[Coral-List] ICRS: Modeling and Decision Support and the CARRUS Alliance

[John McManus]

ICRS Mini-Symposium Theme 4, Number 14: Modeling and Decision Support
for Coral Reef Ecosystem 

With the rapid proliferation of the complex coral-algal phase shift
across the world's reefs, it is becoming increasingly important that
coral reef managers have ready access to all relevant data on their reef
systems, to state-of-the-art decision-making tools, and to the best
forecasting methods available. In addition, it is vital that efforts to
improve these technologies be stepped up, so that we are increasingly
better able to provide effective scientific support for management
decisions. 

Coral reef modeling and decision-support has lagged behind that of
forest modeling, for which a 30-year history has lead to a proliferation
of models and other tools that are widely used throughout the world. It
is the objective of this mini-symposium to bring together any past and
present modeling and decision support efforts that could contribute to
future coral reef management efforts. Examples of the papers we are
looking for include those on morphogenetic models of reef organisms,
models of changes in community structure, fish and fishery models,
models of the human dimension, integrated human-environment models,
ecosystem models, physical and/or chemical oceanographic models, models
of climate change affecting coral reefs, innovative applications of
Geographic Information Systems, and any other decision support tools
(fuzzy logic, delphi, linear programming, etc.) that could potentially
improve our understanding of coral reef organisms, ecosystems,
environments, and/or the management process.

In addition to sending your abstracts to the organizers, please send
copies to me so that we have some idea of the number of potential
papers. Remember that the deadline for submission is December 25!

This mini-symposium will provide a background for the development of
decision support tools as the unifying element of the Global CARRUS
Alliance (Comparative Analysis of Reef Resilience Under Stress). This
will be an open alliance of long-term, large-scale coral reef research
projects around the world, with agreements for the exchange of software,
methods, data, results, and expertise. A separate meeting of all persons
interested in this alliance (field scientists, managers, modelers,
others) is being arranged, and will be announced soon. For more
information on the upcoming CARRUS Alliance, see www.ncoremiami.org.   


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