IGOS Coral Reef Sub-Theme Theme - Call for participation in a questionnaire

[Jamie Oliver]

Dear Colleagues

On 8 November last year, the Partners in the Integrated Global Observing
System (IGOS) at their meeting in Kyoto, approved a proposal for a Coral
Reef Sub-theme as the first step towards the development of a broader
Coastal Theme under IGOS. A working group, co-chaired by Arthur Dahl and Al
Strong, has been organised to prepare the theme report over then next year.
The full text of the work plan of the working group can be downloaded at
www.reefbase.org/igos/CRTHEME8.DOC

The immediate objective in the context of IGOS is to produce a specific set
of observational requirements corresponding to the special needs of the
coral reef and coastal research/management communities. These requirements
will then guide the development (and resource commitments) of remote sensing
systems developers.

For the theme report, the team will:
a) prepare an inventory of relevant existing observational activities and
research programmes: remote sensing
b) identify the remote and in situ observational techniques best able to
meet the objectives defined above
c) develop specifications for a set of observational products optimising
different user requirements
d) define partnership roles and responsibilities for implementation of the
Coral Reef Theme report, including data management through ReefBase and the
UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre
e) identify potential resources for implementation of the theme proposals
f) relate the Coral Reef Theme to the Ocean Theme, the Carbon Cycle Theme,
other relevant IGOS themes, and related programmes such as ICRAN, ICRI,
GCRMN, GOOS, GTOS, IGBP, etc.

As a first step in the development of the theme report, we would like to
conduct a survey of coral reef scientists and managers with current work
programmes, or an active interest in, remote sensing/observing of coral
reefs. This includes people involved in in situ monitoring who would be
interested in remote sensing products as an additional source of information
to complement their activities (see list below for a range of potential work
areas which have been identified as relevant to the development of new
remote sensing products).

Rather than broadcasting a questionnaire to the coral reef community, we
have decided to call for expressions of interest in participating in the
survey. We will then send you a detailed questionnaire. If you are active in
the remote sensing area or interested in helping to define remote
sensing/observing interests relating to coral reefs, and the product
requirements for the next decade, we would appreciate it if you could
respond by email. We also ask you to enclose a brief description of your
current work and areas of interest. Please respond within 2 weeks if you
would like to participate.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give us in this important task.

Best Wishes

Jamie Oliver
Team Member - IGOS Coral Reef Sub-theme

===========================================
In replying please provide the following information to J.Oliver at cgiar.org
:

Name:
Email address:
Position:
Address:

Current work related to remote sensing/observing: (2-3 sentences)

How would you use remote sensing products in your work: ( 2-3 sentences)
====================================

Specific areas of coral reef work which have already been identified as
potentially benefiting from the development of new or improved sensor
systems/products include:

1) quantifying the global extent and distribution of coral reefs and
associated ecosystems and their spatial relationships;
2) quantifying the loss of coral reefs and associated ecosystems over time;
3)documenting the health of coral reef ecosystems to the extent possible
with remote sensing and in situ approaches and their combination;
4)monitoring changes in coral reef ecosystems over time, both to determine
natural variability and anthropogenic degradation from local sources, and to
identify the effects of global change;
5)providing early warning of, and monitor the extent of, major stressful
events such as raised water temperature and associated coral bleaching;
6)supplying improved data on stresses and risks coral reefs face, such as
adjacent land use and runoff changes, coastal construction and dredging,
human pressures on fringing reefs and the coastline, human use from
vessels/fishing, etc.;
7)documenting large scale and long term phenomena and characteristics
important to the productivity and maintenance of coral reefs;
8)developing a geomorphological unit classification of habitats and
seascapes in coral reef and associated ecosystems and its map
representation;
9)generating observational products of immediate use to coral reef and
coastal zone managers and planners, and to different resource user
communities (fishing, tourism, biodiversity protection, etc.);
10) providing evidence if possible of the effectiveness of marine protected
areas for conserving coral reefs.

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

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