[Coral-List] call for abstracts: The Influence of Storms and Floods on Coral Reefs

[Curt Storlazzi]

Dear Coastal_list members:

We would like to draw your attention to a special session on:

The Influence of Storms and Floods on Coral Reef Development

to be held on the Tenth International Coral Reef Symposium in 
Okinawa, Japan from June 28 to July 2, 2004.  This special session is 
part of the conference's Theme 2:  Environmental Factors controlling 
Coral Reef Formation in Space and Time.  Please visit the conference 
website for more information: http://www.plando.co.jp/icrs2004/

Aim and Scope of this Special Session:

Storm-generated waves and sediment-laden floods contribute 
significantly to reef development and coral morphology, health and 
zonation.  The character of most reefs reflects their response to 
long-term prevailing conditions as well as major events.  Changing 
patterns or intensity of storminess due to elevated sea surface 
temperatures or normal climatic variability (e.g. El Nino, Pacific 
Decadal Oscillation) place external pressures on both healthy reefs 
and those stressed by other natural and anthropogenic activities. 
Similarly, levels of sediment run-off from many high islands has 
increased within recent decades due to human-induced changes in 
adjacent watersheds and increased soil exposure.  Understanding storm 
and flood processes on coral reefs is critical for assessing their 
historical development, response to changes in other environmental 
parameters, and for managing them as a resource.

This mini symposium will address the large-scale issues of the impact 
on reefs from increased wave and run-off intensity due to climate 
change/variability; the role of storm waves in shaping the morphology 
and ecology; and the processes of sediment transport and deposition 
on corals.  Summaries of current regional investigations, 
site-specific studies and modeling results are all encouraged.

Co-conveners:
Mike Field, USGS Pacific Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA (mfield at usgs.gov)
Paul Jokiel, University of Hawaii, HIMB, Kaneohe, HI  (jokiel at hawaii.edu)
Chip Fletcher, University of Hawaii, SOEST, Manoa, HI 
(fletcher at soest.hawaii.edu)
Curt Storlazzi, USGS Pacific Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA 
(cstorlazzi at usgs.gov)

We welcome you to submit short abstracts (<300 words) for 
consideration in this session.  These abstracts should be submitted 
on the conference website and copies embedded in an e-mail to Mike 
Field (mfield at usgs.gov) or Curt Storlazzi (cstorlazzi at usgs.gov). The 
deadline for submission of abstracts is December 24, 2003 by the 
Organizing Committee; Registration is open until January 31, 2004.  
We will be soliciting manuscripts from this special session to be 
published as a journal special issue or as part of the Conference's 
Proceedings volume.

-- 

ciao.....
_______________________
Curt Storlazzi, Ph.D.

U.S. Geological Survey
Pacific Science Center
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA  95064

email: cstorlazzi at usgs.gov
phone: (831) 427-4721
fax: (831) 427-4748
http://www.es.ucsc.edu/~manta
http://coralreefs.wr.usgs.gov