9ICRS debate on coral reefs and climate change
Reinhold Leinfelder
r.leinfelder at lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Wed Nov 8 02:58:16 EST 2000
I would agree with Nerilie Abram that sea level rise by itself is not=20
a danger for reef growth, provided reefs are not under stress by=20
other factors. Earth history shows that reefs grew preferentially=20
during sea level rise, since new accomodation space was created and=20
siliciclastic stress was filtered out by the development of coastal=20
swamps. Some might even go so far to say that the only way to protect=20
remote islands, say the Maldives, from floodings owing to sea level=20
rise are healthy reefs which can cope up with the rise and thus=20
protect the islands.
However, reefs already smothered by elevated nutrients, by clastic=20
stress, by temperature rise or by diseases will have a reduced=20
productivity and will not be able to compensate sea-level rise by=20
rapid growth.
Yet, there is probably is a dangerous link between sea-level rise and=20
increase of surface temperature. If rising sea level is accompanied=20
by a rise of temperatures, then carbonate productivity will probably=20
go down and reefs will again not grow rapidly enough to compensate=20
the rise.
Regards
Reinhold Leinfelder
At 11:46 Uhr +1100 07.11.2000, Nerilie Abram wrote:
>Dear Ove,
>
>We were presenters at the conference in Bali (A9: sea level and A17:=20
>proxy records) and we attended the debate that you hosted on coral=20
>reefs and climate change. We would like to thank you for organising=20
>the debate and would also like to follow up on the response to the=20
>question =93Does climate change represent a risk to coral reefs? If=20
>so, what are the three most worrying variables).
>
>The three most worrying variables were recorded during the debate as=20
>temperature rise, CO2 rise and sea level rise. We fully agree that=20
>temperature rise and CO2 rise are serious and potentially=20
>devastating threats to the future of coral reefs, however we firmly=20
>believe that sea level rise is not a threat to coral reefs.=20
>Geological evidence in fact suggests quite the opposite, and under=20
>the currently projected rates of future sea level rise coral reefs=20
>around the world should easily be able to keep pace with sea level=20
>rise and would most likely flourish in the new =93accommodation space=94=
=20
>provided for reef growth. An example can be observed on Heron=20
>Island, where the construction of a weir resulted in an artificial=20
>and immediate sea level rise on the order of metres and has been=20
>accompanied by a marked increase in coral reef growth. Of course,=20
>given the stresses on reefs by other factors their ability to=20
>respond to rising sea level may not be as great as that preserved in=20
>the geological record, however it is these other factors which need=20
>to be addressed as the threats to the future of coral reefs and not=20
>sea level rise. During the debate the aspect of the future of island=20
>nations was used as reason to keep sea level rise on the list of=20
>worrying variables. The vulnerability of many nations to sea level=20
>rise is undisputable and a very serious concern in climate change=20
>debates, however the question being dealt with in this debate is the=20
>threats to coral reefs. Our fear is that if a statement is sent out=20
>from the scientists of the 9ICRS saying that sea level rise is a=20
>threat to the future of coral reefs then this will undermine the=20
>scientific merit of the rest of the statement and may threaten what=20
>this debate was meant to achieve: a call to action to help save the=20
>coral reefs of the world.
>
>We would like to suggest that sea level rise be replace with =93other=20
>anthropogenic stresses=94 and that this include factors such as=20
>over-exploitation, land use practises, pollution and even global=20
>population growth. Not only do we believe that these factors are a=20
>much more serious and immediate threat to the future of coral reefs=20
>than sea level rise, but this also provides a number of management=20
>avenues which are not available with the list as it currently=20
>stands. Temperature rise, CO2 rise (and also sea level rise) are=20
>issues which need to be dealt with globally and over very long time=20
>frames. Many anthropogenic stresses can be dealt with locally and=20
>have solutions which can be implemented in relatively short periods=20
>of time. We would like to suggest that the statement that is given=20
>by the scientists from 9ICRS lists the three most worrying risks to=20
>corals reefs as 1) temperature rise, 2) CO2 rise and 3) other=20
>anthropogenic stresses, and that it highlights the need for both=20
>local and global action over a range of time scales from immediate=20
>to long term.
>
>We would also like to follow up on the suggestion that the questions=20
>dealt with at the debate should be posted on the coral list. We=20
>think that this is an excellent idea and would allow for a broader=20
>cross section of scientists to contribute valuable ideas and=20
>perspectives to this important statement. Thank you again for=20
>organising the debate and I hope that it will result in strong=20
>statement which inspires people throughout the world to help to=20
>preserve the world=92s coral reefs.
>
>Sincerely
>Nerilie Abram and Helen McGregor=20
>
>*************************************************
>PhD research students
>Research School of Earth Sciences
>The Australian National University
>Canberra 0200 Australia
>
>Ph=09+61 2 6249 5177
>Ph=09+61 2 6249 3407
>Fax=09+61 2 6249 3683
>
>nerilie.abram at anu.edu.au
>helen.mcgregor at anu.edu.au
--=20
********************************************
Reinhold Leinfelder
Universitaetsinstitut und Bayerische Staatssammlung fuer=20
Palaeontologie und Historische Geologie, Palaeontologisches Museum
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10
D-80333 Muenchen
Germany
e-mail: r.leinfelder at lrz.uni-muenchen.de
phone: ++49-89-2180-6630
fax: ++49-89-2180-6601
Geobiology Munich Web Services
Geobiology/Palaeontology Munich: http://www.palaeontologie.geo.uni-muenchen=
=2Ede
The (Palaeo-)Environment Information Server, Munich:=20
http://www.palaeo.de/palaeo.html
Reef Group Munich: http://www.palaeo.de/reefgroup
Reef resources and reef information for everybody: http://www.riffe.de
Dive into the Jurassic Reef Park! http://www.palaeo.de/edu/JRP
Virtual University: http://www.palaeo.de/edu
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<html><head><style type=3D"text/css"><!--
blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li { margin-top: 0 ; margin-bottom: 0 }
--></style><title>Re: 9ICRS debate on coral reefs and climate
change</title></head><body>
<div>I would agree with Nerilie Abram that sea level rise by itself is
not a danger for reef growth, provided reefs are not under stress by
other factors. Earth history shows that reefs grew
preferentially during sea level rise, since new accomodation space
was created and siliciclastic stress was filtered out by the
development of coastal swamps. Some might even go so far to say that
the only way to protect remote islands, say the Maldives, from
floodings owing to sea level rise are healthy reefs which can cope up
with the rise and thus protect the islands.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>However, reefs already smothered by elevated nutrients, by
clastic stress, by temperature rise or by diseases will have a
reduced productivity and will not be able to compensate sea-level
rise by rapid growth.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Yet, there is probably is a dangerous link between sea-level
rise and increase of surface temperature. If rising sea level is
accompanied by a rise of temperatures, then carbonate productivity
will probably go down and reefs will again not grow rapidly enough to
compensate the rise.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Regards</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Reinhold Leinfelder</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>At 11:46 Uhr +1100 07.11.2000, Nerilie Abram wrote:</div>
<blockquote type=3D"cite" cite>Dear Ove,<br>
<br>
We were presenters at the conference in Bali (A9: sea level and A17:
proxy records) and we attended the debate that you hosted on coral
reefs and climate change. We would like to thank you for organising
the debate and would also like to follow up on the response to the
question =93Does climate change represent a risk to coral reefs? If
so, what are the three most worrying variables).<br>
<br>
The three most worrying variables were recorded during the debate as
temperature rise, CO<font size=3D"-2">2</font> rise and sea level rise.
We fully agree that temperature rise and CO<font size=3D"-2">2</font>
rise are serious and potentially devastating threats to the future of
coral reefs, however we firmly believe that sea level rise is not a
threat to coral reefs. Geological evidence in fact suggests quite the
opposite, and under the currently projected rates of future sea level
rise coral reefs around the world should easily be able to keep pace
with sea level rise and would most likely flourish in the new
=93accommodation space=94 provided for reef growth. An example can be
observed on Heron Island, where the construction of a weir resulted
in an artificial and immediate sea level rise on the order of metres
and has been accompanied by a marked increase in coral reef growth.
Of course, given the stresses on reefs by other factors their ability
to respond to rising sea level may not be as great as that preserved
in the geological record, however it is these other factors which
need to be addressed as the threats to the future of coral reefs and
not sea level rise. During the debate the aspect of the future of
island nations was used as reason to keep sea level rise on the list
of worrying variables. The vulnerability of many nations to sea level
rise is undisputable and a very serious concern in climate change
debates, however the question being dealt with in this debate is the
threats to coral reefs. Our fear is that if a statement is sent out
from the scientists of the 9ICRS saying that sea level rise is a
threat to the future of coral reefs then this will undermine the
scientific merit of the rest of the statement and may threaten what
this debate was meant to achieve: a call to action to help save the
coral reefs of the world.<br>
<br>
We would like to suggest that sea level rise be replace with =93other
anthropogenic stresses=94 and that this include factors such as
over-exploitation, land use practises, pollution and even global
population growth. Not only do we believe that these factors are a
much more serious and immediate threat to the future of coral reefs
than sea level rise, but this also provides a number of management
avenues which are not available with the list as it currently stands.
Temperature rise, CO<font size=3D"-2">2</font> rise (and also sea level
rise) are issues which need to be dealt with globally and over very
long time frames. Many anthropogenic stresses can be dealt with
locally and have solutions which can be implemented in relatively
short periods of time. We would like to suggest that the statement
that is given by the scientists from 9ICRS lists the three most
worrying risks to corals reefs as 1) temperature rise, 2) CO<font
size=3D"-2">2</font> rise and 3) other anthropogenic stresses, and that
it highlights the need for both local and global action over a range
of time scales from immediate to long term.</blockquote>
<blockquote type=3D"cite" cite><br>
We would also like to follow up on the suggestion that the questions
dealt with at the debate should be posted on the coral list. We think
that this is an excellent idea and would allow for a broader cross
section of scientists to contribute valuable ideas and perspectives
to this important statement. Thank you again for organising the
debate and I hope that it will result in strong statement which
inspires people throughout the world to help to preserve the
world=92s coral reefs.<br>
<br>
Sincerely<br>
Nerilie Abram and Helen McGregor <br>
<br>
*****************************************<span
></span>********<br>
PhD research students<br>
Research School of Earth Sciences<br>
The Australian National University<br>
Canberra 0200 Australia<br>
<br>
Ph<x-tab> </x-tab>+61 2 6249 5177<x-tab> </x-tab><br>
Ph<x-tab> </x-tab>+61 2 6249 3407<br>
Fax<x-tab> </x-tab>+61 2 6249 3683<br>
<br>
<font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>nerilie.abram at anu.edu.au<br>
helen.mcgregor at anu.edu.au</u></font></blockquote>
<div><br></div>
<div>-- <br>
*****************************************<span
></span>***<br>
<br>
Reinhold
Leinfelder <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> <br>
Universitaetsinstitut und Bayerische Staatssammlung fuer
Palaeontologie und Historische Geologie, Palaeontologisches
Museum <span
></span> <br>
Richard-Wagner-Str.
10 <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span
> <span
></span> <br>
D-80333 Muenchen<br>
Germany<br>
e-mail: r.leinfelder at lrz.uni-muenchen.de<br>
<br>
phone: ++49-89-2180-6630<br>
fax: ++49-89-2180-6601<br>
<br>
Geobiology Munich Web Services<br>
Geobiology/Palaeontology Munich:
http://www.palaeontologie.geo.uni-muenche<span
></span>n.de<br>
The (Palaeo-)Environment Information Server, Munich:
http://www.palaeo.de/palaeo.html<br>
Reef Group Munich: http://www.palaeo.de/reefgroup<br>
Reef resources and reef information for everybody:
http://www.riffe.de<br>
Dive into the Jurassic Reef Park!
http://www.palaeo.de/edu/JRP<br>
Virtual University: http://www.palaeo.de/edu</div>
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