[Coral-List] Request for comment on recent report on coral loss and population density for Guardian article

[johnny langenheim]

Hi Jack,

Interesting take. One could argue both reports have the potential to be
used negatively. If there are bright spots, this could deflects attention
from the anthropogenic climate change as you say. But on the other hand,
unscrupulous politicians could use the other report that questions the
effects of overfishing on reefs to argue against MPAs and sustainable
marine policies, though of course, this is not the authors' intention.

Cheers,

Johnny

On 28 July 2016 at 13:44, Jack Silverman <jacobs1 at ocean.org.il> wrote:

> Hi Johnny
> The counter intuitive and contradicting results in my opinion of the
> analysis presented in this report (see for example L. 15-22 in abstract),
> and its conclusions are essentially advocating better management and
> monitoring practices instead of confronting the more important issues, the
> proverbial elephant in the china shop that will eventually bring about the
> extinction of coral reefs, i.e. global warming and ocean acidification.
> This is the same agenda that has been promoted for a while now in the GBR
> that provided allot of government funds for research, monitoring and
> conservation, which I think this is a very good thing, the funding I mean..
> Nonetheless, look what happened over the past few months, a bleaching event
> of unprecedented magnitude that wiped out more than 50% of corals in the
> northern half of the GBR as well as other large areas in the Caribean,
> Pacific and Indean Oceans. From the abstract it seems that the authors
> would have us believe that if we just practice sensible or better
> management then coral reefs will be preserved. I think that this is highly
> misleading and I also think that it provides management with an
> excuse/impetus to avoid the real issue, which is sadly unavoidable, unless
> we seriously start to reduce CO2 emissions and develop technologies that
> can be used to reduce atmospheric CO2. Otherwise, it seems that the fate of
> coral reefs is pretty much sealed regardless of what management practices
> we employ.
> Jack
>
> On Thu, Jul 28, 2016 at 2:22 PM, johnny langenheim <
> johnnylangenheim at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi listers,
>>
>> Just wondering if anyone cared to comment on this recent report in Nature
>> <http://www.nature.com/articles/srep29778> suggesting that population
>> density has nothing to do with coral degradation, which appears to
>> conflict
>> with a report last month
>> <
>> http://www.nature.com/articles/nature18607.epdf?referrer_access_token=udQwbLfe1xu-TqaHwY4Zx9RgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0OovfC-4lBD1DyTcTysQeXH3fB98eYLxcDZa5xm0whdwD7YWf3cEldRzEkPLtpCYuI_fv-gCbADO9PMT-lAG2r9ya3UlYfF5J_W8RhkQ2_pd95nKTrR73ne7CigGrqo35mOdKOZetByFK4jWgS83GQ-s9Co52J8j-XNk-S3QnFWSKMyVQcZjsoUpBeMKnuaX0A%3D&tracking_referrer=news.nationalgeographic.com
>> >
>> that suggested some 'bright spots' are doing better as a direct result of
>> proper marine management
>>
>> Many thanks!
>>
>> Johnny
>>
>> --
>> Johnny Langenheim
>> +44(0)7427 312 760  (UK)
>> +62 (0) 8123 657 3757.  (INDONESIA)
>> www.johnnylangenheim.com
>> Skype: Johnny Langenheim
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> How much is six times seven?
>
> Jack Silverman PhD
> Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research Ltd.
> Tel-Shikmona, POB 8030, Haifa, Israel, 31080
> Tel: 972-4-8565300; Fax: 972-4-8511911
> http://www.ocean.org.il/Heb/Researchers/page_jack.asp
>



-- 
Johnny Langenheim
+44(0)7427 312 760  (UK)
+62 (0) 8123 657 3757.  (INDONESIA)
www.johnnylangenheim.com
Skype: Johnny Langenheim