[Coral-List] COP26 impacts on coral reefs

Mon Nov 22 06:19:45 UTC 2021

Dear listers,

The political (dis)agreements that arise from these COPs are always less than inspiring … and when they are inspiring they have been so unreachable that to date they have failed.

But the COP was more than that, being present in the blue zone was quite an intense experience - with the energy of the demonstrators, that of probably more than half of those present within, and plus the clear element of poker-playing and positioning among interest groups within. I for one don’t believe it will deliver on a < 2C future unfortunately, so the thoughts expressed so far in this thread are very real to me - and I wrote a couple of short pieces during the COP encapsulating these … (and not repeating them here to keep this short ;-) ) ...

https://davidobura.medium.com/1-5-c-warming-coral-reefs-and-saving-everything-fc5a969eba83

https://davidobura.medium.com/will-africas-oceans-become-sick-due-to-climate-change-da4d4b7ca28

https://davidobura.medium.com/integrating-people-conservation-and-climate-action-a-last-decade-chance-c189813daf06

To my mind the essence is we have to maintain ecosystem and evolutionary functions in as good a state as possible to enable the best possible transitions - for coral reefs to survive where they can (and can perhaps be restored) and for emerging algal/invertebate-dominated communities where they can’t. I have an unabashedly Global South perspective away from the high-cost solutions the Global North will favour - as we always hear more about the latter than the former.

It doesn’t really matter what we call the ‘reefs to be', and there will certainly be a war among sloganeers/marketeers about the best and sexiest terms to use - but we need to enable them to be as healthy as possible, for nature’s sake, and our grandchildrens’ ...

best,

David

David Obura || CORDIO East Africa, #9 Kibaki Flats, Kenyatta Beach, Bamburi Beach, P.O.BOX 10135 Mombasa 80101, Kenya
Email: dobura at cordioea.net  --  davidobura at gmail.com
Websites: www.cordioea.net  --   www.wiofutures.net  --  www.coralspecialistgroup.org
Mobile: +254-715 067417; skype dobura; Twitter @dobura
On 19 Nov 2021, 20:30 +0300, coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov, wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: COP26 impacts on coral reefs (Franziska Elmer)
> 2. an abolished marine reserve: Phoneix Is, Kiribati (Douglas Fenner)
> 3. Technician position-coastal fisheries ecology/estuarine water
> quality (Alex Rodriguez)
> 4. Re: COP26 impacts on coral reefs (Bruce Carlson)
> 5. Re: COP26 impacts on coral reefs (Douglas Fenner)
> 6. Re: COP26 impacts on coral reefs (Alina Szmant)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2021 02:53:20 +0000
> From: Franziska Elmer <franziskaelmer at hotmail.com>
> To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] COP26 impacts on coral reefs
> Message-ID:
> <PS2PR06MB2935A385EB43E4D99F475CE2CD9B9 at PS2PR06MB2935.apcprd06.prod.outlook.com>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> As Steve said COP26 was not able to keep 1.5 C alive and the commitments way overshoot this target.
>
> Steve asked how should we proceed. One thing to think about is what to do with our career as we might loose the reefs they are based upon. The other thing to think about is how can we get politicans to act as if this is an emergency and turn the wheel around. The answer to this is that we as scientists have to act as if this in an emergency. We have written papers, signed letters and petitons for years and they have not worked. 15'000 scientists put their names on a warnings paper and it didnt move our politicans. Our message doesnt come across. Our last resort might be joining others in non violent civil dissobediance and I hope many of you start considering taking action this way. After all most of the success and hope coming out of COP26 happened in the streets and not in the blue zone. Please get in touch if tu ou want to know more.
>
> With love for the ocean and rage about political inaction,
>
> Dr. Franziska Elmer
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:23:28 -1100
> From: Douglas Fenner <douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>
> To: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: [Coral-List] an abolished marine reserve: Phoneix Is,
> Kiribati
> Message-ID:
> <CAOEmEkEnU2v5vxihMwX++Vbi8s7jPiOQ-B9xYPJ9khuB0m9Peg at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> https://www.science.org/content/article/news-glance-abolished-marine-preserve-cloud-space-debris-and-psychedelic-clinical-trial-success
>
> A bit more info I've not seen in other news reports. Interesting photo of
> an atoll
>
> Cheers, Doug
>
> --
> Douglas Fenner
> Lynker Technologies, LLC, Contractor
> NOAA Fisheries Service
> Pacific Islands Regional Office
> Honolulu
> and:
> Coral Reef Consulting
> PO Box 997390
> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799-6298 USA
>
> Greta Thunberg shames the leaders like no one else
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iae6cNoBWRo
>
> COP26: Fossil fuel industry has the largest delegation at climate summit
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/cop26-fossil-fuel-industry-largest-001409190.html
>
> Peat bogs hold TWICE as much carbon as the world's forests!!!
> https://www.yahoo.com/news/environmentalists-fight-protect-peat-bogs-233902101.html
>
> Climate Carnage is Inevitable
> https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/climate-carnage-is-inevitable-162834353.html
>
> Slashing emissions by 2050 isn't enough. We can bring down temperature now.
> https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/climate-deadlines-super-pollutants-hfcs-methane/2021/04/15/acb8c612-9d7d-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2021 11:47:30 -0600
> From: Alex Rodriguez <arodriguez at disl.org>
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: [Coral-List] Technician position-coastal fisheries
> ecology/estuarine water quality
> Message-ID:
> <CAA4E-WoFd-dENDQ2gh3w5Y4tKSMeTQZZwwOzvsOr1bhRO_9jDQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> Dear Coral-List,
>
> We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic MS graduate with interests in
> estuarine and coastal ecology to fill a full-time 2-year Research
> Technician position at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab <http://disl.org/>. This
> position is funded through a NOAA RESTORE project examining the resilience
> of oysters, blue crabs, and spotted seatrout to environmental variability
> in the northern Gulf of Mexico;
> <https://restoreactscienceprogram.noaa.gov/projects/oysters-blue-crabs-seatrout?utm_medium=email&utm_source=GovDelivery>
>
> *Supervisors*: Dr. Ronald Baker and Dr. John Lehrter
>
> The technician in this position will collaborate with PI?s and students
> across a number of disciplines. Primary responsibilities will involve the
> set-up, maintenance, and execution of laboratory mesocosm studies testing
> the physiological tolerances of fisheries species (finfish and crustaceans)
> to multiple environmental stressors, and leading field surveys and managing
> laboratory work to measure major stressors in the Mobile Bay estuary.
>
> Applicants with the following skills and experience will be most highly
> regarded:
>
> - MS by research (or PhD) in coastal ecology or related field,
> - Demonstrated skills in animal husbandry, maintenance of aquaria
> systems, and conducting physiological (stressor-response) experiments,
> - Field and laboratory experience measuring water quality variables
> - Experience in operating and maintaining small vessels
>
> The position comes with a competitive salary and benefits, and is funded
> for 2 years pending successful completion of a 6-month probationary period.
> USA and DISL are equal opportunity institutions, and the project PI?s are
> committed to enhancing diversity in our field. To apply, please email
> bakerlab at disl.org using the subject ?NOAA RESTORE Research Technician
> Position? and include:
>
> 1. a short cover letter including a description of your knowledge,
> skills, and abilities as they relate to this position;
> 2. your CV including contact details for 3 referees,
> 3. academic transcripts (unofficial are acceptable), and if applicable ,
> 4. pdf(s) of any peer-reviewed publications you have authored.
>
>
> Position inquiries can be directed to bakerlab at disl.org. Review of
> applications will begin January 15th, 2022; start date is early Spring 2022.
>
> Please spread this information within your networks and to all you think
> are interested to apply. Sorry for any cross-posting.
>
> --
> Alex Rodriguez
> Lab Manager - Baker Lab
> Dauphin Island Sea Lab
> 101 Bienville Blvd.
> Dauphin Island, AL 36528
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2021 15:08:20 -1000
> From: Bruce Carlson <exallias2 at gmail.com>
> To: Steve Mussman <sealab at earthlink.net>
> Cc: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] COP26 impacts on coral reefs
> Message-ID: <A1B5658B-9DD2-46A6-AE1A-28D44AA3D84C at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> If it is nearly or completely inevitable that warming of 2.4C will result in 90% loss of corals, there are few options IMHO to preserve present-day coral reefs. They will either shift polewards (with or without human ?assistance?), and/or will decline to some condition that we might describe as ?highly degraded? by current standards, with many extinctions along the way.
>
> Apart from what to do to preserve corals in situ, we should be working with marine labs and public aquariums (private coral farms too) to set up cultures of corals both in numbers of species as well as genetic diversity - especially now while there is still considerable numbers of corals on reefs. Cryogenic methods should be supported too.
>
> The example of Florida Dendrogyra ravaged by SCTLD is a model. Florida D. probably no longer exists in the wild (?) but cultures are maintained in several labs and public aquariums. The GBR Coral Biobank is another example currently under development. Perhaps someday conditions will permit these corals to be re-established in the wild. Maintaining these coral cultures in perpetuity will be expensive and will involve strict protocols; only the best funded labs and aquariums will be able to contribute.
>
> All well and good for corals, fishes too perhaps, but of course there are legions of other inverts and plants on coral reefs. What happens to them??
>
> Bruce
>
>
> > On Nov 17, 2021, at 6:01 AM, Steve Mussman via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Emission reduction commitments made at COP26 have been calculated to result in a warming of 2.4C above pre-industrial levels.
> >
> > Based on what I have read, this scenario is predicted to result in coral losses in excess of 90% worldwide.
> >
> > How should this realization affect the coral science community?s priorities and strategies going forward?
> >
> > https://www.marineconservation.org.au/cop26-and-the-great-barrier-reef-maintaining-hope/
> >
> > https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/cop26-why-keeping-1-5-alive-is-critical-for-a-reef-in-danger/
> >
> > https://youtu.be/Py1MzOKHevI
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2021 19:01:41 -1100
> From: Douglas Fenner <douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>
> To: Bruce Carlson <exallias2 at gmail.com>
> Cc: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] COP26 impacts on coral reefs
> Message-ID:
> <CAOEmEkHw4dwEPcOHA5hUHrg9N1_YgbtRyOi-6jMGHTJ8bqc2vQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> I think much of the world's reefs are likely to end up with very little
> coral. A bit like Florida's "hard grounds" between their tiny reefs.
> Dominated by algae of various sorts, in Florida's case with lots of sea
> whips and sea fans (gorgonians), some sponges, some odds and ends, and very
> very little live coral. People talk like the reefs will be transformed and
> we need to get used to what they will be. Should we call something that is
> dominated by algae, 90% algae cover and 10% coral cover, a "coral reef
> ecosystem?" Or an algae bed??? Which is more honest?? 90% loss of coral
> where there was 40% cover (a good cover these days, no?) leaves what, 4%
> coral cover?? So my question is, how low does coral cover have to be
> before we stop calling it a coral reef ecosystem and decide to be honest
> and call them algae beds???? (the calcium carbonate will still be there,
> so anybody who wants to call it a "dead coral reef" could do so with some
> justification.) I view "greatly altered reefs" as a euphemism for "dead
> reefs." How about you?? Will it do any good to candy coat it?? Ever look
> at how many fish hover over a dead rubble bed??? Darn near none. There
> will still be fish around standing dead coral, but once they collapse, say
> good by. And Bruce is exactly right, the corals construct the habitat,
> loads of species on and around them, most all will disappear when the coral
> dies and many more when it collapses. We don't have the money or expertise
> to catalog the species on coral reefs, let alone document which ones have
> gone locally extinct. Loads could go extinct long before we could even
> name them.
> Cheers, Doug
>
> On Thu, Nov 18, 2021 at 2:20 PM Bruce Carlson via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
> > If it is nearly or completely inevitable that warming of 2.4C will result
> > in 90% loss of corals, there are few options IMHO to preserve present-day
> > coral reefs. They will either shift polewards (with or without human
> > ?assistance?), and/or will decline to some condition that we might describe
> > as ?highly degraded? by current standards, with many extinctions along the
> > way.
> >
> > Apart from what to do to preserve corals in situ, we should be working
> > with marine labs and public aquariums (private coral farms too) to set up
> > cultures of corals both in numbers of species as well as genetic diversity
> > - especially now while there is still considerable numbers of corals on
> > reefs. Cryogenic methods should be supported too.
> >
> > The example of Florida Dendrogyra ravaged by SCTLD is a model. Florida D.
> > probably no longer exists in the wild (?) but cultures are maintained in
> > several labs and public aquariums. The GBR Coral Biobank is another
> > example currently under development. Perhaps someday conditions will
> > permit these corals to be re-established in the wild. Maintaining these
> > coral cultures in perpetuity will be expensive and will involve strict
> > protocols; only the best funded labs and aquariums will be able to
> > contribute.
> >
> > All well and good for corals, fishes too perhaps, but of course there are
> > legions of other inverts and plants on coral reefs. What happens to them??
> >
> > Bruce
> >
> >
> > > On Nov 17, 2021, at 6:01 AM, Steve Mussman via Coral-List <
> > coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Emission reduction commitments made at COP26 have been calculated to
> > result in a warming of 2.4C above pre-industrial levels.
> > >
> > > Based on what I have read, this scenario is predicted to result in coral
> > losses in excess of 90% worldwide.
> > >
> > > How should this realization affect the coral science community?s
> > priorities and strategies going forward?
> > >
> > >
> > https://www.marineconservation.org.au/cop26-and-the-great-barrier-reef-maintaining-hope/
> > >
> > >
> > https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/cop26-why-keeping-1-5-alive-is-critical-for-a-reef-in-danger/
> > >
> > > https://youtu.be/Py1MzOKHevI
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Coral-List mailing list
> > > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Fri, 19 Nov 2021 12:56:51 +0000
> From: Alina Szmant <alina at cisme-instruments.com>
> To: Douglas Fenner <douglasfennertassi at gmail.com>, Bruce Carlson
> <exallias2 at gmail.com>
> Cc: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] COP26 impacts on coral reefs
> Message-ID:
> <BN8PR16MB2930AB583D7DE01B857B70CAE49C9 at BN8PR16MB2930.namprd16.prod.outlook.com>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
>
> We call them relic reefs. They once were coral reefs and now they are not. Or you can choose hard-bottoms but geologically hard-bottoms were likely never a coral reef in modern (20k years) times.
>
>
>
> Dr. Alina M. Szmant, CEO
> CISME Instruments LLC
>
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Douglas Fenner via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Date: 11/19/21 6:46 AM (GMT-05:00)
> To: Bruce Carlson <exallias2 at gmail.com>
> Cc: coral list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] COP26 impacts on coral reefs
>
> I think much of the world's reefs are likely to end up with very little
> coral. A bit like Florida's "hard grounds" between their tiny reefs.
> Dominated by algae of various sorts, in Florida's case with lots of sea
> whips and sea fans (gorgonians), some sponges, some odds and ends, and very
> very little live coral. People talk like the reefs will be transformed and
> we need to get used to what they will be. Should we call something that is
> dominated by algae, 90% algae cover and 10% coral cover, a "coral reef
> ecosystem?" Or an algae bed??? Which is more honest?? 90% loss of coral
> where there was 40% cover (a good cover these days, no?) leaves what, 4%
> coral cover?? So my question is, how low does coral cover have to be
> before we stop calling it a coral reef ecosystem and decide to be honest
> and call them algae beds???? (the calcium carbonate will still be there,
> so anybody who wants to call it a "dead coral reef" could do so with some
> justification.) I view "greatly altered reefs" as a euphemism for "dead
> reefs." How about you?? Will it do any good to candy coat it?? Ever look
> at how many fish hover over a dead rubble bed??? Darn near none. There
> will still be fish around standing dead coral, but once they collapse, say
> good by. And Bruce is exactly right, the corals construct the habitat,
> loads of species on and around them, most all will disappear when the coral
> dies and many more when it collapses. We don't have the money or expertise
> to catalog the species on coral reefs, let alone document which ones have
> gone locally extinct. Loads could go extinct long before we could even
> name them.
> Cheers, Doug
>
> On Thu, Nov 18, 2021 at 2:20 PM Bruce Carlson via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
> > If it is nearly or completely inevitable that warming of 2.4C will result
> > in 90% loss of corals, there are few options IMHO to preserve present-day
> > coral reefs. They will either shift polewards (with or without human
> > ?assistance?), and/or will decline to some condition that we might describe
> > as ?highly degraded? by current standards, with many extinctions along the
> > way.
> >
> > Apart from what to do to preserve corals in situ, we should be working
> > with marine labs and public aquariums (private coral farms too) to set up
> > cultures of corals both in numbers of species as well as genetic diversity
> > - especially now while there is still considerable numbers of corals on
> > reefs. Cryogenic methods should be supported too.
> >
> > The example of Florida Dendrogyra ravaged by SCTLD is a model. Florida D.
> > probably no longer exists in the wild (?) but cultures are maintained in
> > several labs and public aquariums. The GBR Coral Biobank is another
> > example currently under development. Perhaps someday conditions will
> > permit these corals to be re-established in the wild. Maintaining these
> > coral cultures in perpetuity will be expensive and will involve strict
> > protocols; only the best funded labs and aquariums will be able to
> > contribute.
> >
> > All well and good for corals, fishes too perhaps, but of course there are
> > legions of other inverts and plants on coral reefs. What happens to them??
> >
> > Bruce
> >
> >
> > > On Nov 17, 2021, at 6:01 AM, Steve Mussman via Coral-List <
> > coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Emission reduction commitments made at COP26 have been calculated to
> > result in a warming of 2.4C above pre-industrial levels.
> > >
> > > Based on what I have read, this scenario is predicted to result in coral
> > losses in excess of 90% worldwide.
> > >
> > > How should this realization affect the coral science community?s
> > priorities and strategies going forward?
> > >
> > >
> > https://www.marineconservation.org.au/cop26-and-the-great-barrier-reef-maintaining-hope/
> > >
> > >
> > https://thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/cop26-why-keeping-1-5-alive-is-critical-for-a-reef-in-danger/
> > >
> > > https://youtu.be/Py1MzOKHevI
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Coral-List mailing list
> > > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Subject: Digest Footer
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>
> End of Coral-List Digest, Vol 159, Issue 7
> ******************************************