research. Credits: 8 Semester Credits (Cornell University) Course dates: June 7th - August 3rd Prerequisites: Recognized SCUBA certification, a medical examination, one full year of college level biology, permission of instructor (Dr. Dan Shapiro). Deadline: All applications received by April 4th will be considered. After this date, applications will be considered only if there are still spaces available. For more information, see our web page at: http://www.sml.cornell.edu/Shoals/courses/akumal.htmlcontact or contact either: Shoals Marine Laboratory Cornell University G-14Y Stimson Hall Ithaca, NY 14853-7101 Email: shoals-lab at cornell.edu voice: (607) 255-3717 Web Site: http://www.sml.cornell.edu/ or Dr. Dan Shapiro (Instructor) Section of Ecology and Systematics Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853-2701 Email: dfs7 at cornell.edu voice: (607) 254-5039 fax: (607)255-8088 From osha at pobox.com Mon Feb 24 12:57:28 1997 From: osha at pobox.com (Osha Gray Davidson) Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 11:57:28 -0600 Subject: Steinbeck quote Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970224175728.0069f0d4@soli.inav.net> I read a wonderful quote by John Steinbeck in someone's paper on corals: something about "It takes a hungry and libidinous man to observe nature." Is anyone familiar with this quotation; can you supply a cite? Thanks, Osha Gray Davidson 14 S. Governor St. Iowa City, IA 52240 USA +++++++++++ PH: (319) 338-4778 FAX: (319) 338-8606 e-mail: osha at pobox.com Center for International and Comparative Studies, University of Iowa From hassan at cerege.fr Tue Feb 25 06:02:38 1997 From: hassan at cerege.fr (Moshira Hassan) Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 13:02:38 +0200 Subject: ReefCheck Message-ID: The German IYOR coordination team is planning a ReefCheck in Egypt. We thank Gregor Hodgson for initiating this wonderful activity and hope that by participating and sharing our experience in organizing ReefCheck we can encourage and inspire others to do similar things in their regions. GENERAL IDEA Scientists have the possibility to conduct ReefCheck with the help of recreational divers who are on vacation in the Red Sea. We have the unique opportunity to use the diving and tourism industry to convey the message of IYOR and ReefCheck to those who are usually not interested or active in reef conservation. We are convinced that we can awaken enthusiasm and sensibility in the divers and can thus have an important impact on the behaviour of the single diver as well as on the tourism industry. The following text is to inform you how we are organizing ReefCheck, how we plan to conduct it and what endeavours we have undertaken to fund the operation. OFFICIAL SETTING The following Egyptian authorities fully support IYOR and ReefCheck provided the official routes are maintained and professionality is guaranteed: 1) "The Ministry of Scientific Research" and the "National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries" are in the process of distributing information and obtaining necessary legal permissions 2) "Parliamentary Research Center" & "People's assembly of Egypt" 3) The Department of Marine Science of the Suez Canal University in Ismailia 4) The "Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA)" and the "Ras Mohammed National Park Authority" 5) HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association), an official non governmental organization also supports IYOR and ReefCheck 'BOOT' WATERSPORTS FAIR IN DUESSELDORF, JANUARY 1997 IYOR was launched at the biggest European boating and diving show (368,000 visitors). ReefCheck was also advertised there, for more inf. please visit our homepage at: http://www.geologie.uni-stuttgart.de/iyor SCIENTISTS Scientists from Egypt, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France and the UK have shown interest in leading ReefCheck groups in Egypt. The list of group leaders will be posted as soon as it is definite. REEFCHECK GROUPS: A) Groups travelling to Egypt to conduct ReefCheck (e.g. Professors with their students) are welcome, provided they adhere to Egyptian authority's rules and regulations. Please contact us, if you wish to conduct ReefCheck in Egypt. We will help you with the official context. B) Our main activities will be conducted through local diving centers, for two reasons: B1. This way we can use available logistics, such as diving boats and equipment, accommodation, booking etc. (see below) B2. The main reason though is that in Egypt a big percentage of the environmental problems of coral reefs are due to tourism and related activities. Incorporating the tourism industry into IYOR activities and thus directly targeting those responsible for damage is essential. VOLUNTEERS The volunteers will be recruited from the "general diving tourists". Divers should have at least a few years of diving experience and/or a minimum of 30 dives. Scientists will advertise among the divers, who are already spending their holiday at the locations this summer. We will also be advertising ReefCheck in diving magazines and hope that some enthusiastic divers will book their next diving vacation at a "ReefCheck-facility". WHERE We will be concentrating on Sinai, Hurghada and Safaga and as far as we can get from there. TIME FRAME ReefCheck is designed to be conducted on one day at each site, sometime between June 14th and August 30th. Normally 2-3 weeks would be sufficient to cover the intended regions. Nevertheless we have decided to be present for the entire time. This means that some sites will be checked more than once. The reason for this extended ReefCheck is that we can raise public attention and reach more divers if we spend a longer time on the spot. LOCAL FACILITIES We will be mainly cooperating with two diving centers that have an excellent international (and national) reputation. Specific permissions by the Egyptian government will be issued for these dive centers. Both Diving Centers operate 5-10 dive boats daily (approx. 10 divers a boat). Furthermore they offer courses on marine ecology for divers in their normal programme and are generally active in reef conservation: SINAI DIVERS in Sharm el Sheikh, Sinai (contact Rolf Schmidt & Petra Roeglin) Tel: + 20-62-600697 / Fax: +20-62-600158 email: sinai_divers at sinainet.com.eg homepage http://www.sinaidivers.com JASMIN DIVING CENTER, in Hurghada (contact Monika Wiget) Tel: +20-65-442442-9 / Fax: +20-65-442441 / Tel & Fax: +20-65-442455 or 547360 In addition a diving center from Safaga will also participate for a short period. SHAMS SAFAGA, (contact Ayman Taher) Tel: 0020-65-451782 to 87 / Fax:0020-65-451780 Further activites with the Ras Mohammed National Park are planned. We will inform you as soon as things are more definite. PROCEDURE THE SCIENTISTS At least one scientist, who is capable of leading ReefCheck groups, will be present at each center throughout the entire time. Each scientist will spend 2 weeks at the facility. who: The Scientists should be experts in the field of reef ecology, and have sufficient experience with field work (see Gregor Hodgson's outlines). The scientist will recruit volunteers from the present tourists with the help of the diving centers. It is up to the groupleaders to generate enthousiasm in the tourists, to ensure he (or she) has volonteers to do ReefCheck. Giving seminars and/or slide shows to the diving tourist, teaching the basics of reef ecology, conveying the concept of IYOR and ReefCheck is one way of catching the tourists attention and enthusiasm. I am sure we can find a group of 5-8 divers (out of 100 guests of each diving center) who would love to do ReefCheck for a week or so. It will be the responsibility of the scientist to ensure the scientific quality of the work and to teach the volunteers the methods. THE DIVING CENTERS The diving centers offer the entire logistics. The diving is free for the group leader and possibly also for a second person. An experienced divemaster will be present on the boat to ensure diving safety. The centers will advertise ReefCheck on all their boats and possibly also in diving magazines. They will take care of the reservations etc. of the volunteers. They will offer the facilities to give seminars and slide shows. Probably one of the dive boats will be entirely designated to ReefCheck. The diving centers have negotiated with hotels for free accommodation of the scientist leading a ReefCheck group. DATA PROCESSING For general data processing, see Gregor Hodgson's outlines. Each diver group will be responsible for processing its own data, and can certainly use the data for their own use. The data will however also be submitted to us for compilation. A copy of the data MUST be submitted to Egyptian authorities and will be submitted to ReefCheck headquarters (Gregor Hodgson, Hong Kong), with the permission to prepare a summary paper. PREPARATION Gert Woerheide and myself (Moshira Hassan) will be in Egypt for the first 3-4 weeks, to get things running smoothly. For instance the boat crews and dive masters will need to be adapted to a different kind of diving etc. MEDIA Several German radio programmes have already reported about IYOR and ReefCheck during and after the 'boot'. Several local Egyptian magazines and German diving magazines will be continuously reporting about IYOR and ReefCheck. Uli Erfurth will report on IYOR and ReefCheck in the ARD-Wunschbox on Feb. 11th An Egyptian and a German and possibly a UK TV team will be in Egypt, reporting about ReefCheck this summer. FUNDING FROM WHOM AND HOW TO CONVINCE THEM Obviously funding of ReefCheck is a problem for most of us. The normal "scientific channels" are not too generous up to now on this subject, as it is not considered a "highly scientific" project but a big public awareness programme. The more renowned scientists advocate reef conservation and public awareness and education the better the chances will be in future to obtain funding from science foundations and others. The logical consequence is to tap the diving industry. This is generally a good move in regions where diving tourism is well developed, as there are many potential sponsors. You need to convince the facilities: i.e. diving centers, live aboards, airlines, hotels etc. but also diving magazines, manufacturers of diving equipment and even diving federations and associations who educate divers and diving instructors. The convincing arguments we have been using are the following (they are all true, you need to drum it into the heads of some people though) 1) The main argument is a financial one: It lies in the interest of the tourism industry to promote IYOR and the conservation of reefs - because if there are no more healthy reefs there is no more business. 2) The attitude of the "normal diver" has in fact changed over the last decade. Divers are more aware of the environment and are interested in learning about marine life. Diving centers must also adapt and act in a more conscientious way, if they want to keep their clients. 3) Other facilities are already supporting IYOR actively, you don't want to stand behind? 4) It is an honour to participate in activities of the IYOR. WHAT IS BEING (OR HAS BEEN) SPONSORED FOR REEFCHECK 1) The diving centers Sinai Divers, Jasmin Diving Center as well as Shams Safaga (see inf. above) offer the use of their facilities free of charge to the scientists to conduct ReefCheck 2) The Ghazala Hotel in Sharm el Sheikh, the Yasmin Diving Center in Hurghada and Shams Safaga, in Safaga offer free accomodation and half board for the groupleaders. In total that is 24 weeks of free for at least one scientist. 3) We are in touch with airlines for free flights of the group leaders. We don't have any definite answers yet, but are hoping.. 4) The volunteers get a certificate of participation printed on PAPYRUS. This will be printed directly at Kyros Paschalis dive shop and printing press in Cairo 5) PASCHALIS will also produce stamps with the IYOR logo and ReefCheck so that we can stamp the logbooks of the volunteers. 6) 300 underwater slates are sponsored by IQ company. Every participant can keep his own slate. Of course we will have IYOR and ReefCheck printed on the slates. 7) The reporters of 2 German diving magazines (Unterwasser, tauchen) are marine biologists themselves and might lead a ReefCheck group. Or at least participate as volunteers. So free propaganda is guaranteed. Well, let us all hope things run smoothly and that ReefCheck becomes a big success! We wish you luck with all your IYOR and ReefCheck activities. *********** If you wish to participate please contact Gert, he is responsible for the coordination of the groupleaders. Gert Woerheide Erkelenzdamm 21; 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg (Germany) phone: +49-(0)30-615 26 69; e-mail: gwoerhe at ibm.net If you have general questions concerning the procedures with Egyptian authorities, the facilities we are using or others please contact Moshira: Moshira Hassan: (until the end of March:) CEREGE; B.P. 80 F-13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4; France TEL: (33) 4-42 23 48 21 / FAX: (33) 4-42971549 / email: mhassan at geomar.de permanent adress: GEOMAR FZ; Wischhofstr. 1-3; 24148 Kiel; Germany Tel: (49) 431-6002822 / FAX: (49) 431-6002941 email: mhassan at geomar.de See German activites at: http://www.geologie.uni-stuttgart.de/iyor From rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk Wed Feb 26 03:36:24 1997 From: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk (Gregor Hodgson) Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 16:36:24 +0800 Subject: Reef Check Website Move Message-ID: <3313F608.4E60@usthk.ust.hk> The Reef Check Website now has a permanent home at: http://www.ust.hk/~webrc/reef/html This site gives basic information on: Purpose of Reef Check How to register for Reef Check Registration form List of teams and locations Detailed methods Interested team leaders, please do register now if you have not already done so. Please note that construction of new pages is on-going, and error-correction and updating of lists will be done as quickly as resources allow. Gregor Hodgson, PhD Institute for Environmental Studies, Research Centre Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, HONG KONG e-mail: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk fax: (852) 2358-1582 tel: (852) 2358-8568 From Michael.Eisinger at uni-essen.de Wed Feb 26 10:09:34 1997 From: Michael.Eisinger at uni-essen.de (Michael Eisinger) Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 16:09:34 +0100 Subject: underwater paper Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970226160739.6297286c@sp2.power.uni-essen.de> Dear coral-list members! Does anybody know where to obtain underwater paper from? German companies would be fine. Thanks for your help, Michael Michael Eisinger Institute of ecology / Dept. Hydrobiology University of Essen 45117 Essen Germany Tel.:++49 201 183 3112 Fax: ++49 201 183 2529 e-mail: michael.eisinger at uni-essen.de From SeaPhD at aol.com Wed Feb 26 11:15:54 1997 From: SeaPhD at aol.com (SeaPhD at aol.com) Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 11:15:54 -0500 (EST) Subject: underwater paper Message-ID: <970226111554_106550177@emout08.mail.aol.com> Hi Michael: My marine science supply company sells water-resistant and waterproof paper. There are several types of paper that have different capabilities and costs, depending upon what your application requires. Rite-in-the-Rain, water-resistant paper is plastic coated. It is intended for use in conditions of frequent splashing. Some scientists use it underwater with no problem. Others report that water seeps through the plastic coating at the edges and where a pencil has scratched the coating. You can write on it with a pencil or a waterproof pen, or you can pre-print forms on it with a photocopier or a lasert printer. Rite-in-the-Rain comes in 200-sheet packages. 8.5" x 11" U.S. $16.30 (20 or more packages, $14.60 each) 8.5" x 14" $21.10 (20 or more, $18.85 ea) 11" x 17" $32.75 (20 or more, $29.40 each) A-4 (metric) $17.45 (20 or more, $15.60 each) A-3 $35.15 (20 or more, $31.15 each) (These prices do not include shipping costs) Dura-Rite paper is all-plastic, so it is completely waterproof. You can write on it with a pencil or a waterproof pen, or forms can be pre-printed with an offset printing process. This paper cannot be printed with a photocopier or laser printer, because the heat caused it to deform. Dura-Rite paper comes in packages of 100 sheets. 8.5" x 11" $22.00 per package (10 or more packages, 20.00 each) (other sizes can be cut at extra cost) Dura-Copy is a premium-quality, completely-waterproof paper. Like Dura-Rite, Dura-Copy accepts pencil or waterproof pen. Unlike Dura-Rite, it also works in photocopiers and laser printers. 8.5" x 11" $52.45 (10 or more, $49.95 each) 11" x 17" $99.95 (10 or more, $97.95 each) You can also get water-resistant and waterproof field books, underwater clipboard/slate assemblies and waterproof pens. The pens work well, but they are an unnecessary expense, because pencil works well on this paper. I've been very happy with a #2 pencil in my underwater research. Custom printing of forms and field books is also available. For more information, you can e-mail me or contact: Dr. Randy Runnels Marine Education & Research Specialties, Inc. P.O. Box 10517 Tampa, Florida 33679-0517 phone: (813)254-5970 From tsocci at usgcrp.gov Wed Feb 26 11:16:42 1997 From: tsocci at usgcrp.gov (Tony Socci) Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 11:16:42 -0500 Subject: March 3rd US Global Change Seminar: Ecological and Climatic Consequences of Human-Induced Changes in the Global Nitrogen Balance" Message-ID: U.S. Global Change Research Program Second Monday Seminar Series Ecological and Climatic Consequences of Human-Induced Changes in the Global Nitrogen Balance How large an impact are humans having on the global nitrogen cycle? How did this imbalance come about? What are the implications and effects of perturbing the global nitrogen balance for the environment and for society? Do these results have any implications for forests? Are nitrogen-enriched ecosystems likely to exacerbate global warming by becoming a net source of CO2? What can one expect in the near future in terms of nitrogen sinks or impacts related to this nitrogen imbalance? Public Invited Monday, March 3, 1997, 3:15-4:45 PM Rayburn House Office Bldg., Room B369, Washington, DC Reception Following INTRODUCTION Dr. Jerry Melillo, Associate Director for the Environment (Designee), Office of Science and Technology Policy, The White House, Washington, DC. SPEAKERS Dr. William H. Schlesinger, James B. Duke Professor of Botany, Department of Botany, Duke University, Durham, NC. Dr. David Tilman, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Ecology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN. OVERVIEW Although 80% of the Earth's atmosphere is made up of molecular nitrogen (N2), only a small but very important fraction of this nitrogen is converted to a form that can be used by plants and animals, a form known as "fixed" nitrogen. Until recently, this "fixed" atmospheric nitrogen has been thought of as beneficial to all living things. However, industrial and other human derived sources of fixed nitrogen have now doubled the rate that is now available. This global overload of fixed nitrogen, despite being one of nature's essential life-giving and life-limiting nutrients, now poses a suite of very serious environmental concerns. For example, too much nitrogen can result in: 1) loss of commercially important fish stocks and ecosystems by promoting algal blooms which result in oxygen deprivation and reduced sunlight in coastal and aquatic ecosystems; 2) local extinction of terrestrial plant, animal, and microbial species, thereby reducing biodiversity and ecosystem health; 3) an increase in the greenhouse gas, N2O, which is contributing to global warming; and 4) an increase in the concentration of nitric oxide, which contributes to acid rain and smog. The Global Nitrogen Cycle: Natural and Humanly-Altered Conditions Molecular nitrogen (N2) is the most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere. However, in order for nitrogen to be useful to life it must first be transformed, naturally, into forms that are useful to living organisms, a process known as "nitrogen-fixation." Life depends on "fixed" nitrogen that can be absorbed by plants and subsequently used by animals linked together in the "food chain." The amount of nitrogen available at any one time and place has a direct effect on the growth of plants--on land and in the sea-- because fixed nitrogen is an essential life-giving and life-limiting nutrient. Thus, the health of the biosphere is strongly dependent upon the availability of nitrogen in a chemical form that is useful to life. Under natural conditions, a small amount of nitrogen is fixed through chemical processes such as lightning. A much larger amount is fixed by biological processes involving nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil and on the roots of certain plants. Once plants die, however, this fixed nitrogen is subsequently returned to the atmosphere by the decomposition of dead tissue by bacteria and is then recycled for later use. To enhance the availability of nitrogen for living things such as food and fiber products, humans produce nitrogen in the form of fertilizer. With the growth of agriculture, half of all industrial nitrogen fertilizer used in human history has been applied since 1984. In addition to their intentional creation of fixed nitrogen, humans also inadvertently produce fixed nitrogen through the burning of fossil fuels. On a global scale, the fixation of nitrogen by humans now roughly equals the amount of nitrogen that was formerly made available naturally to life by the combined activity of all bacteria on land. In other words, our society has now doubled the amount of fixed nitrogen available to all living things. Growing amounts of fixed nitrogen are showing up in remote locations, leading to significant impacts. The concentration of nitrous oxide (N2O) in the Earth's atmosphere, is rising at about 0.3%/yr. Perhaps even more ominously, N2O has roughly 200 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, and remains in the Earth's atmosphere for approximately 150 years, thus making it a long-lived and potent problem. Nitrous oxide is also implicated in the loss of stratospheric ozone. Increases in the emissions of nitric oxide (NO) due to the combustion of coal and oil also contribute directly to higher levels of acid rain and ozone (smog) in the lower atmosphere. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen is the largest single source of human-derived nitrogen in the eastern U.S. coastal waters. There is now 10-20 times more nitrogen entering coastal rivers in the northeastern U.S. and northern Europe than in pre-industrial times. Excess nitrogen flushed from fertilized farmlands, sewage treatment plants, and fossil fuel combustion ultimately ends up in streams, rivers, and coastal waters, where it provokes and enhances the growth of microscopic plants that form the base of the food chain upon which more complex and larger plants and animals later feed. However, during the prolific, nitrogen-driven growth and life cycle of these marine and aquatic microscopic plants, they tend to cloud the waters, thus shutting out essential sunlight for other plants. Furthermore, upon the death of these microscopic and larger plants, their once living tissue is consumed by bacteria which proliferate due to the excess nitrogen, and deplete the surrounding water of oxygen necessary for the metabolic processes of marine and aquatic animals, including important commercial fish and shellfish stocks. Impacts of Nitrogen Deposition on Terrestrial Ecosystems Since 1982, Dr. Tilman and his colleagues have been engaged in an experiment in which fixed nitrogen was systematically added to 207 plots of grassland and savanna throughout Minnesota. In each instance, nitrogen was added at rates which have been observed in a variety of locations around the world so as to mimic and replicate real levels of nitrogen deposition in a variety of places. The results of this 12-year experiment reveal that high levels of nitrogen can have a number of serious impacts on these and other ecosystems, including: 1. The addition of nitrogen to these grasses caused major changes in plant species composition, insect species composition, and soil fungal composition. Higher nitrogen levels led to decreased abundances of native plants and to increased abundances of non-native plants, especially certain non-indigenous grasses. 2. The addition of nitrogen caused a significant decrease in plant species diversity. The lowered diversity in these experimental grassland sites corresponded with lowered stability of primary productivity in the face of a major disturbance such as a flood or drought. 3. When nitrogen was added at low rates to plots dominated by native prairie grasses, most of the nitrogen was retained within the ecosystem. However, at higher rates of nitrogen addition, the native species were replaced by non-native species, while most of the added nitrogen was leached into the ground water. Ultimately, higher levels on nitrogen in the ground water (in the form of nitrates) can provoke toxic algal blooms in waterways and seriously impair the quality of drinking water. 4. The highest rates of carbon storage occurred at the lowest rates of nitrogen addition, in direct contrast to anticipation. In instances where high levels of nitrogen were available, the ability of the plant community to effectively store carbon was lowered. A shift in plant species composition was also observed to occur in instances involving higher rates of nitrogen addition. This resulted in low rates of carbon storage because these plant species decayed too rapidly to effectively store carbon. 5. High rates of nitrogen deposition are likely to greatly impact the composition, functioning and stability of many terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems, with profound implications for food supplies and other ecosystems services. Biographies Dr. William H. Schlesinger is the James B. Duke Professor in the Departments of Botany and Geology at Duke University. He completed his A.B. degree at Dartmouth in l972, and his Ph.D. at Cornell in l976. He later joined the faculty at Duke in l980. He is the author or co-author of over 100 scientific papers, and the widely-adopted textbook "Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change." Currently, Dr. Schlesinger's teaching and research interests are in ecosystem analysis, global change, and biogeochemical cycling. He is the principal investigator for the Free Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) Experiment in the Blackwood Division of the Duke Forest, a project that aims to understand how an entire forest ecosystem (vegetation and soils) will respond to elevated levels of CO2. He has also worked extensively in desert ecosystems and on their response to global change. He is the Principal Investigator for the NSF-sponsored program of Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) at the Jornada Experimental Range in southern New Mexico. Dr. Schlesinger is: a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; a member of the Central Intelligence Agency's Environmental Task Force (MEDEA); an elected official of the Ecological Society of America; and is on the editorial boards of "Biogeochemsitry", "Global Change Biology", and the "Encyclopedia of Global Change." Dr. Schlesinger's recent work has been described on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition," CNN, "Discover Magazine," "National Geographic Magazine," and in a host of national newspapers including the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Dr. David Tilman is the Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Ecology and Director of Cedar Creek Natural History Area at the University of Minnesota, where he has been on the faculty since 1976. Born in Illinois and raised in Michigan, he earned his B.S. (1971) and Ph.D. (1976) in zoology from the University of Michigan. His research interests include the mechanisms of interspecific competition, the processes allowing the maintenance of biodiversity, the impacts of biodiversity on population, ecosystem stability and functioning, the causes of successional dynamics, and mathematical theory related to these issues. For the past 15 years Dr. Tilman has studied biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics at the Cedar Creek Natural History Area in MN. He has published two books in the Princeton Monograph Series, edited two books, and is an author of more than 100 scientific papers. He was named a Guggenheim Fellow in 1984, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1985, Honorary Member No. 3 of the Lund (Sweden) Ecological Society in 1985, received the W. S. Cooper Award from the Ecological Society of America in 1989, was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Science in 1995, was chosen as a Pew Scholar in Conservation Biology in 1995, and received the Ecological Society of America's Robert MacArthur Award in 1996. He is the founding editor of the Ecological Society of America's new Ecological Issues series, and has served on the editorial boards of "Ecology," the "American Naturalist," "Acta Oecologia" (Paris), and "Limnology and Oceanography," and currently serves on the Board of Reviewing Editors of "Science." His work on chaos, on the effects of habitat fragmentation, and on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has received wide media coverage, including articles in the New York Times, a Public TV documentary, and coverage in American, Canadian, British and Australian broadcast and print news. The Next Seminar is scheduled for Monday, April 14, 1997 Planned Topic: Economic Options and Costs for Mitigating Climate Change: The Role of Energy Technologies For more information please contact: Anthony D. Socci, Ph.D., U.S. Global Change Research Program Office Code YS-1, 300 E St., SW, Washington, DC 20546 Telephone: (202) 358-1532; Fax: (202) 358-4103 E-Mail: TSOCCI at USGCRP.GOV. Additional information on the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) and this Seminar Series is available on the USGCRP Home Page at: http://www.usgcrp.gov. Normally these seminars are held on the second Monday of each month. From F.Marubini at qmw.ac.uk Wed Feb 26 11:27:44 1997 From: F.Marubini at qmw.ac.uk (F.Marubini) Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 16:27:44 +0000 Subject: eutrophication and coral physiology Message-ID: <67D937040FB@qmwcc5.qmw.ac.uk> I have recently completed my Ph.D. thesis entitled 'THE PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF HERMATYPIC CORALS TO NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT'. With this message, I am presenting a summary of my thesis. I am very keen to receive any feedback/queries from other coral-list members interested in the subject. The project was carried while I was a student of Peter Spencer Davies at Glasgow University. All laboratory and field experiments were based at the Bellairs Research Institute of McGill University in Barbados. The first paper from this work has been recently published: F. Marubini, P.S. Davies (1996) Nitrate increases zooxanthellae population density and reduces skeletogenesis in corals. Mar. Biol. 127: 319-328. THESIS SUMMARY keywords: hermatypic corals, eutrophication, nitrate, phosphate, carbon budget, calcification, ecotoxicology. Nutrient enrichment of tropical waters constitutes an increasing threat to the health and biodiversity of coral reefs. In order to manage these ecosystems effectively, the onset of nutrient pollution has to be closely monitored. This thesis examined the possibility of using some physiological responses of hermatypic corals as an early-warning bio-assay, to detect nutrient enrichment before reef deterioration has taken place. To this aim, the physiology of the common branching coral Porites porites and the massive coral Montastrea annularis was studied both in the laboratory and on the reef under different nutrient conditions. By measuring the organic and inorganic productivity of corals and by constructing carbon budgets, it was hoped to relate differences in the fixation, allocation and utilisation of carbon to differences in nutrient regimes. Nubbins of Porites porites and explants of Montastrea annularis were chosen as the experimental units. Nubbins were obtained by cutting coral tips (approx. 20 mm.), grounding their cut surface flat, and gluing them onto a perspex tile with cyanoacrylate glue. To obtain explants, a coral head was cored under a drill press fitted with a hole saw. Cores were then cut to fit, and sealed into polyethylene cups with underwater epoxy putty. A new culturing system was developed to grow corals successfully in the laboratory under completely controlled and repeatable conditions. This system (the ?photostat?) consisted of glass aquaria (30x21x18 cm) placed in a constant temperature water-bath under metal halide lamps. The aquaria were fitted with specially designed air lines and coral trays to maintain a strong water motion around the corals, independent of the rate of water-flow. A peristaltic pump ensured a daily water turn-over. A new improved carbon budget methodology was developed by comparing the well established methods of Davies (1984) and Muscatine et al. (1984) on Porites porites. These methodologies differed in the measurements of zooxanthellae respiration rate (RZ) and zooxanthellae growth rate (m). RZ, DAVIES was found to be twice as small as RZ, MUSCATINE (RZ, DAVIES = 18.1 mgC cm-2d-1 vs. RZ, MUSCATINE = 33.1 mgC cm-2d-1), but this accounted for a difference of only 3% when RZ was expressed as a percentage of the total daily carbon input. By comparison, a 25-fold difference between methods occurred in the component of carbon required for the daily growth of the zooxanthellae. Davies? method measured the net rate of zooxanthellae growth (uNET) from the increase in surface area, assuming a constant zooxanthellae population density. In this case uNET was only 1.65 mgC cm-2d-1. Muscatine?s method measured the gross rate of zooxanthellae growth (uGROSS) from the mitotic index of freshly isolated zooxanthellae, assuming a duration of cell division (td) of 11h. This accounted for a daily expenditure of 41.1 mgC cm-2d-1. The assumption of td might make this method prone to error. However, assuming that the measurement of uGROSS is correct, two new budget components had to be introduced to account for the large difference between uGROSS and uNET. These were expulsion and digestion, which had not been previously recognised. The latter had important consequences on the shape of the carbon budget because any carbon fixed in zooxanthellae that are digested constitutes an intrinsic part of total carbon translocated to the host. Therefore, Davies? budget, using uNET, overestimated translocation by the amount of carbon lost in expulsion, and Muscatine?s budget, using uGROSS underestimated translocation by the amount contained in digested zooxanthellae. The new methodology incorporated these components. The carbon fixed by gross photosynthesis was still assumed to be the only source of carbon to the system. Carbon expenditure by the zooxanthellae was then divided into respiration, net growth and expulsion. The remaining carbon made up the component of total translocation, integrating the processes of translocation of fixed carbon from zooxanthellae to host, and digestion of zooxanthellae. Carbon was used by the host for respiration and growth, and any surplus was assumed to be lost from the symbiosis. The effects of elevated nitrate on the budget components were tested for both Porites porites and Montastrea annularis in a month-long laboratory experiment. Corals were grown in the photostat under oligotrophic seawater and under three concentrations of nitrate (1, 5 and 20 uM). The response was the same in both coral species, and similar to previous reports on the effects of elevated levels of ammonia. Under higher nitrate concentration (5 and 20 uM), corals had a higher rate of photosynthesis per surface area, and a higher zooxanthellae population density. The freshly isolated zooxanthellae had a higher nitrogen, protein and chlorophyll content per cell when corals were grown in enriched seawater than in oligotrophic seawater. This is further evidence that zooxanthellae in hospite in oligotrophic seawater are nitrogen limited. The amount of carbon fixed in photosynthesis and available for translocation to the host was found to increase with nitrate enrichment. Hence, the overall organic productivity of corals appeared to be enhanced by nitrate. In contrast, the growth rate of corals measured by buoyant weighing was significantly reduced by nitrate enrichment. The average growth rate of Porites porites decreased from 1.24 mg cm-2d-1 (control) to 0.68 mg cm-2d-1 (20 uM NO3), and that of Montastrea annularis decreased from 1.14 mg cm-2d-1 (control) to 0.51 mg cm-2d-1 (20 uM NO3). It was suggested that, under elevated nitrate, the increased carbon requirements of the higher zooxanthellae population density promoted carbon competition between zooxanthellae and calicoblastic cells. Since zooxanthellae are in the gastrodermal cells closer to the pool of dissolved inorganic carbon in seawater, they had a competitive advantage over the calicoblastic cells, and calcification was reduced. This was defined as the ?endogenous carbon limitation of calcification?. A similar experimental design was used to test the effects of phosphate enrichment on corals. Phosphate was added to oligotrophic water to give four treatments of 0, 0.2, 1 and 5 mM PO4. Overall, no significant change in the organic productivity of corals was measured. Phosphate enrichment resulted in a significant reduction of the daily calcification rate of Porites porites, but not of Montastrea annularis. In order to test if changes in water quality on the reef affected coral physiology, nubbins of Porites porites and explants of Montastrea annularis were grown for a month at three sites along a eutrophication gradient on the west coast of Barbados. The most oligotrophic site was the offshore one (OS) with low nutrient concentration and high light. The intermediate site (BRI) was characterised by higher nutrient concentration and high light. The most polluted site (SG) had both high nutrients and low light penetration. At the end of the exposure period corals of both species could be discriminated between sites on the basis of their physiological characteristics alone. Corals at OS showed some evidence of nitrogen limitation with a significantly lower zooxanthellae population density, lower nitrogen and chlorophyll content per zooxanthella, and lower photosynthetic efficiency than at the other sites. At BRI, corals attained significantly higher rates of gross photosynthesis and calcification, and their zooxanthellae contained significantly higher amounts of photosynthetic pigments. Corals at SG were characterised by a high zooxanthellae population density, high nitrogen and photosynthetic pigment content per cell, and relatively low primary productivity and calcification. Thus corals at each site were found to respond to both nutrient enrichment and irradiance levels in a combined manner. The use of discriminate function analysis was pivotal in identifying those physiological variables that are most sensitive to nutrient enrichment (?primary? characters), and those that are highly dependent on irradiance and only secondarily on nutrient levels (?secondary? characters). Photosynthetic pigments? concentration constituted ?primary? characters. These were found to increase with nutrient concentration (from OS to BRI), and remain high as environmental degradation brought about a decrease in irradiance (from BRI to SG). The rates of gross photosynthesis, respiration and calcification corresponded to ?secondary? characters. These were related to environmental degradation by a single-humped curve, increasing with nutrient enrichment and decreasing again as the reduction in light developed. Thus corals in the most oligotrophic site (OS) and the highly degraded site (SG) could not be separated on the basis of ?secondary? characters alone. Therefore in contrast to expectations, this study found that a reduction in the growth rate or in the organic productivity of corals per se cannot be taken to imply the presence of stress factors. The carbon budgets and the simple ratio of dayPgross/24hRc, were found to be entirely dependent on the rate of photosynthesis when corals from different nutrient environments were compared. This was the case because the budget expenditure components that were found to differ significantly between treatments (for example, zooxanthellae population density), were very small when compared to photosynthesis. Therefore, in relation to nutrient enrichment, carbon budgets and the ratio dayPgross/24hRc were included with photosynthesis among the ?secondary? characters. Among the physiological parameters measured in this study, the ?primary? characters and in particular the photosynthetic pigment content per surface area, were identified as the parameters with the highest potential for the development of a bio-assay to detect the onset of nutrient enrichment on coral reefs. Francesca Marubini Queen Mary & Westfield College Mile End Rd. - London E1 4NS - UK e-mail: f.marubini at qmw.ac.uk tel: UK-0171-9755555 x4781 fax: UK-0181-9830973 From banyanbay at btl.net Wed Feb 26 13:28:54 1997 From: banyanbay at btl.net (Seferino Paz) Date: Wed, 26 Feb 1997 12:28:54 -0600 Subject: Giant Barrel Sponge Message-ID: <01BC23E0.CCB6A6A0@port48.btl.net> Over the past six months, we have witness an outbreak of a bleaching disease that is affecting the Giant Barrel Sponge (Xentospongia muta). It takes about two weeks for the disease to completely kill the sponge. The bleaching usually starts from the bas e of the sponge and gradually works itself up, until the whole sponge is completely bleached out. Then the sponge just crumbles apart. We have notice this phenomenon of the reef off Ambergris Caye, Turneffe Islands, and Lighthouse Reef. We are not awar e if the disease is present on the reefs of Southern Belize and Glovers Reef, but suspect the situation to be the same. We would like to know if anyone has any information or similar observations. Mito Paz Green Reef San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye Belize, Central America e-mail: banyanbay at btl.net fax: (501) 26 3739 tel: (501) 26 2766 From rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk Thu Feb 20 00:49:26 1997 From: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk (Gregor Hodgson) Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 13:49:26 +0800 Subject: Coordination of GCRMN and Reef Check Message-ID: <330BE5E5.668C@usthk.ust.hk> Coordination of GCRMN and Reef Check There are several global and regional coral reef monitoring initiatives that have been started, and there is a need to coordinate them to avoid overlap and duplication of effort. The two largest programs are GCRMN and Reef Check. Both of these programs have the same overall objectives of measuring human impacts and natural variation in coral reef communities sufficiently to determine their status and trends. At this time, we would like to clarify the relationship between GCRMN and Reef Check. These two programs were designed to complement each other by dividing the available resources. GCRMN is presently best set up to work with governments and to make use of monitoring teams composed purely of scientists. Reef Check is best equipped to utilize monitoring teams composed of recreational divers, led by a marine scientist. Therefore, we would encourage all monitoring teams to register accordingly with the appropriate program -- scientific teams with GCRMN and recreational diver teams with Reef Check. Note that dual registration with both programs will also be accepted. Beyond 1997 and IYOR, the goal will be to merge these two programs. With your help, by the end of 1997, we will have an unprecedented synoptic view of the global health of coral reefs. Gregor Hodgson Clive Wilkinson Reef Check Coordinator Coordinator, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network From rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk Wed Feb 26 20:16:08 1997 From: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk (Gregor Hodgson) Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 09:16:08 +0800 Subject: Reef Check URL Correction Message-ID: <3314E058.54E4@usthk.ust.hk> There was an error in the URL given for the new Reef Check website. The correct URL for the new Website is: http://www.ust.hk/~webrc/reef.html Apologies for the missing "." Gregor Hodgson, PhD e-mail: rcgregor at usthk.ust.hk fax: (852) 2358-1582 tel: (852) 2358-8568 From eakin at ogp.noaa.gov Tue Feb 18 11:56:03 1997 From: eakin at ogp.noaa.gov (Mark Eakin) Date: 18 Feb 1997 11:56:03 U Subject: info request- global co Message-ID: Reply to: RE>>info request: global coral reef coverage Tim, In the paper that I presented in Panama, I present and discuss briefly some of the current estimates of reef area. Much of the information is from Joanie Kleypas. The paper is: CORAL REEF STATUS AROUND THE WORLD: WHERE ARE WE AND WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? C.M. Eakin, J.W. McManus, M.D. Spalding, S.C. Jameson. Proc. 8th Intl. Coral Reef Symposium, Panama. in press. It can be found on the WWW at: http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/misc/coral/8icrs/ The section of interest is: While the most widely cited estimate of the world's coral reef area is 617,000 km^2 (Smith 1978), others have calculated estimates as low as 230,000 km^2 (Spalding in press) and as high as 1,500,000 km^2 (Copper 1994; Kleypas pers. comm.) (Web Figure 1: Reef Area Estimates). Spalding suggests that reef area estimates are likely to span an order of magnitude based solely on the definition of reef that is used and results of modeling by Kleypas and others are strongly dependent upon parameterization. Cheers, Mark __________________________________________________________ C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D. NOAA/Global Programs, 1100 Wayne Ave., Suite 1210 Silver Spring, MD USA 20910-5603 Voice: 301-427-2089 ext. 19 Fax: 301-427-2073 Internet: eakin at ogp.noaa.gov From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Thu Feb 27 16:01:33 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 16:01:33 -0500 (EST) Subject: Coral Harvesting for Jewelry (fwd) Message-ID: >From marbio: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jim Culter Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 10:26:23 -0800 (PST) Subject: marbio: Re: Coral Harvesting for jewelry To Coral researchers: I recently had a question posed to me concerning the harvest of precious corals for jewelry. Can anyone tell me if this is still permitted in US waters. I know Hawaii used to have a big black/red/pink/orange coral business. Any comments are appreciated. Jim Culter jculter at mote.org Mote Marine Laboratory voice (941) 388-4441 1600 Thompson Parkway fax (941) 388-4312 Sarasota, FL 34236 MML is an independent not-for-profit marine/estuarine research and education laboratory. All opinions herein are my own (not MML policy) unless noted as otherwise. 1995 was the warmest year on record & world grain harvest was the smallest since 1988. FOR MORE ABOUT MML SEE: http://www.marinelab.sarasota.fl.us./RESEAR07.HTM (case sensitive) From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Thu Feb 27 15:56:02 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 15:56:02 -0500 (EST) Subject: Midway Atoll Summer Course Message-ID: This message, posted to marbio, may be of interest to some of you. Cheers, JCH ------------- From: Karla McDermid Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 14:32:50 -1000 Subject: marbio: Midway Atoll Summer Course The formal brochures have not been mailed out yet, nor are the summer school catalogs all printed, but here is a highlight from our University of Hawai'i at Hilo summer session in Marine Science course offerings: The Atoll Ecosystem (MARE 310) 3 credits Learn about atolls while on an atoll! Atolls are special ecosystems that consist of small islets and hundreds of thousands of acres of submerged reef and ocean. This two week course will be conducted entirely within the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, 1800 miles northwest of Hilo. Midway is home to over two million Laysan and Black-footed albatrosses, 14 other species of seabirds, as well as Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles, spinner dolphins, and countless fish and invertebrates. While on Midway, the formation, structure, distribution and oceanography of atolls will be studied in situ. Students will observe first-hand the marine and terrestrial biota of Midway Atoll while learning about the ecology of atolls. Human impacts on atoll environments and atoll resource management issues will be discussed. Students will learn through personal observation, lectures by UH Hilo faculty and US Fish and Wildlife Service biologists, fieldtrips, and primary sources from current scientific literature. This course requires a prior college-level biology or oceanography course, or the consent of the instructor. Dates: June 20 - July 4, 1997 Price: $2275 includes roundtrip airfare from Lihue, Kauai to Midway, bicycle use, room, 3 meals/day, and boat transporation for fieldtrips. Tuition, summer session fees and airfare to Kauai not included. Class size limited to 17 students. For more information contact: Karla McDermid or Walter Dudley Marine Science Dept. University of Hawai'i at Hilo 200 W. Kawili St. Hilo, HI 96720 808-974-7650/808-974-7629 From coral at aoml.noaa.gov Thu Feb 27 16:00:06 1997 From: coral at aoml.noaa.gov (Coral Health and Monitoring Program) Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 16:00:06 -0500 (EST) Subject: Adobe Acrobat Reader Message-ID: For those of you who would like to view: A Manual for Monitoring Coral Reefs with Indicator Species: Butterflyfishes as Indicators of Change on Indo-Pacific Reefs by Michael P. Crosby, Ph.D. and Ernst S. Reese, Ph.D. found at http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/themes/themes.html, but do not have an Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download one for free at: http://www.adobe.com Cheers, JCH From kudalaut at indo.net.id Sun Feb 23 12:38:21 1997 From: kudalaut at indo.net.id (Kuda Laut) Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 00:38:21 +0700 Subject: Software for multivariate analysis Message-ID: <199702231738.AAA09652@server.indo.net.id> Dear everybody, My apologies for cross-posting. Could anyone tell me if there is any good software (possibly working with MS Windows) to perform multivariate analysis (namely Principal Component Analysis and Factor Analysis) on sets of ecological data? Very important: do you know any www site where I can download that software? I write from a remote location (Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia) where I can have serious problems in finding a good software shop. Thanks in advance for your help Massimo Boyer * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Manado Seagarden Diving Centre * * Kuda Laut Project * * P.O. Box 1535 * * Manado 95001 * * North Sulawesi * * Indonesia * * Phone and fax: +62 431 861100 * * E mail: kudalaut at indo.net.id * * Internet site: http://www.wp.com/kudalaut * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * From Ut.VuNgoc at rug.ac.be Fri Feb 28 04:54:47 1997 From: Ut.VuNgoc at rug.ac.be (Ut Vu Ngoc) Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 10:54:47 +0100 (MET) Subject: No subject Message-ID: Dear everybody, I thank you very much for your cooperation in supplying me many recent useful informations. Unfortunately,I now too busy to read them, thus I would like to ask you to stop sending me messages for the coming times. Any way, I will try to manage my time and hopefully I will announce you latter when I need your help. Once again thank you very much. My best wishes. UT VUNGOC From mbm4 at mail.duke.edu Fri Feb 28 15:57:19 1997 From: mbm4 at mail.duke.edu (Mike Mascia) Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 15:57:19 -0500 (EST) Subject: Caribbean discussion group Message-ID: For those of you with an interest in the Caribbean specifically, here is some information regarding a Caribbean discussion group. ************************************************************************* I. Discussion Groups on the Internet: The Caribbean The term "Discussion Groups" refers to systems in which people post messages to an entire group; the message is delivered to each group member in his/her electronic mail. One such group is Caribb_Study. Caribb_Study is an open, unmoderated discussion group that is available to anyone who has an e-mail account. Caribb_Study is the "unofficial official" discussion group of the CSA, but it is open to anyone who is interested, from a scholarly perspective, in Caribbean Studies. TO JOIN the group: Send an electronic mail message to this address: Majordomo at listserv.bc.edu The message should say only the following Subscribe Caribb_Study You will soon receive an acknowledgment of your subscription. TO SEND a message to the group, post it to the following address Caribb_Study at Listserv.bc.edu The message will be distributed to all members. If you have any problems, contact the list manager at this address Malec at bcvms.bc.edu [As of February, 1997, Caribb_Study has about 75 subscribers.]