[Coral-List] Dendrogyra

Fri Jun 4 21:04:43 UTC 2021

Steve - I wonder if the main reasons behind our failure to save coral reefs
include 1) the geographic scale of the problems, 2) the need for
multinational cooperation to achieve results, 3) the unwillingness of
enough of us to change our lifestyle, and 4) the reluctance of those with
real power to effect changes in sectors causing substantial harm at large
scales.  These seem to be much greater challenges than any barriers caused
by what are mostly esoteric disagreements among scientists.  To me, those
seem small in comparison. I actually believe the science community would
agree on most of the measures that should be taken to protect healthy reefs
and promote recovery in others, and we need to continue to advocate for
those.  My fear is that the existing social and political status quo
(meaning each, and all of us) is preventing change at scales needed to see
results.  I truly hope we can overcome that.

Steve

On Fri, Jun 4, 2021 at 8:49 AM Steve Mussman <sealab at earthlink.net> wrote:

>
> Steve,
>
>
> Mine was just a visceral reaction to the proposition that the tragedy
> befalling coral reefs could be characterized as an opportunity by some,
> financial or otherwise was how it was put. That aside, how can we ever
> expect long term solutions to materialize if they are not being universally
> prioritized within the coral science community?  I mean, I keep hearing
> what has become a slogan on this list “We all know what we must do . . .
> It’s time to speak with one voice”, but apparently there is something
> keeping that one voice in check. Perhaps your analysis explains it best.
> After all, we should acknowledge that these undercurrents exist. I think
> the bottom line is that the coral science community has become somewhat
> polarized - encompassing more than one vision of “success”.
>
>
> Steve Mussman
>
>
>
>
> On 6/2/21, 2:40 PM, Steve Gittings - NOAA Federal <steve.gittings at noaa.gov>
> wrote:
>
>
> I didn't say anything about giving up.  I'm suggesting that some places
> may have to face a near-term reality that none of us would wish on anyone.
> Failure of ecosystem services.  It doesn't help them in the short term if
> we overlook that possibility.  While long-term solutions are obviously
> needed soon, I'm suggesting we also need to prepare for significant changes
> on much shorter time frames.
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 2, 2021 at 1:06 PM Steve Mussman via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
>
> . . . “I think it would help to consider a world where failure actually IS
> an option”.
>
>
> I’m still trying to wrap my head around this concept.
>
>
> How can we possibly continue to envision or even maintain any hope for
> implementing the changes needed to save coral reefs from the continued
> downward spiral if coral scientists have given up and moved on to “instead
> recognize that with impending disaster comes opportunity, whether financial
> or otherwise”.
>
>
> So, what does this say about the prospects of “saving” what remains of the
> world’s coral reefs?
>
>
> Oh, right, that’s where recognizing opportunity comes into play.
>
>
> Steve
>
>
> On 5/31/21, 12:46 PM, Steve Gittings - NOAA Federal via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
>
> Bill,
>
>
> We each have opinions and concerns about political will and the likelihood
>
>
> of seeing changes on the scale needed to save reefs from continued loss.
>
>
> But while people valiantly try to turn things around using existing
>
>
> socio-political approaches, I think it would help to consider a world where
>
>
> failure actually IS an option.
>
>
> Let's objectively imagine a collective future when people and economies
>
>
> that now depend on reefs have none. The science community knows the
>
>
> resource and ecosystem service consequences, and I think we would agree
>
>
> that it is our role to make sure those are clearly communicated - as you
>
>
> say, "speak with one voice." But to make progress with those whose work
>
>
> has changed the world during past crises, including corporations,
>
>
> philanthropists, and yes, politicians, we need to resist ascribing blame
>
>
> (that's not directed at your message, which did not do that). Few are
>
>
> motivated by being blamed. Problem-solvers - even those that may have some
>
>
> culpability - instead recognize that with impending disaster comes
>
>
> opportunity, whether financial or otherwise. I believe our priority as
>
>
> scientists should be to empower them with awareness, constructive
>
>
> information, and advice.
>
>
> As reefs disappear, new food production, distribution, and financing
>
>
> systems will be needed to support the importation of protein, construction
>
>
> of coastal and offshore aquaculture facilities and artificial reefs, and
>
>
> perhaps expansion and diversification of terrestrial agriculture. New
>
>
> infrastructure will be needed to deal with nuisance flooding,
>
>
> increased coastal erosion, transportation safety, utilities, energy
>
>
> production, and disaster response. And training will have to be supported
>
>
> and promoted to prepare people with new skills that synchronize with the
>
>
> transition. We need corporate and government leaders and philanthropists
>
>
> to recognize that these needs are not only opportunities that could bolster
>
>
> tourism-based economies, but alternatively, could support the transition
>
>
> away from them. Effective diversification planning could accomplish both.
>
>
> Few coral reef scientists work directly in these areas, but we know how we
>
>
> got here and how ecosystems might respond to many of the changes. So,
>
>
> while none of us prefer a future without coral reefs, and while we continue
>
>
> to fight for other solutions, we have a responsibility to consider our role
>
>
> if we fail to protect or restore coral reefs.
>
>
> Steve
>
>
> On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 9:17 AM William Precht via Coral-List <
>
>
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
>
> > To be blunt - my point was while we are bickering about whether
>
>
> > *Dendrogyra* was
>
>
> > or not it was an important reef builder and the importance of losing
>
>
> > individual species even if they were always rare - we are missing the
>
>
> > bigger picture. In the last four decades we have watched reef after reef
>
>
> > go up in flames. Some due to local causes but most to to
>
>
> > overarching regional and global issues associated with global climate
>
>
> > change. *Dendrogyra cylindrus* is nothing more than a bellwether species
>
>
> > that is giving us a glimpse of the future. .Dendrogyra is a
>
>
> > beautiful iconic species and seeing a giant colony on a dive is awe
>
>
> > inspiring. I remember making a dive in the Florida Keys to a site known
> as
>
>
> > the "Pillar Forest." There were over 200 columns at this one site! They
>
>
> > are now ALL gone - dead from a variety of causes - but the main and final
>
>
> > blow was from SCTLD.
>
>
> >
>
>
> > People have been talking about reefs as being like "canaries in a coal
>
>
> > mine" - well that canary has a very bad case of COPD and it's getting
> worse
>
>
> > day by day. This week the average CO2 concentration at the Mauna Loa
>
>
> > Observatory was 419.02 ppm. In 2009 Veron et al. wrote a manuscript of
> the
>
>
> > need to maintain CO2 concentrations below 350 ppm for the future survival
>
>
> > of coral reef ecosystems. That number came from a quote by Dr.
>
>
> > James Hansen during testimony to the US Congress where he stated “If
>
>
> > humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which
> civilization
>
>
> > developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleoclimate evidence
> and
>
>
> > ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 will need to be reduced … to at
>
>
> > most 350 ppm.” The math is pretty simple - we are going in the wrong
>
>
> > direction. We all know what we must do - the question is do we have the
>
>
> > political will to make the changes necessary. My note was a call to the
>
>
> > 10,000 people that are as passionate as coral reefs as I am that exchange
>
>
> > ideas on this Coral-List serve. It's time to speak with one voice. We
> need
>
>
> > to be heard. We can make a difference. The alternative - failing (which
> we
>
>
> > are doing quite admirably) - is not an option.
>
>
> >
>
>
> > WFP
>
>
> >
>
>
> > Veron, J.E., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Lenton, T.M., Lough, J.M., Obura, D.O.,
>
>
> > Pearce-Kelly, P.A.U.L., Sheppard, C.R., Spalding, M., Stafford-Smith,
> M.G.
>
>
> > and Rogers, A.D., 2009. The coral reef crisis: The critical importance
> of<
>
>
> > 350 ppm CO2. *Marine pollution bulletin*, *58*(10), pp.1428-1436.
>
>
> >
>
>
> >
>
>
> >
>
>
> >
>
>
> > On Sat, May 29, 2021 at 9:38 AM Dennis Hubbard > >
>
>
> > wrote:
>
>
> >
>
>
> > > Bill makes excellent points, but we always return to the same issue....
>
>
> > is
>
>
> > > the loss of "species X "the problem to be addressed or just the
> symptom.
>
>
> > > Yes, this is a unique species, and saving it is a worthwhile endeavor
> for
>
>
> > > this and many other reasons. Having agreed, I remain concerned that
>
>
> > success
>
>
> > > on this front will lead some to be satisfied.
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > Denny
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > On Fri, May 28, 2021 at 12:36 PM William Precht via Coral-List <
>
>
> > > coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >> The manuscript that started this thread on the coral- list was an
>
>
> > >> excellent, open-access manuscript by Neely et al. Rapid Population
>
>
> > >> Decline of the Pillar Coral Dendrogyra cylindrus Along the Florida
> Reef
>
>
> > >> Tract
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> Front. Mar. Sci. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.656515
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> It should be read by all There are two main punch lines. The first is
>
>
> > >> that this species has been rendered functionally extinct (extirpated)
>
>
> > >> throughout Florida. The second is that the main cause was stony coral
>
>
> > >> tissue loss disease (SCTLD). This species is highly susceptible to
> this
>
>
> > >> emergent disease as are the three other genera in its family - the
>
>
> > >> Meandrinidae. All species in this family and are highly susceptible to
>
>
> > >> SCTLD. On many reefs where the disease has run it course you can’t
>
>
> > find a
>
>
> > >> single member of this family. No Meandrina, no Dendrogyra, no
>
>
> > >> Dichocoenia,
>
>
> > >> no Eusmilia. So the story goes much further than just pillar coral. We
>
>
> > >> may be looking at the loss of an entire coral family in a short
> window -
>
>
> > >> and this coral family is only extant in the Caribbean.
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> If this doesn’t serve as a wake-up call I don’t know what will.
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> Clearly losing more than 50% of the corals on the GBR due to mass
>
>
> > >> bleaching
>
>
> > >> events in 2015-2016 did not cause a sea change in policy - not in
>
>
> > >> Australia
>
>
> > >> - not globally. For most it’s been business as usual.
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> I’m getting sick and tired of writing and reading coral obituaries. In
>
>
> > my
>
>
> > >> 40+ years of studying coral reefs I have watched my three favorite
> reefs
>
>
> > >> burn before my very eyes and the reefs that lie at the door step of
>
>
> > where
>
>
> > >> I
>
>
> > >> live are suffering the same fate.
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> The coral-list has a voice of 10,000 people that love coral reefs -
>
>
> > let’s
>
>
> > >> use that voice to make a difference. Time really is running out.
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> Bill
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> On Thu, May 27, 2021 at 9:38 PM Peter Sale via Coral-List <
>
>
> > >> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> > Hi listers,
>
>
> > >> > I've been following the comments re the essential extirpation of
>
>
> > >> > Dendrogyra in Florida waters. The fact that this is not a major reef
>
>
> > >> > builder (Gene is correct) is beside the point from my perspective.
>
>
> > >> Here is
>
>
> > >> > a monotypic species that looks like it may be on the way out
>
>
> > throughout
>
>
> > >> its
>
>
> > >> > range, and certainly in a large portion of it. (I'm being
> pessimistic
>
>
> > >> but
>
>
> > >> > perhaps realistic in predicting total extinction.) The biodiversity
>
>
> > >> loss
>
>
> > >> > is great. This is a coral (and I am definitely NOT a coral expert)
>
>
> > >> that is
>
>
> > >> > phenotypically quite distinctive. It has one of, if not the most
>
>
> > >> > well-connected nerve nets leading to a conspicuous flash when all
> the
>
>
> > >> > polyps retract in unison following a disturbance. God only knows
> what
>
>
> > >> > other special skills it has tucked amongst its tentacles. From an
>
>
> > >> > evolutionary point of view, its loss is a greater loss than the loss
>
>
> > of
>
>
> > >> > many other coral species. My fear is that we are going to have to
>
>
> > >> become
>
>
> > >> > used to such losses. Let's a) strive not to let the losses becom
>
>
> > >> > e un-noticed and routine, and b) use such losses to highlight, and
>
>
> > make
>
>
> > >> > 'personal', what it means for a reef to gradually lose its species
> and
>
>
> > >> > cease to be a reef. Getting people to relate to what is happening,
> to
>
>
> > >> > actually feel what is happening, may be the only way to rescue
>
>
> > humanity
>
>
> > >> > from turning the planet into a wasteland, starting with the reefs.
>
>
> > >> >
>
>
> > >> > Peter Sale
>
>
> > >> > www.petersalebooks.com
>
>
> > >> > @PeterSale3
>
>
> > >> >
>
>
> > >> > See my latest book at
>
>
> > >> >
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> >
> https://www.amazon.com/Coral-Reefs-Majestic-Realms-under/dp/0300253834/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=coral+reefs+peter+sale&qid=1622149307&sr=8-1
>
>
> > >> >
>
>
> > >> > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > >> > Coral-List mailing list
>
>
> > >> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
>
> > >> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
> > >> >
>
>
> > >> --
>
>
> > >> William F. Precht
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only
>
>
> > choice
>
>
> > >> you have”
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> Bob Marley
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> "Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you
>
>
> > >> don't
>
>
> > >> have the strength."
>
>
> > >>
>
>
> > >> Theodore Roosevelt
>
>
> > >> _______________________________________________
>
>
> > >> Coral-List mailing list
>
>
> > >> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
>
> > >> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > --
>
>
> > > Dennis Hubbard - Emeritus Professor: Dept of Geology-Oberlin College
>
>
> > > Oberlin OH 44074
>
>
> > > (440) 935-4014
>
>
> > >
>
>
> > > * "When you get on the wrong train.... every stop is the wrong stop"*
>
>
> > > Benjamin Stein: "*Ludes, A Ballad of the Drug and the Dream*"
>
>
> > >
>
>
> >
>
>
> >
>
>
> > --
>
>
> > William F. Precht
>
>
> >
>
>
> > “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice
>
>
> > you have”
>
>
> >
>
>
> > Bob Marley
>
>
> >
>
>
> >
>
>
> > "Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when you
> don't
>
>
> > have the strength."
>
>
> >
>
>
> > Theodore Roosevelt
>
>
> > _______________________________________________
>
>
> > Coral-List mailing list
>
>
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
>
> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
> --
>
>
> Dr. Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator
>
>
> NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
>
>
> 1305 East West Hwy., N/ORM62
>
>
> Silver Spring, MD 20910
>
>
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>
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>
>
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
>
> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
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>
> _______________________________________________
>
> Coral-List mailing list
>
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>
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>
>
>
> --
>
> Dr. Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator
>
> NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
>
> 1305 East West Hwy., N/ORM62
>
> Silver Spring, MD  20910
>
> (240) 533-0708 (w), (301) 529-1854 (c1), (301) 821-0857 (c2)
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-- 
Dr. Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
1305 East West Hwy., N/ORM62
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(240) 533-0708 (w), (301) 529-1854 (c1), (301) 821-0857 (c2)

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