[Coral-List] Fwd: Request your Review of UNEP Mesophotic Reefs Publication

[Vassil Zlatarski]

Dear Coral-Listers,

The first Editor, Prof. Elaine Baker, GRID Arendal and UNESCO Chair in
Marine Science sent me the missing references for the draft document.
Sorry, I do not have link to them.  Interested, please contact the Editors.

Briefly, the main general comments about the draft document "Mesophotic
Reefs -- A life boat for coral reefs?" for the moment are:

-  The draft document is not complete.  It is missing "Chapter 7.
Recommendation for the future protection of mesophotic coral ecosystems".
The only indication for this important chapter is by its title on p. 38 of
the PDF with References.
-  Lack of important information.  The classical pioneer studies of Tom
Goreau are not used in the text.  And he published new taxa and type
localities. Also, completely is ignored the knowledge about the mesophotic
coral ecosystems (MCSs) in Cuba (published descriptions, graphics,
photo-illustrations and samples curated in good state).  The information
from Jamaica and Cuba has additional value because was collected half a
century ago and offer rare baseline for analysis in time and monitoring.
Furthermore, disregarded are the data from Mexico collected since 1980s (e.
g. Cozumel, constantly under stress of scuba tourism).
-  The presence of word "reef" in "mesophotic reefs" and "mesophotic coral
reefs" is contradictory.

The deadline for submitting the reviews is very soon, Sept.21.  However,
first the Editors should offer to their colleagues an adequate draft.

Cheers,

Vassil

Vassil Zlatarski
D.Sc. (Biology), Ph.D. (Geology)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Vassil Zlatarski <vzlatarski at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Sep 14, 2015 at 8:08 AM
Subject: Request your Review of UNEP Mesophotic Reefs Publication
To: Coral-List Subscribers <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>,
elaine.baker at sydney.edu.au, kimberly.puglise at noaa.gov


Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and
GRID-Arendal on Aug. 24, Elaine Baker and Kimberly Puglise kindly requested
the Coral-Listers to review the draft document entitled "Mesophotic Reefs
-- A life boat for coral reefs?".  This interesting document is result of
efforts of seven-member Steering Committee, three Editors and more than 30
authors.  Surprisingly, the presented draft doesn't contain References or
any List of literature cited.  In the text are cited names of authors and
years, sometime the name of one author is followed by "et al." or by "in
review", "unpublished" and even "in prep".  Sorry, without References is
not possible professionally to review the manuscript.  If for some reason
the References were not originally sent one hopes that now, three weeks
later, there is no any obstacle to be provided.  Let's remind that the
deadline for comments to be submitted is Sept. 21.

Cheers,

Vassil