From abigailyacl at yahoo.com Thu Aug 1 03:06:51 2002 From: abigailyacl at yahoo.com (Abigail Moore) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 08:06:51 +0100 (BST) Subject: Porites - coral as building material Message-ID: Dear Michael and other coral-listers I only replied swiftly to Ron with a very brief input in order to provoke comments! I would like to add input to your reply, and see what other people have to say. In paticular I would like to invite members who have experience with or contructive thoughts about the problem of the use of corals as building materials and related matters to contribute their thoughts to this list. 1. SCALE and SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM: ?Surely the wharf- and sea-wall building activities of the Bugis and Badjo have already cleared more corals from those shores than could possibly be used in septic tanks...? True, the activities of the Bugis and Bajo, plus many other ethnic groups and a number of government projects have indeed used much coral for building purposes ? and thereby degraded or destroyed vast areas of reef. Indeed, the volume used is probably much greater than that used for sceptic tanks. However, the fact that much coral has already been destroyed is not really a reason for being ?blas?? about current and future destruction ? or is it? And are large-scale destructions a reason for ignoring other, smaller impacts? If we look at it this way, we should only concentrate on, say, bombing and allow all other destructive practices to go on unchecked. Conditions now are such that any extra pressure could be ?the straw that breaks the camel?s back? for corals in a particular area, if not world-wide. In areas where public health campaigns focus on sanitation, or re-building is in progress, amounts used only for this purpose can be significant in relation to the remaining living coral reef area. If the corals taken (usually at the same time) for foundations are added to those used in the sceptic tanks, in some locations we are talking about amounts definitely capable of significant impact. I feel we should widen this issue to the use of coral as a building material more widely, an area which is often given little attention in comparison say to destructive fishing, but is often very significant locally. 2. TECHNICAL ASPECTS: ?Porites is the most "porous" of the Scleractinians, hence its name. It would make superbly absorbent tank-linings: but the stuff is going to leach right through. Because the septic waste itself will leach right through a Porites wall/lining, there will be all sorts of public health implications. It will be an educational problem, but: light-aggregate (coral rubble) concrete tanks make excellent holding vessels?.. I agree that this is a problem, but the reefs of Sulawesi face larger challenges than being used as septic tank materials-most of them receive the same material, in somewhat more dilute form, whilst still alive...check out the extent of damage of the raw sewage plume from Manado.? Actually I am not at all sure all coral used is porites, people here take whatever there is! However, this technical information is most interesting, and it points out that the very reason people like the stuff is the reason why it is NOT suitable! I am not a sceptic tank engineer, nor are the people using the stuff. They only know that they want ?modern? faciltities and do not want over-flowing tanks. Generally there are no sceptic tank emptying services, so that when a tank is full, people will build another if there is avaialable land. Main drains and waste collection are still a ?pipe dream?, litterally! No-one I have seen uses concrete, as it does indeed ?hold? the waste, which is just what no-one wants! I have to say I thought that the sewage would probably ferment and leach out in at least ?semi-treated? form, but maybe we do need specialist information on what really happens.. and what impacts it has for health and nutrification etc. I would imagine that even leaky sceptic tanks are likely to provide more of a buffer than the prevalent discharge of raw sewage, not just in Manado! But at what cost to the reef? If people could be persuaded that tanks should ?hold?, is use of coral rubble as an aggregate a good idea? For sure, there is plenty available, but is it a good idea to have people collect it, or will this also increase the often already serious coastal abrasion problems? I don?t know the answers. 3. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT: ?It is against the law, throughout Indonesia, to collect live corals for this or any other purpose-so there is an enforcement problem?. Too right, I agree! What can we do about it? There are so many ?good? laws to protect the environment, but so little enforcement. Few people are aware of the actual law, even fewer have any idea why there is a law, and most who are aware know that ?the law is for sale?, usually quite cheaply compared to the costs of legal alternatives. That goes for most ilegal activities, not just ?coral mining?. No one guards the sea. Coral is there for the taking, all you nened is a crowbar and small sampan canoe, and safe. If people want to take from a quarry on land, they will have to get permission and pay, plus delivery can be a problem. In some cases conflicts (eg Poso) even make access to quarries life-threatening for coastal people. Most often those in a position to prevent or at least discourage such activities ?turn a blind eye?, afraid of being seen as ?anti-development?, even if in some cases they are ?aware?. VERY few people at any level actually know that coral, especially massive coral, is alive - to them it is a rock like any other. So to them, what is the problem? Only afterwards they find out about abrasion, loss of fisheries etc. Both are very real problems in parts of the Bay of Palu area for example, in some locations largely due to coral mining, a not-insignificant portion for sceptic tanks for houses in and around the city. Now, the use of corals in building may be relatively minor overall compared to some issues, but is of real significance in certain areas, and is likely to continue to increase in scale as people?s expectations rise. Not just for sceptic tanks, but as more and more people transfer from wooden to more permanent structures, coral, however illegal, is actually increasingly used. So, should we be working on the authorities to enforce the rules they make, or building ?awareness? in the minds and hearts of coastal people (village and city dwellers), or both? What information and advice should we be giving them? OK, we need enforcement. And awareness. Both to back-up lobbying for enforcement, and in the meanwhile to attempt to influence the users, for each use we need to know answers to at leat two questions: why not (from their viewpoint ? not the legal one)? and what can be (realistically) substituted? Best regards Abigail Abigail Moore MSc Yayasan Adi Citra Lestari Palu, Central Sulawesi __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From ctwiliams at yahoo.com Thu Aug 1 03:38:10 2002 From: ctwiliams at yahoo.com (Tom Williams) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 00:38:10 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Porites - coral as building material Message-ID: To All Having read alot about septic tanks and sceptic tanks I would like to note that the use of septic tanks - no matter whether with or without porites or any other coral, brick or concrete depends on leaching of the effluent into the groundwater table and requires distance between water wells and leach field in order to filter out the bad things..which will be done in most island areas...the leachate being rich in nitrates will eventually get to the shore - and white sands may turn green and black. Pit Privy in coralline sand are as useful as septic tanks - but in dense urban areas without groundwater uses septic tank are common. Uses of coral also include burning the coral for lime for plaster work in buildings. Tom Williams Dubai __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From wallison at dhivehinet.net.mv Thu Aug 1 03:49:15 2002 From: wallison at dhivehinet.net.mv (William Allison) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 12:49:15 +0500 Subject: Use of massive Porites Message-ID: Illustrating Mike's Porites porosity point, slabs of Porites were the preferred material for constructing well liners in some parts of Maldives. William (Bill) Allison Coral Reef Research and Management Rangas, Violet Magu Male Maldives (960) 32 9667 wallison at dhivehinet.net.mv ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Risk To: Abigail Moore Cc: Ron Devine Vave ; coral list Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 7:58 AM Subject: Re: Use of massive Porites > I have already replied privately to Ron; your wider inquiry prompts this > response. > > Surely the wharf- and sea-wall building activities of the Bugis and Badjo > have already cleared more corals from those shores than could possibly be > used in septic tanks... > > 1. Porites is the most "porous" of the Scleractinians, hence its name. It > would make superbly absorbent tank-linings: but the stuff is going to > leach right through. > > 2. It is against the law, throughout Indonesia, to collect live corals for > this or any other purpose-so there is an enforcement problem. > > 3. because the septic waste itself will leach right through a Porites > wall/lining, there will be all sorts of public health implications. It > will be an educational problem, but: light-aggregate (coral rubble) > concrete tanks make excellent holding vessels. > > I agree that this is a problem, but the reefs of Sulawesi face larger > challenges than being used as septic tank materials-most of them receive > the same material, in somewhat more dilute form, whilst still > alive...check out the extent of damage of the raw sewage plume from > Manado. > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From rkarlson at UDel.Edu Thu Aug 1 09:24:41 2002 From: rkarlson at UDel.Edu (Ron Karlson) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 09:24:41 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Dynamics of Coral Communities Message-ID: I am posting this information because Kluwer has given an August 30th deadline for responses to their offer to publish a paperback edition of my book, Dynamics of Coral Communities. They are offering an 80% discount! Ron Karlson ........................................................................... Now in Paperback: Dynamics of Coral Communities Order your copy now at the special pre-publication price: US dollars 29.95 per copy Dynamics of Coral Communities by Ronald H. Karlson, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, U.S.A. This book focuses on the dynamical processes influencing the structure of coral communities, some of the most biologically diverse communities on earth. A variety of biological and physical processes operating across an enormous range of spatiotemporal scales are highlighted (e.g., niche partitioning, biological interactions, disturbance phenomena, large-scale tectonic, eustatic, climatic, and oceanographic processes). The focus on the community provides a framework for presenting some of the best examples from the literature using multiple taxonomic groups (e.g., corals, fishes, encrusting invertebrates). The theoretical background and relevant evidence is provided for several important processes: the influence of keystone species on community stability, ecological succession, interspecific competition, consumer-resource interactions, disturbance-mediated species coexistence, saturation, limited membership, and regional enrichment. The merits of integrating the local perspective, emphasizing niche theory and biological interactions, with a larger historical-geographical perspective are discusses for coral communities in a biogeographical context. Table of Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Diversity. 3. Stability. 4. Succession. 5. Interspecific competition. 6. Consumer-resource interactions. 7. Disturbance. 8. Large-scale perspectives. 9. Integration across scales. Kluwer Academic Publishers would like to give you the opportunity to order this book at a special pre-publication price of US dollars $29.95 / Euro 32.50 (excluding tax and shipping costs). Please note the paperback will only be published with enough interest. Please return this order form before 31 August 2002 if you wish to order this book against the low introduction price. Information on other related books can be found through Kluwer Academic Publishers' homepage at the following URL: www.wkap.nl PRE-PUBLICATION ORDER FORM Please send me ___ paperback copy(ies) of "Dynamics of Coral Communities", by Ronald H. Karlson. Paperback US dollars $ 29.95 / Euro 32.50 excluding tax (see below) and shipping costs (approx. Euro 6.00). Please return this form before 31 August 2002. Offer expires on 31 August 2002. Please note the paperback will only be published with enough interest. 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For queries please contact the Publishing Editor Suzanne Mekking Suzanne.mekking at wkap.nl Information on other related books can be found through Kluwer Academic Publishers' homepage on the Internet at the following URL: www.wkap.nl Payment will be accepted in any convertible currency. Please check the rate of exchange with your bank. Prices are subject to change without notice. All prices are exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT). Customers in The Netherlands please add 6% VAT. Customers from other countries in the European Community please: * Fill in the VAT number of your institute/company in the appropriate space on the order form; or * Add 6% VAT to the total order amount (customers from the U.K. are not charged VAT). U.S. Dollar prices apply to deliveries in the USA, Canada and Mexico only. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From riskmj at mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca Thu Aug 1 10:12:11 2002 From: riskmj at mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca (Michael Risk) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 10:12:11 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Porites - coral as building material Message-ID: I think the responses to date have pointed up two aspects: -there is a need for local education, and -there is a large amount of ignorance as to what really happens with human waste. My original posting was NOT in any way intended to imply that we should ignore the use of corals in septic tanks. I do believe, however, that "we" (coral reef scientists) need to prioritize impacts, otherwise we will be ineffective. There is a lot of that going on right now, as "managers" tend to blame global change for what clearly are local impacts. (The fecal bacteria findings in Florida are good examples.) BTW: a septic system includes an effective leach field. Reading between the lines of your posting, it is apparent that you are really dealing with latrines, with hunks of coral chucked down them...argh...So here I urge a set of priorities: it will be less damaging to the reef to use coarse rubble than live coral. The other take-home message is that, at the local level, laws are usually ineffective. We should push for policy that combines lots of carrots and a few sticks. $10 subsidy for lining septic tanks with rubble-double that for a leach field. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From k.cheney at uea.ac.uk Thu Aug 1 10:36:24 2002 From: k.cheney at uea.ac.uk (Karen Cheney) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 15:36:24 +0100 Subject: Fish behaviour on artificial reefs Message-ID: Dear Coral-listers, In the literature there appears to be numerous examples of differences in fish composition between artificial reefs and natural reefs. However, I have also noticed behavioural differences in reef fish, especially in the reproductive activities and egg predation rates in damselfish spawning on wrecks. I was wondering whether anyone knows of other examples of differences in fish behaviour on artificial reefs compared to natural reefs, either in the literature or from personal observations, Any information would be grateful, Please reply to me directly (k.cheney at uea.ac.uk) Regards Karen Cheney ******************************************** Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich, UK NR4 7TJ ******************************************* ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From vargasb at nova.edu Thu Aug 1 17:13:29 2002 From: vargasb at nova.edu (Bernardo Vargas-Angel) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 17:13:29 -0400 Subject: Coral Spawning in Broward Co. USA Message-ID: For those following the coral spawning season in the Caribbean, we have tissue samples indicating that Acropora cerviornis spawned last night here in Broward County, Florida, USA. Best, Bernardo ======================== Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Ph.D. Research Scientist National Coral Reef Institute NSU Oceanographic Center 8000 N. Ocean Drive Dania Beach, FL 33004 Phone: (954) 262-3677 Fax: (954) 262-4027 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From jim.hendee at noaa.gov Thu Aug 1 22:14:21 2002 From: jim.hendee at noaa.gov (Jim Hendee) Date: Thu, 01 Aug 2002 22:14:21 -0400 Subject: spawning archives Message-ID: Greetings, Coral-Listers, I'm afraid I haven't kept up with our coral spawning archives on the CHAMP Page, but I intend to catch up shortly. Since spawning season is upon us, it might be helpful if any of you out there witnessing spawning this year could report it to coral-list so that we can all get some feedback on expected and observed spawns. This will help us to see any changes over the years, and any possible correlation with environmental changes. Thanks for your support. Cheers, Jim coral-list admin ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From flinncurren at yahoo.com Thu Aug 1 23:04:19 2002 From: flinncurren at yahoo.com (Flinn Curren) Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 20:04:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: American Samoa CRI Coordinator Position Available Message-ID: Note:Please send responses to this announcement to beeching at blueskynet.as Vacancy: American Samoan Coral Reef Advisory Group (CRAG) Coordinator General Description: CRAG, the Coral Reef Advisory Group to the Governor, comprises 5 agencies in American Samoa, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR), Department of Commerce (DOC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Parks Service (NPS), and the American Samoan Community College (ASCC). As its title suggests, the primary role of the group is to provide specialized informed advice to the Governor of Samoa and his government. However the role of the group has expanded somewhat, and it currently prioritises projects for funding under Coral Reef Initiative Grants. The CRAG coordinator post was established to assist in the administration of the group, to coordinate the various programs and projects developed by CRAG and to play an active role in managing selected projects. A major initiative in American Samoa is the development of Marine Protected Areas, to meet President Clintons Executive Order requiring the establishment of MPA?s in 20% of all US coral reef areas. This position is located in the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) and the employee will report to the CRAG, with the DMWR Chief Biologist as supervisor. Duties and Responsibilities The duties and responsibilities of this position are: 1. To become familiar with, and administer and coordinate, as appropriate, CRI funded projects in American Samoa as well as others that are critical to coral reef protection. Projects will be tracked to ensure timeliness, adherence to project goals and technical soundness. 2. To coordinate and organize the process of funding proposals in terms of identifying available funds, evaluating existing and new projects, and compiling these into coherent final proposals. The CRI coordinator is also responsible for ensuring that semi-annual reporting requirements to funding bodies in the US are met. 3. To provide written and verbal feedback on a periodic basis to CRAG on the progress of CRI projects, mandates, new initiatives etc. Meetings will be called to allow for this feedback and to discuss other relevant activities and issues. 4. Become and remain familiar with the activities of the US and International Coral Reef Initiatives. 5. Inform and advise CRAG on the activities of the CRI that will affect them, that require action, and that can be of benefit to them. This includes identifying new funding sources. 6. To implement MPA development plans in a program developed from the A.S. Marine Protected Areas workshop. 7. To manage individual projects as assigned by CRAG. In 2002/3 these are likely to include, i) seeking proposals from contractors for the design of the territory?s first marine laboratory, ii) coordinating the ReefCheck global reef monitoring program locally, iii) organizing an award program for an annual series of grants to selected local schools for the marine science projects and, iv) organizing the visit of a bio-statistician to the territory. 8. Other duties as assigned by the Chief Biologist. The CRAG coordinator will devote an estimated 30% of his/her time to CRAG administration and 70% of his/her time to MPA programs Qualifications This position requires an individual with a minimum of a Masters Degree in biological science with an emphasis on fisheries, marine science or oceanography. It is preferred that the person?s background include tropical ecosystems and particularly, coral reefs. Previous administration experience would also be preferable. Candidates must be well organized, and have excellent communication skills in English. Preference will be given to applicants from the USA and/or within the Pacific Rim Salary $30,000 p.a. Two-year contract, renewable by mutual consent. Travel expenses and shipment of effects. Annual and sick leave accumulate at 8 hours and 4 hours respectively every fortnight pay period. Subsidized housing (80% subsidy) on rental of a government house. Subsidized medical care. Application Deadline for applications: 1 September 2002 Mail, fax or email c.v. publication list, contact details for 3 references and a covering letter addressing the qualifications and responsibilities indicated above. The Director, Ray Tulafono, Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, PO Box 3730,Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799, USA. Fax: (684) 633-5944 Email applications may be routed via Tony Beeching at: beeching at blueskynet.as __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From zocraig at hotmail.com Fri Aug 2 11:22:09 2002 From: zocraig at hotmail.com (alphonso craig) Date: Fri, 02 Aug 2002 11:22:09 -0400 Subject: No subject Message-ID: Hello my name is Alphonso Craig and I am doing research on Coral Reef Injury assessment methods. I was wondering if you knew of any articles, books or other information on the methodology used in coral reef injury assessment or any standard protocol that is used in assessing coral reef injury. Any sources you can provide would be an enormous help. I look forward to your response. Thanks a bunch. Alphonso ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: Click Here ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Sean.Corson at noaa.gov Fri Aug 2 17:06:44 2002 From: Sean.Corson at noaa.gov (Sean Corson) Date: Fri, 02 Aug 2002 11:06:44 -1000 Subject: Anchors Message-ID: I am working on determining the impacts of anchor and fishing weight damage in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. I am specifically looking for a simple computer model that could provide probability of impact based on a known density and distribution of sessile organisms, and a known amount of anchor and weight "drops". Any suggestions? Thanks, Sean ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From jmcmanus at rsmas.miami.edu Mon Aug 5 12:56:26 2002 From: jmcmanus at rsmas.miami.edu (John McManus) Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 12:56:26 -0400 Subject: Anchors Message-ID: There was a little work on anchor damage estimation in: McManus, J.W., Na?ola, C.L., and Reyes, R.B. 1997. Effects of some destructive fishing methods on coral cover and potential rates of recovery. Environmental Management. 21(1): 69-78. Perhaps you could plug the tables and short formulas there back into a spreadsheet and adjust the estimated variables to your situation. Cheers! John _________________________________________________________ John W. McManus, PhD Director, National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida 33149. jmcmanus at rsmas.miami.edu Tel. (305) 361-4814 Fax (305) 361-4910 www.ncoremiami.org -----Original Message----- From: owner-coral-list at aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list at aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Sean Corson Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 5:07 PM To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Anchors I am working on determining the impacts of anchor and fishing weight damage in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. I am specifically looking for a simple computer model that could provide probability of impact based on a known density and distribution of sessile organisms, and a known amount of anchor and weight "drops". Any suggestions? Thanks, Sean ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Prezelin at aol.com Mon Aug 5 13:37:00 2002 From: Prezelin at aol.com (Prezelin at aol.com) Date: Mon, 5 Aug 2002 13:37:00 EDT Subject: TELEVISION SERIES ON CORAL REEFS Message-ID: Santa Barbara July 31, 2002 Hello everyone, My name is Louis Prezelin. I have had the privilege of spending many years documenting the undersea world with the Cousteau expeditions and work on programs with National Geographic, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel and others. I am presently involved in the writing of a proposal for a series of one hours television specials on the subject of coral reefs of the world. Considering the number of shows produced on this subject, I am focusing on innovative angles to this broad topic, such as: - Human stories illustrating the interaction of humans and reefs throughout the world in the past and present time. This includes the good, the bad and the ugly. I wish to inspire but also offer striking reality checks. - Research programs with a potential for an attractive visual story such as extraordinary behaviors and aspects of the reef ecosystem which have not yet been documented on television. - Reef studies pushing the conventional envelop and including the use of exotic undersea devices such as subs, ROVs or other intriguing "toys". - ??? Anything else which, in your opinion, would make a good story for the general public! I look forward to your thoughts on creative reef stories. I also welcome the opportunity to discuss featuring you or your work as part of this series which will offer significant opportunity for exposure. Thank you for your interest. Cordially, Louis Prezelin Director PACIFIC VISIONS INC. Phone/fax: 805 966 9819 From Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov Wed Aug 7 16:49:09 2002 From: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov (Alan E Strong) Date: Wed, 07 Aug 2002 16:49:09 -0400 Subject: Midway Island NOTICE - Bleaching? Message-ID: >From this week's SSTs it appears that Midway has seen some rather significantly high values: 28.3 C at the moment. http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html Since this exceeds our bleaching threshold of 27.9C, thermal stress is accumulating that might lead to a bleaching event. What appears most significant is that over the last 17 years this appears to be a record high SST for this early in the season: http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/sub/sst_series_midway_cur.html and http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/sub/sst_series_midwaypath.html Only twice before, in our records, have we seen these extreme levels during the summer, 1987 and 19888 - but those events occurred in late-August! Hopefully, surface winds will increase and keep conditions mixed: http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/icg/midw0wind.htm Anyone with in-situ observations please advise us/and or ReefBase: http://www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp Cheers, Al -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch - Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad From Mark.Vermeij at noaa.gov Wed Aug 7 19:11:18 2002 From: Mark.Vermeij at noaa.gov (Mark Vermeij) Date: Wed, 07 Aug 2002 19:11:18 -0400 Subject: spawning Southern Caribbean Message-ID: Dear all, Recently I got more then a few requests regarding the dates for coral spawning on Curacao (12N69W). Based on the previous five years the predicted dates and times are as follows: Acropora palmata: September 25-26 between 21h15 and 21h45 Acropora cervicornis: September 25-26 between 21h00 and 21h00 Diploria strigosa: September 28 around 20h45 Montastraea cavernosa: September 26-27 between 21h30 and 22h30 October 26-27 between 21h30 and 22h30 Montastraea annularis complex: September 27-28 between 21h30 and 22h30 October 27-28 between 21h30 and 22h30 Eusmilia fastigiata: eggs are visible in tentacles throughout late September and October Larval release occurs September 27-29 between 21h15 and 22h30 and October 27-29 between 21h15 and 22h30 Madracis senaria: Larval release: September 29 -30 and October 29-30 at an unknown time Agaricia humilis and A. agaricites: These corals are already "busy" and release planulae during most part of the year. You might be lucky to see a few small orange "balls" being released. Stephanocoenia michelini: October 25-29 between 21h00 and 22h00, these colonies are hermaphroditic which is quite a spectacular sight: one part releasing sperm, the other eggs. What else to expect? Ophiuridae can spawn in early evening (around 20h00), Diadema, Hermodice and Holothuridae during the day, some gorgonians release planulae in the early evening (around 19h00). Neofibrularia during the day from 24-26 September and same dates for October. Please keep in mind that these dates are expectations. Have fun! Mark -- Dr. Mark Vermeij Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Science Center 75 Virginia Beach Dr, Miami, FL 33149 USA Tel: +1 305-361-4230, Fax: +1 305-361-4562 E-mail: Mark.Vermeij at noaa.gov http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/cimas/ http://www.noaa.gov From Roger.B.Griffis at noaa.gov Thu Aug 8 21:55:01 2002 From: Roger.B.Griffis at noaa.gov (Roger B Griffis) Date: Thu, 08 Aug 2002 21:55:01 -0400 Subject: Announcement: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting October 2-3, 2002 Message-ID: Preliminary Announcement - Meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task Force October 2-3, 2003 The United States Coral Reef Task Force will meet October 2-3, 2002 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The meeting is open to the public and opportunity for public comment will be provided. Additional information on agenda, location etc will be available on or before September 1 on the Task Force web site http://coralreef.gov/ or from roger.b.griffis at noaa.gov. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Roger B. Griffis Policy Advisor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Roger B. Griffis Policy Advisor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA/NOS/ORR Rm 10116 1305 East West Highway Pager: 877-632-5370 Silver Spring Fax: 301-713-4389 MD Work: 301-713-2989 x 115 20910 USA Additional Information: Last Name Griffis First Name Roger Version 2.1 From carib at seas.marine.usf.edu Sat Aug 10 10:03:09 2002 From: carib at seas.marine.usf.edu (Frank Muller-Karger) Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 10:03:09 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Ocean Policy and Re: Announcement: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting October 2-3, 2002 Message-ID: Dear Roger et al.: As you know, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy has been meeting around the country over the past 9 months collecting input from the public, academia, industry, and government on issues that need to be considered in updating our country's ocean policy. We have had meetings in Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii, and the Gulf area, and have heard substantial testimony on tropical coral reef issues from these areas and from representatives from the Virgin Islands and Guam, and from many public speakers. An important objective of this public Commission is to study direct recommendations for policy options in the process in drafting the report due to the President and Congress in the first half of 2003. To date, we have had very few explicit, direct, concrete recommendations for policy directions for the Federal Government on the wide range of issues that affect or are related to coral reefs. As a member of the Commission's Stewardship Working Group, I would like to request that the Coral Reef Task Force provide the Commission with a list of specific policy recommendations that we should consider in developing policy regarding coral reef environments. The more specific the recommendations, the better and more valuable to the Commission they will be. The Stewardship Working Group will be working with the other working groups in defining policy recommendations, including in areas relevant to "governance", "research, education, monitoring, and operations", and "investment and implementation", which are the focus of the other working groups of the Commission with those names. As you know, background on our goals and mandate, background on Commissioners, and copies of testimony submitted to the Commission to date may be found on our web page: http://oceancommission.gov I would urge you, others on the Task force, and any of our colleagues interested in providing input to the Commission, to review our draft "issues" and questions, posted on the web, and provide us with feedback. The feedback may come as comments on the document, or, again, as specific recommendations for policy options. This is a process in which we all have a chance to participate, and I welcome as much interaction with you and others interested as is possible. Best regards, Frank Frank Muller-Karger U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and University of South Florida College of Marine Science 140 7th Ave. S. St. Petersburg, FL 33701 On Thu, 8 Aug 2002, Roger B Griffis wrote: > Preliminary Announcement - Meeting of the United States Coral Reef Task > Force October 2-3, 2003 > > The United States Coral Reef Task Force will meet October 2-3, 2002 in > San Juan, Puerto Rico. The meeting is open to the public and > opportunity for public comment will be provided. Additional information > on agenda, location etc will be available on or before September 1 on > the Task Force web site http://coralreef.gov/ or from > roger.b.griffis at noaa.gov. > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From athompso at aims.gov.au Sun Aug 11 19:37:32 2002 From: athompso at aims.gov.au (Angus Thompson) Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 09:37:32 +1000 Subject: Reef fish in the Persian Gulf Message-ID: Dear Listers I'm looking to undertake fish visual census surveys in the Persian Gulf and am having difficulty obtaining a comprehensive list of reef associated species. I've tried FishBase however there are some obvious omissions to the searches it allows. Anyone know of a good source? Cheers Angus Thompson Reef Ecologist - Long Term Monitoring Project Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB # 3 Townsville MC. 4810 Queensland Australia Phone: 07 4753 4329 Fax 07 4753 4288 email: a.thompson at aims.gov.au ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Roger.B.Griffis at noaa.gov Mon Aug 12 01:10:59 2002 From: Roger.B.Griffis at noaa.gov (Roger B Griffis) Date: Sun, 11 Aug 2002 19:10:59 -1000 Subject: Ocean Policy and Re: Announcement: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting October 2-3, 2002 Message-ID: Dr. Muller-Karger, Thank you for your recent message and invitation for recommendations from the United States Coral Reef Task Force. I will forward your request to the Task Force for action. Look forward to working with you. Roger Griffis ----- Original Message ----- From: Frank Muller-Karger Date: Saturday, August 10, 2002 4:03 am Subject: Ocean Policy and Re: Announcement: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting October 2-3, 2002 > Dear Roger et al.: > > As you know, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy has been meeting > aroundthe country over the past 9 months collecting input from the > public,academia, industry, and government on issues that need to > be considered > in > updating our country's ocean policy. We have had meetings in Puerto > Rico, > Florida, Hawaii, and the Gulf area, and have heard substantial > testimonyon tropical coral reef issues from these areas and from > representativesfrom the Virgin Islands and Guam, and from many > public speakers. > > An important objective of this public Commission is to study direct > recommendations for policy options in the process in drafting the > reportdue to the President and Congress in the first half of 2003. > To date, we > have had very few explicit, direct, concrete recommendations for > policydirections for the Federal Government on the wide range of > issues that > affect or are related to coral reefs. > > As a member of the Commission's Stewardship Working Group, I would > liketo > request that the Coral Reef Task Force provide the Commission with a > list > of specific policy recommendations that we should consider in > developingpolicy regarding coral reef environments. The more > specific the > recommendations, the better and more valuable to the Commission they > will > be. The Stewardship Working Group will be working with the other > workinggroups in defining policy recommendations, including in > areas relevant > to > "governance", "research, education, monitoring, and operations", and > "investment and implementation", which are the focus of the other > working groups of the Commission with those names. > > As you know, background on our goals and mandate, background on > Commissioners, and copies of testimony submitted to the Commission to > date > may be found on our web page: > > http://oceancommission.gov > > I would urge you, others on the Task force, and any of our colleagues > interested in providing input to the Commission, to review our draft > "issues" and questions, posted on the web, and provide us with > feedback. > The feedback may come as comments on the document, or, again, as > specific > recommendations for policy options. > > This is a process in which we all have a chance to participate, > and I > welcome as much interaction with you and others interested as is > possible. > > > Best regards, Frank > > > Frank Muller-Karger > U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy > and > University of South Florida > College of Marine Science > 140 7th Ave. S. > St. Petersburg, FL 33701 > > > On Thu, 8 Aug 2002, Roger B Griffis wrote: > > > Preliminary Announcement - Meeting of the United States Coral > Reef Task > > Force October 2-3, 2003 > > > > The United States Coral Reef Task Force will meet October 2-3, > 2002 in > > San Juan, Puerto Rico. The meeting is open to the public and > > opportunity for public comment will be provided. Additional > information> on agenda, location etc will be available on or > before September 1 on > > the Task Force web site http://coralreef.gov/ or from > > roger.b.griffis at noaa.gov. > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral- > list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From gregorh at ucla.edu Mon Aug 12 03:38:20 2002 From: gregorh at ucla.edu (Gregor Hodgson) Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 00:38:20 -0700 Subject: Reef fish in the Persian Gulf Message-ID: From Bradley.A.Tarr at saj02.usace.army.mil Mon Aug 12 07:53:41 2002 From: Bradley.A.Tarr at saj02.usace.army.mil (Tarr, Bradley A SAJ) Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 06:53:41 -0500 Subject: Reef fish in the Persian Gulf Message-ID: In addition to Gregor's reference, I suggest you contact the Research Institute of the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Coral reef data, including fish diversity and abundance, have been collected on a quarterly basis on nearshore patch reefs and the offshore islands in the Arabian (Persian) Gulf since 1982. Please contact me directly if you are interested in obtaining a data base of reef fishes for that area. Brad Tarr U.S.Army Corps of Engineers Planning Division, Environmental Branch P.O. Box 4970 Jacksonville, FL 32232-0019 (904) 232-3582 -----Original Message----- From: Gregor Hodgson [mailto:gregorh at ucla.edu] Sent: Monday, August 12, 2002 3:38 AM To: Angus Thompson; Coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: RE: Reef fish in the Persian Gulf Subject: Black Water Kills Coral Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 09:41:49 -0500 From: "Precht, Bill" To: corallist To All: This is a follow-up to the numerous Black Water posts on the list from March 2002. It seems as though predictions of coral mortality have followed the passing of the recent Black Water Event as it did in 1878 for the Dry Tortugas. - The last quote by Porter (see below) regarding the fact that this has never happened before is contrary to reports from A.G. Mayer dating back to 1902. However, questions remain? Bill William F. Precht, P.G. Ecological Sciences Program Manager PBS&J 2001 NW 107th Avenue Miami, FL 33172 305-592-7275 fax:305-594-9574 1-800-597-7275 bprecht at pbsj.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Black water devastates coral in Keys A new area of black water has formed off Sanibel Island Sunday, August 11, 2002 Naples Daily News http://www.naplesnews.com/02/08/naples/d789340a.htm By CATHY ZOLLO, crzollo at naplesnews.com and JEREMY COX, jgcox at naplesnews.com More than half of the coral on the north side of the Florida Keys was destroyed in the past 12 months, and researchers who've been monitoring Keys coral since 1996 say the black water event from last spring is to blame. "I'm sure that's what caused it," said James Porter, a leading coral expert who heads the research team. "It's something to do with the water chemistry, but it's beyond anything we know about." Porter said his team of researchers measured a 60 percent loss of over one year, "which is the highest rate of loss we have ever seen anywhere in the Florida Keys in a single year," he said. "Even Hurricane Georges did not do this kind of damage." Five coral species were completely wiped out in areas Porter monitors in the content Keys, a crowd of patch reefs and mangrove islands just north of the island chain. He noted the demise of centuries-old boulder corals, and large numbers of other bottom dwellers such as sea squirts, sea biscuits and sponges. Joining Porter in his assessment of the area's sea life is marine collector Ken Nedimyer. "Most of the brain corals in the Northwest Channel are dead," Nedimyer said. "I could go on. The Middle and upper Keys look good, but the Lower Keys and Key West were hammered. But we're not supposed to worry because this is a natural phenomenon." Officials in the spring characterized the event as naturally occurring and similar to a 100 years flood. No assessment is yet in on the area hundreds of square miles in size and farther north where satellite pictures showed the water pooled for months beginning in November 2001 and then washed over the Keys. New concerns What worries some environmentalists and others along the Southwest Florida coast is the appearance in recent weeks of another mass of black water that formed off Sanibel Island near where the Caloosahatchee River - an outlet for Lake Okeechobee - empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Jim Anderson, a Sanibel pilot, said he at first thought the water was oil. Others who live along the Caloosahatchee River say they've seen a drop in water quality there over recent weeks. "I noticed when waves come on shore, the water is thick and black," said Mitrah Bakhtian, who's lived along the river for seven years. Satellite pictures show a cloud of dark water hugging the Florida coast and concentrating south of Cape Romano, though this water mass isn't as large as the one in the spring. "The images are a bit similar to what we saw in the winter black water event, but they are less dark and appear more brownish and they cover less (area) and are closer to the coast," said Chuanmin Hu, a researcher at the University of South Florida's Institute for Marine Remote Sensing. "This may or may not be the same thing we observed in the winter." Hu checked the satellite data after hearing reports of black water, but he said there is no ongoing monitoring and interpreting program in place. Scott Willis, spokesman for the Florida Marine Research Institute, said scientists are collecting water samples from the current mass of water and will be looking at those this week. Fishermen spotted the first event in January when it had become a mass bigger than Lake Okeechobee occupying the area between Cape Romano and the Florida Keys. It slowly moved south across the Keys by April. Satellite pictures at the time showed the water had trailed along the west coast of Florida from the Caloosahatchee and intensified when it reached western Florida Bay off the Shark River just below Marco Island and Naples. Researchers concluded later that the black water was a complex interaction among red tide and other algae blooms mixing with river runoff, said Beverly Roberts of FMRI. Few in the scientific community would say if they think July's dark water is a repeat event, and Roberts said it could just as likely be normal river runoff. Fresh water is much darker than sea water and would float along the surface of the gulf. "That can extend miles into the gulf," she said. Water from Lake Okeechobee Whether or not this black water is a repeat of the spring, it comes as Florida water officials seek to manage water levels in Lake Okeechobee, an increasingly complicated task in recent years. Water managers have three choices when it comes to draining the lake: they can send it east to the St. Lucie River, west to the Caloosahatchee or south through the Everglades. Complicating matters is the fact that the lake water is rich in nutrients and causes problems no matter which way they send it. The lake's level peaked above 18 feet in October 1999, a level U.S. Army Corps of Engineers feared would cause the dike surrounding the lake to fail. In response, water managers flung open the spillways leading into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers. The district released about 2 million gallons of lake water per minute into the Caloosahatchee over roughly a month. By June 2000, the lake was lowered to 13 feet. The district and Army Corps were forced to re-examine their water-management policies for the lake after public outcry arose over algae blooms and fish kills in the Caloosahatchee. Today, water managers try to keep the lake between 13 1/2 and 15 1/2 feet to avoid major releases such as those in 2000, said Karen Estock, head of the Army Corps South Florida Operations office in Clewiston. Water management officials also use so-called "pulse releases," 10-day-long periods in which they keep spillways open. And releases don't happen unless scientists, local and state politicians and concerned citizen groups give their blessing. "That's always our goal- let people know what we're going to do, get some feedback and them make our decision," Estock said. "It's science and politics." There have been two recent "pulse releases." One ran from July 15 to July 25. Another began Aug. 1 and will continue until Aug. 10. In both cases, the decision to let the water out of the lake came after its level jumped above 14 1/2 feet. Water management officials try to keep levels lower during the rainy season, Estock said. The release's intensity reached a peak a week ago, when nearly 3,500 cubic feet per second of water rushed into the Caloosahatchee through the Moore Haven lock, where the river meets Lake Okeechobee. However, the lake's level has increased slightly due to rainfall. Lake water quality The amount of fresh water directed down the Caloosahatchee is a problem, environmentalists and the state agree, and most people also agree it's a combination of lake releases, farm and urban runoff. What worries people like David Guest, an attorney for the environmental law firm Earth Justice, is what's in the water. Lake Okeechobee is more than just a place to fish. It's also where agricultural interests around the lake pump excess water to keep farm fields dry. What comes with the water is loads of nitrogen and, to a lesser degree, phosphorus, according to the water district's own reports. Together, they're food for a host of organisms that, though generally harmless, can choke waterways when they can grow out of control. Guest said the water backpumped from farms is bad for creatures in the Caloosahatchee and could just as well be bad for the Gulf. "When you have algae or maybe the black tide and when that arrives and finds nutrient-rich water, is it a surprise that it grows out of control?" he asked. Porter, whose team recently identified a new disease decimating elkhorn coral in waters up and down the Keys, said the black water is a mystery and that research and monitoring needs to go on. "I'm deeply concerned by that event," he said, "as much because I don't know what it means as I know what it did. I don't think anyone knew how important this was because it had never happened before." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From jls at coralcay.org Mon Aug 12 11:34:09 2002 From: jls at coralcay.org (JeanLuc Solandt) Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 16:34:09 +0100 Subject: job position available Message-ID: Dear listers, Coral Cay Conservation seeks a new Marine Science Co-ordinator for overall management of CCC marine project science activities. The role involve considerable data and personnel management of four tropical field bases, management and recruitment of volunteer field science staff, and preparation of technical reports and papers related to the marine scientific data collected by CCC volunteers. The position is permanent, salary range is ?16000-18000 (dependent on experience), is London based with intermittent international and national travel (for conferencing, field site visits etc.). Qualifications needed - at least PADI AOW or equivalent, 2 years experience working on scientific aspects of coral reefs, considerable teaching experience, and at least a masters degree (PhD preferred). Please check the CCC web site (www.coralcay.org) for detailed terms of reference for the position. Send a CV and covering letter to Peter Raines (psr at coralcay.org - 0208 545 7712). Deadline for applications is August 30th. Interviews will be held in early September. Regards, Jean-Luc Solandt, PhD Indo Pacific Marine Scientist, Coral Cay Conservation The Tower, 125 High St., Colliers Wood, London SW19 2JG, phone: +44 (0)208 545 7721, fax: +44 (0)870 750 0667 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From pbarber at bu.edu Mon Aug 12 16:09:19 2002 From: pbarber at bu.edu (Paul Barber) Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2002 16:09:19 -0400 Subject: evolutionary genetics senior research technician Message-ID: >Date: Wed, 7 Aug 2002 16:51:23 -0400 >To: evoldir at evol.biology.mcmaster.ca >From: Paul Barber >Subject: evolutionary genetics senior research technician >Cc: >Bcc: >X-Attachments: > >Dear Colleagues, > >We have secured funding and university approval to hire a research >assistant to work in an evolutionary genetics laboratory. Below is a >description of this position. Please pass this announcement to any >that may be interested. Interested applicants should visit the web >site for the Boston University Department of personel >(http://www.bu.edu/personnel/employment/jobs/jobs.shtml), job >tracking code "0386/H062" > >Sincerely > >Paul Barber > > > >SENIOR RESEARCH TECHNICIAN >Supervisor: Dr. Paul Barber >Location: Boston University Marine Program, Woods Hole, Massachusetts > >Duties >A Research Assistant position is available in a laboratory that uses >molecular genetic techniques to investigate evolutionary processes >in marine environments. Duties will primarily consist of routine >molecular genetic techniques (including, but not limited to, DNA >extraction, PCR, Cloning, and DNA sequencing) and data analysis >(e.g. sequence alignment, phylogenetic and population genetic >analysis). Some general lab maintenance (e.g. ordering, collection >management) and library research will also be expected. > >Preference will be given to candidates with molecular genetic >laboratory experience and who have a demonstrated interest in >pursuing scientific research. Further preference will be given to >candidates who are interested in becoming intellectually as well as >technically involved in the research > >Minimum skills >Bachelor's or Master's degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, >Genetics, Organismal Biology or related field. Basic computer skills >including word processing (Microsoft Word) spreadsheets (Microsoft >Excel), and graphics (Photoshop and Illustrator). Knowledge of >phylogenetic software a plus. Ability to work independently on >assigned tasks, work on multiple assignments with overlapping >timelines, and meet schedules and timelines. Knowledge of basic >research methods. > >Contact: All applications must be through the BU dept. of Personnel >((http://www.bu.edu/personnel/employment/jobs/jobs.shtml). The >tracking code for this position is "0386/H062" > >Questions should be addressed to Paul Barber at: pbarber at bu.edu. >Further information on the laboratory and it's activities can be >found at: ww.bu.edu/biology/Faculty_Staff/barber.html -- Dr. Paul H. Barber Boston University Boston University Marine Program 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543 (508)289-7685 phone (508)289-7950 FAX pbarber at bu.edu ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From jenny at krutschinna.de Tue Aug 13 06:51:01 2002 From: jenny at krutschinna.de (Jenny Krutschinna) Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 12:51:01 +0200 Subject: platypodiella picta Message-ID: dear all, I hope anyone can help with the english and/or german as well as spanish names for the canarian crab Platypodiella picta!? thanks in advance and best regards, Jenny Krutschinna ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From cnidaria at earthlink.net Tue Aug 13 09:10:37 2002 From: cnidaria at earthlink.net (James M. Cervino) Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 09:10:37 -0400 Subject: Of interest Message-ID: Dear friends of coral reefs, We'd like to let you know that the Global Coral Reef Alliance web page is now back on the WEB, at http://www.globalcoral.org. There is much new, but still much more to add. We have put together a list of key associates who are major advisors or partners in field projects. We hope that you will be as happy to be listed as we are honored to work with you, but if there is any conflict, please let us know and we will change it as you see fit. Best wishes, Tom Goreau -- ************************************ James M. Cervino PhD. Program Marine Science Program University of South Carolina e-mail:cnidaria at earthlink.net ************************************* ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Bprecht at pbsj.com Wed Aug 14 11:00:08 2002 From: Bprecht at pbsj.com (Precht, Bill) Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 10:00:08 -0500 Subject: Editorial: Black Water Message-ID: More on Black Water in Florida. William F. Precht, P.G. Ecological Sciences Program Manager PBS&J 2001 NW 107th Avenue Miami, FL 33172 305-592-7275 fax:305-594-9574 1-800-597-7275 bprecht at pbsj.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Editorial: Black water Officials should be alarmed by return of phenomenon Wednesday, August 14, 2002 http://www.naplesnews.com/02/08/perspective/d807135a.htm The Naples Daily News Black water is hitting home. Readers who may remain ambivalent about mysterious happenings in the distant gulf this past winter and reported by this newspaper now have added reason to take notice. The color photos on our front page on Sunday showed unexplainably dark water along the entire Southwest Florida coast, with an especially large and ominous blob at Sanibel Island on Aug. 1. Is it the same phenomenon first reported by fishermen as "dead zones" between Marco Island and the Dry Tortugas devoid of any sign of life? In view of scientific assessments citing severe damage to Florida Keys coral from the first bout of black water, now more than ever we need to know what is going on. Simply put, we need to know where it is coming from and what is causing it. Amid a seeming lack of concern or even acquiescence by public health or environmental agencies, private research teams are taking up the slack. There is nothing to gain from an official wait-and-see attitude. The fact that this has not happened before and there are more questions than answers is more cause for concern than casual dismissal. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From cwilkins at aims.gov.au Wed Aug 14 22:56:01 2002 From: cwilkins at aims.gov.au (Clive Wilkinson) Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 12:56:01 +1000 Subject: Middle East, East Africa, Indian Ocean Message-ID: To coral reef workers Do you have any coral reef status or monitoring data and information for reefs in: The Arabian (Persian) Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Eastern Africa, Southern Indian Ocean Islands or South Asia? The regional coordinators for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network are compiling the latest information on the status of their reefs for publishing in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 due for release in November. There are often huge gaps in their information. They would like to hear from you on where and when you visited their regions and if possible get access to any data you have on the status of the reefs and fish populations. We would particularly like to get information on reefs before and after the massive 1998 bleaching event to document the extent of losses and subsequent recovery. Any data or anecdotal accounts will be useful. Also if you are launching major initiatives in any parts of this region, maybe we can include a Box in the next report. Please send these to the GCRMN Node Coordinators: Hassan Mohammadi and Fareed Krupp for the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, Arabian Sea, Abdullah Alsuhaibany for the Red Sea, Nyawira Muthiga and David Obura for Eastern Africa, Lionel Bigot for Southern Indian Ocean Islands, Ben Cattermoul for South Asia? Thank you Clive Wilkinson ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network c/o Australian Institute of Marine Science Tel: +61 7 4729 8452 or 4772 4314; Fax: +61 7 4729 8499 ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From cwilkins at aims.gov.au Thu Aug 15 21:25:38 2002 From: cwilkins at aims.gov.au (Clive Wilkinson) Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 11:25:38 +1000 Subject: Southeast and East Asia Message-ID: Second call to coral reef workers Do you have any coral reef status or monitoring data and information for reefs in: Southeast Asia (the ASEAN countries) and East Asia up to Japan The regional coordinators for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network are compiling the latest information on the status of their reefs for publishing in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 due for release in November. There are often huge gaps in their information. They would like to hear from you on where and when you visited their regions and if possible get access to any data you have on the status of the reefs and fish populations. We would particularly like to get information on reefs before and after the massive 1998 bleaching event to document the extent of losses and subsequent recovery. Any data or anecdotal accounts will be useful. Also if you are launching major initiatives in any parts of this region, maybe we can include a Box in the next report. Please send these to the GCRMN Node Coordinators: ASEAN countries "Chou Loke Ming" East Asia Tadashi Kimura or , UNEP offices in Bangkok are also helping - "Connie Chiang" , And remember keep data flowing to ReefBase - Jamie Oliver Thank you Clive Wilkinson ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network c/o Australian Institute of Marine Science Tel: +61 7 4729 8452 or 4772 4314; Fax: +61 7 4729 8499 ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov Fri Aug 16 11:11:07 2002 From: Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov (Alan E Strong) Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 11:11:07 -0400 Subject: Baker/Howland bleaching event - severe?? Message-ID: NOTICE -- BLEACHING ALERT Howland and Baker Islands -- 0-1N; 176W HotSpots have occupied these location along the Equator from this year's El Nino as it continues to remain parked over the central equatorial Pacific since mid-May! Degree Heating Weeks [accumulations of excessive thermal stress - Hotspots] are presently in excess of 12 DHWs...nearly 15 at the slightly more southern Baker Island!! Since we have been collecting HotSpots and DHWs [beginning 1998] we have never seen much of any accumulation of thermal stress at this location (near the International Dateline)....even the El Nino of 1998, with its associated bleaching events bypassed Howland and Baker . Reports needed. DHWs: http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhww.8.12.2002.gif Two white dots (land) are Howland/Baker: http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/data/hotspotwsw.gif AE Strong Coral Reef Watch **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad --------------------------------------------------------------------- Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division NOAA Science Center 5200 Auth Road Cellular: 443-822-3668 Camp Springs Fax: 301-763-8108 MD Work: 301-763-8102 x170 20746 USA Additional Information: Last Name Strong First Name Alan E. Version 2.1 From cwilkins at aims.gov.au Fri Aug 16 23:32:26 2002 From: cwilkins at aims.gov.au (Clive Wilkinson) Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 13:32:26 +1000 Subject: THe Wider Pacific Message-ID: Third call to coral reef workers Do you have any coral reef status or monitoring data and information for reefs in: The Pacific - Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia The regional coordinators for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network are compiling the latest information on the status of their reefs for publishing in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 due for release in November. There are often huge gaps in their information. They would like to hear from you on where and when you visited their regions and if possible get access to any data you have on the status of the reefs and fish populations. We would particularly like to get information on reefs before and after the massive 1998 bleaching event to document the extent of losses and subsequent recovery. Any data or anecdotal accounts will be useful. Also if you are launching major initiatives in any parts of this region, maybe we can include a Box in the next report. Please send these to the GCRMN Node Coordinators: Micronesia, NW Pacific - Palau, The Marshalls, FSM, Northern Marianas, Guam - Carol Emaurois Polynesia SE Pacific- French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga, Kiribati, Tokelau, Niue, Wallis & Futuna - Bernard SALVAT Melanesia SW Pacific- Fiji, New Caledonia, Nauru, Tuvalu, Solomon Ids, Vanuatu - "Reuben Sulu" and Cameron Hay Hay_C at usp.ac.fj, The report on the Northwest and High Hawaiian Islands is being coordinated by NOAA in Washington. Thank you Clive Wilkinson ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network c/o Australian Institute of Marine Science Tel: +61 7 4729 8452 or 4772 4314; Fax: +61 7 4729 8499 ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From dobura at africaonline.co.ke Sat Aug 17 05:10:27 2002 From: dobura at africaonline.co.ke (David Obura) Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 13:10:27 +0400 Subject: Bleaching, Phoenix Islands, Kiribati Message-ID: Dear Al, We were in the Phoenix Islands, Kiribati, at about 4 S and 173 W, part of the same island group as Baker and Howland. At the time of our surveys, June 10 to July 5, there was minor bleaching, or rather paling, of some corals in the lagoons of the two largest islands, Kanton and Orona. Both islands were surveyed towards the end of the period. Once back in the 'real world', I saw that this corresponded with 2-3 weeks of DHWs on the NOAA maps, hence too early to make any conclusion on the role of temperature. Corals affected were principally Acropora spp. and Echinopora,with less than 5-10% of colonies affected in some patches. At the time I thought it looked more like 'normal' paling of lagoon corals due to turbidity or lack of circulation. Putting together Samasoni Sauni's report of bleaching in Tuvalu at the same time as these observations, and Al's hotspot warnings further north now (6 weeks later), it looks like a warm water pool may have moved north. Water temperatures were measured at just under 30C the entire trip, using a temperature logger carried by a diver (the detailed data is still being analyzed), and we placed 7 loggers at various depths and reef zones (5/15/35m, leeward/windward/lagoon) for collection in the future. On an expedition in 2000 in the same months we did not notice any obvious signal of coral bleaching or mortality. We don't know if temperatures measured were higher in 2002 than usual, though it was our impression that the water was warmer than in 2000. We will try and obtain reports of any current bleaching from the islands from the i-Kiribati residents, and report those ASAP. regards, David Obura Some info on the expedition can be found at http://www.neaq.org/phoenix <+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+><+> David Obura CORDIO-East Africa P.O.BOX 10135, Mombasa, Kenya Tel/fax: +254-11-486473; Home: 474582; 0733-851656 Email: dobura at africaonline.co.ke Web: http://www.cordio.org ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From J.Oliver at cgiar.org Mon Aug 19 06:03:34 2002 From: J.Oliver at cgiar.org (Jamie Oliver) Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 18:03:34 +0800 Subject: Cook Island SST's during 1998 Message-ID: Hi Darrin ReefBase has a comprehensive database on coral bleaching (including all coral-list and NOAA records), which includes some records for the Cook Islands, and 2 records for Rarotonga (in1999, 2000) but nothing for 1998. Here is the link to Cook Island records on ReefBase: http://www.reefbase.org/threats/thr_bleaching.asp?country=COK&display=bleach ing If you find any bleaching reports for 1998, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me the info so I can put it on ReefBase. Regards Jamie =============================== Jamie Oliver Senior Scientist (Coral Reef Projects) ICLARM - The World Fish Center PO Box 500, Penang 10670 Phone: (604) 626 1606 Fax: (604) 626 5530 email: J.Oliver at cgiar.org visit ReefBase on: www.reefbase.org =============================== -----Original Message----- From: Darrin Drumm [mailto:druda019 at student.otago.ac.nz] Sent: Tuesday, 20 August 2002 11:07 AM To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Cook Island SST's during 1998 I am investigating sea cucumber gametogenic development for Rarotonga, Cook Islands (LAT=21 12S, LONG=159 46W)with respect to environmental triggers. The montly mean sea temperature data (available through Flinders University Tidal Facility) during 1998 shows a curious sudden increase from 23.9C in October 1998 to 27.5 C in November 1998. I am aware that there was a massive global coral bleaching event in 1998 that coincided with a strong El Nino/La Nina event. I presume that the SST data I have reflects this event. I have found some anecdotal reports on bleaching for Fiji and Samoa on the NOAA website, but I have been having difficulty finding information regarding the El Nino for Rarotonga. If anybody could direct me to information on the 1998 El Nino and its influence in the Cook Islands I would be very appreciative. Thanks Regards, Darrin Drumm Darrin Drumm PhD Candidate Department of Marine Science University of Otago P.O. Box 56 Dunedin, New Zealand ph: 64 3 479-8306 fax: 64 3 479-8336 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From C.T.Perry at mmu.ac.uk Mon Aug 19 10:09:49 2002 From: C.T.Perry at mmu.ac.uk (Chris T Perry) Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 14:09:49 GMT Subject: Coral Reefs Special Issue Message-ID: Dear all, A reminder that the deadline for submission of manuscripts for a Special Issue of Coral Reefs on Marginal and Non Reef-Building Coral Environments is Sept. 1st 2002. Please see below for further details. Following discussions with Elsevier it is intended that this issue will now form part of Volume 22 (published late 2003). Volume 22 of Coral Reefs will include a Special Issue entitled ?Marginal and Non Reef-Building Coral Environments.? The aim of this thematic issue is to highlight the varied character, processes, and issues relevant to more marginal coral-dominated settings, including high- latitude environments, high-turbidity sites, fluvially influenced sites, upwelling-influenced areas, and high-salinity settings. Under varied marginal conditions, reef framework is often either restricted or, in extreme cases, entirely absent. These settings are of significant interest from both biological and geological perspectives because they emphasize the highly variable nature of reef and coral community structure, may still harbour an important array of tropical coral-related species, and are often locally important from socio- economic perspectives. In addition, their marginal nature (perhaps close to the environmental thresholds for coral survival) may make them particularly susceptible to environmental disturbance and climatic change. From the geological perspective, there are interesting questions relating to the nature of marginal reef growth, their accumulation potential, and the processes of carbonate cycling (e.g., bioerosion, encrustation). Marginal sites may also have potential as analogues for the highly diverse coral- dominated settings that are preserved in the fossil record. Potential topics might include (but are not limited to) geological evolution and significance, sedimentary settings, species assemblages and ecological significance, coral physiology, environmental disturbance, management, and conservation. The issue (approximately 100 pages) will be published as soon as 12 papers have been accepted; additional submissions will be considered for publication in subsequent issues. Reviews and Reef Sites on an appropriate theme are also welcome. Papers should be submitted no later than 1st September 2002. Papers should follow the guidelines for Coral Reefs and may be submitted to the Guest Editors in pdf format (they will also be accepted by the Guest Editors at the ISRS Meeting in Cambridge at which there is a related thematic session running). To ensure a speedy publication, manuscripts should be submitted as soon as possible. Prospective authors should first contact the Guest Editors, Chris Perry or Piers Larcombe. Dr Chris Perry Dept. of Environmental & Geographical Sciences,  Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building  Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD U.K. Tel: +44 (0) 161 247 6210  Fax: +44 (0) 161 247 6318 E-mail: { HYPERLINK "mailto:c.t.perry at mmu.ac.uk" }c.t.perry at mmu.ac.uk Dr Piers Larcombe Marine Geophysical Laboratory, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811Australia. Tel. +61 7 47815056 Fax. +61 7 47814334 E-mail: { HYPERLINK "mailto:piers.larcombe at jcu.edu.au" }piers.larcombe at jcu.edu.au Dr. Chris Perry Dept. of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD. U.K. Tel: (0161) 247 6210 Fax: (0161) 247 6318 E-mail: C.T.Perry at mmu.ac.uk ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From druda019 at student.otago.ac.nz Mon Aug 19 23:07:05 2002 From: druda019 at student.otago.ac.nz (Darrin Drumm) Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 17:07:05 -1000 Subject: Cook Island SST's during 1998 Message-ID: I am investigating sea cucumber gametogenic development for Rarotonga, Cook Islands (LAT=21 12S, LONG=159 46W)with respect to environmental triggers. The montly mean sea temperature data (available through Flinders University Tidal Facility) during 1998 shows a curious sudden increase from 23.9C in October 1998 to 27.5 C in November 1998. I am aware that there was a massive global coral bleaching event in 1998 that coincided with a strong El Nino/La Nina event. I presume that the SST data I have reflects this event. I have found some anecdotal reports on bleaching for Fiji and Samoa on the NOAA website, but I have been having difficulty finding information regarding the El Nino for Rarotonga. If anybody could direct me to information on the 1998 El Nino and its influence in the Cook Islands I would be very appreciative. Thanks Regards, Darrin Drumm Darrin Drumm PhD Candidate Department of Marine Science University of Otago P.O. Box 56 Dunedin, New Zealand ph: 64 3 479-8306 fax: 64 3 479-8336 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From cwilkins at aims.gov.au Tue Aug 20 01:41:04 2002 From: cwilkins at aims.gov.au (Clive Wilkinson) Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 15:41:04 +1000 Subject: The Wider Caribbean and Atlantic Message-ID: Fourth call to coral reef workers Do you have any coral reef status or monitoring data and information for reefs in: The Caribbean - Atlantic Reef areas (from Brazil to Bermuda; Barbados to Ecuador and Mexico). The regional coordinators for the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network are compiling the latest information on the status of their reefs for publishing in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 due for release in November. There are often huge gaps in their information. They would like to hear from you on where and when you visited their regions and if possible get access to any data you have on the status of the reefs and fish populations. We would particularly like to get information on reefs before and after the massive 1998 bleaching event to document the extent of losses and subsequent recovery. Any data or anecdotal accounts will be useful. Also if you are launching major initiatives in any parts of this region, maybe we can include a Box in the next report. Please send these to the GCRMN Node Coordinators: South American States - Costa Rica to Brazil - Jaime Garzon Ferreira (jgarzon at invemar.org.co) and Alberto Rodriguez (betorod at invemar.org.co); Mesoamerican Barrier Reef countries of Central America - Mexico to Nicaragua - Patricia Almada-Villela (palmadav at mbrs.org.bz), Ernesto Arias (earias at mda.cinvestav.mx) and Melanie McField" Northern Caribbean Islands Jamaica to Dominican Rep. to Bermuda - Dulcie Linton (dmlinton at uwimona.edu.jm) and George Warner (gfwarner at uwimona.edu.jm) Eastern Caribbean States - the Antilles Chain from Trinidad to Anguilla - Allan Smith Netherlands Antilles - send to Paul Hoetjes and Allan Smith British Overseas Territories - Trish Bailey and Dulcie Linton (dmlinton at uwimona.edu.jm) US Caribbean reefs - Donna Turgeon (Donna.Turgeon at noaa.gov), and Mark Monaco mark.monaco at noaa.gov from NOAA in Washington. Thank you Clive Wilkinson ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network c/o Australian Institute of Marine Science Tel: +61 7 4729 8452 or 4772 4314; Fax: +61 7 4729 8499 ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ~~~~~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From greenforce at mail.batelnet.bs Tue Aug 20 16:11:02 2002 From: greenforce at mail.batelnet.bs (Greenforce Andros) Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2002 16:11:02 -0400 Subject: Porites branneri Message-ID: I have an enquiry about the coral Porites branneri and its distribution. Is it found as far north as the Bahamas as I have a possible ID on Andros Island, Bahamas? Many thanks Adam Hughes Research Co-ordinator Greenforce Research Station Blanket Sound Andros Tel: 1-242-368-6288 Email: greenforce at batelnet.bs ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From kochzius at biotec.uni-bremen.de Wed Aug 21 09:41:28 2002 From: kochzius at biotec.uni-bremen.de (Marc Kochzius) Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 15:41:28 +0200 Subject: Reef fish in the Persian Gulf Message-ID: Hi Angus, here are some references: Carpenter KE, Krupp F, Jones DA, Zajonz U (1997) Living marine resources of Kuwait, Eastern Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes, Rome, FAO Coles SL, Tarr AB (1990) Reef fish assemblages in the western Arabian Gulf: a geographically isolated population in an extreme environment. Bull Mar Sci 47(3): 696-720 Krupp F, M?ller T, Al-Sana?a M, Al-Marri M (1994) Survey of fishes and fish assemblages in Dawhat ad-Dafi, Dawhat al-Musallamiya and the Gulf Coral Islands. In: Feltkamp E, Krupp F (eds) Establishment of a marine habitat and wildlife sanctuary for the Gulf region. Final report for phase II. Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt, p 537-558 Krupp F, Almarri, MA (1996) Fishes and fish assemblages of the Jubail marine wildlife sanctuary. In: Krupp R, Abuzinada AH, Nader IA (eds) A marine wildlife sanctuary for the Arabian Gulf. Environmental research and conservation following the 1991 Gulf war oil spill. NCWCD, Riyadh and Senckenberg Research Institute, Frankfurt, p 339-350 Best fishes Marc At 09:37 12.08.2002 +1000, you wrote: >Dear Listers > >I'm looking to undertake fish visual census surveys in the Persian Gulf >and am having difficulty obtaining a comprehensive list of reef associated >species. I've tried FishBase however there are some obvious omissions to >the searches it allows. Anyone know of a good source? > >Cheers ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> Marc Kochzius Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Genetics Centre for Environmental Research and Technology (UFT) University of Bremen Leobener Strasse 28359 Bremen Germany Phone: +49 (0) 421-218-7225 (office) +49 (0) 421-218-7679 (Lab) Fax: +49 (0) 421-218-7578 Biotechnology: www.uft.uni-bremen.de/biotech/english/bmg_main.html Coral Reef Webpage: www.oceanium.de <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From joshua at nova.edu Wed Aug 21 09:48:14 2002 From: joshua at nova.edu (Joshua Feingold) Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 08:48:14 -0500 Subject: Porites branneri Message-ID: Be careful about casual reports of Porites branneri. This species is very difficult to identify in the field. It is my understanding that there are subtle differences in calicular structure that distinguish it from other Porites species. Indeed, there is controversy about the Porites porites / P. furcata / P. divaricata series as well. One thing IS clear - color is a poor diagnostic tool. Many forms of Porites can be found with tan/beige/blue/purple/lavendar color varieties. I've heard that Ernesto Weil has done some work on the taxonomy of Porites branneri. Ernesto, any feedback? Cheers, Joshua Feingold At 04:11 PM 08/20/2002 -0400, Greenforce Andros wrote: >I have an enquiry about the coral Porites branneri and its distribution. Is >it found as far north as the Bahamas as I have a possible ID on Andros >Island, Bahamas? > >Many thanks >Adam Hughes >Research Co-ordinator > >Greenforce Research Station >Blanket Sound >Andros >Tel: 1-242-368-6288 >Email: greenforce at batelnet.bs > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From avk.uneprcuja at cwjamaica.com Wed Aug 21 12:04:13 2002 From: avk.uneprcuja at cwjamaica.com (Alessandra Vanzella-Khouri) Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 11:04:13 -0500 Subject: Fw: [campam] Blanqueamiento en Cozumel...bleaching in Cozumel Message-ID: ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jos? Juan Dom?nguez Calder?n" To: "campam" Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 10:13 AM Subject: [campam] Blanqueamiento en Cozumel...bleaching in Cozumel Estimados: estamos registrando en Cozumel, balnqueamiento en Montastrea anularis y acropora cervicornis....alguien tiene informacion al respecto o estan en alguna situacion similar?....gracias....desde cuando, en cozumel se hizo bastante evidente desde la semana pasada.... Jos? Juan Dom?nguez Calder?n Subdirector Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel Plaza del Sol Altos, Cozumel, Q. Roo, M?xico. 77600 Tel: +52 (987) 8724689, Fax: + 52 (987) 8724275 E-Mail: pmnczm at cozumel.com.mx , explorer1043 at hotmail.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> 4 DVDs Free +s&p Join Now http://us.click.yahoo.com/pt6YBB/NXiEAA/Ey.GAA/d.ewlB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To Post a message, send it to: campam at eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: campam-unsubscribe at eGroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From C.T.Perry at mmu.ac.uk Thu Aug 22 06:13:06 2002 From: C.T.Perry at mmu.ac.uk (Chris T Perry) Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 10:13:06 GMT Subject: Special Issue of Coral Reefs Message-ID: Dear all, A reminder that the deadline for submission of manuscripts for a Special Issue of Coral Reefs on Marginal and Non Reef-Building Coral Environments is Sept. 1st 2002 or in person at the ISRS meeting in Cambridge . Please see below for further details. Following discussions with Springer it is intended that this issue will now form part of Volume 22 (published late 2003) Special Issue of Coral Reefs, on Marginal and Non Reef-Building Coral Environments Volume 22 of Coral Reefs will include a Special Issue entitled ?Marginal and Non Reef-Building Coral Environments.? The aim of this thematic issue is to highlight the varied character, processes, and issues relevant to more marginal coral-dominated settings, including high- latitude environments, high-turbidity sites, fluvially influenced sites, upwelling-influenced areas, and high-salinity settings. Under varied marginal conditions, reef framework is often either restricted or, in extreme cases, entirely absent. These settings are of significant interest from both biological and geological perspectives because they emphasize the highly variable nature of reef and coral community structure, may still harbour an important array of tropical coral-related species, and are often locally important from socio- economic perspectives. In addition, their marginal nature (perhaps close to the environmental thresholds for coral survival) may make them particularly susceptible to environmental disturbance and climatic change. From the geological perspective, there are interesting questions relating to the nature of marginal reef growth, their accumulation potential, and the processes of carbonate cycling (e.g., bioerosion, encrustation). Marginal sites may also have potential as analogues for the highly diverse coral- dominated settings that are preserved in the fossil record. Potential topics might include (but are not limited to) geological evolution and significance, sedimentary settings, species assemblages and ecological significance, coral physiology, environmental disturbance, management, and conservation. The issue (approximately 100 pages) will be published as soon as 12 papers have been accepted; additional submissions will be considered for publication in subsequent issues. Reviews and Reef Sites on an appropriate theme are also welcome. Papers should be submitted no later than 1st September 2002. Papers should follow the guidelines for Coral Reefs and may be submitted to the Guest Editors in pdf format (they will also be accepted by the Guest Editors at the ISRS Meeting in Cambridge at which there is a related thematic session running). To ensure a speedy publication, manuscripts should be submitted as soon as possible. Prospective authors should first contact the Guest Editors, Chris Perry or Piers Larcombe. Dr Chris Perry Dept. of Environmental & Geographical Sciences,  Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building  Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD U.K. Tel: +44 (0) 161 247 6210  Fax: +44 (0) 161 247 6318 E-mail: { HYPERLINK "mailto:c.t.perry at mmu.ac.uk" }c.t.perry at mmu.ac.uk Dr Piers Larcombe Marine Geophysical Laboratory, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811Australia. Tel. +61 7 47815056 Fax. +61 7 47814334 E-mail: { HYPERLINK "mailto:piers.larcombe at jcu.edu.au" }piers.larcombe at jcu.edu.au Dr. Chris Perry Dept. of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD. U.K. Tel: (0161) 247 6210 Fax: (0161) 247 6318 E-mail: C.T.Perry at mmu.ac.uk ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Hanisak at HBOI.edu Thu Aug 22 15:18:02 2002 From: Hanisak at HBOI.edu (Dennis Hanisak) Date: Thu, 22 Aug 2002 15:18:02 -0400 Subject: Southeastern Phycological Colloquy Message-ID: 24th Annual Southeastern Phycological Colloquy November 1-3, 2002 J. Seward Johnson Marine Education and Conference Center Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Fort Pierce, Florida It's that time of the year -- colloquy time! For twenty-four years, professionals and students who study algae (freshwater or marine), seagrasses, or other marine plants have gathered together, from all over the southeastern United States (and beyond), to share their research activities and ideas. According to Webster, a colloquy is "a high-level serious discussion". Don't let the name fool you! We'll have plenty of serious discussion at this year's colloquy, but we plan to have some fun, too. The meeting is open to anyone interested; student contributions are especially encouraged. So bring all your colleagues, students, and friends! Contributed paper and poster sessions are planned for the full day of Saturday, November 2. Film/video presentations will also be welcomed. If participants wish, tours of Harbor Branch and/or field trips to local habitats will be held. Pre-Registration A registration fee of $40 for students and $75 for other participants will cover the cost of the meeting. Payment includes a Friday night cook-out and buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner, and coffee breaks on Saturday. Tickets for Saturday's dinner can be purchased separately for accompanying (unregistered) spouses or guests. Airports and Accommodations Harbor Branch is centrally located between the cities of Fort Pierce and Vero Beach, a 1-2-hour drive from 3 national airports (Melbourne, 45 miles; West Palm Beach, 75 miles; and Orlando, 110 miles). The best fares are most often into Orlando. There is a wide choice of hotels within 10 miles of the Conference Center. Hotel rooms may be reserved at a conference rate of $79 at the Radisson Beach Resort North Hutchinson Island on the ocean in Fort Pierce. Participants should book hotel rooms directly with the Radisson at (800) 333-3333 or (772) 465-5544 and reference the "Harbor Branch corporate rate". Dorm rooms are available adjacent to the Conference Center at $30 per night (students will have first priority for dorm rooms, through October 1). Dorm rooms may be reserved on the registration form. Additional details on the meeting schedule will be sent to all who send in the registration form. Please reply by October 1 to: M. Dennis Hanisak, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946; Tel: (772) 465-2400, x306; e-mail: hanisak at hboi.edu. MEETING REGISTRATION FORM Return by October 1, 2002 NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE: ( ) E-MAIL: TITLE OF TALK ( ) OR POSTER ( ): AUTHOR(S): PRESENTER: ( ) STUDENT? REGISTRATION PAYMENT (Payment includes the Friday night cook-out and buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner, and coffee breaks on Saturday): PARTICIPANT ($75.00) STUDENT ($40.00) DORM BED FOR FRIDAY NIGHT ($30.00 PER PERSON, all taxes included) DORM BED FOR SATURDAY NIGHT ($30.00 PER PERSON, all taxes included) SATURDAY DINNER FOR ACCOMPANYING PERSONS ($25.00 PER PERSON) Name(s) of accompanying persons: TOTAL REMITTED Send your check, payable to Harbor Branch Institution, with this form to: M. Dennis Hanisak, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946. Make hotel reservations directly with the Radisson Beach Resort North Hutchinson Island (2600 North A-1A, Fort Pierce) at (800) 333-3333 or (772) 465-5544. Reference the "Harbor Branch corporate rate". A limited number of dorm rooms (bunk beds) are available at $30.00/night (all taxes included). If interested, please reserve a bed above. A Quick Poll (Optional) I will be arriving at the Colloquy (please check one): On Friday in time for the cook-out (by 7:00 p.m.) On Friday night after the cook-out On Saturday I am interested in (please check any that apply): WHEN? Friday Sunday p.m. a.m. p.m. A tour of Harbor Branch Collections from local habitats OTHER COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS: ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Bprecht at pbsj.com Fri Aug 23 11:29:39 2002 From: Bprecht at pbsj.com (Precht, Bill) Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 10:29:39 -0500 Subject: Scientist claims Naples Daily News Report Incorrect (Solares Hill weekly) Message-ID: William F. Precht, P.G. Ecological Sciences Program Manager PBS&J 2001 NW 107th Avenue Miami, FL 33172 305-592-7275 fax:305-594-9574 1-800-597-7275 bprecht at pbsj.com -----Original Message----- From: Nancy Klingener [mailto:nklingener at psinet.com] Sent: Friday, August 16, 2002 4:10 PM To: FL-ENVIRONEWSCLIPS at LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: [FL-ENVIRO-NEWS] Scientist claims Naples Daily News Report Incorrect (Solares Hill weekly) Environmental News Clippings of Interest to South Florida NOTE: Your replies default to the Commons-Everglades list For those following the Black Water thread on the list, please note the following - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >From Solares Hill, a weekly newspaper based in Key West. It is not available online. The following appeared in the column titled Editor's Notes: "The report this week in The Naples Daily News that last year's black water phenomenon had killed half of the corals north of the Keys was incorrect, according to Dr. James Porter, a leading coral researcher who was quoted extensively in the story. Porter is mystified and quite upset and says he has no idea where the quotes attributed to him came from. This story caused a considerable stir, as folks bemoaned the huge loss on the reef. Of course most of those bemoaning were those who continue to think the Keys run north and south instead of east and west. That puts the die-off in Florida Bay, not on the reef -- still a loss, but not as dire as some first imagined." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From ZolloCR at aol.com Fri Aug 23 16:19:28 2002 From: ZolloCR at aol.com (ZolloCR at aol.com) Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 16:19:28 EDT Subject: Scientist claims Naples Daily News Report Incorrect (Solares Hill weekly) Message-ID: Regarding an editorial in Key West's free, weekly newspaper Solares Hill that was distributed on this list serve, I stand by my reporting of quotes by Dr. James Porter about the coral die off north of the Keys. The story ran Aug. 11 in the Naples Daily News. Porter told others of these findings prior to the publication of my story. Several of them told me, and I corroborated these reports with him during a lengthy telephone interview. His only complaint to me came a week after publication. He was upset because some people, including major news outlets, had confused "north" of the Keys to be the upper two-thirds of the Keys, including, he said at the time, Key Largo and Key Biscayne. I was upset as well at this confusion and ran a clarification that I emailed to Porter a week ago. I await publication of his data. Cathy Zollo Staff Writer Naples Daily News (239) 263-4764 crzollo at naplesnews.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Billy.Causey at noaa.gov Fri Aug 23 19:39:58 2002 From: Billy.Causey at noaa.gov (Billy Causey) Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2002 19:39:58 -0400 Subject: Scientist claims Naples Daily News Report Incorrect (Solares Hill weekly) Message-ID: Greetings Cathy, I am going to attempt to interpret some of the reaction to Jim Porter's report of the decline of coral cover at the location of the "Rock Pile" north of the Content Keys in the Gulf of Mexico. This is in an area where the Keys run east to west and north is towards the Gulf and south is towards the Atlantic. Now, having given the coral list a geography lesson on the Florida Keys, another issue relates to the level of coral loss over the past year (during the Blackwater Event of the winter). The area Porter described is one of the 43 permanent, long-term monitoring stations in the Florida Keys National marine Sanctuary. Porter and his colleagues (other PIs on the project Walt Jaap and Jennifer Wheaton - FWCC) reported alarming decline in the coral cover at this same site in the 1996-99 timeframe. I recall some of the reports as being quite alarming at the time. While I am not claiming the corals aren't dead, I feel compelled to sort out (using the long-term monitoring data) the level of loss then as opposed to this year. Again, I am not saying the corals haven't died .... I am merely attempting to let the data help our scientific investigators interpret some of the answers to the questions: what? when? where? why? and how much. Clearly, if anything this unfortunate set of circumstances has pointed out, there is not simply a single factor or stressor affecting the health of coral reefs, whether it is in the Florida Keys, the Lower Caribbean or in the Indo-west Pacific. I recall specifically receiving a call in the 1997-98 timeframe, where one of our investigators told me about the rate of decline recorded in 1997-98 on the "Rock Pile" and now I hear it second-hand (through the press) again this year. There was not a Blackwater Event in 1997-98 .... but it was the first year in recorded time in the Florida Keys that we had back to back annual coral bleaching events. This year we had a massive Diatom bloom that was part of what we called Blackwater that had a devastating impact on the north (Gulf) side of the Keys. There's is no denying the level of impact this year due to the Blackwater. I spent 30 minutes on the phone with a 5th generation Conch yesterday who said he had never witnessed anything like it in his life. Soft corals are dead, small solitary corals are dead .... and some of the massive coral colonies are dead. What's happening to our coral reefs is complicated and is occurring at local, regional and global scales. Those scientists who continually look for THE "smoking gun" regarding the impacts to coral reefs, I am afraid, are going to be frustrated for a long time to come. I had rather see us collectively sort out or tease out the things management can directly focus effort on and search for ways to address the impacts whose solutions are currently out of the reach of us managers. Like coral reefs located near populated centers around the world, the coral reefs in the Florida Keys are in a state of decline. However, that decline (except for what is reported in the Gulf) has leveled off for the past two years in a row. I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that we have not had any coral bleaching of major significance since 1998? I could keep writing ..... but realize I am going to generate enough response to keep me busy responding with what I have already written. Take care, Billy ZolloCR at aol.com wrote: > Regarding an editorial in Key West's free, weekly newspaper Solares Hill that > was distributed on this list serve, I stand by my reporting of quotes by Dr. > James Porter about the coral die off north of the Keys. The story ran Aug. 11 > in the Naples Daily News. Porter told others of these findings prior to the > publication of my story. Several of them told me, and I corroborated these > reports with him during a lengthy telephone interview. His only complaint to > me came a week after publication. He was upset because some people, including > major news outlets, had confused "north" of the Keys to be the upper > two-thirds of the Keys, including, he said at the time, Key Largo and Key > Biscayne. I was upset as well at this confusion and ran a clarification that > I emailed to Porter a week ago. I await publication of his data. > > Cathy Zollo > Staff Writer > Naples Daily News > (239) 263-4764 > crzollo at naplesnews.com > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . -- Billy D. Causey, Superintendent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary PO Box 500368 Marathon, FL 33050 (305) 743-2437 phone (305) 743-2357 Fax billy.causey at noaa.gov http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From michelc at squ.edu.om Fri Aug 23 23:54:34 2002 From: michelc at squ.edu.om (Michel Claereboudt) Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2002 08:54:34 +0500 Subject: Reef fish in the Persian Gulf Message-ID: On 8/21/02 6:41 PM, "Marc Kochzius" wrote: > Hi Angus, > > here are some references: > Carpenter KE, Krupp F, Jones DA, Zajonz U (1997) Living marine resources of > Kuwait, Eastern Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. > FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes, Rome, FAO > Coles SL, Tarr AB (1990) Reef fish assemblages in the western Arabian Gulf: > a geographically isolated population in an extreme environment. Bull Mar > Sci 47(3): 696-720 > Krupp F, M?ller T, Al-Sana?a M, Al-Marri M (1994) Survey of fishes and fish > assemblages in Dawhat ad-Dafi, Dawhat al-Musallamiya and the Gulf Coral > Islands. In: Feltkamp E, Krupp F (eds) Establishment of a marine habitat > and wildlife sanctuary for the Gulf region. Final report for phase II. > Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt, p 537-558 > Krupp F, Almarri, MA (1996) Fishes and fish assemblages of the Jubail > marine wildlife sanctuary. In: Krupp R, Abuzinada AH, Nader IA (eds) A > marine wildlife sanctuary for the Arabian Gulf. Environmental research and > conservation following the 1991 Gulf war oil spill. NCWCD, Riyadh and > Senckenberg Research Institute, Frankfurt, p 339-350 > > Best fishes > Marc > > > > At 09:37 12.08.2002 +1000, you wrote: >> Dear Listers >> >> I'm looking to undertake fish visual census surveys in the Persian Gulf >> and am having difficulty obtaining a comprehensive list of reef associated >> species. I've tried FishBase however there are some obvious omissions to >> the searches it allows. Anyone know of a good source? >> >> Cheers > >> <> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> > Marc Kochzius > Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Genetics > Centre for Environmental Research and Technology (UFT) > University of Bremen > Leobener Strasse > 28359 Bremen > Germany > > Phone: +49 (0) 421-218-7225 (office) > +49 (0) 421-218-7679 (Lab) > Fax: +49 (0) 421-218-7578 > > Biotechnology: www.uft.uni-bremen.de/biotech/english/bmg_main.html > Coral Reef Webpage: www.oceanium.de > <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > John Randall's Book: Coastal fishes of Oman (Crawford house publishing) 1995 probably covers most of the reef fishes of the Arabian Gulf. There is also a small booklet by Carpenter et al. And published by the Kuwait institute of Scienctific Research (KISR). Corals and coral reef fishes of Kuwait. Cheers, -- Michel Claereboudt Sultan Qaboos University College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences (BOX 34) Dpt. Marine Science and Fisheries Al-Khod 123 Sultanate of Oman Tel (968) 515 249 Fax (968) 513 418 Email; michelc at squ.edu.om ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From dodge at nova.edu Mon Aug 26 14:06:45 2002 From: dodge at nova.edu (Richard E. Dodge) Date: Mon, 26 Aug 2002 14:06:45 -0400 Subject: Call for submission of manuscripts: Special Issue of Coral Message-ID: Reefs, on Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs Sender: owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list Call for submission of manuscripts Special Issue of Coral Reefs, on Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs Volume 23 of Coral Reefs will include a Special Issue entitled ?Remote Sensing of Coral Reefs.? The aim of this thematic issue is to present and discuss the potential of remote sensing data to increase the understanding of coral reef processes at various temporal and spatial scales. Integration of remote sensing data in coral reef studies is a very fast-moving domain, boosted by multidisciplinary research, continuous technological development, increased numbers of platforms, and increased availability of calibrated digital data providing repetitive synoptic coverage. In many aspects, remote sensing of reefs is still in its infancy and is still poorly used for scientific/management purposes, despite its potential. Innovative research suggests that space-borne, airborne, and shipborne passive or active data can provide substantial input in numerous studies on reef ecosystem processes such as: refining hydrodynamic models by assimilation of remote sensing data; characterization of reef growth patterns; assessment of the influence of climate/weather on reef growth patterns; design and calibration/validation of bio-optical models; biogeochemical budgets; assessment of biodiversity spatial patterns; connection between land and reef changes; import and export of materials via oceanic currents, rivers or sediment plumes; design of bleaching/disease/turbidity risk maps; change detection; fusion of active and passive data for high resolution 2D or 3D mapping; optimization approach for mapping bottom types/bathymetry/water quality; fusion of multi-scale data; and innovative spectral unmixing or classification algorithms. These are some of the topics where remote sensing combined with modeling are or in the near future will be key to understanding processes between reefs, land, ocean, atmosphere, and human communities. Potential topics for this Special Issue are not limited to the above subjects. A mapping exercise without significant methodological novelty would not be considered except in the form of one- or two-page "Reef Sites" communications for sites of particular interest where classification schemes, accuracy assessment protocol, error matrix, and surface areas of each class will be required. Reviews on an appropriate theme are also welcome. The issue (approximately 100 pages) will be published as soon as 12 papers have been accepted; additional submissions will be considered for publication in subsequent issues. Papers should be submitted no later than the end of February 2003. Papers should follow the guidelines for Coral Reefs and may be submitted to either of the Guest Editors in pdf or regular format. To ensure a speedy publication, manuscripts should be submitted as soon as possible to compile the volume for a publication anticipated for 2004 in Vol. 23. Prospective authors should first contact Guest Editor Serge Andr?fou?t or Bernhard Riegl: Dr. Serge Andr?fou?t College of Marine Science, Institute for Marine Remote Sensing University of South Florida 140 7th Avenue South St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA Tel: +1-727-553-3987/ +1-727-553-1186 Fax: +1-727-553-1103 Email: serge at seas.marine.usf.edu Dr. Bernhard Riegl National Coral Reef Institute Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center 8000 North Ocean Drive Dania Beach, FL 33004 USA Tel: +1-954-262-3671 Fax: +1-954-262-4027 Email: rieglb at nova.edu ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From sjameson at coralseas.com Mon Aug 26 14:51:19 2002 From: sjameson at coralseas.com (Stephen C Jameson) Date: Mon, 26 Aug 02 14:51:19 -0400 Subject: Porites branneri Message-ID: Dear Adam, Porites branneri is distinguished morphologically by the presence of pali and the absence of a columella tubercle. For quantitative and qualitative keys to distinguishing western Atlantic and Caribbean Porites species using morphological characters see: Jameson SC (1997) Morphometric analysis of the Poritidae (Anthozoa: Scleractinia) off Belize. Proc 8th International Coral Reef Symposium, Panama 2:1591-1596 (If anyone would like a reprint just send me a stamped self addressed envelope and I'll pass one along.) Regarding the species controversy: Using electrophoresis, fixed allel differences were found among P. astreoides, P. porites, P. furcata, P. divaricata, P. colonensis and P. branneri off Panama by Weil (1992) confiming they are distinct species. Using the genetic results of Weil (1992), Jameson (1997) shows these valid species can be distinguished using various morphological/morphometric techniques and discusses what characters are reliable in morphological analysis. >Be careful about casual reports of Porites branneri. This species is very >difficult to identify in the field. It is my understanding that there are >subtle differences in calicular structure that distinguish it from other >Porites species. Indeed, there is controversy about the Porites porites / >P. furcata / P. divaricata series as well. One thing IS clear - color is a >poor diagnostic tool. Many forms of Porites can be found with >tan/beige/blue/purple/lavendar color varieties. I've heard that Ernesto >Weil has done some work on the taxonomy of Porites branneri. Ernesto, any >feedback? > >Cheers, > >Joshua Feingold > >At 04:11 PM 08/20/2002 -0400, Greenforce Andros wrote: >>I have an enquiry about the coral Porites branneri and its distribution. Is >>it found as far north as the Bahamas as I have a possible ID on Andros >>Island, Bahamas? >> >>Many thanks >>Adam Hughes >>Research Co-ordinator >> >>Greenforce Research Station >>Blanket Sound >>Andros >>Tel: 1-242-368-6288 >>Email: greenforce at batelnet.bs Best regards, Dr. Stephen C. Jameson, President Coral Seas Inc. - Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4254 Hungry Run Road, The Plains, VA 20198-1715 USA Office: 703-754-8690, Fax: 703-754-9139 Email: sjameson at coralseas.com Web Site: www.coralseas.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From jim.hendee at noaa.gov Tue Aug 27 08:53:41 2002 From: jim.hendee at noaa.gov (Jim Hendee) Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 08:53:41 -0400 Subject: New CHAMP Coral Disease Page Message-ID: Greetings, Coral-Listers! It is our pleasure to announce NOAA/CHAMP's new Coral Disease Identification and Information Web Page at: http://www.coral.noaa.gov/coral_disease/ We have endeavored to review other coral disease pages on the Web and to make this one unique and modern, utilizing input from many of our coral disease colleagues. This new page: * Emphasizes coral diseases which have enjoyed peer review ("Characterized Diseases"). * Includes a "Literature" section to have up-to-date peer-reviewed publications. (We earnestly seek any additions you may wish us to include.) * Showcases NOAA's new Coral Disease & Health Consortium (CDHC), organized in January, 2002. The CDHC seeks to "...organize and coordinate the scientific resources of the U.S. and its territories to meet the challenge of globally declining coral reefs." * Supplies good descriptive photographs of described coral diseases. We very much enjoin you to offer other good quality photos which may display the diseases in a suitably diagnostic fashion. We very much look forward to your input and hope that it will help all of us come to a consensus on coral disease identification and nomenclature. Sincerely yours, Jim Hendee, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory Laurie Richardson, Florida International University Monika Gurnee, NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory Cheryl Woodley, NOAA Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research Laura Kracker, NOAA Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From rcheck at ucla.edu Tue Aug 27 18:42:56 2002 From: rcheck at ucla.edu (Reef Check Headquarters) Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 15:42:56 -0700 Subject: Position available Message-ID: Please circulate, far and wide... The Los Angeles-based Reef Check Foundation is seeking to hire a mid-level coral reef fisheries scientist (Master?s Degree or higher) to carry out field monitoring of both fin-fish and invertebrates targeted by the marine aquarium trade to start as soon as possible. The primary task will be to gather population data on coral reef fish and invertebrates, and to test a new stock assessment monitoring protocol (MAQTRAC) specially designed for marine aquarium trade organisms. The scientist will be based almost entirely in the field and will carry out the work primarily in the Philippines, Indonesia and Fiji. The scientist will be supported by a field network of Reef Check, Marine Aquarium Council and IMA scientists and managers and will collaborate with other partners including WWF and US NOAA. The position is funded for one year with possibility of renewal for a longer period. Applicants should have: 1) Excellent species-level taxonomic skills with Indo-pacific coral reef fish and a good knowledge of coral reef invertebrate taxonomy; 2) At least two years experience field monitoring coral reef fish using underwater visual census methods in the Indo-pacific region; 3) Solid understanding of and ability to work with multivariate statistics and standard fisheries models including surplus production and yield-per-recruit models; 4) Ability to work independently and for long periods in remote locations where English is not commonly spoken; 5) Excellent health and be willing to spend at least 50% of the work days underwater; 6) Fluency in spoken English and demonstrated ability to write high quality technical reports; 7) A valid passport and ability to travel to and from the three target countries. 8) Certified diver (200+ dives). For the right person, this will be a dream position to work in exotic locations and to carry out ground-breaking, much-needed research on a highly controversial fishery. This is an opportunity to develop the basic science needed to determine whether it is possible to sustainably manage the collection of coral reef fish and invertebrates for the marine aquarium trade. Applicants should send their CV, a list of three references (with email address and telephone numbers), previous salary history and expected salary for this position in US$, and a cover letter providing further details about how the applicant?s experience matches the requirements to Program Manager Lena Maun at Tel: (1) 310-794-4985 Fax: (1) 310-825-0758. The position will be open until filled and is open to citizens of any country. The applicant should be prepared to start field work by January 1, 2002 at the latest. Hope you are having a great day! Kelly ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kelly McGee Outreach Coordinator Reef Check Headquarters Institute of the Environment 1362 Hershey Hall, Box 951496 University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496 USA 1-310-794-4985 (phone) 1-310-825-0758 (fax) rcheck2 at ucla.edu www.reefcheck.org Starfish are falling stars who have landed in the sea ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From rcheck at ucla.edu Tue Aug 27 19:33:52 2002 From: rcheck at ucla.edu (Reef Check Headquarters) Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 16:33:52 -0700 Subject: Job Position available - please ignore Message-ID: Please ignore the past email sent out for mid-level coral reef fisheries scientist. This was a mistake. I am truly sorry for any inconvenience. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From owner-coral-list at aoml.noaa.gov Wed Aug 28 08:08:48 2002 From: owner-coral-list at aoml.noaa.gov (owner-coral-list at aoml.noaa.gov) Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 08:08:48 -0400 Subject: Coral Reefs vol. 21 no. 2 (2002) Message-ID: The following articles in the latest Coral Reefs journal may be of use to coral-listers: Record 1. TI: Experience shapes the susceptibility of a reef coral to bleaching AU: Brown, BE; Dunne, RP; Goodson, MS; Douglas, AE JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 119-126 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 2. TI: A cnidarian neuropeptide of the GLWamide family induces metamorphosis of reef-building corals in the genus Acropora AU: Iwao, K; Fujisawa, T; Hatta, M JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 127-130 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 3. TI: Do sponges exchange secondary metabolites? AU: Schaft, D; Mebs, D JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 130-159 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 4. TI: Responses of coral and fish assemblages to a severe but short-lived tropical cyclone on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia AU: Cheal, AJ; Coleman, G; Delean, S; Miller, I; Osborne, K; Sweatman, H JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 131-146 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 5. TI: Genetic evidence for a protozoan (phylum Apicomplexa) associated with corals of the Montastraea annularis species complex AU: Toller, WW; Rowan, R; Knowlton, N JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 143-154 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 6. TI: Choosing the appropriate spatial resolution for monitoring coral bleaching events using remote sensing AU: Andrefouet, S; Berkelmans, R; Odriozola, L; Done, T; Oliver, J; MullerKarger, F JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 147-160 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 7. TI: Large-scale surveys on the Florida Reef Tract indicate poor recovery of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum AU: Chiappone, M; Swanson, DW; Miller, SL; Smith, SG JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 155-178 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 8. TI: Occurrence of Trapezia associated with Acropora: on the "wrong" host coral? AU: Tsuchiya, M; Nojima, S JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 160-190 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 9. TI: Sexual reproduction of Brazilian coral Mussismilia hispida (Verrill, 1902) AU: Neves, EG; Pires, DO JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 161-168 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 10. TI: Evaluation of the fidelity of isotope records as an environmental proxy in the coral Montastraea AU: Watanabe, T; Winter, A; Oba, T; Anzai, R; Ishioroshi, H JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 169-204 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 11. TI: An analysis of the loss of acroporid corals at Looe Key, Florida, USA: 1983-2000 AU: Miller, MW; Bourque, AS; Bohnsack, JA JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 179-182 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 12. TI: Tidal current orientation of Plectropomus leopardus (Serranidae) AU: Zeller, DC JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 183-187 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 13. TI: Fishes other than anemonefishes that associate with sea anemones AU: Randall, JE; Fautin, DG JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 188-192 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 14. TI: Intertidal reefs under extreme tidal flux in Buccaneer Archipelago, Western Australia AU: Purcell, SW JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 191-223 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 15. TI: Normalizing physiological data for scleractinian corals AU: Edmunds, PJ; Gates, RD JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 193-197 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 16. TI: Observations on a new two-sponge symbiosis from the Florida Keys AU: Wilcox, TP; Hill, M; DeMeo, K JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 198-225 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 17. TI: Gorgonian distribution patterns in coral reef environments of the Gulf of Mexico: evidence of sporadic ecological connectivity? AU: JordanDahlgren, E JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 205-215 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 18. TI: Evaluating the use of roving diver and transect surveys to assess the coral reef fish assemblage off southeastern Hispaniola AU: Schmitt, EF; Sluka, RD; SullivanSealey, KM JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 216 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 19. TI: Cryptic species of Acropora digitifera AU: Hayashibara, T; Shimoike, K JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 224 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 URL: http://www.ingenta.com/isis/searching/Expand/ingenta?unc=1023494136 Click on the URL to purchase the article or to link to other issues of the publication. Record 20. TI: Book review of Committee on the Evaluation, Design, and Monitoring of Marine Reserves and Protected Areas in the United States; Ocean Studies Board; Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources; National Research Council (2001) Marine Protected Areas: Tools for Sustaining Ocean Ecosystems AU: Thomas, JD JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 226-228 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 Record 21. TI: Eberhard Gischler (ed): Mojsisovics on the Triassic Reefs of the Dolomites (1879). University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Miami, Florida, 2001 AU: Stanley, GD JN: Coral Reefs PD: 2002 VO: 21 NO: 2 PG: 229-230 PB: SPRINGER VERLAG KG IS: 0722-4028 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Brylske at aol.com Wed Aug 28 10:40:16 2002 From: Brylske at aol.com (Brylske at aol.com) Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:40:16 EDT Subject: assistance in Jordan Message-ID: Might anyone with experience in the region be able to help this guy? (See message below.) I'd me happy to act as go-between. Alex F. Brylske, Ph.D. Marine Conservation & Education Specialist Project AWARE Foundation Please respond to: 3324 SW 8th Court Cape Coral, Florida 33914 USA 800-729-7234, ext. 2675 (phone-US toll free) 239-945-1987 (phone) 239-945-1926 (fax) alexb at projectaware.org (Email) To learn more about Project AWARE, log on to: www.projectaware.org ----------------------- I'm work in Jordan Royal Ecological Diving Society(JREDS). I've heard about you from Ms.Domino PADI AWARE coordinator. Now we face some problem. We are looking for the agency that can analize dead sea coral. For example, when was this coral dead? how was this coral dead? what kind of coral is this? If possible, we would like to find nearer agency from Jordan. Do you have any information about it? Please give me any comment. It's urgent matter. Thanks, JREDS Research coordinator Tom Miyamoto ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From lmaun at ucla.edu Wed Aug 28 19:56:59 2002 From: lmaun at ucla.edu (Lena Maun) Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 16:56:59 -0700 Subject: Reef Check Five Year Report Message-ID: The Reef Check Foundation proudly reports our 5-year report: 5 Years of Reef Check: The Global Coral Reef Crisis, Trends and Solutions is now available. Reef Check was developed in 1996 as a volunteer, community-based monitoring protocol designed to measure the health of coral reefs on a global scale. Now in its sixth year of operation, Reef Check is active in over 60 countries and territories throughout the tropical world. The report is a culmination of standardized data recorded between 1997 and 2001 at over 1500 reefs in the Atlantic, Indo-pacific and Red Sea. Following quality assurance procedures, 1107 sites were accepted for analysis. Key findings included: ? At the global scale, zero spiny lobster were recorded at 83% of shallow reefs indicating severe overfishing; there was a significant decline in lobster abundance in the Atlantic; ? The mean abundance of Diadema sea urchins decreased significantly in the Indo-Pacific from 1998 to 2000, approaching levels similar to those found in the Atlantic and possibly indicating ecological destabilization; ? Four species of fish are in critical condition: Nassau grouper were absent from 82% of shallow Caribbean reefs ? only eight reefs had more than one fish. Barramundi cod, bumphead parrotfish and humphead wrasse were missing from 95%, 89% and 88% of Indo-pacific reefs respectively; ? The 1997-98 bleaching event reduced live coral cover by 10% globally, indicating that coral reefs are a sensitive indicator of global warming; ? Marine protected areas (MPAs) in developing countries are showing some success. Five of ten fish and one of ten invertebrate indicators were significantly more abundant inside than outside MPAs. The Executive Summary is now online at www.reefcheck.org Full Reports, in both print and CD format, are available to order. Ordering information can be found on our website at www.reefcheck.org Please contact rcheck at ucla.edu or 310 794-4985 for more information. Thanks! -------------------------------------------- Lena Maun, Program Manager Reef Check Institute of the Environment 1652 Hershey Hall, UCLA Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496 Tel: 310-794-4985 Fax: 310-825-0758 ><((((?>`?.??.???`?.?.???`?...?><((((?>?. ???`?.?. , . .???`?.. ><((((?>`?.??.???`?.?.???`?...?><((((?> ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From jlawrence at plenum.co.uk Thu Aug 29 09:10:38 2002 From: jlawrence at plenum.co.uk (Lawrence, Joanna) Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 14:10:38 +0100 Subject: Systema Porifera Message-ID: Dear Marine Scientists! Please see the email contact below for a PDF announcement and order form for the forthcoming classification guide Systema Porifera, edited by John Hooper of Queensland Museum, Brisbane, and Rob van Soest of the University of Amsterdam. I am sending this to you in the hope that it may be of interest to you or to your colleagues. This book provides a tool for biologists to document the rich biodiversity of the phylum porifera. It provides a unified classification for this phylum, and serves as a sound platform to build on sponge systematics in the future. It is an essential reference for anyone working on marine biodiversity. The coverage is truly food for thought: 680 genera of living sponges (in 127 families, 25 orders and three classes) and 1,000 genera of fossil sponges (245 families, 30 orders and six ?classes?). These genera have all been revised and refined, as have all families and orders. They are illustrated by 1,200 figures, many of which are full page and all of top quality. The mass of information is staggering. I am pleased to be offering a special prepublication discount of USD$99.95 or Euro 105 valid until 5th October. The list price due to be set by the end of September will be substantially higher so I urge you to take advantage of this short term special offer and order your copy now. Both volumes will then be shipped direct to your address upon publication. Please also feel free to circulate this announcement to any of your colleagues who may be interested in this comprehensive new guide. Joanna Lawrence Senior Publishing Editor (Biosciences) Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers London Office 241 Borough High Street London SE1 1GB, UK Tel: +44 20 7940 7492 Fax: +44 20 7940 7495 Email: Jo at plenum.co.uk http://www.wkap.nl ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Bprecht at pbsj.com Thu Aug 29 11:19:55 2002 From: Bprecht at pbsj.com (Precht, Bill) Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 10:19:55 -0500 Subject: Tortugas shining light in Florida's damaged reefs (Environmental News Network / Reuters, 8/28/02) Message-ID: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tortugas shining light in Florida's damaged reefs By Jim Loney , Reuters Environmental News Network http://www.enn.com Wednesday, August 28, 2002 http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/08/08282002/reu_48276.asp SHERWOOD FOREST, Dry Tortugas, Fla. - In this fecund forest, multihued toadstool shapes rise from a bountiful floor where strange things jostle for space, feathery boughs dance on a soft current, and wary eyes glint from a thousand dark crevasses. The pale light that filters from above reveals scaly plates creeping over a stony plateau and downy fingers reaching skyward. Crimson boulders glow, lit by some internal fire. Unlike the legendary Nottinghamshire lair of Robin Hood, this fantasy land called Sherwood Forest is not a royal hunting ground and hideout for wily outlaws but a real and rare tract of pristine coral reef under 80 feet of subtropical Florida waters forbidden to maritime hunters. Some scientists see it as a refuge of hope in a spiraling undersea crisis. "This is one of the best remaining coral reef habitats in the United States and the best nursery habitat in the United States," said Billy Causey, a marine biologist who as superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is chief guardian of the Dry Tortugas reefs. A tiny cluster of sand and coral islands, the remote Dry Tortugas - a discovery credited to Ponce de Leon in 1513 - host perhaps the United States' best-protected coral reefs. While technically part of the Florida Keys, the Tortugas are 70 miles of open water from the rest of the Keys, a 100-mile-long chain of islands connected by bridges off the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. The barrier reef that lies about 6 miles seaward of the Keys has deteriorated badly in the last two decades, suffering the ravages of global climate change, polluted water running off the Florida mainland and damage from scuba divers and fishermen who are part of a booming Keys tourist economy welcoming more than 2.5 million people a year. TEEMING WITH LIFE In contrast to the patchy coral at most of the Florida Keys barrier reef, the Dry Tortugas are teeming with life. Florida Keys charter boat captain Tim Taylor is generally credited with naming Sherwood Forest. "After 20 years of diving down here, the formations are different than anywhere I've ever seen," he said. "It looks like the floor of a forest, a giant forest, with the ground cover spreading out and the light filtering down from above." Sherwood Forest is largely flat, like a vast coral plain, contrasting sharply with the canyons and mounds of most reefs. It is probably the oldest, and possibly the largest coral reef tract in the Florida Keys, said Walt Jaap, a research scientist at the Florida Marine Research Institute. "It goes back over 9,000 years," Jaap said. "It's a huge reef, one of the largest expanses of reef we know of, miles long and a mile in width." Coral reefs are fragile geological marvels constructed by tiny creatures called polyps, which grow on a limestone base. Ornate and visually stunning, they are often compared to flower gardens and are considered vital to the health of surrounding water, hosting microscopic organisms on which larger creatures feed and providing shelter for fish, lobster, and other life. Reefs grow slowly, as little as half an inch per year, and polyps need the right combination of light, warmth, and pure water to survive. At Sherwood Forest and nearby spots with names like Gary's Grotto and Anne's Rolling Hills, leafy lettuce corals and scroll corals abound. Tube sponges appear in amber and pale green. Great star coral boulders shine crimson and orange, their fluorescent pigments emitting color even at depths where reddish tints normally disappear. At 80 feet, rare black corals appear. Cherished as jewelry in some parts of the world, they are more beautiful still in their natural state, with slender branches like conifer boughs coated in filaments of emerald and aqua. "We're seeing 40 to 60 percent coral cover here," Causey said. "Up the Keys our scientists are seeing 5 percent up to 15 percent, but mostly 5 percent." MAN ON A MISSION A graying, stocky marine biologist who began diving in the '50s and once collected tropical fish for a living, Causey, 58, speaks zealously about the need for "marine zoning," similar to landside development zoning, as a way to guard dwindling fish stocks and corals. "We've already seen 30 percent of the coral reefs on this planet decline to the point where they may not survive. We've seen systems that have been on Earth for 400 million years decline to the point where they may not survive." "It's almost like seeing a great forest clear-cut. We've seen coral heads two and three hundred years old die." Causey's domain is a 2,900-square-nautical-mile area designated by the U.S. Congress for special protection in 1990. Within that vast area - from the Dry Tortugas to just south of Miami - lie a series of more rigidly protected zones, some of which allow no fishing, no discharge of waste, literally no touching of any marine plant or animal. That protection is showing results, scientists said. "I couldn't believe the number of yellowtail on that reef," Causey said. He said stocks of tiny, colorful tropical fish, larger food fish, lobster and other creatures pushed to perilous lows by commercial and recreational fishers, are reappearing. "The schools of yellowtail were simply not here before. Black grouper were not here. Those are signs of health." The isolated Tortugas reefs are cleaner, devoid of the algae that can serve as a harbinger of trouble. There are only sporadic signs of coral bleaching or disease. Along the underwater foundation of Fort Jefferson, the six-sided Civil War- era fort in the Dry Tortugas, long-spined sea urchins, which suffered a massive die-off in the 1980s, are plentiful, another good sign. Corals grow vigorously along the fort wall. When a shrimp boat ran aground there in January, sanctuary workers cemented brain and other damaged corals back into place and already they are showing signs of regeneration. "The corals are looking good," said Steve Baumgartner, a sanctuary operations manager. "They are getting their color back." # # # http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/08/08282002/reu_48276.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From buddrw at ku.edu Thu Aug 29 15:42:00 2002 From: buddrw at ku.edu (Robert W. Buddemeier) Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 14:42:00 -0500 Subject: "Hexacoral'" on-line database upgrade Message-ID: BIOLOGICAL/ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASE UPGRADE New and expanded data, search capabilities, and tools have been added to "Biogeoinformatics of Hexacorallia" (http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Hexacoral). "Hexacoral" is part of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS: http://www.iobis.org/), and has been jointly sponsored by NSF and the Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ: http://www.nioz.nl/loicz) project of the IGBP. Taxonomic enhancements include several thousand more georeferenced occurrence records, and continued addition of taxa. Mapping tools show locations with associated precision and the environmental characteristics of the georeferenced points. For scleractinian taxa of common interest, there is now an interoperable dynamic search and data link between "Hexacoral" and the NMITA database (Neogene Marine Biota of Tropical America; http://porites.geology.uiowa.edu/). The 30' environmental database, now available without password control, has more environmental variables and a revised 'selected' database of the most widely used variables. Location selection options have been expanded to include 'zoom and click' map entry, manual entry forms for point locations or ranges, or upload of range or point location files. Database output can be viewed, filtered, recalculated, or examined for correlations and statistical characteristics online; it can then be downloaded or transmitted to the associated LOICZView geospatial clustering tool (password required but available on request). In addition to interoperability with NMITA, searches of Hexacoral as well as other OBIS sites can be initiated from the OBIS portal. Obis partners Fishbase (http://www.fishbase.org/) and Cephbase (http://cephbase.nrcc.utmb.edu/) now use remote environmental database and/or mapping tool links to Hexacoral to provide location visualization and environmental information on their holdings. Daphne G. Fautin, PI Robert W. Buddemeier, Co-I -- Dr. Robert W. Buddemeier Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas 1930 Constant Avenue Lawrence, KS 66047 USA e-mail: buddrw at ku.edu ph (1) (785) 864-2112 fax (1) (785) 864-5317 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From smiller at gate.net Thu Aug 29 16:13:56 2002 From: smiller at gate.net (Steven Miller) Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 16:13:56 -0400 Subject: Job Announcement: Florida Keys Message-ID: POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Research Associate for Coral Reef Rapid Assessment and Monitoring Program in the Florida Keys University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) (position is located in Key Largo, Florida) DESCRIPTION One person will be hired to work full time as part of UNCW's coral reef rapid assessment and monitoring program in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The program focus includes marine protected areas and also addresses community structure and condition at multiple spatial scales in nearshore to offshore habitats. The position involves extensive fieldwork using scuba diving and rapid turn-around of data for analysis and publications. Every year, there are 3-5 extended field trips that average 7 to 14 days throughout the Keys, as well as periodic daily excursions from Key Largo and other locations. Fieldwork includes scuba diving to 35 m. Underwater tasks include in situ assessments of species richness, density, and other ecological parameters. Taxonomic expertise - at the species level for Caribbean/Florida fauna - in two of the following groups is required: gorgonians, sponges, corals. Demonstrated ability to work efficiently and accurately underwater is required. The position also requires: a B.S. (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred) in biology or marine science; at least three years of field experience; dive and small boat experience; familiarity with computers and GIS; and experience managing large data sets. Experience organizing and conducting extended field operations is desirable as is statistical expertise using SAS. The position will be hired at the Research Associate level through UNCW's Center for Marine Science, with responsibilities including the field work described above, and laboratory work related to data management, statistical analysis, and writing. The position is for one year with the possibility of additional support for several years. HIRING RANGE: $28,000 - $36,000: commensurate with experience. DEADLINE TO APPLY: Applications received before September 18, 2002, will receive priority. START DATE: Negotiable, but not sooner than October 7, 2002. Applicants should send a letter that outlines experience related to the above description, a resume, and names of three people for letters of reference to: Dr. Steven L. Miller, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, National Undersea Research Center, 515 Caribbean Drive, Key Largo, Florida 33037. For questions or further information please contact Steven Miller (Tel: 305 451 0233, email: millers at uncwil.edu). "UNCW is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer." ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From Heidi.Schuttenberg at noaa.gov Fri Aug 30 19:33:35 2002 From: Heidi.Schuttenberg at noaa.gov (Heidi Schuttenberg) Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2002 19:33:35 -0400 Subject: Nomination for U.S. Coral Reef Task Force awards Message-ID: The next meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force is taking place October 2-3, 2002, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At this meeting, the Task Force will continue its "tradition" of presenting awards to individuals and organizations in recognition of their contributions to coral reef conservation and management. This email is a call for nominations for the '02 CRTF awards in the following categories: - Outstanding Management - Outstanding Scientific Advancement of Knowledge - Outstanding Public Awareness and Education - Outstanding Community-Level Participation In addition, we are adding a category of award to recognize an outstanding effort in the host location - Puerto Rico in the case of this call for nominations. Nominations are due no later than Friday, September 6 to Macara Lousberg at the U.S. EPA (contact information appears below). Nominations are open to individuals and organizations in all categories for both domestic and international activities. Each nomination should provide the following information: 1. Award category proposed for nominee: 2. Name of Nominee (individual or organization): 3. Phone: 4. Email: 5. Fax: 6. Address: 7. Justification for Award Recognition: Description of significant contributions to coral reef conservation and management over the past year (1 paragraph). 8. Nomination submitted by: (include name and contact information FYI - the following individuals and organizations have been recognized by the CRTF at past awards ceremonies: * Reef Check Foundation, in recognition of significant education and outreach efforts for coral reef conservation * Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Program, in recognition of significant U.S. efforts for coral reef conservation * Guam Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, in recognition of significant U.S. efforts for coral reef conservation * The Nature Conservancy, award for significant International Contributions to coral reef conservation: * Rafe Pomerance, for initiating the GCRMN to monitor global change impacts * The Government of the Bahamas, for establishing a national network of coral reef MPAs Nominations will be reviewed by an awards evaluation team, which will make recomendations to the TF for its consideration, and awards will be presented at the meeting in October. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Macara Lousberg or any of the other members of the organizing committee: Roger Griffis with NOAA at: Roger.B.Griffis at noaa.gov Heidi Schuttenberg with NOAA at: Heidi.Schuttenberg at noaa.gov Arthur Patterson with NOAA at: Arthur.E.Paterson at noaa.gov Karen Koltes with DOI at: karen_koltes at ios.doi.gov Randy Bowman with DOI at: Randal_Bowman at ios.doi.gov Barbara Best with AID at: BBest at usaid.gov Damaris Delgado with the Puerto Rico CZMP at: PRCZMP at CARIBE.NET Please forward this email to your coral networks and contacts so that we can get a wide distribution. Thanks, and we look forward to receiving some great nominations! Macara Macara Lousberg email: lousberg.macara at epa.gov Phone: 202-566-1308 Fax: 202-566-1544 Mailing address: U.S. EPA (4501T) 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Street address for meetings and deliveries: 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW Room 7136G Washington, DC 20004 -- Heidi Schuttenberg Environmental Policy Specialist NOAA Ocean Service Office of Response and Restoration ph: 301-713-2989 x224 fx: 301-713-4389 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . From coral_giac at yahoo.com Sat Aug 31 13:33:48 2002 From: coral_giac at yahoo.com (Hernandez Edwin) Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 10:33:48 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Coral Mass Spawning in Puerto Rico Message-ID: Dear coral-listers. Saludos desde Puerto Rico. This is to provide a summary report of our observations during the 2002 coral mass spawning event which occurred on the evening of last Thursday Aug. 29. Anyone interested in some digital images of the spawning activities may answer directly to me. Any other observations from the Caribbean will be appreaciated. Cheers, Edwin A. Hernandez, Ph.D. UPR-Biology coral_giac at yahoo.com __________________________________ Summary report of the 2002 coral mass spawning event at the Luis Pe?a Channel Marine Fishery Reserve, Culebra Island, Puerto Rico. Edwin A. Hern?ndez-Delgado 1 Mary Ann Lucking 2 1 University of Puerto Rico, Department of Biology, Coral Reef Research Group, P.O. Box 23360, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00931-3360. coral_giac at yahoo.com 2 Coralations, P.O. Box 750, Culebra, Puerto Rico 00775. corals at caribe.net The following is a brief summary of our observations during the coral mass spawning event documented during the evening of Thursday August 29, 2002 (7th evening after the full moon) at Carlos Rosario Beach, within the Luis Pe?a Channel Marine Fishery Reserve, Culebra Island. The MFR is located at approximately 28 km off Northeastern Puerto Rico. Observations were made between 20:30 and 23:10. Tide was high, very calm seas with excellent visibility. No information is available of spawning activities in Culebra during the 5th and 6th evenings after the full moon. But continuous routine diving during August 27-29, 2002 showed no evidence of coral gamete bundles in the water. No spawning was observed during the 5th or 6th evenings (August 27-28, 2002) at La Parguera, P.R. (H?ctor Ru?z, pers. com., UPR-Dept. Marine Sciences, Mayaguez), or during the 5th evening at St. Thomas (Sandra Romano, pers. com., UVI, St. Thomas). Species Hour Acropora palmata 21:30-21:40 Isolated polyps from a single colony spawned at 15-30 second intervals (1 m depth). To our knowledge, this is the first time that we have seen this species spawning on the 7th evening after the full moon. Diploria strigosa 22:05-22:20 Most of the colonies present spawned simultaneously. Not all polyps spawned. (0.5-5 m). Diploria clivosa 21:55-22:00 Several colonies spawned simultaneously. Not all polyps spawned (0.5-5 m). Montastrea annularis (columnar) 22:15-22:45 Most, but not all of the colonies spawned (0.5-5 m). Most of the polyps of the spawning colonies released gamete bundles, first those from the top of the colonies, then those from the side, and finally those from the bottom. Large (>2 m) and small (<20 cm) colonies were observed spawning. Spawning was preceded by crawling brittle stars (Ophiocoma) and Fireworm, Hermodice carunculata, approximately 2-3 minutes before spawning. These species were observed atop living surfaces of the corals when polyps were fully distended and ready to release egg-sperm bundles. In addition, several colonies were observed to be fully distended but did not release the gamete bundles. It is suspected that the extremely high density of plaktonic creatures just atop the surface of the coral due to the attraction by the dive and video-camera lights might have been factors that might have prevented these few colonies to spawn. They are expected to spawn during the next evening. It is interesting to point out that several colonies of this species never showed signs of spawning, suggesting the possibility that spawning might have occurred during the 6th evening after the full moon (Aug. 28, 20002), or they might have occurred on the 8th evening (Aug. 30, 2002). Montastrea faveolata (platy) 22:00-22:15 Most, but not all of the colonies spawned (0.5-5 m). Most of the polyps of the spawning colonies released gamete bundles, first those from the top of the colonies, then those from the side, and finally those from the bottom. Large (>3 m) and small (<50 cm) colonies were observed spawning. Spawning was preceded by crawling brittle stars (Ophiocoma) approximately 2-3 minutes before spawning. This species was observed atop living surfaces of the corals when polyps were fully distended and ready to release egg-sperm bundles. Polyp distension was documented since approximately 20:45. It is interesting to point out that several colonies of this species never showed signs of spawning, suggesting the possibility that spawning might have occurred during the 6th evening after the full moon (Aug. 28, 20002), or they might have occurred on the 8th evening (Aug. 30, 2002). Montastrea franksi (massive) 22:00-22:10 Most, but not all of the colonies spawned (3-5 m). Most of the polyps of the spawning colonies released gamete bundles, first those from the top of the colonies, then those from the side, and finally those from the bottom. Large (>1 m) and small (<20 cm) colonies were observed spawning. Spawning was preceded by crawling brittle stars (Ophiocoma) approximately 2-3 minutes before spawning. This species was observed atop living surfaces of the corals when polyps were fully distended and ready to release egg-sperm bundles. Polyp distension was documented since approximately 21:30. It is interesting to point out that several colonies of this species never showed signs of spawning, suggesting the possibility that spawning might have occurred during the 6th evening after the full moon (Aug. 28, 20002), or they might have occurred on the 8th evening (Aug. 30, 2002). Porites porites (f. porites) 21:00-21:05 One colony was observed spawning in a single burst by one of the crew members (2.5 m). Other species documented during the dive, but not observed spawning: Acropora cervicornis Agaricia agaricites (f. agaricites) Agaricia agaricites (f. purpurea) Agaricia agaricites (f. danai) Agaricia agaricites (f. carinata) Leptoseris cucullata Diploria labyrinthiformis Favia fragum Siderastrea siderea Siderastrea radians Dendrogyra cylindrus Isophyllastrea rigida Isophyllia sinuosa Tubastrea aurea Millepora alcicornis Millepora complanata Millepora squarrosa Acknowledgements This survey trip was made possible by the grateful collaboration of Elam ?Rico? Rossy from Villa Boheme, Culebra, who provided all the logistical support and transportation to the Reserve. Also, thanks to Mary Ann Lucking, from Coralations, who also collaborated with all the logistical support in Culebra. Many thanks to all of the other diving crew members, which included Carlos Carri?n, Jovino M?rquez, Robert Matos, Rico Rossy, Edgardo, Waleska, Paloma, and Yari. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Finance - Get real-time stock quotes http://finance.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .