Subject: RE: The Dust Hypothesis Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 17:45:28 -0500 From: szmanta To: "Precht, Bill" , coral-list Dear All: I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in the Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust. Can someone explain to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much closer to the dust and potential pathogen source)? Happy New Year to all. Alina Szmant >===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" ===== >Dear Coral List: > >For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you might >find these tidbits of interest. > >Have a great holiday! >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > >The Dust Hypothesis > >Question: > >Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout >much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and near >extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the >1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral >reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These >factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is low. >Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases? > >(Contineud) > >http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ > > > Online mini-movie > > Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, and > Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and > Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" > > http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/ > > > National Public Radio interview > > Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were interviewed > along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public Radio > station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show > "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview. > > www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html > > >//////////////// > > >Mercury From China Rains Down on California > > Environmental News Service (ENS) > http://ens-news.com/ > > December 20, 2002 > >SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major source >of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new study >suggests. > >The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury >pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters >because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory >agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering the >state's waters from various sources. > >It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric >pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall. >Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed out >in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can be >captured by water droplets. > >Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role in >this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper >published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical >Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers from >the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later >print edition of the journal. > >"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, and >it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets deposited in >rainfall," Steding said. > >Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal >burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many parts >of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric mercury >is coal combustion in China. > >China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the >total global industrial emissions of mercury. > >Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the winter >due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury and >ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is >incorporated into developing storms. > >"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of mercury >emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the >storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding >said. > >Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California: on >the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near San >Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall >event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a national >climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from >Asia. > >Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background >concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific Ocean. >Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the >natural, preindustrial level, Steding said. > >Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent >higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference between >the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of >mercury. > >"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation rate. We >see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a local >enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we want to >reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions of >mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in the >atmosphere ends up in rainwater." > >Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the mercury >in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the deposition >in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the food >chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish. > >State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat >fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including San >Francisco Bay. > > # # # > >http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1 > > >/////////////////// > > >Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell > >Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation: >Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America > >10.1029/2002JD002081 > >19 December 2002 > >http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec > > >//////////////// > > >Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ... > >ScienceDaily News Release > >.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects >from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. > >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > >***************************************** >Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP! >***************************************** >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Alina M. Szmant UNCW Center for Marine Science On travel from UNCW ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: URGENT - Looking for a small coral reef animals specialist for Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 17:47:29 -0500 From: "Fabrice Poiraud-Lambert" To: "Coral List" a talk Sender: owner-coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list Dear All, CIRCoP (International Coral Reef Conferences of Paris - 31st of Jan 1st of Feb 2003) is a General Public dedicated event, created to communicate about coral reefs (their status; what can be done and what is done to protect & restore them; reef life and behavior, economy related to coral reefs; Medicine and coral reefs; etc...). We expect 3000 visitors during 2 days, to follow 16 talks and about 20 movies about all aspects of Coral Reefs (check web site : www.circop.com for program, venue detail, etc...) To replace a missing lecturer, we are looking for one or two 45' talks about small reefs animals such as : shrimps, crabs, nudibranches, worms, etc... and about their way of life, interaction, symbiosis with other animals (such corals or other inverts), techniques of camouflage/protection, etc... If you would like to be candidate, please reply and suggest a tittle + 5 lines of description. Best Regards Fabrice Poiraud-Lambert CIRCoP, Director http://www.circop.com, to Enjoy Great Protected Coral Reefs ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Land Based Pollution Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 07:11:16 -0500 From: CSalt5@aol.com To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov CC: dmeyer@peer.org I received the email regarding Coral Reef Task Force Priorities indirectly, through Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. Sand dredged from offshore may not be considered land based, but it is one of the primary causes of coral reef degradation in south Florida. As a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist, I specialized in commenting on beach restoration projects for over 10 years; I know beach projects and beach project politics. This controvercial area is not for the faint hearted. I was eventually forced into early retirement for proposing that the FWS conduct surveys of the proposed Broward County beach project area (and offshore dredge area) rather than Broward County's environmental consultant. This was in accordance with past procedures and consistent with the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. The Broward County project will bury at least 36 acres of nearshore coral communities and degrade uncalculated acreage just outside the proposed fill area due to the settling of suspended sediment. Unnumbered ancient star and brain corals near the proposed dredge area will suffer the same fate. These impacts have been documented in numerous past projects. How is it that this, perhaps the number one cause of direct coral destruction, is not on the Coral Reef Task Force's list of priorities? As for land based pollution, there are perhaps hundreds of acres of coral community in Broward County that are either dead or nearly dead because insufficiently treated sewage is being pumped just offshore of Broward beaches. The one outfall I know of runs east from Hollywood, Fl. I would be happy to accompany you or any other Task Force member to see the damage first hand. Chuck Sultzman ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: CIRCoP lecturer needed Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 07:13:05 -0500 From: Michael Janes To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Fabrice, Listed bellow are two possible talks I would be able to prepare and give at your conference if invited. Please let me know if this is what you are looking for. Coral Reef Partnerships: Symbiosis, Commensalisms, and Parasitism A variety of tropical reef organisms rely on each other in intimate ways for their survival. In many cases, both micro and macro life forms are sustained through tight relationships that have developed over many generations. This talk provides detailed examples of partnerships occurring among different phyla (algae, worms, other invertebrates, and fish) on the reef and defines both their similarities and differences. The Coral / Algae Connection...Light is life For most corals light affords them a means to prosper through their symbiotic relationship with single cell algae. Others lack this form of partnership yet still thrive. My talk outlines the fundamental basis of coral algae partnerships, examines how they function, and defines their role on the coral reef. Further, the differences between photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic corals are explored. Best wishes for a successful conference. Sincerely, Michael. Michael P. Janes Senior Aquarist AquaTouch, Inc. 12040 N. 32nd Street Phoenix, Arizona 85028 USA (602) 765-9058 phone (602) 765-9044 fax email: mjanes@aquatouch.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Landmark meeting Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 07:25:25 -0500 From: "N A J Graham" To: Time is running out to register for the 5th International Conference on Environmental Future. This landmark conference on the 'environmental future of aquatic ecosystems' (http://www.icef.eawag.ch) is to be held in Zurich, Switzerland, 23-27 March 2003 and cheap registration is available until January 15th only. Leading scientists from around the world are to predict the potential alternative state(s) of each of the 21 marine and freshwater ecosystems by the year 2025 with respect, in particular, to climate change, human population growth and fisheries decline (see abstracts on website). Many of the reviews have been published in the journal Environmental Conservation and the outputs of the conference will be published by Cambridge University Press in a 2-volume book which each registrant will receive for free. Registration fees for this significant venture are substantially reduced upto January 15th 2003 and student rates are also available (http://www.icef.eawag.ch). Best regards, Nick Graham Junior Research Associate Marine Science & Technology University of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Tel: +44 (0)191 222 5868 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: The Dust Hypothesis Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 07:31:26 -0500 From: lessiosh To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov, "'szmanta'" Alina and others Happy new year. "Diadema antillarum" on the African coast has the same name, but it is not the same species. Its mitochondrial DNA is as different from Caribbean D. antillarum as that of D. paucispinum and D. savignyi. See Lessios, Kessing and Pearse, 2001, Population structure and speciation in tropical seas: global phylogeography of the sea urchin Diadema. Evolution, 55:955-975. So, this may answer this particular objection, but there are additional difficulties with the dust hypothesis to explain the Diadema mass mortality: 1. Why did it start at such a specific point at the mouth of the Panama Canal? The data in "H.A. Lessios, D.R. Robertson, J.D. Cubit. 1984 Spread of Diadema mass mortality through the Caribbean. Science, 226:335-337" are good enough to conclude that it really did start at the mouth of the canal, rather than first being noticed there. Disease due to dust traveling all the way from Africa and falling in the Caribbean would be more likely to start at various places in a large area. That it only started in one location, and that this location is so close to where ships discharge ballast water is more consistent with its having come in ballast water from the Pacific. Presumably, the pathogen is benign for Pacific species of Diadema, but killed the Atlantic ones. That it infected no other sea urchin species, not even the E. Atlantic Diadema, suggests that it is very specific. 2. Why did the mortality front travel by currents over large distances of water? If it came from the atmosphere, there should be no correlation with water current direction in its spread. The last locations to be infected were Bermuda and the Virgin Islands, not particularly consistent with dust coming from Africa. 3. Why were Diadema in aquaria also infected? 4. Why have there been subsequent local outbreaks at very specific times? I suppose that it can all be explained if one assumes that dust, traveled high over most of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, fell in the SE Caribbean and only what landed in Panama happened to contain a pathogenic organism, which was then spread by the currents and cross-infection. We will never know for sure. The dust hypothesis, like any other, is speculation, with some things that fit and others that don't. Haris Lessios H. A. Lessios Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Balboa, Panama Telephone: +507/212-8708 Fax +507/212-8791 Telephone from the US (domestic call): 202/786-2099 x 8708 Mail address: From the USA: Unit 0948 APO AA 34002-0948 From elsewhere: Box 2072 Balboa, Panama > > >-----Original Message----- >From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov >[mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of szmanta >Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 5:45 PM >To: Precht, Bill; coral-list >Subject: RE: The Dust Hypothesis > > >Dear All: > >I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in >the Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust. Can someone explain >to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing >well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of >population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much >closer to the dust and potential pathogen source)? > >Happy New Year to all. > >Alina Szmant > > >===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" ===== > >Dear Coral List: > > > >For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you >might > >find these tidbits of interest. > > > >Have a great holiday! > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > >The Dust Hypothesis > > > >Question: > > > >Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout > >much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and >near > >extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the > >1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to >coral > >reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These > >factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is >low. > >Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases? > > > >(Contineud) > > > >http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ > > > > > > Online mini-movie > > > > Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, >and > > Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and > > Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" > > > > http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/ > > > > > > National Public Radio interview > > > > Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were >interviewed > > along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public >Radio > > station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show > > "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview. > > > > >www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > >Mercury From China Rains Down on California > > > > Environmental News Service (ENS) > > http://ens-news.com/ > > > > December 20, 2002 > > > >SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major >source > >of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new >study > >suggests. > > > >The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury > >pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters > >because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory > >agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering >the > >state's waters from various sources. > > > >It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric > >pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall. > >Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed >out > >in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can >be > >captured by water droplets. > > > >Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role >in > >this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper > >published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical > >Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers >from > >the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later > >print edition of the journal. > > > >"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, >and > >it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets >deposited in > >rainfall," Steding said. > > > >Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal > >burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many >parts > >of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric >mercury > >is coal combustion in China. > > > >China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the > >total global industrial emissions of mercury. > > > >Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the >winter > >due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury >and > >ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is > >incorporated into developing storms. > > > >"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of >mercury > >emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the > >storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding > >said. > > > >Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California: >on > >the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near >San > >Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall > >event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a >national > >climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from > >Asia. > > > >Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background > >concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific >Ocean. > >Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the > >natural, preindustrial level, Steding said. > > > >Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent > >higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference >between > >the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of > >mercury. > > > >"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation >rate. We > >see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a >local > >enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we >want to > >reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions >of > >mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in >the > >atmosphere ends up in rainwater." > > > >Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the >mercury > >in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the >deposition > >in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the >food > >chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish. > > > >State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat > >fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including >San > >Francisco Bay. > > > > # # # > > > >http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1 > > > > > >/////////////////// > > > > > >Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell > > > >Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation: > >Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America > > > >10.1029/2002JD002081 > > > >19 December 2002 > > > >http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > >Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ... > > > >ScienceDaily News Release > > > >.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects > >from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. > > > >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm > > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > >***************************************** > >Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP! > >***************************************** > >~~~~~~~ > >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > >Alina M. Szmant >UNCW Center for Marine Science >On travel from UNCW > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ******************************************************************* Dr. Alina M. Szmant Coral Reef Research Group Professor of Biology Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina at Wilmington 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane Wilmington NC 28409-5928 tel: (910)962-2362 fax: (910)962-2410 email: szmanta@uncwil.edu http://www.uncwil.edu/people/szmanta/ ****************************************************************** --Boundary_(ID_LWPAmk1OzhYyaFAKJvhtSw) Content-type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" I think Haris meant to send this message out to all interested parties by hit the 'reply' instead of 'reply all' button.

Alina Szmant



Date: Thu, 02 Jan 2003 10:35:35 -0500
From: lessiosh <lessiosh@naos.si.edu>
Subject: RE: The Dust Hypothesis
To: 'szmanta' <szmanta@uncwil.edu>
Reply-to: lessiosh@naos.si.edu
X-VMS-To: IN%"szmanta@uncwil.edu"  "'szmanta'"
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4024
Importance: Normal
Original-recipient: rfc822;szmanta@uncwil.edu

Alina and others

Happy new year.

"Diadema antillarum" on the African coast has the same name, but it is
not the same species.  Its mitochondrial DNA is as different from
Caribbean D. antillarum as that of D. paucispinum and D. savignyi.  See
Lessios, Kessing and Pearse, 2001, Population structure and speciation
in tropical seas: global phylogeography of the sea urchin Diadema.
Evolution, 55:955-975.

So, this may answer this particular objection, but there are additional
difficulties with the dust hypothesis to explain the Diadema mass
mortality:

1.  Why did it start at such a specific point at the mouth of the Panama
Canal? The data in "H.A. Lessios, D.R. Robertson, J.D. Cubit.  1984
Spread of Diadema mass mortality through the Caribbean. Science,
226:335-337" are good enough to conclude that it really did start at the
mouth of the canal, rather than first being noticed there.  Disease due
to dust traveling all the way from Africa and falling in the Caribbean
would be more likely to start at various places in a large area.  That
it only started in one location, and that this location is so close to
where ships discharge ballast water is more consistent with its having
come in ballast water from the Pacific.  Presumably, the pathogen is
benign for Pacific species of Diadema, but killed the Atlantic ones.
That it infected no other sea urchin species, not even the E. Atlantic
Diadema, suggests that it is very specific.

2.  Why did the mortality front travel by currents over large distances
of water?  If it came from the atmosphere, there should be no
correlation with water current direction in its spread.  The last
locations to be infected were Bermuda and the Virgin Islands, not
particularly consistent with dust coming from Africa.

3.  Why were Diadema in aquaria also infected?

4.  Why have there been subsequent local outbreaks at very specific
times?

I suppose that it can all be explained if one assumes that dust,
traveled high over most of the Atlantic and the Caribbean, fell in the
SE Caribbean and only what landed in Panama happened to contain a
pathogenic organism, which was then spread by the currents and
cross-infection.  We will never know for sure.  The dust hypothesis,
like any other, is speculation, with some things that fit and others
that don't.

Haris Lessios

H. A. Lessios
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Balboa, Panama

Telephone: +507/212-8708
Fax +507/212-8791
Telephone from the US (domestic call): 202/786-2099 x 8708

Mail address:
From the USA:
Unit 0948
APO AA 34002-0948

From elsewhere:
Box 2072
Balboa, Panama



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of szmanta
Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 5:45 PM
To: Precht, Bill; coral-list
Subject: RE: The Dust Hypothesis


Dear All:

I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in
the  Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust.  Can someone explain
to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing
well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of
population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much
closer to the dust and potential  pathogen source)?

Happy New Year to all.

Alina Szmant

>===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" <Bprecht@pbsj.com> =====
>Dear Coral List:
>
>For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you
might
>find these tidbits of interest.
>
>Have a great holiday!
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>The Dust Hypothesis
>
>Question:
>
>Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout
>much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and
near
>extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the
>1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to
coral
>reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These
>factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is
low.
>Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases?
>
>(Contineud)
>
>http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/
>
>
>   Online mini-movie
>
>      Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes,
and
>      Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and
>      Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health"
>
>   http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/
>
>
>   National Public Radio interview
>
>      Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were
interviewed
>      along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public
Radio
>      station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show
>      "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview.
>
>
www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html
>
>
>////////////////
>
>
>Mercury From China Rains Down on California
>
>   Environmental News Service (ENS)
>   http://ens-news.com/
>
>   December 20, 2002
>
>SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major
source
>of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new
study
>suggests.
>
>The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury
>pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters
>because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory
>agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering
the
>state's waters from various sources.
>
>It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric
>pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall.
>Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed
out
>in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can
be
>captured by water droplets.
>
>Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role
in
>this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper
>published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical
>Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers
from
>the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later
>print edition of the journal.
>
>"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere,
and
>it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets
deposited in
>rainfall," Steding said.
>
>Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal
>burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many
parts
>of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric
mercury
>is coal combustion in China.
>
>China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the
>total global industrial emissions of mercury.
>
>Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the
winter
>due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury
and
>ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is
>incorporated into developing storms.
>
>"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of
mercury
>emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the
>storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding
>said.
>
>Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California:
on
>the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near
San
>Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall
>event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a
national
>climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from
>Asia.
>
>Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background
>concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific
Ocean.
>Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the
>natural, preindustrial level, Steding said.
>
>Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent
>higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference
between
>the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of
>mercury.
>
>"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation
rate. We
>see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a
local
>enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we
want to
>reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions
of
>mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in
the
>atmosphere ends up in rainwater."
>
>Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the
mercury
>in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the
deposition
>in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the
food
>chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish.
>
>State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat
>fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including
San
>Francisco Bay.
>
>  #  #  #
>
>http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1
>
>
>///////////////////
>
>
>Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell
>
>Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation:
>Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America
>
>10.1029/2002JD002081
>
>19 December 2002
>
>http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec
>
>
>////////////////
>
>
>Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ...
>
>ScienceDaily News Release
>
>.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects
>from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low.
>
> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm
>
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
>*****************************************
>Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP!
>*****************************************
>~~~~~~~
>For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
>digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .

Alina M. Szmant
UNCW Center for Marine Science
On travel from UNCW

~~~~~~~
For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .

*******************************************************************
Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Coral Reef Research Group
Professor of Biology
Center for Marine Science
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
5600  Marvin K. Moss Lane
Wilmington  NC  28409-5928
tel:  (910)962-2362  fax:  (910)962-2410
email:  szmanta@uncwil.edu
http://www.uncwil.edu/people/szmanta/
****************************************************************** --Boundary_(ID_LWPAmk1OzhYyaFAKJvhtSw)-- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: The Dust Hypothesis Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 07:31:27 -0500 From: "Alan E Strong" To: szmanta CC: "Precht Bill" , coral-list Hi Alina, ...could have something to do with aerosol particle size and selective settling as air trajectory carried dust westward...? Just a thought....happy new year every one! Cheers, Al szmanta wrote: >Dear All: > >I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in >the Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust. Can someone explain >to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing >well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of >population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much >closer to the dust and potential pathogen source)? > >Happy New Year to all. > >Alina Szmant > >>===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" ===== >>Dear Coral List: >> >>For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you might >>find these tidbits of interest. >> >>Have a great holiday! >>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> >>The Dust Hypothesis >> >>Question: >> >>Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout >>much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and near >>extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the >>1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral >>reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These >>factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is low. >>Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases? >> >>(Contineud) >> >>http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ >> >> >> Online mini-movie >> >> Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, and >> Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and >> Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" >> >> http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/ >> >> >> National Public Radio interview >> >> Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were interviewed >> along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public Radio >> station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show >> "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview. >> >> www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html >> >> >>//////////////// >> >> >>Mercury From China Rains Down on California >> >> Environmental News Service (ENS) >> http://ens-news.com/ >> >> December 20, 2002 >> >>SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major source >>of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new study >>suggests. >> >>The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury >>pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters >>because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory >>agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering the >>state's waters from various sources. >> >>It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric >>pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall. >>Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed out >>in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can be >>captured by water droplets. >> >>Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role in >>this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper >>published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical >>Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers from >>the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later >>print edition of the journal. >> >>"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, and >>it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets deposited in >>rainfall," Steding said. >> >>Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal >>burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many parts >>of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric mercury >>is coal combustion in China. >> >>China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the >>total global industrial emissions of mercury. >> >>Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the winter >>due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury and >>ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is >>incorporated into developing storms. >> >>"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of mercury >>emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the >>storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding >>said. >> >>Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California: on >>the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near San >>Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall >>event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a national >>climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from >>Asia. >> >>Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background >>concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific Ocean. >>Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the >>natural, preindustrial level, Steding said. >> >>Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent >>higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference between >>the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of >>mercury. >> >>"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation rate. We >>see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a local >>enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we want to >>reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions of >>mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in the >>atmosphere ends up in rainwater." >> >>Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the mercury >>in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the deposition >>in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the food >>chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish. >> >>State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat >>fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including San >>Francisco Bay. >> >> # # # >> >>http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1 >> >> >>/////////////////// >> >> >>Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell >> >>Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation: >>Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America >> >>10.1029/2002JD002081 >> >>19 December 2002 >> >>http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec >> >> >>//////////////// >> >> >>Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ... >> >>ScienceDaily News Release >> >>.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects >> >>from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. > >>http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm >> >>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> >>***************************************** >>Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP! >>***************************************** >>~~~~~~~ >>For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >>digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . >> > >Alina M. Szmant >UNCW Center for Marine Science >On travel from UNCW > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad --------------050205080207060108010100 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Alina,

...could have something to do with aerosol particle size and selective settling as air trajectory carried dust westward...?

Just a thought....happy new year every one!

Cheers,
Al

szmanta wrote:

Dear All:

I have read several times the hypothesis
that the Diadema die-off in
the  Caribbean was somehow caused by
African dust.  Can someone explain
to me the logic behind this when
the same species of sea urchin is doing
well, and matter of fact, has
been a pest because of too high of
population densities on reefs just
off the West coast of Africa (much
closer to the dust and potential
pathogen source)?

Happy New Year to all.

Alina
Szmant

===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" <Bprecht@pbsj.com>
=====
Dear Coral List:

For those following the "dust" for the
past few years I thought you might
find these tidbits of
interest.

Have a great holiday!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Dust
Hypothesis

Question:

Why have coral reefs that are bathed
in clear oceanic waters throughout
much of the Caribbean suffered
algal infestation, coral diseases, and near
extinction of herbivorous
sea urchins almost simultaneously during the
1970s, 1980s, and early
1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral
reefs include
sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These
factors do
not apply for many affected reefs where human population is low.
Is
there an alternative way to spread nutrients and
diseases?

(Contineud)


http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/



Online mini-movie

     Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison,
Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, and
     Dale Griffin in "The Effects of
Globally Transported African and
     Asian Dust on Coral Reef and
Human Health"

  
http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/



National Public Radio interview

     Project scientists Gene
Shinn and Ginger Garrison were interviewed
     along with
geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public Radio

station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show

"Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview.

  www.kqed.o

rg/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html


////////////////


Mercury
>From China Rains Down on California

  Environmental News Service
(ENS)
  http://ens-news.com/

  December
20, 2002

SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia
are a major source
of mercury in rainwater that falls along the
California coast, a new study
suggests.

The mercury in
rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury
pollution is
a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters
because
the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State
regulatory
agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of
mercury entering the
state's waters from various sources.

It
is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of
atmospheric
pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury
in rainfall.
Elemental m
ercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed out
in
rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can
be
captured by water droplets.

Ozone, a major component of
urban and industrial smog, plays a key role in
this oxidation
process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper
published
Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of
Geophysical
Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other
researchers from
the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will
appear in a later
print edition of the journal.

"There is a
relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, and
it's the
rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets deposited
in
rainfall," Steding said.

Mercury is a trace contaminant of
most coal, and emissions from coal
burning power plants are a major
source of mercury pollution in many parts
of the world. In the
Pacific Basin, the main source of atmosph
eric mercury
is coal combustion in China.

China relies on coal
as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the
total global
industrial emissions of mercury.

Air pollution in China also
generates ozone, which peaks during the winter
due to increased fuel
consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury and
ozone moves off
the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is
incorporated into
developing storms.

"The mercury we measured in rainwater results
from a combination of mercury
emissions and ozone production, as well
as meteorological factors - the
storm tracks that transport the
pollutants across the Pacific," Steding
said.

Steding
collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California:
on
the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field
near San
Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For
each rainfall
event, the researchers used air mass trajectories
calculated by a na
tional
climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the
Pacific from
Asia.

Rainwater collected at the coastal site
showed the background
concentrations of mercury in storms as they
arrived off the Pacific Ocean.
Those measurements were about three
times higher than estimates of the
natural, preindustrial level,
Steding said.

Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury
concentrations 44 percent
higher than at the coastal site. Steding
attributed the difference between
the two sites to ozone in Bay Area
smog, rather than local emissions of
mercury.

"There is a
local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation rate. We
see a
background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a
local
enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said.
"If we want to
reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut
down local emissions of
mercury, because other pollutants influence
how much of the mercury
in the
atmosphere ends up in rainwater."

Steding said people
should not worry about health effects from the mercury
in rainwater,
because the concentrations are very low. But the deposition
in rain
does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the
food
chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of
fish.

State health officials have issued advisories warning
people not to eat
fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in
California, including San
Francisco Bay.

 #  #  #


http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1



///////////////////


Steding,
Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell

Mercury concentrations in coastal
California precipitation:
Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes
of mercury to North America

10.1029/2002JD002081

19
December 2002


http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec



////////////////


Mercury
In California Rainwater Traced ...

ScienceDaily News
Release

.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about
health effects
>from the mercury in rainwater, because the
concentrations are very low.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm

-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-

*****************************************
Season's Greetings
from NOAA's
CHAMP!
*****************************************
~~~~~~~
For
directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or
the
digests, please see 
http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html
.

Alina M. Szmant
UNCW Center for Marine
Science
On travel from UNCW

~~~~~~~
For directions on
subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please
see 
http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html
.


--
**** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
<>< *******
  Alan E. Strong
   Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST)
          Phys Scientist/Oceanographer
    NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3
    NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W
    5200 Auth Road
    Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304
          Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov
               301-763-8102 x170
                FAX: 301-763-8572
    
http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad

--------------050205080207060108010100-- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: African Dust: Experimental Approach? Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 10:02:49 -0500 From: Jim Hendee To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov I have tried to search the literature to see if any controlled experiments have been conducted to ascertain whether pathogens on African Dust have been implicated in the onset of sea urchin or coral disease. I searched Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts, Oceanic Abstracts, Biosis, FirstSearch and the last couple of years of the Coral Reefs journal, but could not find that any work that has been done with controlled experiments and African Dust (AD). I would be interested to know if any work has been done, because we would be interested in using any results in the development of a sensor for the Dust on our CREWS environmental monitoring stations. So, if no experimental work has been done, might I suggest the following be considered by those of you who might have the resources. My apologies if this seems obvious, but it does appear the theory needs to be further investigated. Experimental Grid Utilizing Closed Aquaria ------------------------------------------ 1) Control tank with one or more species of corals and or urchins (with appropriate permits, of course!). Use the species of urchin that we know gets infected (see Haris Lessios' last post). 2) Tank with same critters, gets AD collected from USGS dust collectors, at same theorized rate of introduction as through AD storms. 3) Second control tank with "sanitized" AD. Any change in animal health in this tank might thus be due to the chemical properties of the dust itself; or in some way stress the animal(s) to be more susceptible to secondary infection by a pathogen. 4) Third control tank innoculated with theorized pathogens (including human ones) alone (i.e., no AD). Obviously, this would have to be closely controlled to prevent infecting the researcher! Follow up with microbiological assay. Continuously monitor the room(s) where aquaria are kept to see if the AD "leaks" into the rooms. All temperatures, salinity, light, feeding, etc. controlled to be same across all tanks and to be the as close to nature as possible. Future or parallel experiment might be to raise sea temperature to near bleaching threshold, thus seeing any possible correlations there. That should help settle the question, I would think. Sounds like a good graduate student project to me. Cheers, Jim szmanta wrote: > Dear All: > > I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in > the Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust. Can someone explain > to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing > well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of > population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much > closer to the dust and potential pathogen source)? > > Happy New Year to all. > > Alina Szmant > > >===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" ===== > >Dear Coral List: > > > >For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you might > >find these tidbits of interest. > > > >Have a great holiday! > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > >The Dust Hypothesis > > > >Question: > > > >Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout > >much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and near > >extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the > >1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral > >reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These > >factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is low. > >Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases? > > > >(Contineud) > > > >http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ > > > > > > Online mini-movie > > > > Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, and > > Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and > > Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" > > > > http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/ > > > > > > National Public Radio interview > > > > Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were interviewed > > along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public Radio > > station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show > > "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview. > > > > www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > >Mercury From China Rains Down on California > > > > Environmental News Service (ENS) > > http://ens-news.com/ > > > > December 20, 2002 > > > >SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major source > >of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new study > >suggests. > > > >The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury > >pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters > >because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory > >agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering the > >state's waters from various sources. > > > >It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric > >pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall. > >Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed out > >in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can be > >captured by water droplets. > > > >Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role in > >this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper > >published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical > >Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers from > >the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later > >print edition of the journal. > > > >"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, and > >it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets deposited in > >rainfall," Steding said. > > > >Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal > >burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many parts > >of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric mercury > >is coal combustion in China. > > > >China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the > >total global industrial emissions of mercury. > > > >Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the winter > >due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury and > >ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is > >incorporated into developing storms. > > > >"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of mercury > >emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the > >storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding > >said. > > > >Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California: on > >the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near San > >Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall > >event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a national > >climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from > >Asia. > > > >Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background > >concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific Ocean. > >Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the > >natural, preindustrial level, Steding said. > > > >Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent > >higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference between > >the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of > >mercury. > > > >"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation rate. We > >see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a local > >enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we want to > >reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions of > >mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in the > >atmosphere ends up in rainwater." > > > >Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the mercury > >in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the deposition > >in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the food > >chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish. > > > >State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat > >fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including San > >Francisco Bay. > > > > # # # > > > >http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1 > > > > > >/////////////////// > > > > > >Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell > > > >Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation: > >Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America > > > >10.1029/2002JD002081 > > > >19 December 2002 > > > >http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > >Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ... > > > >ScienceDaily News Release > > > >.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects > >from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. > > > >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm > > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > >***************************************** > >Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP! > >***************************************** > >~~~~~~~ > >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > Alina M. Szmant > UNCW Center for Marine Science > On travel from UNCW > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: African Dust Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 14:43:28 -0500 From: Jim Hendee To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov I have subsequently heard that Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison have graduate students working on this aspect, so I expect they will publish and/or describe something before too long. Sorry for the extra bandwidth... Cheers, Jim Jim Hendee wrote: > I have tried to search the literature to see if any controlled > experiments have been conducted to ascertain whether pathogens on > African Dust have been implicated in the onset of sea urchin or coral > disease. I searched Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts, Oceanic > Abstracts, Biosis, FirstSearch and the last couple of years of the Coral > Reefs journal, but could not find that any work that has been done with > controlled experiments and African Dust (AD). I would be interested to > know if any work has been done, because we would be interested in using > any results in the development of a sensor for the Dust on our CREWS > environmental monitoring stations. > > So, if no experimental work has been done, might I suggest the following > be considered by those of you who might have the resources. My > apologies if this seems obvious, but it does appear the theory needs to > be further investigated. > > Experimental Grid Utilizing Closed Aquaria > ------------------------------------------ > > 1) Control tank with one or more species of corals and or urchins (with > appropriate permits, of course!). Use the species of urchin that we > know gets infected (see Haris Lessios' last post). > > 2) Tank with same critters, gets AD collected from USGS dust > collectors, at same theorized rate of introduction as through AD storms. > > 3) Second control tank with "sanitized" AD. Any change in animal > health in this tank might thus be due to the chemical properties of the > dust itself; or in some way stress the animal(s) to be more susceptible > to secondary infection by a pathogen. > > 4) Third control tank innoculated with theorized pathogens (including > human ones) alone (i.e., no AD). Obviously, this would have to be > closely controlled to prevent infecting the researcher! > > Follow up with microbiological assay. Continuously monitor the room(s) > where aquaria are kept to see if the AD "leaks" into the rooms. All > temperatures, salinity, light, feeding, etc. controlled to be same > across all tanks and to be the as close to nature as possible. Future > or parallel experiment might be to raise sea temperature to near > bleaching threshold, thus seeing any possible correlations there. > > That should help settle the question, I would think. Sounds like a good > graduate student project to me. > > Cheers, > Jim > > szmanta wrote: > > > Dear All: > > > > I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in > > the Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust. Can someone explain > > to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing > > well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of > > population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much > > closer to the dust and potential pathogen source)? > > > > Happy New Year to all. > > > > Alina Szmant > > > > >===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" ===== > > >Dear Coral List: > > > > > >For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you might > > >find these tidbits of interest. > > > > > >Have a great holiday! > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > > > >The Dust Hypothesis > > > > > >Question: > > > > > >Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout > > >much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and near > > >extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the > > >1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral > > >reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These > > >factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is low. > > >Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases? > > > > > >(Contineud) > > > > > >http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ > > > > > > > > > Online mini-movie > > > > > > Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, and > > > Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and > > > Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" > > > > > > http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/ > > > > > > > > > National Public Radio interview > > > > > > Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were interviewed > > > along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public Radio > > > station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show > > > "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview. > > > > > > www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html > > > > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > > > > >Mercury From China Rains Down on California > > > > > > Environmental News Service (ENS) > > > http://ens-news.com/ > > > > > > December 20, 2002 > > > > > >SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major source > > >of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new study > > >suggests. > > > > > >The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury > > >pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters > > >because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory > > >agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering the > > >state's waters from various sources. > > > > > >It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric > > >pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall. > > >Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed out > > >in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can be > > >captured by water droplets. > > > > > >Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role in > > >this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper > > >published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical > > >Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers from > > >the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later > > >print edition of the journal. > > > > > >"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, and > > >it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets deposited in > > >rainfall," Steding said. > > > > > >Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal > > >burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many parts > > >of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric mercury > > >is coal combustion in China. > > > > > >China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the > > >total global industrial emissions of mercury. > > > > > >Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the winter > > >due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury and > > >ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is > > >incorporated into developing storms. > > > > > >"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of mercury > > >emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the > > >storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding > > >said. > > > > > >Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California: on > > >the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near San > > >Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall > > >event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a national > > >climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from > > >Asia. > > > > > >Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background > > >concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific Ocean. > > >Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the > > >natural, preindustrial level, Steding said. > > > > > >Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent > > >higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference between > > >the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of > > >mercury. > > > > > >"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation rate. We > > >see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a local > > >enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we want to > > >reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions of > > >mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in the > > >atmosphere ends up in rainwater." > > > > > >Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the mercury > > >in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the deposition > > >in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the food > > >chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish. > > > > > >State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat > > >fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including San > > >Francisco Bay. > > > > > > # # # > > > > > >http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1 > > > > > > > > >/////////////////// > > > > > > > > >Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell > > > > > >Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation: > > >Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America > > > > > >10.1029/2002JD002081 > > > > > >19 December 2002 > > > > > >http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec > > > > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > > > > >Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ... > > > > > >ScienceDaily News Release > > > > > >.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects > > >from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. > > > > > >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm > > > > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > > > >***************************************** > > >Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP! > > >***************************************** > > >~~~~~~~ > > >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > > >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > > > Alina M. Szmant > > UNCW Center for Marine Science > > On travel from UNCW > > > > ~~~~~~~ > > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: DUST BORNE VICE WATER BORNE PATHOGEN; BACTERIAL VS. VIRAL: CARIBBEAN DIADEMA Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 17:33:59 -0500 From: "Keven Reed" To: , "lessiosh" , "szmanta" Dear all, Since the spread of the 1983 Diadema antillarum die off started on the Caribbean end of the Panama canal and then moved across the Caribbean in a typical epizootic fashion, and the surveys of fish predators such as toadfishes stayed at preabundance levels (albeit with broader diets), intuition (not data) makes me want to pin the etiology on a viral pathogen that Pacific species of Diadema were immune to, then it was delivered in ship's ballast after passage from West to East through the canal. I believe I once heard Chuck Birkeland lament that we didn't have virologists on the field specimens twenty years ago to answer this medical veterinary mystery. Respectfully, Keven Keven Reed, O.D. Joint Readiness Clinical Advisory Board 1423 Sultan Street Fort Detrick, MD 21702 kevenreed@earthlink.net Work (301) 619-2186 Work FAX (301) 619-2355 ----- Original Message ----- From: "szmanta" To: "Precht, Bill" ; "coral-list" Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 5:45 PM Subject: RE: The Dust Hypothesis > Dear All: > > I have read several times the hypothesis that the Diadema die-off in > the Caribbean was somehow caused by African dust. Can someone explain > to me the logic behind this when the same species of sea urchin is doing > well, and matter of fact, has been a pest because of too high of > population densities on reefs just off the West coast of Africa (much > closer to the dust and potential pathogen source)? > > Happy New Year to all. > > Alina Szmant > > >===== Original Message From "Precht, Bill" ===== > >Dear Coral List: > > > >For those following the "dust" for the past few years I thought you might > >find these tidbits of interest. > > > >Have a great holiday! > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > >The Dust Hypothesis > > > >Question: > > > >Why have coral reefs that are bathed in clear oceanic waters throughout > >much of the Caribbean suffered algal infestation, coral diseases, and near > >extinction of herbivorous sea urchins almost simultaneously during the > >1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s? The best known factors detrimental to coral > >reefs include sewage, run-off from land, dredging, UV light, etc. These > >factors do not apply for many affected reefs where human population is low. > >Is there an alternative way to spread nutrients and diseases? > > > >(Contineud) > > > >http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ > > > > > > Online mini-movie > > > > Watch USGS scientists Ginger Garrison, Gene Shinn, Chuck Holmes, and > > Dale Griffin in "The Effects of Globally Transported African and > > Asian Dust on Coral Reef and Human Health" > > > > http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/documentary/ > > > > > > National Public Radio interview > > > > Project scientists Gene Shinn and Ginger Garrison were interviewed > > along with geologist/novelist Sarah Andrews on National Public Radio > > station KQED in San Francisco on the popular morning talk show > > "Forum" on January 15, 2002. Listen to the interview. > > > > www.kqed.org/audioarchive/frameset/forum/2002/01/2002-01-15b-forum.html > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > >Mercury From China Rains Down on California > > > > Environmental News Service (ENS) > > http://ens-news.com/ > > > > December 20, 2002 > > > >SANTA CRUZ, California, - Industrial emissions in Asia are a major source > >of mercury in rainwater that falls along the California coast, a new study > >suggests. > > > >The mercury in rainwater is not in itself a health threat, but mercury > >pollution is a problem in San Francisco Bay and other California waters > >because the toxic element builds up in the food chain. State regulatory > >agencies are looking for ways to reduce the amount of mercury entering the > >state's waters from various sources. > > > >It is not just the mercury itself but a whole cocktail of atmospheric > >pollutants that contribute to the deposition of mercury in rainfall. > >Elemental mercury behaves as a gas in the atmosphere and is not washed out > >in rain until it has been oxidized into a charged ionic form that can be > >captured by water droplets. > > > >Ozone, a major component of urban and industrial smog, plays a key role in > >this oxidation process, said Douglas Steding, lead author of a paper > >published Thursday in the online edition of the "Journal of Geophysical > >Research - Atmospheres." The report by Steding and other researchers from > >the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) will appear in a later > >print edition of the journal. > > > >"There is a relatively large reservoir of mercury in the atmosphere, and > >it's the rate of oxidation that determines how much of it gets deposited in > >rainfall," Steding said. > > > >Mercury is a trace contaminant of most coal, and emissions from coal > >burning power plants are a major source of mercury pollution in many parts > >of the world. In the Pacific Basin, the main source of atmospheric mercury > >is coal combustion in China. > > > >China relies on coal as a fuel and accounts for about 10 percent of the > >total global industrial emissions of mercury. > > > >Air pollution in China also generates ozone, which peaks during the winter > >due to increased fuel consumption for heating. Air loaded with mercury and > >ozone moves off the continent into the Western Pacific, where it is > >incorporated into developing storms. > > > >"The mercury we measured in rainwater results from a combination of mercury > >emissions and ozone production, as well as meteorological factors - the > >storm tracks that transport the pollutants across the Pacific," Steding > >said. > > > >Steding collected rainwater samples at two sites in central California: on > >the coast at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory and at Moffett Field near San > >Jose, on the inland side of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For each rainfall > >event, the researchers used air mass trajectories calculated by a national > >climate lab to trace the movement of the storms across the Pacific from > >Asia. > > > >Rainwater collected at the coastal site showed the background > >concentrations of mercury in storms as they arrived off the Pacific Ocean. > >Those measurements were about three times higher than estimates of the > >natural, preindustrial level, Steding said. > > > >Rainwater from the inland site showed mercury concentrations 44 percent > >higher than at the coastal site. Steding attributed the difference between > >the two sites to ozone in Bay Area smog, rather than local emissions of > >mercury. > > > >"There is a local influence of urban smog on the mercury oxidation rate. We > >see a background signal of mercury blowing off the Pacific, then a local > >enrichment that's probably due to urban smog," Steding said. "If we want to > >reduce mercury deposition, it's not enough to shut down local emissions of > >mercury, because other pollutants influence how much of the mercury in the > >atmosphere ends up in rainwater." > > > >Steding said people should not worry about health effects from the mercury > >in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. But the deposition > >in rain does add mercury to surface waters, where the toxin enters the food > >chain and builds up to high levels in certain kinds of fish. > > > >State health officials have issued advisories warning people not to eat > >fish from more than a dozen bodies of water in California, including San > >Francisco Bay. > > > > # # # > > > >http://ens-news.com/ens/dec2002/2002-12-20-09.asp#anchor1 > > > > > >/////////////////// > > > > > >Steding, Douglas J.; Flegal, A. Russell > > > >Mercury concentrations in coastal California precipitation: > >Evidence of local and trans-Pacific fluxes of mercury to North America > > > >10.1029/2002JD002081 > > > >19 December 2002 > > > >http://www.agu.org/pubs/toc2002/jd.shtml#dec > > > > > >//////////////// > > > > > >Mercury In California Rainwater Traced ... > > > >ScienceDaily News Release > > > >.. Steding emphasized that people should not worry about health effects > >from the mercury in rainwater, because the concentrations are very low. > > > >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021220075156.htm > > > >- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - > > > >***************************************** > >Season's Greetings from NOAA's CHAMP! > >***************************************** > >~~~~~~~ > >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > Alina M. Szmant > UNCW Center for Marine Science > On travel from UNCW > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Announcement: MARINE PROTECTED AREA FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (USA) Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 13:45:15 -0500 From: "Roger B Griffis" Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration To: Coral list FYI Coral listers - Note there are several members named to this new U.S. Federal Advisory Committee on marine protected areas that are active in coral reef issues (e.g., Mark Hixon, Tundi Agardi, Ernesto Diaz, Lelei Peau (Chair of the All-Islands Coral Reef Initiative)). ________________________ NOAA 2003-001 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Glenda Tyson 1/3/03 NOAA News Releases 2003 NOAA Home Page NOAA Public Affairs COMMERCE AND INTERIOR DEPARTMENTS SELECT CANDIDATES FOR NATIONAL MARINE PROTECTED AREA FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Today, the Department of Commerce, with assistance from the Department of the Interior, named final candidates for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Protected Area Federal Advisory Committee. Required as part of Presidential Executive Order 13158 dealing with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the 30-person committee represents a broad stakeholder community, including scientists, academia, commercial and recreational fishermen, resource users and managers, and environmentalists. The advisory committee’s duties include providing advice and recommendations to the Secretaries of Commerce and the Interior on implementation of aspects of the MPA Executive Order. The members may establish working groups, subcommittees, or task forces as needed to fulfill the committee’s goals. They also will create a scientific working group of experts in marine and ocean science fields, which will assess the conditions of natural and submerged cultural resources within the nation’s MPAs. The members will serve for two or three-year terms, and will elect a chairperson from the group. “Marine protected areas are important resource management tools,“ said Commerce Secretary Don Evans. “We look forward to strong leadership from these individuals in helping us determine how best to continue our efforts, balancing conservation needs with commercial and recreational interests as we move forward to protect the marine environment for present and future generations.” The committee will be supported by the National Marine Protected Areas Center, established by NOAA in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, as required by Executive Order. The MPA Center is charged with providing federal, state, territorial, tribal and local governments with the information, technologies, training and strategies to coordinate federal activities related to MPAs. Final candidates for the MPA Federal Advisory Committee are: Dr. Tundi Agardy, Sound Seas; Bethesda, Md. Mr. Robert Bendick, Jr., The Nature Conservancy; Altamonte Springs, Fla. Mr. David Benton, North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Anchorage, Alaska Dr. Daniel Bromley, University of Wisconsin; Madison, Wis. Dr. Anthony Chatwin, Conservation Law Foundation; Boston, Mass. Dr. Michael Cruickshank, Marine Minerals, Technology Center Associates; Honolulu, Hawaii Mr. Ernesto Diaz, Puerto Rico Coastal Zone Mgmt. Program; San Juan, Puerto Rico Ms. Carol Dinkins, Vinson & Elkins Attorneys At Law; Houston, Texas Dr. Rodney Fujita, Environmental Defense; Oakland, Calif. Dr. Dolores Garza, University of Alaska; Ketchikan, Alaska Mr. Eric Gilman, National Audubon Society; Honolulu, Hawaii Dr. Mark Hixon, Oregon State University; Corvallis, Ore. Mr. George Lapointe, Maine Department of Marine Resources; Augusta, Maine Dr. Bonnie McCay, Rutgers University; New Brunswick, N.J. Mr. Melvin E. Moon, Jr., Quileute Natural Resources Department; LaPush, Wash. Mr. Robert Moran, American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C. Dr. Steven Murray, California State University; Fullerton, Calif. Mr. Michael Nussman, American Sportfishing Association; Alexandria, Va. Dr. John Ogden, Florida Institute of Oceanography; St. Petersburg, Fla. Mr. Terry O’Halloran, hulaRez Inc.; Kalaheo, Hawaii Mr. Lelei Peau, Dept. of Commerce of American Samoa Pago Pago; American Samoa Dr. Walter Pereyra, Arctic Storm Management Group, Inc.; Seattle, Wash. Mr. Max Peterson, International Assoc. of Fish and Wildlife Agencies; Washington, D.C. Mr. Gilbert Radonski, Sport Fishing Institute; Cape Carteret, N.C. Mr. James Ray, Environmental Ecology and Response Shell Global Solutions (U.S.)Inc.; Houston, Texas Ms. Barbara Stevenson, Portland Fish Exchange; Portland, Maine Dr. Daniel Suman, University of Miami; Miami, Fla. Capt. Thomas E. Thompson, USCG (Ret.), International Council of Cruise Lines; Arlington, Va. Ms. H. Kay Williams, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Vancleave, Miss. Mr. Robert Zales, II, Bob Zales Charters; Panama City, Fla. Committee members were nominated by organizations and individuals. Potential members are offered membership into the committee and then must undergo a background check. These candidates were selected by a panel of experts from both agencies seeking to ensure that the committee’s membership represented the broad spectrum of interested parties throughout the nation. NOAA is dedicated to exploring, understanding, conserving and restoring the nation’s coasts and oceans. NOAA Ocean Service balances environmental protection with economic prosperity in fulfilling its mission of promoting safe navigation, supporting coastal communities, sustaining coastal habitats and mitigating coastal hazards. NOAA Fisheries ensures the sustainable use of marine fishery resources, protects marine mammal and sea turtle populations, and promotes the health of coastal and offshore marine habitats. Marine protected areas are one of several management tools NOAA Fisheries uses to prevent decline and promote recovery of marine fish, mammal and sea turtle species that fall under the agency's stewardship responsibilities. In partnership with the eight regional fishery management councils, NOAA Ocean Service, states, fishermen, and coastal communities, NOAA Fisheries combines protected areas with other marine resource management tools to ensure a healthy and bountiful ocean for all Americans. The Department of the Interior is the nation’s principal conservation agency. Interior serves as the steward for approximately 426 million acres of America’s public land, representing about 19 percent of the U.S. land surface and 66 percent of all federally owned land. Interior also manages mineral development on the 1.48 billion acre U.S. outer continental shelf. Interior’s National Park Service currently manages 385 parks and serves about 285 million visitors. Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service is the primary federal agency responsible for the protection, conservation, and renewal of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats, and manages 538 refuges and 37 wetland management districts throughout the U.S. For more information online: Department of Commerce - http://www.commerce.gov NOAA - http://www.noaa.gov NOAA Ocean Service - http://www.nos.noaa.gov NOAA Fisheries - http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov National Marine Protected Areas Center - http://www.mpa.gov Department of the Interior - http://www.doi.gov National Park Service - http://www.nps.gov U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - http://www.fws.gov Minerals Management Service - http://www.mms.gov ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: the pollution word Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 09:54:49 -0500 From: Gene Shinn To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear Jim, Thank you for having the fortitude to point it out the problem with the word "pollution." As you know one persons food (or funding) is another's poison. We should as you say, "identify what the anthropogenic factors are that influence reefs" In the rush to save reefs it appears we have skipped over the basic research needed to quantify these factors and/or ignored those results that do not support legal and sociopolitical leanings. Pollution means many thing$ to many people. Thanks for broaching the subject. Gene ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------- http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ | E. A. Shinn email eshinn@usgs.gov USGS Center for Coastal Geology | 600 4th St. South | voice (727) 803-8747 x3030 St.Petersburg, FL 33701 | fax (727) 803-2032 ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: the pollution word Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 13:01:49 -0500 From: "Michael Risk" To: Gene Shinn , coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hi Gene. I think this may be another semantic problem. Friend of mine, one of the finest environmental geochemists to walk the earth, had couple simple definitions. (Yeah, I know, we all hate definitions.) Contamination is when you can measure it. Pollution is when it hurts something. Happy Hogmanay. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: CREI Vacancy Oceanographer/Marine Biologist Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 19:46:13 -0500 From: "Rusty Brainard" Organization: NOAA To: Jim Hendee , David.Gulko@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Sender: owner-coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list Aloha, Please see the following vacancy for Oceanographer or Marine Biologist: https://www.jobs.doc.gov/cool/doc/APP_VAC_VIEW?F_USERNAME=&F_ANN_NO=84181&F_AG_ID=11&SK= Thanks, Rusty ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: New Caledonia project Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 03:38:42 -0500 From: "sebastien sarramegna" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello, I am working on an environmental monitoring program in Tropical reef ecosystem, and I am interesting in methods used to determine the stress level or the health of the corals. I am aware of the standard methods used in ecosystem environments (LIT, Quadrats etc…). I would like to have information on methods that could detect changing more precociously. For example, to detect stress on coral due to high turbidity it is possible to use the living coral tissue thickness. Thank you for all information Sébastien Sarramegna Biologiste/Service Environnement Falonbridge NC SAS 9, rue d'Austerlitz B.P. MGA08 98802 Noumé Cedex Nouvelle-Calédonie/New Caledonia Tel : (687) 24 60 40 Fax : (687) 24 60 49 Email : ssarramegna@falconbridge.nc ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Director Vacancy Announcement Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 10:48:26 -0500 From: John Wickham To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Colleague, The following announcement opened January 6, 2003. The position will serve as the Center Director of the NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program (CSCOR/COP). Interdisciplinary Supervisory Ecologist, GS-408-15 OR Oceanographer, GS-1360-15, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Ocean Service (NOS)/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, Coastal Ocean Program NOAA’s Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR) / Coastal Ocean Program (COP) seeks a Interdisciplinary Supervisory Ecologist, GS-408-15 OR Oceanographer, GS-1360-15. The employee of this position will serve as the Center Director with oversight responsibility for all the research, programmatic, administrative and operational responsibility supporting the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR). He/she oversees the overall planning, direction and timely execution of the programs of CSCOR. The Center Director's oversight includes development, assignment and higher level clearance of goals and objectives for CSCOR; approving multi-year and longer range work plans developed by the staff and management of the overall work to enhance achievement of the goals and objectives; overseeing the revision of long range plans, goals and objectives for the work directed; managing the development of policy changes in response to changes in levels of appropriations or other legislated changes; managing organizational changes and major change to the structure and content of the program; and exercising discretionary authority to approve the allocation and distribution of CSCOR budgeted funds. He/she will promote the mission of CSCOR and foster collaborations and utilize CSCOR's unique capabilities to establish national and international research. Strong management and technical skills are required to lead programs aimed at ensuring sponsored research is of impeccable quality, addresses national needs, and identifies coastal environmental problems of the future. These capabilities are intended to help provide NOAA with a sound scientific basis to achieve its strategic goals of sustaining healthy coastal areas and to augment related coastal assessment and forecasting activities within NCCOS and other parts of NOAA. The salary range for this position is $92,060-$119,682. To apply, please visit: https://www.jobs.doc.gov/cool/doc/APP_VAC_VIEW?F_USERNAME=&F_ANN_NO=85408&F_AG_ID=11&SK= and submit your application via NOAA’s Commerce Opportunities On-Line (COOL) system. Please respond to vacancy number HNOS03.037JMM. The closing date is midnight, EST, February 28, 2003. Only United States citizens may apply. NOAA is an equal opportunity employer. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: uw-paper Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 13:28:59 -0500 From: "Saba National Marine Park" To: Does anyone know a supplier of underwater paper, preferably in Florida? David Kooistra Manager Saba Marine Park/Saba Hyperbaric Facility PO Box 18, The Bottom Saba, Netherlands Antilles Phone: 599 416 3295 Fax: 599 416 3435 Cellular: (5990) 522 5168 Web-site: www.sabapark.org E-mail: smp@unspoiledqueen.com Subject: Re: Diagnostic Monitoring/New Caledonia project Date: Thu, 9 Jan 03 10:00:29 -0500 From: Stephen C Jameson To: "sebastien sarramegna" , "Coral-List" CC: "Ken Potts" Dear Sebastien, Regarding: >Hello, > > I am working on an environmental monitoring program in Tropical >reef ecosystem, and I am interesting in methods used to determine the >stress level or the health of the corals. I am aware of the standard >methods used in ecosystem environments (LIT, Quadrats etcÖ). I would >like to have information on methods that could detect changing more >precociously. For example, to detect stress on coral due to high >turbidity it is possible to use the living coral tissue thickness. > > Thank you for all information > >SÈbastien Sarramegna >Biologiste/Service Environnement >Falonbridge NC SAS >9, rue d'Austerlitz >B.P. MGA08 98802 >NoumÈ Cedex >Nouvelle-CalÈdonie/New Caledonia >Tel : (687) 24 60 40 >Fax : (687) 24 60 49 >Email : ssarramegna@falconbridge.nc Ken Potts (USEPA) and I have proposed to Chair (waiting for approval) a Mini-Symposium on: "Diagnostic Monitoring & Assessment of Coral Reefs: Studies from Around the World" at the 10th ISRS Symposium in Okinawa. Aim and scope of the mini-symposium: The aim of this mini-symposium is to report progress on developing a new paradigm for coral reef monitoring and assessment - that is, one with an early warning and diagnostic capability. The scope of the mini-symposium will focus on the development of coral reef indexes of biotic integrity and biocriteria, dose-response metrics, studies on bioindicators, and other diagnostic monitoring tools. The mini-symposium will also focus on classifying coral reefs for diagnostic monitoring and assessment and establishing reference conditions. All papers presented in this mini-symposium will be placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency coral reef web site (www.epa.gov/owow/oceans/coral) to build the Diagnostic Monitoring and Assessment Data Base and provide information to others working in this field. Also at see: Jameson SC, Erdmann MV, Gibson Jr GR, Potts KW (1998) Development of biological criteria for coral reef ecosystem assessment. Atoll Res Bull, September 1998, No. 450, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 102 pp and Jameson SC, Erdmann MV, Karr JR, Potts KW (2001) Charting a course toward diagnostic monitoring: A continuing review of coral reef attributes and a research strategy for creating coral reef indexes of biotic integrity. Bull Mar Sci 69(2):701-744 Best regards, Dr. Stephen C. Jameson, President Coral Seas Inc. - Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4254 Hungry Run Road, The Plains, VA 20198-1715 USA Office: 703-754-8690, Fax: 703-754-9139 Email: sjameson@coralseas.com Web Site: www.coralseas.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 12:39:08 -0500 From: "John McManus" To: , "Coral List" Dear Alifereti, I found this on website: http://www.nhm.org/marcom/news/voyages/research.htm. "ARMS-Artificial Reef Matrix Structure - Because it is so difficult to capture small creatures that live within the coral heads themselves without actually destroying parts of the reef, the research team invented structures that would mimic the various habitats provided by coral." Cheers! John _________________________________________________________ John W. McManus, PhD Director, National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida 33149. jmcmanus@rsmas.miami.edu Tel. (305) 361-4814 Fax (305) 361-4910 www.ncoremiami.org -----Original Message----- From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of tawake_a@usp.ac.fj Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 11:59 PM To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Cc: rqauqau@fisheries.gov.fj; sqalovaki@govnet.gov.fj; samasoni Sauni; etika Rupeni Subject: ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems Dear Coral Listers, A team is coming to do a survey here in Fiji and they are proposing this ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems technique. I and most of my colleages here in Fiji have not used it let alone hear it. We are only farmiliar with other standard reef monitoring methods. Can anyone please direct us to where we can find more infor on this technique or how different it is from Belt or LIT methods commonly used? Look forward to your response. _____________________________ Alifereti Tawake, Scientific Officer, Institute of Applied Science (IAS), University of the South Pacific (USP), Private Mail Bag, Suva Fiji. Ph: (679) 3212653(W), (679) 3391339 (H) Fax: (679) 3300373 Email: Tawake_a@usp.ac.fj **************************************************************************** ********* Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network Project Liaison Officer (PLO) **************************************************************************** ********* LMMA Network: a FOS Learning Portfolio Coordination Team (PCT) Member ********************************************************************* ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RFP for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Date: Thu, 09 Jan 2003 17:14:55 -0500 From: "Brian Keller" Organization: NOAA FKNMS To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Please note the following request for preproposals for research in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Posted at: http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/research_monitoring/rfp2003fin.pdf Please also note that the contact person is Dr. Bill Kruczynski (kruczynski.bill@epamail.epa.gov; 850-934-9298). OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL STUDIES REQUEST FOR PREPROPOSALS U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY- REGION 4 WATER QUALITY PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY NOAA’S UNDERSEA RESEARCH PROGRAM AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT WILMINGTON’S NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH CENTER NOAA CORAL REEF CONSERVATION PROGRAM SANCTUARY FRIENDS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS Summary: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, the National Undersea Research Center NOAA’s Undersea Research Program (NURP) and the University of North Carolina’s National Undersea Center, the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (NCRCP), and Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys announces opportunities for special studies in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Funding is contingent upon the availability of federal appropriations. It is anticipated that projects funded under this announcement will have an October 1, 2003 start date. Preproposals are requested for the following priority topics: 1. Factors affecting recruitment and survival of marine species 2. Triggering mechanisms and causative agents and/or processes that result in declines of coral abundance, coverage and species richness 3. Factors affecting the distribution, abundance, and virulence of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or other pathogenic organisms 4. Affects of management measures on abundance and distribution of marine organisms BACKGROUND The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) was created by Public Law 101-605, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act of 1990. Included in the Sanctuary are 2900 square nautical miles of nearshore waters extending from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas. The 1990 Act directed EPA and the State of Florida, in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to develop a Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for the Sanctuary. This is the first designated marine sanctuary required to have a WQPP. The purpose of the WQPP is to recommend priority corrective actions and compliance schedules addressing point and nonpoint sources of pollution to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Sanctuary. This includes restoration and maintenance of a balanced, indigenous population of corals, shellfish, fish and wildlife, and recreational activities in and on the water. In addition, the Act requires the development of a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. This announcement concerns the Research/Special Studies Component of the WQPP that has been incorporated into the FKNMS Draft Science Plan. Since 1991, EPA and the State of Florida have worked with NOAA and other federal, state, and local governmental agencies, university scientists, environmental groups, and the public to develop a WQPP for the Sanctuary. The National Marine Sanctuaries Program Amendments Act of 1992 requires that EPA and the State implement the WQPP in cooperation with NOAA. A "Final Water Quality Protection Program Document" was approved by the WQPP Steering Committee and contains the rationale and strategies to achieve the goals of the WQPP. The Draft FKNMS Science Plan identifies priority research areas that include the four topic areas for this request for preproposals. These topic areas have been reviewed by the FKNMS Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The Draft Science Plan includes short- and long-term data collection, to understand causal linkages between pollution sources and ecological problems. This understanding will be used to develop predictive models, evaluate management alternatives, devise corrective actions, and improve the monitoring program. The overall objective of the Special Studies Program is to identify and understand cause and effect relationships among pollutants, transport pathways, and the biological communities of the Sanctuary. Specific objectives are to: 1) identify and document cause and effect linkages between specific pollutants, water quality problems, and ecological impacts; 2) improve understanding of Sanctuary ecosystems, and develop predictive capabilities based on that understanding; and, 3) develop monitoring and research tools to detect pollutants, provide early warning of widespread ecological problems, and identify cause and effect relationships. PRIORITY TOPICS FOR SPECIAL STUDIES Recruitment and Survival of Marine Species Monitoring activities have documented the declines of corals and other important marine species in the Florida Keys. Research is needed to assess the recruitment and survival of stony coral populations (particularly reef-building species) throughout the Keys, the potential effects of ecological parameters on the recovery of benthic communities, and evaluation of factors responsible for the declines. Two examples of non-coral species are given below, but research proposals need not be limited to these two example species. The long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) virtually disappeared from waters surrounding the Florida Keys and much of the Caribbean basin in 1983-84, and has only recently re-appeared in a few areas. The cause of the decline was never definitively established. Research is needed to assess natural recruitment rates and factors affecting survivorship. The effectiveness of efforts (laboratory culturing and/or transplantation/translocation experiments) to reintroduce urchins and their subsequent effect on community structure need to be evaluated. The queen conch has been protected from collection in waters of the Florida Keys since 1986 because of severely diminished numbers. Even with protection, numbers of queen conch remain very low. Recent research suggests that some environmental factor(s) may prevent successful gonad development in conchs found in nearshore waters while those found offshore have mature gonads. Research is needed to determine factors controlling the population size of queen conch and methods to maximize the successful re-establishment of this important species. Decline in Coral Abundance, Coverage, and Species Diversity Monitoring at fixed stations throughout the Keys since 1996 has documented a 37% decline in living coral coverage within spur and groove habitats. Multiple stressors have been proposed for the loss of living coral, including nutrient addition to waters, coral diseases and bleaching, global climate change, and other human impacts. The etiologies of coral diseases in general, and the newly discovered diseases in particular, and the effects of disease on coral populations in terms of prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates are largely unknown. Also, the role of environmental factors, such as degraded water quality, in the onset and development of the diseases is not understood. Research is required to identify local, regional, and global causative factors and processes that cause coral decline in the Florida Keys. Research is needed to understand the short and long-term impacts of diseases, such as the impact of partial mortality on reproduction and other functions. Long-term studies of individual coral colonies are needed to assess the effects of coral bleaching, disease, mortality from various other sources, and potential for recovery. Distribution and Abundance of Pathogenic Bacteria, Viruses, and other Pathogens Previous research in the Florida Keys identified pathogenic viruses in 69% of nearshore sampling stations. Viruses were found to be infectious at some stations during winter months. Other research has documented the concentration of human bacteria and viruses in coral mucus and the identification of a potential coral disease organism as a widespread bacterium that may be found in the human intestine and other vertebrates. Research is required to assess the distribution and abundance of pathogens in waters of the Florida Keys, their sources and impacts to human health, and their role in the continued survival of the coral reef community. Effects of Management Actions on Abundance and Distribution of Marine Organisms Preliminary research on the effects of established fully protected (“no-take”) zones in the Florida Keys has demonstrated positive increases in population size and average size of several commercially and recreationally important fish species. Also, numbers and sizes of spiny lobsters have increased in areas closed to fishing and other extractive activities. Research is required to understand and assess the impacts of existing fully protected zones, including the recently implemented Tortugas Ecological Reserve, on community interactions, including commercially important fish and invertebrate species, as well as non-commercially important organisms, such as algae, corals and sponges. Also, research is required to understand siting and sizing requirements of protected areas to maximize their environmental benefits. REQUEST FOR PREPROPOSALS Investigators interested in submitting a preproposal in response to this announcement should immediately fill out the Notice-of-Interest form (Attachment A) attached to this announcement and send it to the address or FAX number given on the form. EPA has secured approximately $300,000 and Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys has secured $100,000 to fund the special studies discussed above. In addition, it is anticipated that NURP/NCRCP will contribute $150,000 in NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program funds, for total amount of approximately $550,000 for this announcement. Accepted proposals will be eligible to receive funds via a grant, cooperative agreement, or interagency agreement (federal agencies). Proposals may be written for one or two years. Individual grants/cooperative agreements/interagency agreements should not exceed a total of $100,000 per proposal. A minimum of 5% non-federal match is required for research projects funded by EPA and Sanctuary Friends; a minimum of 50% non-federal match is required for research projects funded by NURP/NCRCP. Non-federal matching funds may be comprised of a variety of public and private sources and may include in-kind contributions and other non-cash support. For further guidance on the matching requirement, please refer to Section 6403(b)(1) of the Coral Conservation Act of 2000. Projects with fieldwork in the upper Keys may be eligible to receive logistical support through NURC/UNCW in Key Largo. Eligibility criteria for the NURP/NCRCP funds: Eligible applicants are U.S. institutions of higher education, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Proposals may include federal researchers as collaborators with a researcher who is affiliated with a U.S. academic institution, non-federal agency, or any other non-profit organization. Federal organizations may not charge federal salary or overhead, but other categories are appropriate. Non-NOAA or EPA federal applicants must demonstrate legal authority to receive funds from another federal agency in excess of their appropriation. Proposals selected for funding from non-federal applicants will be funded through a cost-reimbursable or cooperative agreement. For proposals with a federal partner, the federal partner will receive funds through an inter-agency transfer (or intra-agency in the Case of a NOAA or EPA partner) from the national NURP office. Submission of a preproposal is required. Five copies of a preproposal must be submitted no later than February 3, 2003. Preproposals should consist of a Preproposal Title Page (Attachment B) and no greater than three pages of text (12 point/10 pitch type). Preproposals will be evaluated and ranked by the Management Committee of the WQPP and NURP/NCRCP staff. Evaluation of preproposals will be based upon conformance with this request and the goals and objectives of the FKNMS Draft Science Plan. A Draft Science Plan will be e-mailed upon request. Investigators will be notified by February 10, 2003 whether a full proposal should be submitted for review. At that time, detailed instructions for the preparation and submission of the full proposal will be sent to authors submitting successful preproposals. The deadline for receipt of a full proposal is March 10, 2003. Full proposals must be no greater than fifteen pages of text. Full proposals will be peer reviewed by an external review panel and ranked according to scientific merit and feasibility. Highly ranked proposals will be presented to the FKNMS TAC for review. The TAC will rank proposals with high scientific merit based upon relevance to the goals and objectives of the Draft Science Plan. The Management Committee will give great weight to the recommendations of the TAC in making their final selection of proposals for funding. The Management Committee will present their top candidates for funding to the Special Studies Subcommittee of the Steering Committee for final approval. Grants will be awarded no later than September 30, 2003. If you have any questions concerning the Water Quality Protection Program or this request for preproposals, please call Bill Kruczynski at 850-934-9298 or e-mail “kruczynski.bill@epa.gov”. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL STUDIES ATTACHMENT A NOTICE OF INTEREST U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WATER QUALITY PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT WILMINGTON’S NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH CENTER SANCTUARY FRIENDS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS Investigators interested in submitting a preproposal for special studies in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary should complete this form and send it by mail or FAX to: Dr. Bill Kruczynski, Program Scientist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gulf Ecology Laboratory 1 Sabine Island Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 FAX 850 934-9201 E-mail: kruczynski.bill@epa.gov Please Note: Preproposals (5 copies) must be received no later than February 3, 2003. Name:______________________________________ Title:____________________________ Affiliation:___________________________________________________________________ Department:__________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address:_____________________________ City:____________________________ State:_______________________________________ Zip:_____________________________ Telephone Number:___________________________ FAX:____________________________ Email:_______________________________________________________________________ Your topic(s) of interest: Recruitment and Survival Coral Decline Pathogens Management Effects ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL STUDIES ATTACHMENT B PREPROPOSAL TITLE PAGE TO BE SUBMITTED WITH FIVE COPIES OF THREE PAGE MAXIMUM PREPROPOSAL NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 3, 2003 PROJECT TITLE______________________________________________________________________-- ____________________________________________________________________________ PROJECT LEADER OTHER INVESTIGATORS _______________________________ _____________________________ Name _______________________________ _____________________________ Affiliation _______________________________ _____________________________ Address _______________________________ _____________________________ _______________________________ _____________________________ _______________________________ _____________________________ Telephone _______________________________ _____________________________ E-mail Co-Funding from an agency other than EPA is_____ is not_____ required to support the proposed special study. If co-funding is available, please indicate the amount of the expected non-federal match and percentage of match in relation to expected total request:__________. SUBMITTED BY__________________________ DATE_______________________ Signature_________________________________ -- Brian D. Keller Science Coordinator Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary P.O. Box 500368 Marathon, FL 33050 305-743-2437 x25 fax 2357 brian.keller@noaa.gov http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RFP for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Date: Thu, 09 Jan 2003 17:14:55 -0500 From: "Brian Keller" Organization: NOAA FKNMS To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Please note the following request for preproposals for research in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Posted at: http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/research_monitoring/rfp2003fin.pdf Please also note that the contact person is Dr. Bill Kruczynski (kruczynski.bill@epamail.epa.gov; 850-934-9298). OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL STUDIES REQUEST FOR PREPROPOSALS U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY- REGION 4 WATER QUALITY PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY NOAA’S UNDERSEA RESEARCH PROGRAM AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT WILMINGTON’S NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH CENTER NOAA CORAL REEF CONSERVATION PROGRAM SANCTUARY FRIENDS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS Summary: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4, the National Undersea Research Center NOAA’s Undersea Research Program (NURP) and the University of North Carolina’s National Undersea Center, the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (NCRCP), and Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys announces opportunities for special studies in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Funding is contingent upon the availability of federal appropriations. It is anticipated that projects funded under this announcement will have an October 1, 2003 start date. Preproposals are requested for the following priority topics: 1. Factors affecting recruitment and survival of marine species 2. Triggering mechanisms and causative agents and/or processes that result in declines of coral abundance, coverage and species richness 3. Factors affecting the distribution, abundance, and virulence of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or other pathogenic organisms 4. Affects of management measures on abundance and distribution of marine organisms BACKGROUND The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) was created by Public Law 101-605, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act of 1990. Included in the Sanctuary are 2900 square nautical miles of nearshore waters extending from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas. The 1990 Act directed EPA and the State of Florida, in consultation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to develop a Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for the Sanctuary. This is the first designated marine sanctuary required to have a WQPP. The purpose of the WQPP is to recommend priority corrective actions and compliance schedules addressing point and nonpoint sources of pollution to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Sanctuary. This includes restoration and maintenance of a balanced, indigenous population of corals, shellfish, fish and wildlife, and recreational activities in and on the water. In addition, the Act requires the development of a comprehensive water quality monitoring program. This announcement concerns the Research/Special Studies Component of the WQPP that has been incorporated into the FKNMS Draft Science Plan. Since 1991, EPA and the State of Florida have worked with NOAA and other federal, state, and local governmental agencies, university scientists, environmental groups, and the public to develop a WQPP for the Sanctuary. The National Marine Sanctuaries Program Amendments Act of 1992 requires that EPA and the State implement the WQPP in cooperation with NOAA. A "Final Water Quality Protection Program Document" was approved by the WQPP Steering Committee and contains the rationale and strategies to achieve the goals of the WQPP. The Draft FKNMS Science Plan identifies priority research areas that include the four topic areas for this request for preproposals. These topic areas have been reviewed by the FKNMS Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The Draft Science Plan includes short- and long-term data collection, to understand causal linkages between pollution sources and ecological problems. This understanding will be used to develop predictive models, evaluate management alternatives, devise corrective actions, and improve the monitoring program. The overall objective of the Special Studies Program is to identify and understand cause and effect relationships among pollutants, transport pathways, and the biological communities of the Sanctuary. Specific objectives are to: 1) identify and document cause and effect linkages between specific pollutants, water quality problems, and ecological impacts; 2) improve understanding of Sanctuary ecosystems, and develop predictive capabilities based on that understanding; and, 3) develop monitoring and research tools to detect pollutants, provide early warning of widespread ecological problems, and identify cause and effect relationships. PRIORITY TOPICS FOR SPECIAL STUDIES Recruitment and Survival of Marine Species Monitoring activities have documented the declines of corals and other important marine species in the Florida Keys. Research is needed to assess the recruitment and survival of stony coral populations (particularly reef-building species) throughout the Keys, the potential effects of ecological parameters on the recovery of benthic communities, and evaluation of factors responsible for the declines. Two examples of non-coral species are given below, but research proposals need not be limited to these two example species. The long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) virtually disappeared from waters surrounding the Florida Keys and much of the Caribbean basin in 1983-84, and has only recently re-appeared in a few areas. The cause of the decline was never definitively established. Research is needed to assess natural recruitment rates and factors affecting survivorship. The effectiveness of efforts (laboratory culturing and/or transplantation/translocation experiments) to reintroduce urchins and their subsequent effect on community structure need to be evaluated. The queen conch has been protected from collection in waters of the Florida Keys since 1986 because of severely diminished numbers. Even with protection, numbers of queen conch remain very low. Recent research suggests that some environmental factor(s) may prevent successful gonad development in conchs found in nearshore waters while those found offshore have mature gonads. Research is needed to determine factors controlling the population size of queen conch and methods to maximize the successful re-establishment of this important species. Decline in Coral Abundance, Coverage, and Species Diversity Monitoring at fixed stations throughout the Keys since 1996 has documented a 37% decline in living coral coverage within spur and groove habitats. Multiple stressors have been proposed for the loss of living coral, including nutrient addition to waters, coral diseases and bleaching, global climate change, and other human impacts. The etiologies of coral diseases in general, and the newly discovered diseases in particular, and the effects of disease on coral populations in terms of prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates are largely unknown. Also, the role of environmental factors, such as degraded water quality, in the onset and development of the diseases is not understood. Research is required to identify local, regional, and global causative factors and processes that cause coral decline in the Florida Keys. Research is needed to understand the short and long-term impacts of diseases, such as the impact of partial mortality on reproduction and other functions. Long-term studies of individual coral colonies are needed to assess the effects of coral bleaching, disease, mortality from various other sources, and potential for recovery. Distribution and Abundance of Pathogenic Bacteria, Viruses, and other Pathogens Previous research in the Florida Keys identified pathogenic viruses in 69% of nearshore sampling stations. Viruses were found to be infectious at some stations during winter months. Other research has documented the concentration of human bacteria and viruses in coral mucus and the identification of a potential coral disease organism as a widespread bacterium that may be found in the human intestine and other vertebrates. Research is required to assess the distribution and abundance of pathogens in waters of the Florida Keys, their sources and impacts to human health, and their role in the continued survival of the coral reef community. Effects of Management Actions on Abundance and Distribution of Marine Organisms Preliminary research on the effects of established fully protected (“no-take”) zones in the Florida Keys has demonstrated positive increases in population size and average size of several commercially and recreationally important fish species. Also, numbers and sizes of spiny lobsters have increased in areas closed to fishing and other extractive activities. Research is required to understand and assess the impacts of existing fully protected zones, including the recently implemented Tortugas Ecological Reserve, on community interactions, including commercially important fish and invertebrate species, as well as non-commercially important organisms, such as algae, corals and sponges. Also, research is required to understand siting and sizing requirements of protected areas to maximize their environmental benefits. REQUEST FOR PREPROPOSALS Investigators interested in submitting a preproposal in response to this announcement should immediately fill out the Notice-of-Interest form (Attachment A) attached to this announcement and send it to the address or FAX number given on the form. EPA has secured approximately $300,000 and Sanctuary Friends of the Florida Keys has secured $100,000 to fund the special studies discussed above. In addition, it is anticipated that NURP/NCRCP will contribute $150,000 in NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program funds, for total amount of approximately $550,000 for this announcement. Accepted proposals will be eligible to receive funds via a grant, cooperative agreement, or interagency agreement (federal agencies). Proposals may be written for one or two years. Individual grants/cooperative agreements/interagency agreements should not exceed a total of $100,000 per proposal. A minimum of 5% non-federal match is required for research projects funded by EPA and Sanctuary Friends; a minimum of 50% non-federal match is required for research projects funded by NURP/NCRCP. Non-federal matching funds may be comprised of a variety of public and private sources and may include in-kind contributions and other non-cash support. For further guidance on the matching requirement, please refer to Section 6403(b)(1) of the Coral Conservation Act of 2000. Projects with fieldwork in the upper Keys may be eligible to receive logistical support through NURC/UNCW in Key Largo. Eligibility criteria for the NURP/NCRCP funds: Eligible applicants are U.S. institutions of higher education, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local, and Indian tribal governments. Proposals may include federal researchers as collaborators with a researcher who is affiliated with a U.S. academic institution, non-federal agency, or any other non-profit organization. Federal organizations may not charge federal salary or overhead, but other categories are appropriate. Non-NOAA or EPA federal applicants must demonstrate legal authority to receive funds from another federal agency in excess of their appropriation. Proposals selected for funding from non-federal applicants will be funded through a cost-reimbursable or cooperative agreement. For proposals with a federal partner, the federal partner will receive funds through an inter-agency transfer (or intra-agency in the Case of a NOAA or EPA partner) from the national NURP office. Submission of a preproposal is required. Five copies of a preproposal must be submitted no later than February 3, 2003. Preproposals should consist of a Preproposal Title Page (Attachment B) and no greater than three pages of text (12 point/10 pitch type). Preproposals will be evaluated and ranked by the Management Committee of the WQPP and NURP/NCRCP staff. Evaluation of preproposals will be based upon conformance with this request and the goals and objectives of the FKNMS Draft Science Plan. A Draft Science Plan will be e-mailed upon request. Investigators will be notified by February 10, 2003 whether a full proposal should be submitted for review. At that time, detailed instructions for the preparation and submission of the full proposal will be sent to authors submitting successful preproposals. The deadline for receipt of a full proposal is March 10, 2003. Full proposals must be no greater than fifteen pages of text. Full proposals will be peer reviewed by an external review panel and ranked according to scientific merit and feasibility. Highly ranked proposals will be presented to the FKNMS TAC for review. The TAC will rank proposals with high scientific merit based upon relevance to the goals and objectives of the Draft Science Plan. The Management Committee will give great weight to the recommendations of the TAC in making their final selection of proposals for funding. The Management Committee will present their top candidates for funding to the Special Studies Subcommittee of the Steering Committee for final approval. Grants will be awarded no later than September 30, 2003. If you have any questions concerning the Water Quality Protection Program or this request for preproposals, please call Bill Kruczynski at 850-934-9298 or e-mail “kruczynski.bill@epa.gov”. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL STUDIES ATTACHMENT A NOTICE OF INTEREST U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WATER QUALITY PROTECTION PROGRAM FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT WILMINGTON’S NATIONAL UNDERSEA RESEARCH CENTER SANCTUARY FRIENDS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS Investigators interested in submitting a preproposal for special studies in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary should complete this form and send it by mail or FAX to: Dr. Bill Kruczynski, Program Scientist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Gulf Ecology Laboratory 1 Sabine Island Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 FAX 850 934-9201 E-mail: kruczynski.bill@epa.gov Please Note: Preproposals (5 copies) must be received no later than February 3, 2003. Name:______________________________________ Title:____________________________ Affiliation:___________________________________________________________________ Department:__________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address:_____________________________ City:____________________________ State:_______________________________________ Zip:_____________________________ Telephone Number:___________________________ FAX:____________________________ Email:_______________________________________________________________________ Your topic(s) of interest: Recruitment and Survival Coral Decline Pathogens Management Effects ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPECIAL STUDIES ATTACHMENT B PREPROPOSAL TITLE PAGE TO BE SUBMITTED WITH FIVE COPIES OF THREE PAGE MAXIMUM PREPROPOSAL NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 3, 2003 PROJECT TITLE______________________________________________________________________-- ____________________________________________________________________________ PROJECT LEADER OTHER INVESTIGATORS _______________________________ _____________________________ Name _______________________________ _____________________________ Affiliation _______________________________ _____________________________ Address _______________________________ _____________________________ _______________________________ _____________________________ _______________________________ _____________________________ Telephone _______________________________ _____________________________ E-mail Co-Funding from an agency other than EPA is_____ is not_____ required to support the proposed special study. If co-funding is available, please indicate the amount of the expected non-federal match and percentage of match in relation to expected total request:__________. SUBMITTED BY__________________________ DATE_______________________ Signature_________________________________ -- Brian D. Keller Science Coordinator Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary P.O. Box 500368 Marathon, FL 33050 305-743-2437 x25 fax 2357 brian.keller@noaa.gov http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 16:59:08 -1200 From: tawake_a@usp.ac.fj To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov CC: rqauqau@fisheries.gov.fj, sqalovaki@govnet.gov.fj, samasoni Sauni , etika Rupeni Dear Coral Listers, A team is coming to do a survey here in Fiji and they are proposing this ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems technique. I and most of my colleages here in Fiji have not used it let alone hear it. We are only farmiliar with other standard reef monitoring methods. Can anyone please direct us to where we can find more infor on this technique or how different it is from Belt or LIT methods commonly used? Look forward to your response. _____________________________ Alifereti Tawake, Scientific Officer, Institute of Applied Science (IAS), University of the South Pacific (USP), Private Mail Bag, Suva Fiji. Ph: (679) 3212653(W), (679) 3391339 (H) Fax: (679) 3300373 Email: Tawake_a@usp.ac.fj ************************************************************************************* Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network Project Liaison Officer (PLO) ************************************************************************************* LMMA Network: a FOS Learning Portfolio Coordination Team (PCT) Member ********************************************************************* ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Mooring systems in reef areas Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 06:57:37 -0500 From: Garnier - ARVAM To: Hello, I try to fit methods for an environmental study of boat mooring systems in Reunion Island, Indian Ocean. So I'm looking for documents or experiences about boat mooring systems in coral reef aeras or in protected aeras. Any comparison of reef state before and after mooring systems will interest me (coral communities and fish studies). I also try to collect informations about anchor effets on coral reefs. Any answer or new contact could help me. Best regards, ________________________________________________ R=E9mi GARNIER E-mail : rgarnier.arvam@wanadoo.fr ARVAM (Agence pour la Recherche et la Valorisation Marine) 14, Rue du Stade de l'Est 97490 Sainte Clotilde La R=E9union - France Tel : 02 62 28 39 08 (int. : (262) 262 28 39 08) Fax : 02 62 28 08 81 (int. : (262) 262 28 08 81) E-mail : arvam@wanadoo.fr URL : http://www.arvam.com ________________________________________________ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: spiculae / crystals in slceractinian soft tissue ? Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 16:36:58 +0100 From: "Hoeksema, B.W." To: CC: "Gittenberger A." Dear All, This is a forwarded question / request: > Does anyone know of scleractinian corals that have spiculae/crystal-like structures inside their tentacles, looking like the ones on the SEM photographs on the webpage http://home.hetnet.nl/~ascidians/website/webpagespic.htm ? Could anyone tell me what these structures are? > > many thanks, > kind regards, > > Adriaan > > A. Gittenberger > PhD-student National Natural History Museum Naturalis > Leiden, The Netherlands > email: gittenbergera@naturalis.nnm.nl ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2003 09:47:43 -1200 From: tawake_a@usp.ac.fj To: Coral List CC: rqauqau@fisheries.gov.fj, sqalovaki@govnet.gov.fj, s97007992@student.usp.ac.fj, erupeni@wwfpacific.org.fj Dear John Thank you for the information. Ive looked through the web site and has helped me alot in understanding this ARMS method. Cheers alifereti On 9 Jan 2003 at 12:39, John McManus wrote: Date sent: Thu, 09 Jan 2003 12:39:08 -0500 From: John McManus Subject: RE: ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems To: tawake_a@usp.ac.fj, Coral List Send reply to: jmcmanus@rsmas.miami.edu > Dear Alifereti, > > I found this on website: > http://www.nhm.org/marcom/news/voyages/research.htm. > > "ARMS-Artificial Reef Matrix Structure - Because it is so difficult to > capture small creatures that live within the coral heads themselves > without actually destroying parts of the reef, the research team > invented structures that would mimic the various habitats provided by > coral." > > Cheers! > > John > > _________________________________________________________ > > John W. McManus, PhD > Director, National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE) > Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) > University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida 33149. > jmcmanus@rsmas.miami.edu Tel. (305) 361-4814 Fax (305) 361-4910 > www.ncoremiami.org > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov > [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of tawake_a@usp.ac.fj > Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 11:59 PM To: > coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Cc: rqauqau@fisheries.gov.fj; > sqalovaki@govnet.gov.fj; samasoni Sauni; etika Rupeni Subject: ARMS: > Artificial Reef Matrix Systems > > > Dear Coral Listers, > A team is coming to do a survey here in Fiji and they are proposing > this ARMS: Artificial Reef Matrix Systems technique. > > I and most of my colleages here in Fiji have not used it let alone > hear it. We are only farmiliar with other standard reef monitoring > methods. > > Can anyone please direct us to where we can find more infor on this > technique or how different it is from Belt or LIT methods commonly > used? > > > Look forward to your response. > > > _____________________________ > Alifereti Tawake, Scientific Officer, > Institute of Applied Science (IAS), > University of the South Pacific (USP), Private Mail Bag, Suva Fiji. > Ph: (679) 3212653(W), (679) 3391339 (H) Fax: (679) 3300373 Email: > Tawake_a@usp.ac.fj > ********************************************************************** > ****** ********* Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network > Project Liaison Officer (PLO) > ********************************************************************** > ****** ********* LMMA Network: a FOS Learning Portfolio Coordination > Team (PCT) Member > ********************************************************************* > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > _____________________________ Alifereti Tawake, Scientific Officer, Institute of Applied Science (IAS), University of the South Pacific (USP), Private Mail Bag, Suva Fiji. Ph: (679) 3212653(W), (679) 3391339 (H) Fax: (679) 3300373 Email: Tawake_a@usp.ac.fj ************************************************************************************* Fiji Locally-Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network Project Liaison Officer (PLO) ************************************************************************************* LMMA Network: a FOS Learning Portfolio Coordination Team (PCT) Member ********************************************************************* ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Inshore Ecology Biologist wanted Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 07:03:10 -0500 From: "Will White" To: Dear List This is a re-advertisement, please note the new application deadline. Please feel free to email me any queries regarding the position. Kind regards Will White Will White Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) P.O. Box 3730 Pago Pago American Samoa 96799 Tel: (684) 633-4456 Fax: (684) 633-5944 Vacancy: Inshore Ecology Biologist, American Samoa Application Deadline: February 7th, 2003 General Description The Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR) is recruiting an Inshore Ecology Biologist. Whilst the successful applicant will focus on his own research (Biology of key reef fishes), he/she will also give oversight on all aspects of DMWRs' Inshore Research and Management programs. Main Responsibilities: . Research into the Biology of Key Reef Species. . Supervise the Inshore Creel-Survey. . Coordinate inshore research by DMWR and other agencies, including invertebrate, coral and phycological studies. . Support DMWR's Community Based Monitoring Program . Liaise closely with the department's GIS staff to ensure that all data is GIS compatible. . Supervise technicians and other staff biologists. . Write proposals, progress reports and a final report analyzing data, formulating recommendations for further management. . Represent DMWR at regional, national and international technical meetings where appropriate. . Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief Biologist. Minimum Qualifications . MSc. from accredited institution(s) with a major in Fisheries Science and/or Management, Marine Biology, Marine Resource Science/Management. . Experience of 2 or more years working on reef fish surveys and reef ecology. . Knowledge of fisheries management and conservation issues, tropical fisheries, . Demonstrated competency at statistical analyses techniques. . Computer and data base management. . Good communication and writing skills are essential. . Physically fit and able to work independently in remote locations under challenging and often harsh conditions. . Current SCUBA certification. . Driving license . Small boat-handling skills an advantage Salary Starting at $28,000 p.a. Two-year contract, renewable by mutual consent. Travel expenses and shipment of effects. Annual and sick leave accumulate at 8 hours and 4 hours respectively every 2-week pay period. Subsidized housing (80% subsidy) on rental of a government house. Subsidized medical care. Point of hiring must be from the USA or Pacific region. Application Mail, fax or email c.v., publication list and contact details for 3 references and a covering letter addressing the qualifications and responsibilities indicated above to: Ray Tulafono, Director Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources P.O. Box 3730 Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA Fax: (684) 633-5944 Email applications may be routed via Will White at: will@blueskynet.as ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 07:05:09 -0500 From: scrfa To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral-listers, The Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations is pleased to announce that it has updated its web-site at www.scrfa.org The site contains information on the Society itself, the phenomenon of spawning aggregations of reef fish and issues related to their conservation (including a recent case study of the Nassau grouper), a newsletter and updates of ongoing projects, most notably the development of a Global Database of spawning aggregations. We will also shortly be adding a Methods Manual on how to assess, research and monitor such aggregations. Those of you who host web-sites on coral reefs etc. may like to add a link to the site. All the best, Andy Cornish ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: siltation or low salinity? Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 13:45:56 +0100 From: "Hoeksema, B.W." To: "Dr.R. Jayabaskaran" , In reply to the message of Dr.R. Jayabaskaran: In Indonesia, relatively dense populations of Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe and Sugiyama, 1935 may co-occur with abundant Oulastrea crispata (Lamarck, 1816) corals. This this is likely the case on reefs near river outlets with much siltation (e.g. in Jakarta Bay, off Jakarta, and in the Makassar Strait off Makassar). However, there are also reefs with freshwater inflow (e.g. at Tulamben, Bali) where both species can be found in very clear water. Siltation may not be the key-factor determining the occurrence of these species, but low salinity. Best regards, Bert Hoeksema Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema Head, Department of Invertebrates Coordinator Marine Research National Museum of Natural History Naturalis P.O. Box 9517 2300 RA Leiden The Netherlands Tel. +31.71.5687631 Fax +31.71.5687666 E-mail: Hoeksema@naturalis.nnm.nl > -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- > Van: Dr.R. Jayabaskaran [SMTP:jaybas@darya.nio.org] > Verzonden: dinsdag 14 januari 2003 2:05 > Aan: coral-list-daily@coral.aoml.noaa.gov > Onderwerp: Coral > > Dear All, > > Recently I surveyed the coral reefs of Gulf of Kachchh, India. > During my survey I observed that the coral Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe > and Sugiyama, 1935 was commonly distributed in shallow areas near > mangroves where the silting rate was very high. I would like to know " > Which coral species in the world has high survival rate in muddy > environment?" > > Kind regards, > R. Jeyabaskaran > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Dr. R. Jeyabaskaran > Research Associate > Biological Oceanography Division > National Institute of Oceanography > Dona-Paula > Goa 403 004, India > Phone: 91(0)832 2456700,2456701 Ext No-4252 > Fax : 91(0)832 2456703 > e-mail:jaybas@darya.nio.org > jeybas@hotmail.com > jeybas1@rediffmail.com > URL :www.nio.org > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: photos on coral reef degradation Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 07:59:13 -0500 From: "Herman Cesar" To: Hello I am currently working on a report for WWF on the economics of coral reef degradation. What I could really use are some good pictures for the report on impacts of sedimentation, bleaching (ideally some comparable pre and post pictures), tourism impacts, and poverty aspects of coral reef degradation. If you have any of this, I would really like to hear and if possible use it in the report. Of course your name will be mentioned and you will get a complementary copy (what other positive incentives can an economist build in?). It would be great if you have things in electronic format. I look forward to hearing from you Best regards Herman Cesar ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: carrying capacity Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 10:12:08 -0500 From: "Leandra Cho-Ricketts" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello all, I have been searching the literature on carrying capacity of small offshore islands and cays, particularly in reference to tourism. SO far I have only come across studies on diver impacts. Can anyone give me some leads? We have a growing problem in Belize of overcrowding of small islands especially with a boom in cruise tourism and need some visitor limits based on scientific data. Any assistance would be much appreciated. Leandra Cho-Ricketts _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: Coral Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 16:03:47 -0500 From: "John McManus" To: "Dr.R. Jayabaskaran" , Dear Dr. Jeyabaskaran; There is a very muddy cove in Puerto Galera, Mindoro, Philippines that had (about 20 years ago) Acropora aspera or a similar species growing in broadly explanate fashion, apparently to avoid silt buildup. There was an unusally large mound of Physogyra (2-3 feet high). Other silty coves in the Philippines tend to have large-polyped Goniopora. Silty portions of Ambon Bay typically supported large beds of Euphyllia spp. Some foliose corals grow particularly explanate, narrower than normal "fronds" that seem to trap less sediment. Usually one finds corals that can rise above floculant silt or that can expell it with large polyps. However, much depends on whether or not the conditions lead to accumulation or not. Large mounds of Porites spp in the Philippines can tolerate considerable silt as long as there is a current strong enough to carry away the silt-laden mucous sheet they exude -- otherwise selective death and regrowth amid periodic siltation leads to a "pile of pancakes" effect. Several forms of Millepora (large mounds of fine branching forms) were found in another silty Puerto Galera cove -- though less silty. Most areas I've seen near mangroves have silt running across them periodically, but it does not stay long enough for long-term burial or submersion in a floculant layer to be a problem. That is where I have seen Pseudosiderastrea and Oulastrea. Cheers! John John W. McManus, PhD. Director National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Fl. 33149 Phone: 305-361-4814 Fax: 305-361-4910 Email: jmcmanus@rsmas.miami.edu Website: www.ncoremiami.edu -----Original Message----- From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of Dr.R. Jayabaskaran Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 8:05 PM To: coral-list-daily@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Coral Dear All, Recently I surveyed the coral reefs of Gulf of Kachchh, India. During my survey I observed that the coral Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe and Sugiyama, 1935 was commonly distributed in shallow areas near mangroves where the silting rate was very high. I would like to know " Which coral species in the world has high survival rate in muddy environment?" Kind regards, R. Jeyabaskaran ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. R. Jeyabaskaran Research Associate Biological Oceanography Division National Institute of Oceanography Dona-Paula Goa 403 004, India Phone: 91(0)832 2456700,2456701 Ext No-4252 Fax : 91(0)832 2456703 e-mail:jaybas@darya.nio.org jeybas@hotmail.com jeybas1@rediffmail.com URL :www.nio.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: silt-loving coral Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 19:56:50 EST From: EricHugo@aol.com To: jaybas@darya.nio.org, coral-list-daily@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Also, while doing surveys off Makkasar, Sulawesi, we ran into nearshore areas with considerable riverine discharge and heavy silt with nearly 100% coral coverage, mostly by Galaxea, with quite a few Trachyphyllia. Best, Eric Borneman Department of Biology and Biochemistry Program in Ecology and Evolution University of Houston Science and Research Building II Houston, TX 77252 email: eborneman@uh.edu Subject: Coral Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 17:05:00 -0800 (PST) From: "Dr.R. Jayabaskaran" To: coral-list-daily@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear All, Recently I surveyed the coral reefs of Gulf of Kachchh, India. During my survey I observed that the coral Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe and Sugiyama, 1935 was commonly distributed in shallow areas near mangroves where the silting rate was very high. I would like to know " Which coral species in the world has high survival rate in muddy environment?" Kind regards, R. Jeyabaskaran ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. R. Jeyabaskaran Research Associate Biological Oceanography Division National Institute of Oceanography Dona-Paula Goa 403 004, India Phone: 91(0)832 2456700,2456701 Ext No-4252 Fax : 91(0)832 2456703 e-mail:jaybas@darya.nio.org jeybas@hotmail.com jeybas1@rediffmail.com URL :www.nio.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: photos on coral reef degradation Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 00:57:34 -0500 From: To: Herman Cesar CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Herman (and others looking for similar images of degraded reefs) The Marine Photobank (www.marinephotobank.org) has images available to non-profits for conservation/educational purposes. You need to sign up and give a summary of how you would use the images - the process is painless. For those of you u/w photographers who already have good images of degraded reefs, please consider adding them to those on the marinephotobank site. Best, Stephen Colwell The Coral Reef Foundation ---- Original message ---- >Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 07:59:13 -0500 >From: "Herman Cesar" >Subject: photos on coral reef degradation >To: > >Hello > >I am currently working on a report for WWF on the economics of coral >reef degradation. What I could really use are some good pictures for the >report on impacts of sedimentation, bleaching (ideally some comparable >pre and post pictures), tourism impacts, and poverty aspects of coral >reef degradation. > >If you have any of this, I would really like to hear and if possible use >it in the report. Of course your name will be mentioned and you will get >a complementary copy (what other positive incentives can an economist >build in?). It would be great if you have things in electronic format. > >I look forward to hearing from you > >Best regards > >Herman Cesar > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral- list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral- list.html . > Stephen Colwell Philanthropy Associates 510-525-4990 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: GCRMN Status Report available on ReefBase Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 22:12:39 -0800 From: "Oliver, Jamie (WorldFish)" To: "Coral List (E-mail)" Dear Coral-Listers Following the recent launch of the 2002 Global Coral Reef Status Report in December, the full text of the report is now available for download on ReefBase. It has also been broken down into separate chapters (regional reports) for individual download. The reports can be accessed either from the Status/Status Reports menu area (enter GCRMN in the source Field and 2002 in the year field), or in the References area where you can search by any of the chapter authors as well as by title and source. In the next few months we will be extracting text from these reports to include in our text database on status, management and threats to coral reefs by country. Best Regards Jamie Oliver ==================================================== ReefBase www.reefbase.org ReefBase is developed by the WorldFish Center. It is a product of the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). It is supported by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) ==================================================== =============================== Jamie Oliver Senior Scientist (Coral Reef Projects) WorldFish Center PO Box 500, Penang 10670 Phone: (604) 626 1606 Fax: (604) 626 5530 email: J.Oliver@cgiar.org visit ReefBase on: www.reefbase.org =============================== ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Fwd: GCRMN Status Report available on ReefBase Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 16:39:07 +1000 From: Theresa Millard To: "Coral List (E-mail)" Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002, edited by AIMS scientist Clive Wilkinson, has been available on the AIMS website since early December, under e-books. It can be found in very accessible format at: http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/coral-bleaching/scr2002/scr-00.html Cheers, Theresa ><>><>><>><> <><<><<><<>< Theresa Millard Science Communication Manager Australian Institute of Marine Science PMB No.3 Townsville Mail Centre Qld 4810 Ph 61 7 47534250 Fax 61 7 47716138 Mobile 0409 596 271 ><>><>><>><> <><<><<><<>< Begin forwarded message: From: "Oliver, Jamie (WorldFish)" Date: Tue Jan 14, 2003 4:12:39 PM Australia/Brisbane To: "Coral List (E-mail)" Subject: GCRMN Status Report available on ReefBase Dear Coral-Listers Following the recent launch of the 2002 Global Coral Reef Status Report in December, the full text of the report is now available for download on ReefBase. It has also been broken down into separate chapters (regional reports) for individual download. The reports can be accessed either from the Status/Status Reports menu area (enter GCRMN in the source Field and 2002 in the year field), or in the References area where you can search by any of the chapter authors as well as by title and source. In the next few months we will be extracting text from these reports to include in our text database on status, management and threats to coral reefs by country. Best Regards Jamie Oliver ==================================================== ReefBase www.reefbase.org ReefBase is developed by the WorldFish Center. It is a product of the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). It is supported by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) ==================================================== =============================== Jamie Oliver Senior Scientist (Coral Reef Projects) WorldFish Center PO Box 500, Penang 10670 Phone: (604) 626 1606 Fax: (604) 626 5530 email: J.Oliver@cgiar.org visit ReefBase on: www.reefbase.org =============================== ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Silicate uptake rates Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 13:12:45 +0100 From: Scheffers@t-online.de (Sander Scheffers) To: "Coral List" Hi, Did anybody of you work on silicate uptake by sponges? What are the fluxes? What is their affinity, in other words, at what concentration is it still possible for them to take up dissolved silicate? Is there a relationship between uptake rates and growth rates? Thanks in advance, Sander Scheffers --------------------------------------------------------------- Sander Scheffers PhD Candidate Department of Marine Ecology Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research & University of Amsterdam Ph: 0049- 2129377942 / 0049-179 7924367 Fax: 0031 222 319674 E-mail: Scheffers@t-online.de Homepage: www.nioz.nl --------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: silt-loving coral Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 17:12:05 -0800 (PST) From: "Dr.R. Jayabaskaran" To: "Hoeksema, B.W." CC: coral-list-daily@coral.aoml.noaa.gov In reply to the message of Dr. Bert W. Hoeksema The climate of Gulf of Kachchh, India is dry and has low rainfall, high salinity, temperature and tidal amplitude. The average annual rainfall is about 400mm. Tidal amplitude varies from 3.0 to 6.0 meter. Surface salinities vary from 35.2 to 39.4 ppt. The water temperature exceeds 35 degree centigrade in extreme summer and drops below 15 in extreme winter. Hence, Low salinity may not be the key factor in determining the occurrence of Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe and Sugiyama, 1935 Kind regards, R. Jeyabaskaran ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. R. Jeyabaskaran Research Associate Biological Oceanography Division National Institute of Oceanography Dona-Paula Goa 403 004, India Phone: 91(0)832 2456700,2456701 Ext No-4252 Fax : 91(0)832 2456703 e-mail:jaybas@darya.nio.org jeybas@hotmail.com jeybas1@rediffmail.com URL :www.nio.org ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On Mon, 13 Jan 2003, Hoeksema, B.W. wrote: In reply to the message of Dr.R. Jayabaskaran: In Indonesia, relatively dense populations of Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe and Sugiyama, 1935 may co-occur with abundant Oulastrea crispata (Lamarck, 1816) corals. This this is likely the case on reefs near river outlets with much siltation (e.g. in Jakarta Bay, off Jakarta, and in the Makassar Strait off Makassar). However, there are also reefs with freshwater inflow (e.g. at Tulamben, Bali) where both species can be found in very clear water. Siltation may not be the key-factor determining the occurrence of these species, but low salinity. Best regards, Bert Hoeksema Dear All, Recently I surveyed the coral reefs of Gulf of Kachchh, India. During my survey I observed that the coral Pseudosiderastrea tayami Yabe and Sugiyama, 1935 was commonly distributed in shallow areas near mangroves where the silting rate was very high. I would like to know " Which coral species in the world has high survival rate in muddy environment?" Kind regards, R. Jeyabaskaran ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Slide Inquiry Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 09:13:13 -0500 From: "REEF Intern" To: > Hi Herman, > > We have a number of appropriate images in our slide archives here at REEF. If you would like to receive an attachment of these, please respond with the e-mail address you would like me to send them to. > > Thanks, > Kayte > > -- > Kayte and Laura > REEF Spring Interns > 98300 Overseas Highway > (305)852-0030 > (305)852-0301 fax > > -- > -- Kayte and Laura REEF Spring Interns 98300 Overseas Highway (305)852-0030 (305)852-0301 fax -- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Reef Check at ITMEMS 2 Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 17:59:25 -0800 From: Craig Shuman To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral-Listers, Reef Check will be hosting an informal meeting on the second day of ITMEMS 2, March 25, 2003 5:30 - 7:00 pm, location TBA. All current and interested Reef Check coordinators and participants are encouraged to attend to compare notes from the field and discuss changes to the new 2003 Reef Check protocol. I apologize to those listers to whom this message does not apply. Thank you, Craig Shuman <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Craig Shuman Reef Check Scientist Reef Check-UCLA Institute of the Environment 1362 Hershey Hall Box 95-1496 University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496 USA Tel: 310-869-6574 Fax: 310-825-0758 Email: cshuman@ucla.edu Web: www.ReefCheck.org Subject: Summer Courses in Bermuda Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 12:23:18 -0400 From: Fred Lipschultz To: Coral List , Marbio List CC: hpatt@sargasso.bbsr.edu Dear Colleague, The Bermuda Biological Station for Research is pleased to announce its 2003 Summer Course offerings. These courses are for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. The courses are all field intensive and participation is limited to maximize interaction with the instructors. Please review the course offerings and forward the information to any interested students or colleagues. Significant scholarship awards are available to qualified applicants. The deadline for application is March 15, 2003. Please alert your students to these courses by directing them to our website (http://www.bbsr.edu/Education/summercourses/summercourses.html) for application details or by forwarding this email to them. For more information, contact education@bbsr.edu . Thank you for your attention and I apologize if you receive multiple copies of this message. Fred Lipschultz Bermuda Biological Station for Research ****************************************************************** Coral Reef Ecology June 8 - 28 Marine Ecotoxicology June 8 - 28 Microbial Physiology June 29 - July 19 Marine Genomics July 20 - 26 Human Health and Oceans July 6 - 26 Tropical Marine Invertebrates July 27 - August 23 Molecular Ecology & Physiology of Marine Symbioses July 27 - August 16 ****************************************************************** Coral Reef Ecology. June 8 - 28, 2003 Dr. Fred Lipschultz; Dr. Sam de Putron, BBSR An integrated introduction and exposure to active areas of research covering physiology, photosynthesis, population biology, competition, ecosystems and human impacts. Field measurements and subsequent lab analyses provide practical training in common methods of reef studies such as photosynthesis, calcification, species surveys, fish behavior, larval recruitment and algal growth. The course requires SCUBA certification. Marine Ecotoxicology. June 8 - 28, 2003 Dr. Jack Manock, University of North Carolina; Dr. Peter Wells, Environment Canada; Dr. Richard Owen, BBSR; Dr. Michael Depledge, University of Plymouth The three-week course focuses on current issues in marine ecotoxicology, assessing the impacts of anthropogenic substances using a wide range of chemical and bioassay analyses. Students perform chemical analyses and marine microscale bioassays on samples they collect from three near-shore environments. Results are reported and discussed in the overall context of performing ecological risk management decisions and assessing the biological effects resulting from organisms exposed to anthropogenic compounds. Microbial Physiology. June 29 - July 19, 2003 Dr. Craig Carlson, University of California, Santa Barbara; Dr. Stephen Giovannoni, Oregon State University Traditional microbiology to the most recent molecular approaches will be considered within the context of biogeochemical processes. Field trips and laboratory experiments in the open ocean and coral reef rich waters surrounding Bermuda. Marine Genomics. July 20 - 26, 2003 Dr. John Heidelberg, The Institute for Genomics Research (TIGR); Dr. Stephen Giovannoni, Oregon State University A brief introduction to genomic tools and the computational approaches useful in the analysis of high-throughput sequencing data to address specific hypothesis relevant to marine microbial ecology. A one week course. Human Health and the Ocean. July 6 - 26, 2003 Dr. Eric Dewailly, MD, Laval University and WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center on Environmental and Occupational Health, Québec; Dr. Clare Morrall, St. George's University, Grenada The ocean is a major source of food, yet food chain contaminants represent a public health risk. Ocean biodiversity is the source of new medical treatments, yet waterborne diseases and marine toxin poisining is increasing as global climate affects the emergence of infectious diseases. This course addresses these issues. Molecular Ecology and Physiology of Marine Symbioses. July 27 - August 16, 2003 Dr. Hank Trapido-Rosenthal, BBSR; Dr. Andrew Baker, Columbia University The course will uncover techniques of molecular biology, which can be used to address previously intractable physiological, ecological and evolutionary questions regarding symbioses in marine environments Tropical Marine Invertebrates. July 27 - August 23, 2003 Dr. Kathryn A. Coates, BBSR; Dr. Clayton Cook, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution; Dr. Penelope Barnes, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Invertebrate diversity of Bermuda's reefs, seagrass and mangrove habitats is examined systematically and in relation to biological associations, behaviors, body forms and habitats. -- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Dr.Fredric Lipschultz Senior Research Scientist Head of Academic Affairs Bermuda Biological Station for Research Ferry Reach, GE01, BERMUDA Phone: (441) 297-1880 x217 internet: fred@bbsr.edu FAX: (441) 297-8143 BBSR Homepage http://www.bbsr.edu/ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< Subject: Morse e-mail Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 09:56:11 +1200 From: "Ron Devine Vave" Organization: Institute of Applied Science To: "Coral List Server" Hi Coral-listers, Does anyone know of the e-mail addresses of A.N.C. Morse and D.E. Morse? they wrote 2 papers (to my knowledge) relating to coral recruitment. thanks in advance. Ron Devine Vave, C/-Institute of Applied Science, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji. -------------------------- MSP: 3212871 Mobile: 9235741 -------------------------- Subject: (Fwd) Net closing on coral reef bombers Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 11:12:00 +0100 From: "GJ Gast" Organization: Greenpeace To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov FYI. Text continued below links. Cheers, GJ. Net closing on coral reef bombers 09:30 13 January 03 Exclusive from New Scientist Print Edition Coastguards will soon be hot on the trail of fishermen who are illegally blasting many coral reefs to rubble as they use bombs to increase their catch. F1 Up come the fish, as more coral turns to rubble (Image: HKUST) Up come the fish, as more coral turns to rubble (Image: HKUST) Blast fishing is a problem in many places throughout South-East Asia and along Africa's east coast. Although it is illegal, efforts to stop it are hampered by poor detection rates. "Blast fishing is often known to occur in a region through sporadic arrests and anecdotal observations, yet the scale of the problem is often not appreciated as most blasts go undetected," says George Woodman, who works on the listening project led by the marine sensors group at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. One problem that has hampered development of a detection system for underwater explosions is the cacophony produced by the claw-clicking "pistol" shrimp that live on reefs. Pistol shrimp near the detection system can generate short-range shock waves that are bigger than the signal from a distant bomb. But now the Hong Kong team has solved the problem. The researchers use underwater microphones, or hydrophones, to pick up the noise from blasts. The detection range for each hydrophone is around 30 kilometres and the team has developed software to calculate the direction of a blast from the slight time difference between the noise reaching each of three hydrophones. Two such sets of hydrophones could be used to triangulate the position of an explosion to within 30 metres over a 10-kilometre range. Fertiliser and fuel More on this story Related Stories 'Wonky holes' blamed for coral death 15 November 2002 Massive coral bleaching strikes Great Barrier Reef 12 April 2002 European corals hit hard by fishing 26 February 2002 For more related stories search the print edition Archive Weblinks Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Coral reefs in Sabah Reef shrimp Woodman and his team first had to make sure they could reliably recognise the sound generated by home-made bombs in the shallow waters where reef-smashing fishermen operate. They set off controlled explosions using bombs made from a mix of fertiliser and fuel oil - using sandy areas of the seabed to minimise ecological impact. Their system distinguishes the noise of an underwater explosion from that of the shrimps' clicking by recognising differences in the energy of the sound produced. An explosion contains more energy overall and lasts longer than the clicks. In contrast, the noise from an outboard motor is more prolonged, but its peak signal is smaller. Their system will be described in a future issue of Marine Pollution Bulletin. The team has already tested one of their hydrophones in a survey for the Sabah Parks Authority in Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, off Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. "Over a 10-day stretch we picked up 15 blasts using one listening station [hydrophone] and we are very confident we can determine the direction of the blasts to within about 0.2 degrees," says Woodman. They now hope to mount a trial with three hydrophones. Michelle Knott For more exclusive news and expert analysis every week subscribe to New Scientist print edition. ========================================================= Dr Gert Jan Gast Seas and Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone +31 20 5236655 Mobile +31 6 5206 2976 Fax +31 20 6221272 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: attaching files to your post Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 06:47:09 -0500 From: coral-list admin To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Remember, if you try to post an attached binary file (like a Word document, or an image file, etc.) to a coral-list message, it will probably not go through and will bounce to the administrator (me) and get delayed or sent back to you. If you must post or advise of such a file, you must either a) post a link to the stuff on your Web Page, b) make it ASCII instead, or, c) ask people to write to you directly for the stuff. The reasons for this are so that people's in-boxes don't get bogged down with large files they might not necessarily want (remember, many folks are dialing in instead of being on a T1 or better line), and because this helps prevent the circulation of viruses, which are typically moderate to large in file size. Thank you for your cooperation. Cheers, Jim coral-list admin ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 08:03:33 -0500 From: -0500 (EST) Received: from unknown(66.163.169.92) by hugo.aoml.noaa.gov via smap (V5.5) id xma003553; Wed, 15 Jan 03 18:36:38 -0500 Received: from [209.86.187.251] by web20404.mail.yahoo.com via HTTP; Wed, 15 Jan 2003 15:33:23 PST Message-ID: <20030115233324.79486.qmail@web20416.mail.yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 15:33:23 -0800 (PST) From: Dan Clark Subject: Save Florida's Last Nearshore Reefs Petition To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="0-450043507-1042673603=:77911" Sender: owner-coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list --0-450043507-1042673603=:77911 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Scientists and Divers Urgently Petition State of Florida and the Federal Government to Save NORTH AMERICA'S last HEALTHY near shore CORAL Reefs January 5, 2003 TO: Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida Charlie Crist, Florida Attorney General Tom Gallagher, Chief Financial Officer Charles H. Bronson, Agriculture Commissioner David Struhs, Department of Environment Protection, Florida Broward County Commissioners Jim Naugle, Mayor, City of Fort Lauderdale Oliver Parker, Mayor, Lauderdale by the Sea Billy Causey, Superintendent, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Dan Basta, Director, National Marine Sanctuaries Program, NOAA Roger Griffis, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force All Members, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force: Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Interior Environmental Protection Agency National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA We, the undersigned coral reef scientists, conservationists, divers, fishermen, and other concerned members of the public, urgently appeal to the US Government, the State of Florida, and Governor Bush to immediately designate the remaining healthy shallow coral reef in Broward County as Outstanding Florida Waters, establish a management plan, and provide the same level of protection as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This coral reef (lying between Lauderdale by the Sea to Port Everglades in Broward County, Florida) is the last North American near shore coral reef still in excellent condition. It is threatened with imminent destruction by the effects of unnecessary dredging and beach filling. The Segment II permit (Permit Authorization #0163435-005-JC) that will allow the destruction of this reef is awaiting a final decision by Governor Bush and the Cabinet of the State of Florida. A hearing is scheduled for January 28 2003. We call for the permit to be denied because it violates Executive Order 13089 (Coral Reef Protection), and common sense. These Florida coral reefs are a priceless national treasure. They are the only healthy coral reefs in North America that one can swim to from the beach, and the only coral reefs directly in front of a major urban area. They represent the only place in Florida that corals and reef fish can spread northward if global warming continues. The Broward County reefs that lie closest to the beach are several miles in length and, amazingly, are covered with between thirty and forty percent of healthy, live coral, including many ancient corals up to a thousand years old. They contain the largest forest of Staghorn coral (a rare and rapidly vanishing species) known to remain in the entire Caribbean reef region. Dense fish populations pack these reefs which are essential habitat for juvenile fish. This nursery will surely perish without protection. These particular reefs are the last known of the once abundant shallow reefs that bordered Southeast Florida. Only by accident have they survived. They lie in front of the only large remaining stretch of Southeast Florida beach not already filled with dredged materials, which killed most of the other shallow reefs in the region. Those old reefs were equally magnificent. But they remain only in the memories of the oldest divers who watched them suffocate and die when dredged mud and sediment washed over them. No assessment studies were done until almost all of these old corals had been killed. It is unthinkable that the State could allow history to repeat itself by permitting the destruction of the last remaining stretch of healthy near shore Florida corals. Incredibly, these threatened Broward County reefs were unknown to scientists until very recently, even though they have been the crown jewel for local divers and fishermen for many years. Because they were unknown, they were never identified as a coral reef habitat, or designated as Outstanding Florida Waters, and have no protected status of any kind. This proposed dredging project is completely unnecessary. There is little beach erosion taking place in the stretch still protected by the living reef. By contrast, in all the areas where reefs were killed by previous beach dredge-filling projects, there is strong beach erosion. Those beaches can be more cheaply re-nourished by bypassing sand blocked by jetties from reaching them than by dredging the last available offshore sand supplies. Dredge fill material will directly bury some 13.6 acres of near shore hard-bottom that are feeding areas for endangered Green Turtles. Supporters of dredging point out that the dredge material will not be deliberately dumped directly on the reefs. But because the reefs lie in only 10-15 feet of water, 150 to 500 yards offshore, the pipelines from the dredge boats must cross them to get to the beach. There have been repeated and inevitable accidents in previous dredging projects as barges, anchors, chains, pipes, and suction pumps have damaged corals, despite the best of intentions. The mitigation plan requires 600 ton capacity barges with a loaded draft of approximately 7 feet to go over the reef to dump 152 million pounds of 4 to 6 foot boulders in the surf zone near the inner edge of the reef. Worse, the reefs will inevitably be smothered by mud plumes from the dredged material that will be re-suspended by wave action for years to come. Coral reefs are the most sediment-sensitive of all marine ecosystems. Staghorn corals, which lie closest to the beach, are the most sensitive species. The turbidity standard that is being applied (29 NTU) in the monitoring plan for this project is many times too high for these corals. This dredging project is as economically wasteful as it is environmentally irresponsible. According to the recent (2001) NOAA Socioeconomic Study of Reefs in Southeast Florida, Broward County earns some 2.069 billion dollars per year from reef related diving, fishing, and other marine activities that employ 36,000 people. This is more than any other Florida county including Monroe County (the Keys) and Dade County (Miami). Each dollar spent to destroy these reefs will eliminate many more dollars per year of income to the people of Broward County. Broward County is the shore diving capital of the continental United States and the only place where healthy coral reefs can be dived or snorkeled to from land. To allow this marvelous marine habitat to be destroyed is unconscionable. To destroy it in the name of widening a beach that is not eroding is like burning down the last Giant Redwood forest in the process of roadside weed clearance. Therefore, we appeal for immediate emergency action to save North America's last healthy near shore coral reefs from imminent threatened destruction. We call on all responsible Florida State, County, and Municipal officials to reject the Segment II dredging permit application and to fulfill the responsibilities designated under Coral Reef Protection Executive Order 13089 to protect all coral reefs in US waters. Further, we call on all responsible State and Federal Agencies to immediately begin the process to designate these reefs as Outstanding Florida Waters, to establish a proper management plan to ensure that they receive the same level of protection as those in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and to save them forever as a unique part of the natural heritage of the American people. For more information see the Cry of the Water and Global Coral Reef Alliance report. "Broward County Reef Threatened by Dredging" at www.cryofthewater.org and at www.globalcoral.org. For a video showing the incredible corals and fish of this area contact: Dan and Stephanie Clark at Reefteam2@yahoo.com or 954-753-9737 or 954-298-9737 For more information on the scientific and environmental condition of these reefs contact Dr. Thomas Goreau at goreau@bestweb.net or 617-864-0433. SIGNATORIES: Cry of the Water Dan Clark, President, Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143, Coral Springs, FL 33075 Stephanie Clark, Treasurer, Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143, Coral Springs, FL 33075 Global Coral Reef Alliance Thomas J. Goreau, Ph.D., President, Global Coral Reef Alliance, 37 Pleasant St., Cambridge, MA 02139 Jeff Houdret, Global Coral Reef Alliance, 324 Richardson Rd., Lansdale PA 19446 James Cervino, Global Coral Reef Alliance, 117-20 5th Ave., College Point NY 11356 Sierra Club National Dave Raney, Chair, Sierra Club National Marine Wildlife and Habitat Committee, 1621 Mikahala Way, Honolulu, HI 96816-3321 Sierra Club Florida and Broward Richard Winn, Florida Sierra, Marine Issues Committee, 6305 S. A1A Hwy #133, Melbourne Bech, FL 32951 Harold Hancock, Chair, Sierra Club Broward, 1500 SE 15th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 Public Employees for Environmental ResponsibilityDan Meyer, General Counsel Chuck Sultzman, Marine Biology Consultant Save Our Shoreline Brenda Lee Chalifour, Esq., Pro Bono for Save Our Shoreline, Inc. Reef Relief Dee Von Quirolo, Executive Director of Reef Relief, Key West, FL Greater Ft. Lauderdale Dive Association Jeff Torode, President, Greater Ft. Lauderdale Dive Association, P.O. Box 460216Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33346 PADI Bob Harris, PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) PADI Project AwareKristin Vallette, PADI Project Aware Others Les Kaufman, Boston University Marine Program, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215 Brian Lapointe, Senior Scientist, Division of Marine Science, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, 5600 US 1 North, Ft. Pierce, Fl 34946 Phillip Dustan, Ph.D., Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424 Heinrich Holland, H.C. Dudley Research Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA James S. Wang, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Pierce Hall, 29 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Please send names, affiliations, emails, and addresses of signatories to Reefteam2@yahoo.com, or Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143 Coral Springs, FL 33075 Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143 Coral Springs, FL 33075 reefteam2@yahoo.com visit our web site at cryofthewater.org --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now --0-450043507-1042673603=:77911 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Scientists and Divers Urgently Petition State of Florida and the Federal Government to Save NORTH AMERICA'S last HEALTHY near shore CORAL Reefs

January 5, 2003

TO:

Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida

Charlie Crist, Florida Attorney General

Tom Gallagher, Chief Financial Officer    

Charles H. Bronson, Agriculture Commissioner

David Struhs, Department of Environment Protection, Florida

Broward County Commissioners

Jim Naugle, Mayor, City of Fort Lauderdale

Oliver Parker, Mayor, Lauderdale by the Sea

Billy Causey, Superintendent, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Dan Basta, Director, National Marine Sanctuaries Program, NOAA

Roger Griffis, U.S.  Coral Reef Task Force

All Members, U.S.  Coral Reef Task Force:

Secretary of Commerce

Secretary of Interior

Environmental Protection Agency

National Marine Fisheries Service

NOAA

We, the undersigned coral reef scientists, conservationists, divers, fishermen, and other concerned members of the public, urgently appeal to the US Government, the State of Florida, and Governor Bush to immediately designate the remaining healthy shallow coral reef in Broward County as Outstanding Florida Waters, establish a management plan, and provide the same level of protection as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. 

This coral reef (lying between Lauderdale by the Sea to Port Everglades in Broward County, Florida) is the last North American near shore coral reef still in excellent condition. It is threatened with imminent destruction by the effects of unnecessary dredging and beach filling.  

The Segment II permit (Permit Authorization #0163435-005-JC) that will allow the destruction of this reef is awaiting a final decision by Governor Bush and the Cabinet of the State of Florida. A hearing is scheduled for January 28 2003. We call for the permit to be denied because it violates Executive Order 13089 (Coral Reef Protection), and common sense. 

These Florida coral reefs are a priceless national treasure. They are the only healthy coral reefs in North America that one can swim to from the beach, and the only coral reefs directly in front of a major urban area. They represent the only place in Florida that corals and reef fish can spread northward if global warming continues. 

The Broward County reefs that lie closest to the beach are several miles in length and, amazingly, are covered with between thirty and forty percent of healthy, live coral, including many ancient corals up to a thousand years old. They contain the largest forest of Staghorn coral (a rare and rapidly vanishing species) known to remain in the entire Caribbean reef region. Dense fish populations pack these reefs which are essential habitat for juvenile fish. This nursery will surely perish without protection.  

These particular reefs are the last known of the once abundant shallow reefs that bordered Southeast Florida. Only by accident have they survived. They lie in front of the only large remaining stretch of Southeast Florida beach not already filled with dredged materials, which killed most of the other shallow reefs in the region.  

Those old reefs were equally magnificent. But they remain only in the memories of the oldest divers who watched them suffocate and die when dredged mud and sediment washed over them. No assessment studies were done until almost all of these old corals had been killed. It is unthinkable that the State could allow history to repeat itself by permitting the destruction of the last remaining stretch of healthy near shore Florida corals. 

Incredibly, these threatened Broward County reefs were unknown to scientists until very recently, even though they have been the crown jewel for local divers and fishermen for many years. Because they were unknown, they were never identified as a coral reef habitat, or designated as Outstanding Florida Waters, and have no protected status of any kind.  

This proposed dredging project is completely unnecessary. There is little beach erosion taking place in the stretch still protected by the living reef. By contrast, in all the areas where reefs were killed by previous beach dredge-filling projects, there is strong beach erosion. Those beaches can be more cheaply re-nourished by bypassing sand blocked by jetties from reaching them than by dredging the last available offshore sand supplies. Dredge fill material will directly bury some 13.6 acres of near shore hard-bottom that are feeding areas for endangered Green Turtles.  

Supporters of dredging point out that the dredge material will not be deliberately dumped directly on the reefs. But because the reefs lie in only 10-15 feet of water, 150 to 500 yards offshore, the pipelines from the dredge boats must cross them to get to the beach. There have been repeated and inevitable accidents in previous dredging projects as barges, anchors, chains, pipes, and suction pumps have damaged corals, despite the best of intentions. The mitigation plan requires 600 ton capacity barges with a loaded draft of approximately 7 feet to go over the reef to dump 152 million pounds of 4 to 6 foot boulders in the surf zone near the inner edge of the reef.  

Worse, the reefs will inevitably be smothered by mud plumes from the dredged material that will be re-suspended by wave action for years to come. Coral reefs are the most sediment-sensitive of all marine ecosystems. Staghorn corals, which lie closest to the beach, are the most sensitive species. The turbidity standard that is being applied (29 NTU) in the monitoring plan for this project is many times too high for these corals.  

This dredging project is as economically wasteful as it is environmentally irresponsible. According to the recent (2001) NOAA Socioeconomic Study of Reefs in Southeast Florida, Broward County earns some 2.069 billion dollars per year from reef related diving, fishing, and other marine activities that employ 36,000 people. This is more than any other Florida county including Monroe County (the Keys) and Dade County (Miami). Each dollar spent to destroy these reefs will eliminate many more dollars per year of income to the people of Broward County. 

Broward County is the shore diving capital of the continental United States and the only place where healthy coral reefs can be dived or snorkeled to from land. To allow this marvelous marine habitat to be destroyed is unconscionable. To destroy it in the name of widening a beach that is not eroding is like burning down the last Giant Redwood forest in the process of roadside weed clearance. 

Therefore, we appeal for immediate emergency action to save North America's last healthy near shore coral reefs from imminent threatened destruction. We call on all responsible Florida State, County, and Municipal officials to reject the Segment II dredging permit application and to fulfill the responsibilities designated under Coral Reef Protection Executive Order 13089 to protect all coral reefs in US waters.  

Further, we call on all responsible State and Federal Agencies to immediately begin the process to designate these reefs as Outstanding Florida Waters, to establish a proper management plan to ensure that they receive the same level of protection as those in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and to save them forever as a unique part of the natural heritage of the American people.

For more information see the Cry of the Water and Global Coral Reef Alliance report. "Broward County Reef Threatened by Dredging" at www.cryofthewater.org and at www.globalcoral.org. For a video showing the incredible corals and fish of this area contact: Dan and Stephanie Clark at Reefteam2@yahoo.com or 954-753-9737 or 954-298-9737 For more information on the scientific and environmental condition of these reefs contact Dr. Thomas Goreau at goreau@bestweb.net or 617-864-0433.

SIGNATORIES:

Cry of the Water

Dan Clark, President, Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143, Coral Springs, FL 33075

Stephanie Clark, Treasurer, Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143, Coral Springs, FL 33075

Global Coral Reef Alliance

Thomas J. Goreau, Ph.D., President, Global Coral Reef Alliance, 37 Pleasant St., Cambridge, MA 02139

Jeff Houdret, Global Coral Reef Alliance, 324 Richardson Rd., Lansdale PA 19446

James Cervino, Global Coral Reef Alliance, 117-20 5th Ave., College Point NY 11356

Sierra Club National

Dave Raney, Chair, Sierra Club National Marine Wildlife and Habitat Committee, 1621 Mikahala Way, Honolulu, HI 96816-3321

Sierra Club Florida and Broward

Richard Winn, Florida Sierra, Marine Issues Committee, 6305 S. A1A Hwy #133, Melbourne Bech, FL  32951

Harold Hancock, Chair, Sierra Club Broward, 1500 SE 15th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL  33316

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility

Dan Meyer, General Counsel

Chuck Sultzman, Marine Biology Consultant

Save Our Shoreline

Brenda Lee Chalifour, Esq., Pro Bono for Save Our Shoreline, Inc.

Reef Relief

Dee Von Quirolo, Executive Director of Reef Relief, Key West, FL

Greater Ft. Lauderdale Dive Association 

Jeff Torode, President, Greater Ft. Lauderdale Dive Association, P.O. Box 460216Ft. Lauderdale, FL  33346                                                                                                &nbs! p;     &n bsp;    

 PADI

Bob Harris, PADI  (Professional Association of Dive Instructors)

PADI Project Aware

Kristin Vallette, PADI Project Aware 

Others

Les Kaufman, Boston University Marine Program, 5 Cummington Street, Boston, MA  02215

Brian Lapointe, Senior Scientist, Division of Marine Science, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, 5600 US 1 North, Ft. Pierce, Fl  34946

Phillip Dustan, Ph.D., Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC  29424

Heinrich Holland, H.C. Dudley Research Professor, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

James S. Wang, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University, Pierce Hall, 29 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA  02138

Please send names, affiliations, emails, and addresses of signatories to Reefteam2@yahoo.com, or Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143 Coral Springs, FL 33075



Cry of the Water, P.O. Box 8143 Coral Springs, FL 33075 reefteam2@yahoo.com visit our web site at cryofthewater.org


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Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now --0-450043507-1042673603=:77911-- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Dust and other Hypotheses Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 10:08:33 -0500 From: Gene Shinn To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral Listers, Since there has been so much discussion of the African dust hypothesis on the list in recent weeks, I could resist responding no longer. First, the experiments proposed by Jim Hendee to test African dust effects on corals are similar to ones I have been proposing for at least 5 years. Unfortunately, there is little funding to do such work. In addition, the USGS does not have in place the dust collectors you mention. We sample for microbes using very small samples and collection requires only 10-to-15 minutes. We do no routine monitoring but would if we could. There is no funding for the large expensive samplers needed to provide enough sample for the experiments Jim proposed. Secondly, the major problem with finding the Diadema pathogen is that the pathogen that first killed them has not been identified so we do not know what to look for. It would be possible, however, to test living Diadema against those microbes that have been cultured from dust thus far. I thank Lessios for answering Alina's question regarding survival of West African Diadema. I did not have an answer as elegant as his. I could only suggest that Diadema living so close to the source, like the humans and the Siderastera sp. that survive there, long ago adapted and those that didn't died. Lessios also makes some very valid points regarding water transport of the unknown pathogen. We accept that the Diadema die-off began near the Panama Canal (Lessios et al., 1984, Science, 226:335-337). We also point out that the die-off began in winter when African dust impacts the southern Caribbean, South America and the Panama region and it was also the dustiest year since Prospero began monitoring dust in 1965. The upper Caribbean is impacted later during the summer months. Like Lessios, we believe water transport is very important. How else would it infect Diadema in aquaria (I assume we are talking running seawater aquaria)? Once the Caribbean basin is impacted as shown in the NOAA satellite image in our 4-page info sheet in our website, water currents likely complete the distribution of any pathogens delivered from the air. Areas downcurrent, such as, Belize and Florida, were impacted by the disease after Panama. What has concerned us, however, is how did the pathogen later move hundreds of miles against the Caribbean Current to reach the Lesser Antilles? Dust contamination of the Atlantic seaward of the Antilles and then transport downcurrent to the Antilles seems a reasonable possibility. There is nothing between the Antilles and Africa, and both the wind and the currents move toward the Antilles. More recent studies conducted by microbiologists at our office show that microbial species in dust can change drastically within 30 minutes. Don't expect a dust cloud to deliver the same microbes everywhere at the same time. My main point is that the dust hypothesis is just that, an hypothesis, as are the other proposed causes of Diadema and coral death. The ballast-water origin is an unproven hypothesis, as are the other "usual suspects" that drive coral research funding. This latter point gets back to what Jim pointed out a week earlier regarding the emotional "pollution" word. Where is the original basic research demonstrating the degree of damage done to corals by the "usual suspects," oil spills, sewage, sedimentation, and mosquito spraying, to name a few? We seem to have skipped over the basics and then let assumptions and emotion guide our research and funding agencies. Best Wishes, Gene ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------- http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ | E. A. Shinn email eshinn@usgs.gov USGS Center for Coastal Geology | 600 4th St. South | voice (727) 803-8747 x3030 St.Petersburg, FL 33701 | fax (727) 803-2032 ------------------------------------ ----------------------------------- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: 31st. AMLC Scientific Meeting Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 14:55:54 -0400 From: "Ernesto Weil" To: "Corallist" Subject: coastal boundaries of marine climatic zones Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 19:41:41 -0000 From: "Simon Harding" To: Dear listers, Can anyone recommend a reference which gives positions for the boundaries between the major climatic marine regions of the world e.g the position of the boundary between tropical and subtropical waters along the west African coast. As there is some seasonal variation involved perhaps a range of positions would be more useful. Thanks, Simon Simon Harding Marine Science Co-ordinator -- Coral Cay Conservation www.coralcay.org ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: coastal boundaries of marine climatic zones Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 15:15:45 -0500 From: "Kassem, Ken" To: "'sph@coralcay.org'" , coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hi Simon, I would suggest Robert Bailey's "Ecoregions: The Ecosystem Geography of the Oceans and Continents" published by Springer and/or Longhurst's "Ecological Geography of the Sea." These both give a single line for the boundaries but recognize explicitly that the boundary shifts on a variety of time-scales. Best, Ken *********************** Kenneth Kassem Conservation Specialist - marine/GIS Conservation Science Program World Wildlife Fund - US 1250 24th St NW Washington DC 20037 tel: + (202) 778 9535 fax: + (202) 292 9211 -----Original Message----- From: Simon Harding [mailto:sph@coralcay.org] Sent: Friday, January 17, 2003 2:42 PM To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: coastal boundaries of marine climatic zones Dear listers, Can anyone recommend a reference which gives positions for the boundaries between the major climatic marine regions of the world e.g the position of the boundary between tropical and subtropical waters along the west African coast. As there is some seasonal variation involved perhaps a range of positions would be more useful. Thanks, Simon Simon Harding Marine Science Co-ordinator -- Coral Cay Conservation www.coralcay.org ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Bleaching Alert - Scott Reef Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 16:26:18 -0500 From: "Alan E Strong" To: Coral-list CC: Ray Berkelmans , Terry Done , William Skirving , Clive Wilkinson , Lindsey Williams Bleaching Alert - 14.02S, 121.85E - Scott Reef ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Scott Reef off the northwest shelf of Australia was one of the hardest hit reefs during the 1998 bleaching event, with reports of bleaching as deep as 30 meters. In our collaborations with the Australian Institute of Marine Science we note that due to a significant SST anomaly off the NW Australia, Scott Reef is once again (interestingly again during an El Nino) experiencing potentially high stress due to very hot water. It has currently accumulated 8.4 DHW (Degree Heating Weeks, see http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html). This compares to 8 DHW for 1998. The big difference this year is that the apparent center of the SST anomaly causing this severe thermal stress is to the NW of Scott as opposed to the W and SW in 1998, also the 2003 SST anomaly is significantly cooler, but obviously closer to Scott Reef. This may imply that the accumulated heat is shallower than in 1998, but this can be only speculation at this stage. A more troublesome aspect of this anomaly is that it is very close to Ashmore Reef (approx. 10 km to the northeast) which is currently experiencing a DHW of more than 8. This compares to a maximum DHW of 6.5 for 1998. We expect that there has been significant bleaching on both reefs to date. AIMS plans a research cruise to Scott Reef mid-March 2003. NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Team -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad --------------------------------------------------------------------- Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division NOAA Science Center 5200 Auth Road Cellular: 410-490-6602 Camp Springs Fax: 301-763-8572 MD Work: 301-763-8102 x170 20746 USA Additional Information: Last Name Strong First Name Alan E. Version 2.1 Subject: Re: coastal boundaries of marine climatic zones Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 15:41:31 -0600 From: "Robert W. Buddemeier" Organization: KGS CC: Coral-List On zonation and its determination -- 1. For a web version, go to http://www.pml.ac.uk/globec/main.htm, click the DATA link in the left margin menu, then click the GLOBEC Typology link on the Data page. 2. For a more do-it-yourself exploratory approach, you can use the environmental database on the Hexacoral website (www.kgs.ukans.edu/Hexacoral) to select and filter the geographic and value ranges for environmental variables of interest, and either download them as files of values for half degree cells, or view them. We have prototype tools that allow a user to map individual variables and to 'find similar areas' based on a range of values for a number of variables. These are very much in development and not yet user-friendly enough for instant point-and-click, but the capabilities are there and already quite useful if you have some serious questions about environmental geography that you want to explore rather than using canned answers. If anyone is sufficiently interested in this to want to spend some time exploring and testing, we would be happy to welcome you to the team of alpha/beta-testers (a.k.a. guinea pigs). If interested, send me (not necessarily the whole list) an email indicating your questions/needs, and I can tell you whether we can help, and give you a starter set of instructions. Plus, a free copy of the map image that I didn't attach because I remembered the reminder. Bob Buddemeier Stephen C Jameson wrote: >Dear Simon, > >Regarding: > > > >>Dear listers, >> >>Can anyone recommend a reference which gives positions for the boundaries >>between the major climatic marine regions of the world e.g the position of >>the boundary between tropical and subtropical waters along the west African >>coast. As there is some seasonal variation involved perhaps a range of >>positions would be more useful. >> >>Thanks, >> >>Simon >> >>Simon Harding >>Marine Science Co-ordinator >> >> > >See: > >Sullivan Sealey, K. Bustamante, G. 1999. Setting Geographic Priorities >for Marine Conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Nature >Conservancy, Arlington, VA. > >Call Eva Vilarrubi 703-841-4860 for a copy. > > >Best regards, > >Dr. Stephen C. Jameson, President >Coral Seas Inc. - Integrated Coastal Zone Management >4254 Hungry Run Road, The Plains, VA 20198-1715 USA >Office: 703-754-8690, Fax: 703-754-9139 >Email: sjameson@coralseas.com >Web Site: www.coralseas.com > > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > > -- Dr. Robert W. Buddemeier Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas 1930 Constant Avenue Lawrence, KS 66047 USA e-mail: buddrw@ku.edu ph (1) (785) 864-2112 fax (1) (785) 864-5317 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: coastal boundaries of marine climatic zones Date: Sat, 18 Jan 03 15:32:51 -0500 From: Stephen C Jameson To: , "Coral-List" Dear Simon, Regarding: >Dear listers, > >Can anyone recommend a reference which gives positions for the boundaries >between the major climatic marine regions of the world e.g the position of >the boundary between tropical and subtropical waters along the west African >coast. As there is some seasonal variation involved perhaps a range of >positions would be more useful. > >Thanks, > >Simon > >Simon Harding >Marine Science Co-ordinator See: Sullivan Sealey, K. Bustamante, G. 1999. Setting Geographic Priorities for Marine Conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. Call Eva Vilarrubi 703-841-4860 for a copy. Best regards, Dr. Stephen C. Jameson, President Coral Seas Inc. - Integrated Coastal Zone Management 4254 Hungry Run Road, The Plains, VA 20198-1715 USA Office: 703-754-8690, Fax: 703-754-9139 Email: sjameson@coralseas.com Web Site: www.coralseas.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Sojourns In Nature Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 06:19:35 -0500 From: "Gustav W. Verderber" To: SOJOURNS IN NATURE®, ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION NATURAL HISTORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAMS, 2003-2004 EMAIL: mailto:Sojourns@PShift.com WEB SITE: www.SojournsInNature.com FEATURED IMAGE: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/osprey.html THE FOLLOWING ITINERARIES ARE CURRENTLY OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT. Undergraduate credit* is available through Sterling College and students should have no difficulty transferring these credits to their home institutions. All programs are organized and conducted by Gustav W. Verderber, a nationally published, award-winning nature photojournalist and naturalist. We post these itineraries only twice a year. If you feel that these programs do not merit mention on this discussion list, then kindly let us know by sending an email to mailto:Sojourns@Pshift.com. However, we hope that you find our offerings of sufficient merit to permit their announcement on this listserv and that you will distribute them to fellow faculty and students. For further information, please visit http://SojournsInNature.com or click the URL next to the program. The link will take you directly to a detailed program description at our web site. Read what past participants have said about their Sojourns In Nature experience at http://www.sojournsinnature.com/ecotours.html and http://www.sojournsinnature.com/workshops.html. THE GREEN MOUNTAIN NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP & CAMP-IN June 6 - June 12, 2003 This is a complete introduction to the professional field techniques of nature photography. Immerse yourself in your passion for one week and I will help you take your photographic skills to the professional level as we photograph the natural history of the Great Northern Forest. This time of year, the Northern Forest is vibrant with wildflowers, moose, nesting birds, and amphibians. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/greenmountain.html VISIT THE NORTHERN FOREST GALLERY AT: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/forestgallery.html MASAI MARA SAFARI July 19, 2003 - July 29, 2003 Scheduled to coincide with the Masai Mara's magnificent spectacle of the annual Wildebeest Migration, this safari is designed for the serious photographer interested in producing top quality images of African wildlife. Local guides will put us in the right place at the right moment to capture feeding lions, leopards, as well as elephants, buffalo, and rhinos. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/kenya.html#trip1 THE TOM JORDAN MEMORIAL BOREAL COAST TOUR August 1 - 4, 2003 Seals, puffins, bald eagles, rugged seascapes, starfish, whales, and boreal bogs characterize the thrilling diversity of the North Altantic coast. Machias Seal Island is the only bird sanctuary in the world where visitors can view nesting puffins from within a few feet to get that coveted shot of a puffin with a beak full of fish! This is my most popular tour so register now and reserve your space on this maritime adventure. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/borealcoast.html VISIT THE BOREAL COAST GALLERY AT: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/marinegallery.html FALL FOLIAGE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR October 3 - October 6, 2003 Hone your landscape photography skills by joining me during New England’s resplendent fall foliage season. I will be visiting my favorite locations in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains to photograph stock images for Vermont Life, Yankee, and other regional magazines. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/fallfoliage.html WILDLIFE OF COSTA RICA December 1-6, 2003 Join me and wildlife photographer Roy Toft on the Osa peninsula. Located on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, the Osa peninsula is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet! Together, we will photograph monkeys, poison dart frogs, exotic plants, toucans, insects, and reptiles. We’ll have to bring all of our professional field techniques to bear in order to capture the remarkable diversity of subjects so this is an ideal opportunity for you to learn how to photograph everything from leaf-cutter ants to tropical sunsets like the pros. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/costarica.html KENYA SAFARI January 4, 2004 - January 14, 2004 Designed for the ambitious nature photographer, this photo safari will put you where the action is and I will be there with you to help you take professional quality photographs of Africa’s famed wildlife. We’ll photograph elephants in Kenya’s famous Amboseli National Park and lions, wildebeest, and rhinos in the fabulous Masai Mara. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/kenya.html#trip2 S.E. ALASKA WILDLIFE SAFARI July 10 - 25, 2004 After leading 3 consecutive nature tours to Alaska, I collaborated with the best outfitters and guides I met while “in the country" to put together a two-week itinerary that maximizes the photography and eliminates much of the tedious, and costly travel between locations. Based in the coastal town of Petersburg in the biologically rich Tongass National Forest, we will have easy access to bears, bald eagles, humpback whales, seals, icebergs, glaciers, Sitka black-tailed deer, and old growth forest communities. This tour is limited to just five people so sign up now to reserve your place in this unique Alaskan adventure. VIEW A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THIS PROGRAM: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/alaska.html VISIT THE ALASKA GALLERY AT: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/alaskagallery.html SOJOURNS IN THE WILD This acclaimed multi-media natural history presentation has been hailed by William H. Meadows, president of the Wilderness Society as “a superb piece - one I hope is shown frequently throughout the region.” Ideal for campuses, nature centers, conferences…Earth Day. Proceed to the program: http://www.sojournsinnature.com/sojournsinthewild.html FIELD BIOLOGISTS PLEASE TAKE NOTE I am always interested in hearing from field biologists who would be interested in collaborating on photo/text pieces for publication in “Natural History”, “Smithsonian”, “National Geographic”, “National/International Wildlife”, and other top natural history publications. *@ $35.00/credit Peace & may the light be with you, Gustav W. Verderber ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SOJOURNS IN NATURE® - ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION mailto:Sojourns@PShift.com http://www.SojournsInNature.com P.O. Box 153, Lowell, VT 05847 USA Telephone: (802) 744-2392 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Dust and other Hypotheses Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 09:08:33 +0100 From: rbak@nioz.nl To: Gene Shinn CC: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear Gene, As for how the Diadema pathogen reached the lesser Antilles against the current: We saw that in Curacao the disease clearly started at the harbour. The days following the break out of the disease at the harbour it worked it's way up- and down current over the reefs along the coast, away from the harbour. The disease was moving swiftly with the current and slowly against it (Bak et al. 1983, MEPS 17:105-108). We always assumed the pathogen came to Curacao with ship(s), in bilgewater or any other way a ship could transport the pathogen. Rolf PM Bak Prof. dr. Rolf P.M. Bak rbak@nioz.nl tel +31 222 369541 fax +31 222 319674 Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) P.O. Box 59 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Bleaching Alert - Scott Reef Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 16:57:21 +0800 From: Luke Smith To: "Alan E Strong" , Coral-list CC: Ray Berkelmans , Terry Done , William Skirving , Clive Wilkinson , Lindsey Williams Coral Listers In response to Al Strong's bleaching alert, below is the latest bleaching information from north Western Australia Ashmore Reef An Australian Customs Vessel is permanently based at Ashmore Reef. I have spoken to the officers there, and after snorkeling at a number of locations they cannot see any signs of bleaching at all. While they are generally unfamiliar with coral reefs, I have sent them a number of photographs and a report to indicate what to look for. Looking at the NOAA data it does surprise me that there is not a relatively severe bleaching there. We have two temperature loggers in the lagoon at Ashmore Reef which we will exchange during an extensive survey we have planned for April. Scott Reef Scott Reef is very isolated reef, with few visitors. There is no one currently at Scott Reef. We have asked Coastwatch (border patrol), who frequently fly over Scott Reef to report back if they note anything unusual (eg. a white reef). As of yet we have not received any reports back. Nine temperature loggers are currently located in and around Scott Reef. I would be surprised if the reef is not bleached at the moment. We currently have a field trip to Scott Reef planned for March to survey monitoring sites, census tagged juvenile and adult corals, assess coral recruitment and exchange our temperature loggers. To see a brief report on the recovery (or non-recovery) of Scott Reef coral communities since the 1998 bleaching and potential reasons why there has been no recovery, see: Page 6 of the document http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/coral-bleaching/scr2002/pdf/scr2002-01.pdf Obviously, more bleaching events at Scott Reef will further delay any recovery of the coral communities at Scott Reef to their pre-1998 coverage and diversity. For people who have no idea where Ashmore and Scott Reefs are, see: http://www.auslig.gov.au/facts/images/ashmap_large.jpg Cheers Luke Luke Smith Experimental Scientist Exploring and Maintaining Marine Biodiversity Australian Institute of Marine Science PO BOX 83 Fremantle Western Australia 6959 Ph (08) 9 433 4440 Fax (08) 9 433 4443 l.smith@aims.gov.au At 04:26 PM 17/01/2003 -0500, you wrote: Bleaching Alert - 14.02S, 121.85E - Scott Reef ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Scott Reef off the northwest shelf of Australia was one of the hardest hit reefs during the 1998 bleaching event, with reports of bleaching as deep as 30 meters. In our collaborations with the Australian Institute of Marine Science we note that due to a significant SST anomaly off the NW Australia, Scott Reef is once again (interestingly again during an El Nino) experiencing potentially high stress due to very hot water. It has currently accumulated 8.4 DHW (Degree Heating Weeks, see http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html). This compares to 8 DHW for 1998. The big difference this year is that the apparent center of the SST anomaly causing this severe thermal stress is to the NW of Scott as opposed to the W and SW in 1998, also the 2003 SST anomaly is significantly cooler, but obviously closer to Scott Reef. This may imply that the accumulated heat is shallower than in 1998, but this can be only speculation at this stage. A more troublesome aspect of this anomaly is that it is very close to Ashmore Reef (approx. 10 km to the northeast) which is currently experiencing a DHW of more than 8. This compares to a maximum DHW of 6.5 for 1998. We expect that there has been significant bleaching on both reefs to date. AIMS plans a research cruise to Scott Reef mid-March 2003. NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Team -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad Luke Smith Experimental Scientist Exploring and Maintaining Marine Biodiversity Australian Institute of Marine Science PO BOX 83 Fremantle Western Australia 6959 Ph (08) 9 433 4440 Fax (08) 9 433 4443 l.smith@aims.gov.au ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: library awards Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 16:05:03 -0000 From: "Peter J Mumby" To: > International Society for Reef Studies > Library Awards 2003 > > The International Society for Reef Studies invites any person involved > with coral reef studies, management and conservation to nominate an > institution for participation in their Library Awards scheme for 2003. > The scheme is intended to recognize and support institutions in developing > countries for their important contributions to coral reef studies, > conservation and management. > > What will award winners receive? > > Thanks to the generosity of their authors and publishers and a subsidy by > the Society, up to 10 institutions will receive copies of the following > publications: > > · Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, > Indonesia, 2000 > · Corals of the world (3 volumes) By J.E.N. Veron and Mary > Stafford-Smith. > · Soft Corals and Sea Fans By K. Fabricius and P. Alderslade. A > comprehensive guide to the tropical shallow- water genera of the > Central-West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea > · Systema Porifera Edited by John Hooper and Rob van Soest. > · Dynamics of Coral Communities By Ronald H. Karlson. > · Perspectives on Coral Reefs By David Barnes (Editor). > · Three-year subscription to Coral Reefs (2003-5 incl.) > · Three-year subscription to Reef Encounter (2003-5 incl.) > > Who may nominate an institution for an award? > > · A member of the institute seeking an award· > · Any other person who can provide details > > How to make a nomination > > Nominate an institution in no more than 100 words, describing a) the > mission of the institution and the numbers of people who use it or are > part of it; b) the purpose for which the books would be used; and c) > arrangements that will ensure broad access to the books within the > institution for whom the books are requested. > > Send nominations to: > > ISRS Library Award Committee > C/- Dr Peter J Mumby > Corresponding Secretary, International Society for Reef Studies > > Marine Spatial Ecology Lab > School of Biological Sciences > Hatherly Laboratory > Prince of Wales Road > University of Exeter > Exeter > Devon > EX4 4PS > United Kingdom > > tel: + 44 (0)1392 263798 > fax: + 44 (0)1392 263700 > e-mail: p.j.mumby@exeter.ac.uk > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Name: winmail.dat winmail.dat Type: Notepad (application/x-unknown-content-type-Notepad.exe) Encoding: base64 Subject: 10 ICRS mini-symposia Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 16:05:03 -0000 From: "Peter J Mumby" To: Dear coral-listers As you know, the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium is fast approaching. The success of these symposia largely depends on the voluntary efforts of ISRS members who organise mini-symposia or provide presentations within mini-symposia. There are still opportunities to propose mini-symposia for Japan 2004 and on behalf of the ISRS, I'd like to encourage people to consider submitting mini-symposium titles and abstracts. Mini-symposia form the bulk of the conference programme and provide a great opportunity to focus attention on specific science and/or management themes relating to coral reefs. The dead-line for proposals is 30 January 2003. Please view the following website for further details and electronic submission or contact the Secretariat General, Hajime Kayanne (see below). http://www.plando.co.jp/icrs2004/ Hajime KAYANNE Department of Earth & Planetary Science, University of Tokyo Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033 Japan Tel: 81-3-5841-4573 Tel & Fax: 81-3-3814-6358 With best wishes Pete Dr Peter J Mumby Corresponding Secretary, ISRS Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences Hatherly Laboratory Prince of Wales Road University of Exeter Exeter Devon EX4 4PS UK tel: + 44 (0)1392 263798 fax: + 44 (0)1392 263700 e-mail: p.j.mumby@exeter.ac.uk ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Internat'l coral grants Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 09:56:36 -0500 From: "Eileen Alicea" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov An opportunity for funding of international coral reef projects is now available through NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, which was published in the Federal Register on Friday, January 17, 2003. The international grant information below is excerpted from the Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 12 The Program Guidelines provide a general overview of the program, while the Fiscal Year 2003 Funding Guidance published in the Federal Register Vol. 68, No. 12, January 17, 2003 provides specific information on the eligibility, proposal content, etc., for each of the four international project categories included in this year’s funding. Both of the documents may be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. Applications for funding are DUE TO NOAA on March 14, 2003. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants include all international, governmental, and non-governmental organizations, including the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Eligibility is also contingent upon whether activities undertaken with respect to the application would be consistent with any applicable conditions or restrictions imposed by the U.S. government. The International grant program has four project categories: (Please note that there is no category for coral reef monitoring this year) 1. Promote Watershed Management in Wider Caribbean Island Nations: The U.S. and its partners are launching the White Water to Blue Water Initiative presented at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. It is intended to help implement international agreements and programs, for example, the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention) and its three protocols (including The Protocol concerning Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities), and the International Coral Reef Initiative. Therefore, IPO will fund activities that implement best management practices that reduce or control runoff to near shore coral reef ecosystems in the Wider Caribbean; assess effectiveness of these management practices; engage stakeholders and government agencies in collaborative partnerships to implement these practices; and recommend a set of best management practices that can be applied to small island Caribbean systems. 2. Enhance Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): NOAA has launched a strategic partnership with the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)International to improve the management of MPAs by providing managers, planners and other decision makers with methods for assessing the effectiveness of MPA sites. Therefore, IPO will fund activities at coral MPA sites that are building an adaptive management and evaluation program and will conduct an assessment of management effectiveness in order to strengthen and achieve the site goals and objectives. 3. Encourage Regional Approaches to Further No-Take Marine Reserves in the Wider Caribbean and Southeast Asia: Through this program, IPO will fund regional level activities that benefit existing marine reserves in the Wider Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia shall be defined by Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Furthermore, proposed regional level activities must involve sites in two or more countries and address the needs of no-take marine reserves in the regions as identified in the WCPA - Marine Caribbean Regional Coordination Plan and the WCPA-Marine Southeast Asia Regional Action Plan. The plans with the priority themes can be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. 4. Promote Socio-Economic Monitoring in Coral Reef Management: Recognizing the importance of the human dimension, the GCRMN published The Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management, in partnership with NOAA, WCPA, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), a guide to conducting socioeconomic assessments of reef user groups. As follow-up, the GCRMN, WCPA-Marine and NOAA are working with ICLARM, the University of West Indies and other partners in the regions to develop socioeconomic monitoring programs specific to Southeast Asia and the Wider Caribbean. These regional programs include three key phases: (1) development of SocMon, i.e., standardized, simple socioeconomic monitoring guidelines for each region; (2) socioeconomic training workshops for reef managers to learn how to conduct SocMon, specifically how to establish socioeconomic monitoring programs at their sites; and, (3) establishment of socioeconomic monitoring programs at participants’ coral reef management programs. Under this project category, IPO will fund phase three - the establishment of socioeconomic monitoring programs at coral reef sites in Southeast Asia and the Wider Caribbean. Proposals for such work in the Wider Caribbean must utilize the SocMon-Wider Caribbean Guidelines; and similarly, proposals for work in Southeast Asia must utilize the SocMon-Southeast Asia Guidelines. For the purpose of this project category, Southeast Asia shall be defined as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Both sets of Guidelines can be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. Awards Awards will be: a. Watershed Management: Up to $75,000 b. Management Effectiveness: $20,000 - $40,000 c. Marine Reserves: $25,000 - $40,000 d. Socio-economic Monitoring: $15,000 - $25,000 Project start date should be Oct 1st 2003 with duration of 12-18 months. Matching contributions should be from non-US Federal sources. If an organization has no reasonable means to provide a match, please refer to Section VIII. Matching funds of the Program Guidelines Federal Register Notice at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html for detailed instructions How to apply: Initial applications may be submitted by surface mail, e-mail, or Fax (301-713-4389). Submissions by e-mail are preferred. If submitting by surface mail, please include a copy of the initial application in electronic format on disk or CD and mail both to: David Kennedy, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Coordinator, Office of Response and Restoration, N/ORR, Room 10102, NOAA National Ocean Service, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Applications submitted by e-mail must be sent to coral.grants@noaa.gov with ATTENTION to International Coral Reef Conservation. Applications must be received by FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003. NOAA will provide written notice of the final funding selection on or before September 30, 2003 For complete details on project categories and requirements, please refer to the 2003 Funding Guidance Federal Register Notice at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. (Sections pertinent to the International Coral Reef Conservation program are: pp.2513-14 up to Section I, Section VII, and Section VIII). For more information, please contact Eileen Alicea at eileen.alicea@noaa.gov or 301-713-3078 x218. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: job posting for marine and national parks manager Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 12:06:22 -0400 From: "St Eustatius Marine Park" To: , , , , , Apologies for cross-postings Kay Lynn Plummer, Manager/Director St. Eustatius National & Marine Parks Gallows Bay St. Eustatius Netherlands Antilles Office 599-318-2884 Fax 599-318-2913 semp@goldenrock.net POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: National & Marine Parks Manager DESCRIPTION: The St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) manages the Statia Marine Park, the Quill National Park, and the Miriam C. Schmidt Botanical Garden. The Marine Park surrounds the island of St. Eustatius from the high water mark to 30 meters (100ft.) in depth. Two reserves within the Marine Park function to restore depleted fish populations and to protect marine biodiversity. The Quill National Park is a dormant volcano. The crater harbors an evergreen seasonal forest, which is similar to a tropical rainforest. The botanical garden is currently undergoing Phase One operations of a four-phase master plan. For more information about STENAPA and its missions, please visit our website at www.statiapark.org. QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (preferably a Masters) in marine biology, marine management, wildlife management, or a related field and at least two (2) years working experience in Marine Protected Area Management, Natural Resource Management, or related field. Excellent communicative skills required. Open Water Diver certification required. At least three (3) years experience navigating marine vessels. Must have a thorough command of the English language and some knowledge of Dutch. OTHER ASSETS: Experience coordinating volunteer programs; advanced computer skills; a working knowledge of botany and landscaping; trail systems/management experience; fundraising capabilities; promotional materials development experience. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES: Participate in the design and implementation of research activities within the Marine Park; find funding to represent STENAPA, participate and deliver presentations at conferences and workshops internationally concerning Gulf and Caribbean fisheries and MPA management; provide advice to Government; supervise and manage a staff of three (3) and all associated activities; recruit and supervise volunteers from around the world; develop promotional materials for distribution; create management plans, work plans and manuals; write proposals for grant funding; coordinate work programs through local schools; coordinate and implement educational activities for local children and the community; establish and maintain all infrastructure related to STENAPA; perform any other duties as directed by the Board of STENAPA relevant to the management and development of the Parks. APPLICATION DETAILS: Interested and qualified persons should submit a cover letter, resume, and two (2) letters of reference (including contact information) electronically to semp@goldenrock.net. Interviews will be conducted with the successful candidates. Only successful applicants will be contacted. The deadline for receipt of all applications is Thursday, February 13, 2003. Correspondence must be addressed to: Kay Lynn Plummer, Manager/Director St. Eustatius National & Marine Parks Gallows Bay St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: International Institute for Rural Reconstruction Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 08:33:44 -0800 From: Reef Check Headquarters To: coral-list-daily@aoml.noaa.gov Hello, The International Institute for Rural Reconstruction in the Philippines has a 3-book set called Participatory Methods in Community Based Coastal Resource Management that they will sell you for about 10 bucks. IIRR has a website where you can order their books, and their email is iirr@cav.pworld.net.ph i helped write the books so i know they are very user friendly, having been written collectively by a group of people who use these methods all the time, working with communities. They have a sound scientific base but are geared / streamlined for community use. mangrove methods are in volume 3 but there is stuff in the other volumes on transect sampling methods that will be hopefully of use to you too. The mangrove chapters are: mangrove assessment and monitoring (using the transect plot technique) mangrove reforestation monitoring and: mangrove reforestation cheers, Irene Novaczek Subject: International grants Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 17:42:09 +0100 From: "Virginie Fruh" To: Eileen.Alicea@noaa.gov, coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hi I'm looking for grants to fund a phd based in Indonesia concerning fangblennies as mimics of cleaner wrasse. Being a Swiss citizen (and therefore non-EU) makes it difficult to be eligible to many grants, but because I'll be enrolled in an English university, and that the project concerns animal behaviour and conservation, there must be some foundations out there for funding! So, if anyone has useful addresses, it would be delightfully appreciated! Best wishes for the new year, and thank you for your time, Virginie Fruh Virginie Fruh Ch. des Bruyères 14 1007 Lausanne Switzerland 021 601.30.40 076 443.51.02 v_fruh@hotmail.com Interested in marine biology? Scarborough Centre for Coastal Studies (SCCS) http://www.ccs.hull.ac.UK ----Original Message Follows---- From: "Eileen Alicea" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Internat'l coral grants Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 09:56:36 -0500 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* --------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Internat'l coral grants Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 09:56:36 -0500 From: "Eileen Alicea" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov An opportunity for funding of international coral reef projects is now available through NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, which was published in the Federal Register on Friday, January 17, 2003. The international grant information below is excerpted from the Federal Register, Vol. 68, No. 12 The Program Guidelines provide a general overview of the program, while the Fiscal Year 2003 Funding Guidance published in the Federal Register Vol. 68, No. 12, January 17, 2003 provides specific information on the eligibility, proposal content, etc., for each of the four international project categories included in this year’s funding. Both of the documents may be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. Applications for funding are DUE TO NOAA on March 14, 2003. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants include all international, governmental, and non-governmental organizations, including the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Eligibility is also contingent upon whether activities undertaken with respect to the application would be consistent with any applicable conditions or restrictions imposed by the U.S. government. The International grant program has four project categories: (Please note that there is no category for coral reef monitoring this year) 1. Promote Watershed Management in Wider Caribbean Island Nations: The U.S. and its partners are launching the White Water to Blue Water Initiative presented at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. It is intended to help implement international agreements and programs, for example, the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (the Cartagena Convention) and its three protocols (including The Protocol concerning Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities), and the International Coral Reef Initiative. Therefore, IPO will fund activities that implement best management practices that reduce or control runoff to near shore coral reef ecosystems in the Wider Caribbean; assess effectiveness of these management practices; engage stakeholders and government agencies in collaborative partnerships to implement these practices; and recommend a set of best management practices that can be applied to small island Caribbean systems. 2. Enhance Management Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): NOAA has launched a strategic partnership with the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)International to improve the management of MPAs by providing managers, planners and other decision makers with methods for assessing the effectiveness of MPA sites. Therefore, IPO will fund activities at coral MPA sites that are building an adaptive management and evaluation program and will conduct an assessment of management effectiveness in order to strengthen and achieve the site goals and objectives. 3. Encourage Regional Approaches to Further No-Take Marine Reserves in the Wider Caribbean and Southeast Asia: Through this program, IPO will fund regional level activities that benefit existing marine reserves in the Wider Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia shall be defined by Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Furthermore, proposed regional level activities must involve sites in two or more countries and address the needs of no-take marine reserves in the regions as identified in the WCPA - Marine Caribbean Regional Coordination Plan and the WCPA-Marine Southeast Asia Regional Action Plan. The plans with the priority themes can be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. 4. Promote Socio-Economic Monitoring in Coral Reef Management: Recognizing the importance of the human dimension, the GCRMN published The Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management, in partnership with NOAA, WCPA, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), a guide to conducting socioeconomic assessments of reef user groups. As follow-up, the GCRMN, WCPA-Marine and NOAA are working with ICLARM, the University of West Indies and other partners in the regions to develop socioeconomic monitoring programs specific to Southeast Asia and the Wider Caribbean. These regional programs include three key phases: (1) development of SocMon, i.e., standardized, simple socioeconomic monitoring guidelines for each region; (2) socioeconomic training workshops for reef managers to learn how to conduct SocMon, specifically how to establish socioeconomic monitoring programs at their sites; and, (3) establishment of socioeconomic monitoring programs at participants’ coral reef management programs. Under this project category, IPO will fund phase three - the establishment of socioeconomic monitoring programs at coral reef sites in Southeast Asia and the Wider Caribbean. Proposals for such work in the Wider Caribbean must utilize the SocMon-Wider Caribbean Guidelines; and similarly, proposals for work in Southeast Asia must utilize the SocMon-Southeast Asia Guidelines. For the purpose of this project category, Southeast Asia shall be defined as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Both sets of Guidelines can be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. Awards Awards will be: a. Watershed Management: Up to $75,000 b. Management Effectiveness: $20,000 - $40,000 c. Marine Reserves: $25,000 - $40,000 d. Socio-economic Monitoring: $15,000 - $25,000 Project start date should be Oct 1st 2003 with duration of 12-18 months. Matching contributions should be from non-US Federal sources. If an organization has no reasonable means to provide a match, please refer to Section VIII. Matching funds of the Program Guidelines Federal Register Notice at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html for detailed instructions How to apply: Initial applications may be submitted by surface mail, e-mail, or Fax (301-713-4389). Submissions by e-mail are preferred. If submitting by surface mail, please include a copy of the initial application in electronic format on disk or CD and mail both to: David Kennedy, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Coordinator, Office of Response and Restoration, N/ORR, Room 10102, NOAA National Ocean Service, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Applications submitted by e-mail must be sent to coral.grants@noaa.gov with ATTENTION to International Coral Reef Conservation. Applications must be received by FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2003. NOAA will provide written notice of the final funding selection on or before September 30, 2003 For complete details on project categories and requirements, please refer to the 2003 Funding Guidance Federal Register Notice at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrants.html. (Sections pertinent to the International Coral Reef Conservation program are: pp.2513-14 up to Section I, Section VII, and Section VIII). For more information, please contact Eileen Alicea at eileen.alicea@noaa.gov or 301-713-3078 x218. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 15:34:52 -0500 From: "Bill Millhouser" To: "coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov" The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking proposals from a broad array of governmental and non-governmental entities for projects that promote the conservation of coral reefs, both in the United States and abroad. Approximately $5.59 million ($5.24 million from NOAA, $350,000 from the Department of Interior) may be available through NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, as authorized by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. The Act authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, through the NOAA Administrator and subject to the availability of funds, to issue matching grants of financial assistance for broad-based coral reef conservation activities, consistent with the purposes of the Act. Pursuant to section 6403 of the Act, which establishes the Coral Reef Conservation (Grant) Program, NOAA published the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program Implementation Guidelines (Guidelines) in the Federal Register on April 19, 2002 (67 FR 19396). The Guidelines provide general Program criteria pursuant to that outlined in the Act and establish that specific funding guidance will be published once each year. The Guidelines can be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrantsdocs/CoralGuidelines02.pdf FY 20003 Funding Guidance, which was published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2003 (68 FR 2513), describes the specific Program categories for which proposals are being solicited, and their respective eligibility, evaluation, and selection criteria for both applicants and activities. The FY 03 Funding Guidance can be found at http://ipo.nos.noaa.gov/coralgrantsdocs/2003CORALFRN.pdf. In 2003, NOAA’s Guidance provides instructions on how to apply for funding under the following categories, each outlined with specific applicant and activity eligibility criteria: State and Territory Coral Reef Ecosystem Management; State and Territory Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring; Coral Reef Ecosystem Research; Projects to Improve or Amend Coral Reef Fishery Management Plans; General Coral Reef Conservation; and International Coral Reef Conservation Initial Applications are due to NOAA by March 14, 2003; please see the FY 03 Funding Guidance for specific application requirements. For general information on NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program, contact Bill Millhouser at bill.millhouser@noaa.gov. For specific information on the requierments for each category, plese consult the technical contacts listed on the first page of the FY 03 Funding guidance. For general information on NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, contact Roger Griffis at roger.b.griffis@noaa.gov. Subject: Request for PROPOSALS: Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative Research Program Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2003 23:21:55 -1000 From: "HCRI Research Program" To: Subject: Glovers Reef Lab Director Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 16:53:11 +0300 From: coralReef Conservation To: WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY POSITION DESCRIPTION Station Manager, Contract Position Glovers Reef Marine Research Station, Belize (www.wcs.org/gloversreef) Position: The Wildlife Conservation Society seeks a Station Manager for its marine research station at Glovers Reef Atoll, Belize, Central America. WCS and the Government of Belize established the Glovers Reef Marine Research Station in the early 1990s with the mission of promoting the long-term conservation and management of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef through in-situ research, cooperative management, training and education. The station is situated on Middle Cay on the southeastern edge of the Glovers Reef atoll in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Research is conducted at the station by visiting scientists throughout the year in disciplines as varied as marine biology, marine ecology, social science, anthropology, botany, and ornithology. The Station Manager is responsible for all day-to-day operations of the Glovers Reef Marine Research Station. This includes oversight of the research program (with input from other WCS staff), management of the station staff, hosting and scheduling researchers, maintaining station equipment, and maintaining excellent communication with the Marine Program Coordinator in Belize City, the central office of WCS, fellow residents of Glovers Reef atoll, and representatives of the Government of Belize and other organizations. The Station Manager reports to the Marine Program Coordinator in Belize. S/he consults regularly with the Director of WCS¹ Marine Conservation Programs headquarters in New York and works closely with WCS¹ Regional Coordinator for Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, located in Gainesville, Florida. Qualifications: As part of running a research station on a relatively remote island, it is essential that the Station Manager have a good working knowledge of boat operation, electrical systems, gas systems, motors, general mechanics, marine weather, first aid, and safety. A background in marine science, natural resource conservation and management, or natural sciences is strongly preferred. Ideally, a candidate will have knowledge of coral reef ecology and tropical marine fisheries science and an interest in marine or environmental education. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work with diverse groups of people in challenging situations required. As the Station¹s personnel manager, the Station Manager must be comfortable supervising a small staff living in close quarters on a remote island. The Manager should be comfortable communicating verbally and in writing via phone, fax, and email with WCS staff in Belize City, New York and Gainesville, Florida. Commitment to marine conservation required. The position is open to expatriates and Belizeans. Send resume and salary requirements via email to: rcerroni@wcs.org with subject heading: Station Manager. Your resume must be written in English (in Word format) and be attached to your email. Deadline: April 1, 2003 Tim McClanahan, PhD The Wildlife Conservation Society ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Corals for Kiddies? Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 19:39:17 -0500 From: coral-list admin To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Greetings, coralleros (as Judy Lang likes to say), I was thinking some of you might be able to help this lady's request. The answer would help me, too, because I don't often get a request through our CHAMP page for children this young. Thanks! Cheers, Jim -----Original Message----- From: Lorraine Beato Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 7:43 PM Subject: CHAMP Comment Form Submission I have a 3rd grade daughter who would like to get involved with the coral reefs and marine biology. Are there any kid friendly organizations which she can join or volunteer? We live in Georgia, but do go to Florida quite often. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks! ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: GBR Bleaching Status Update Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 19:45:17 -0500 From: Paul Marshall To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov [Coral-List Admin Note: this message was unfortunately delayed.] The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Marine Science and NOAA, are once again closely monitoring conditions on the Great Barrier Reef as summer progresses. Below is a summary of the latest coral bleaching status report. The full status report can be found on the GBRMPA web site: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/science/bleaching/conditions_report.html ******** GBR Coral Bleaching Status Update - 14 January 2002 The news continues to be good in terms of coral bleaching risk for the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) this summer. Weather conditions remain relatively mild, with good cloud cover and persistent winds keeping sea temperatures at or below seasonal averages, despite El Nino conditions over much of eastern Australia. No significant coral bleaching has been reported to date from the Reef, and bleaching thresholds have not been reached at any key monitoring sites. This time last year, sea temperatures were 2-4 degrees C above current temperatures, resulting in the worst coral bleaching event ever recorded for the GBR. While the milder conditions this year are cause of some optimism, hot conditions leading to widespread coral bleaching in 1998 did not develop until the end of January. This suggests that there is still some potential for a coral bleaching event on the GBR in the months ahead, although the risk of an event as severe as last summer is now substantially reduced. A full report of the 2002 bleaching event can also be found on the GBRMPA web site: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au. The GBRMPA, in conjunction with AIMS and NOAA, will continue to closely monitor and report on conditions on the Reef throughout summer. The GBRMPA welcomes any reports of coral bleaching. If you regularly visit a reef site, or you have seen bleaching on the reef, we would be grateful for your input to our Community Bleaching Assessment Program. For more information see the GBRMPA website or contact Jessica Hoey (jessicah@gbrmpa.gov.au). -- Dr Paul Marshall Research & Monitoring Co-ordination Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority PO Box 1379 Townsville QLD 4810 Australia email: p.marshall@gbrmpa.gov.au phone: 07 4750 0771 fax: 07 4772 6093 mobile:0428 889 812 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Mass coral spawning volunteers Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 21:21:51 -0500 From: "Gast Family" To: Are there any volunteer opportunities for experienced divers and naturalists during mass coral spawning events? Valerie Gast gast@characterlink.net Subject: Re: Corals for Kiddies? Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 09:10:46 EST From: SeanMaia@aol.com To: jch@aoml.noaa.gov, coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Jim, One possible resource for kids who are interested in environmental issues is 4-H. Yes, that's the same 4-H that is generally known for teaching kids how to raise cattle, chickens and hogs. In Florida, and probably other states, there are many counties that have 4-H marine clubs. 4-H is open to kids aged 5 to 18. Every county in Florida has a county extension office (often called the Agricultural center) and the 4-H office is usually located there. The national 4-H program has an Eco-Adventures type curriculum with projects and activities. The Florida 4-H program has existing (older) project books and resource guides; new ones are under development. Most of these project materials are geared towards ages 8+ (project books for the 5-7 age range are being developed in FL). As a Sea Grant extension agent, I work closely with the 4-H program in NE Florida and have been involved in revising some of their marine-related materials. 4-H also typically offers summer camp programs that are educational in nature. Hope this gives folks one avenue to explore.. Maia McGuire Sea Grant Extension Agent 3125 Agricultural Center Drive St. Augustine, FL 32092 904-824-4564 In a message dated 1/24/2003 7:50:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, jch@aoml.noaa.gov writes: Subject: question nitrates phosphates Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2003 18:42:28 -0400 From: "diannewilson" To: Anita at Noaa suggested a post this for consideration. I live on a small island in the Grenadines in the Caribbean. We are = seeing long black stringy algae covering reefs and choking it out. = Hoping the answer was in water testing we bought LaMotte phosphate and = nitrate test kits....our results are not as expected and we need help in = interpreting the data. Is there someone who would offer a little on = line help? We have the attention of the government and can likely stop = the cause, but we need to have credible information. Many thanks in advance, Dianne Wilson ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Fwd: petition. important. sign. Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 08:44:45 +0100 From: "Virginie Fruh" To: alisonimms@yahoo.com, Benhaywood@hotmail.com, ChuaT@anz.com, coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov, crowbar@lords.com, Darren.Petherick@defence.gov.au, dharshko@yahoo.com, evaabdulla78@hotmail.com, fins!!@bukid.cvis.net.ph, heidiabraham@hotmail.com, macca32_2000@yahoo.com, hogaholics@hotmail.com, ines.beck@accenture.com, jdelapraz@yahoo.com, jeni_fyfe@hotmail.com, jahsa@hotmail.com, johnwee@attglobal.net, katia.dazzi@serono.com, kristel.wuersten@serono.com, zwahlaur@students.hevs.ch, laurence.martin@serono.com, regina_dancing_queen@yahoo.co.uk, lenasheh@sltnet.lk, marlonqui@hotmail.com, nitesh@eureka.lk, philippe.chatellard@serono.com, pyrexqueen@hotmail.com, rbowen13@yahoo.com, simon_parker80@hotmail.com, stephane.Busso@serono.com, vertretung@can.rep.admin.ch, thomas_heeger@yahoo.com US Congress has authorized the President to go to war against Iraq. Please consider this an urgent request. UN Petition for Peace. Stand for Peace. Islam is not the Enemy. War is NOT the Answer. Today we are at a point of imbalance in the world and are moving toward what may be the beginning of a THIRD WORLD WAR. If you are against this possibility, the UN is gathering signatures in an effort to avoid a tragic world event. Please COPY (rather than Forward) this e-mail in a new message, sign at the end of the list, and send it to all the people whom you know. If you receive this list with more than 500 names signed, please send a copy of the message to: usa@un.int & president@whitehouse.gov Even if you decide not to sign, please consider forwarding the petition on instead of eliminating it. 1) Suzanne Dathe, Grenoble, France 2) Laurence COMPARAT, Grenoble, France 3) Philippe MOTTE, Grenoble, France 4) Jok FERRAND, Mont St. Martin, France 5) Emmanuelle PIGNOL, St Martin d'Heres, FRANCE 6) Marie GAUTHIER, Grenoble, FRANCE 7) Laurent VESCALO, Grenoble, FRANCE 8) Mathieu MOY, St Egreve, FRANCE 9) Bernard BLANCHET, Mont St Martin,FRANCE 10) Tassadite FAVRIE, Grenoble, FRANCE 11) Loic GODARD, St Ismier, FRANCE 12) Benedicte PASCAL, Grenoble, FRANCE 13) Khedaid! ja BENATIA, Grenoble, FRANCE 14) Marie-Therese LLORET, Grenoble,FRANCE 15) Benoit THEAU, Poitiers, FRANCE 16) Bruno CONSTANTIN, Poitiers, FRANCE 17) Christian COGNARD, Poitiers, FRANCE 18) Robert GARDETTE, Paris, FRANCE 19) Claude CHEVILLARD, Montpellier, FRANCE 20) gilles FREISS, Montpellier, FRANCE 21) Patrick AUGEREAU, Montpellier, FRANCE 22) Jean IMBERT, Marseille, FRANCE 23) Jean-Claude MURAT, Toulouse, France 24) Anna BASSOLS, Barcelona, Catalonia 25) Mireia DUNACH, Barcelona, Catalonia 26) Michel VILLAZ, Grenoble, France 27) Pages Frederique, Dijon, France 28) Rodolphe FISCHMEISTER,Chatenay-Malabry, France 29) Francois BOUTEAU, Paris, France 30) Patrick PETER, Paris, France 31) Lorenza RADICI, Paris, France 32) Monika Siegenthaler, Bern, Switzerland 33) Mark Philp, Glasgow, Scotland 34) Tomas Andersson, Stockholm, Sweden 35) Jonas Eriksson, Stockholm, Sweden 36) Karin Eriksson, Stockholm, Sweden 37) Ake Ljung, Stockholm, Sweden 38) Carina Sedlmayer, Stockholm, Sweden 39) Rebecca Uddman, Stockholm, Sweden 40) Lena Skog, Stockholm, Sweden 41) Micael Folke, Stockholm, Sweden 42) Britt-Marie Folke, Stockholm, Sweden 43) Birgitta Schuberth, Stockholm, Sweden 44) Lena Dahl, Stockholm, Sweden 45) Ebba Karlsson, Stockholm, Sweden 46) Jessica Carlsson, Vaxjo, Sweden 47) Sara Blomquist, Vaxjo, Sweden 48) Magdalena Fosseus, Vaxjo, Sweden 49) Charlotta Langner, Goteborg, Sweden 50) Andrea Egedal, Goteborg, Sweden 51) Lena Persson, Stockholm, Sweden 52) Magnus Linder, Umea ,Sweden 53) Petra Olofsson, Umea, Sweden 54) Caroline Evenbom, Vaxjo, Sweden 55) Asa Peterson, Grimes, Sweden 56) Jessica Bjork, Grimes, Sweden 57) Linda Ahlbom Goteborg, Sweden 58) Jenny Forsman, Boras, Sweden 59) Nina Gunnarson, Kinna, Sweden 60) Andrew Harrison, New Zealand 61) Bryre Murphy, New Zealand 62) Claire Lugton, New Zealand 63) Sara! h Thornton, New Zealand 64) Rachel Eade, New Zealand 65) Magnus Hjert, London, UK 67) Madeleine Stamvik, Hurley, UK 68) Susanne Nowlan, Vermont, USA 69) Lotta Svenby, Malmoe, Sweden 70) Adina Giselsson, Malmoe, Sweden 71) Anders Kullman, Stockholm, Sweden 72) Rebecka Swane, Stockholm, Sweden 73) Jens Venge, Stockholm, Sweden 74) Catharina Ekdahl, Stockholm, Sweden 75) Nina Fylkegard, Stockholm, Sweden 76) Therese Stedman, Malmoe, Sweden 77) Jannica Lund, Stockholm, Sweden 78) Douglas Bratt 79) Mats Lofstrom, Stockholm, Sweden 80) Li Lindstrom, Sweden 81) Ursula Mueller, Sweden 82) Marianne Komstadius, Stockholm, Sweden 83) Peter Thyselius, Stockholm, Sweden 84) Gonzalo Oviedo, Quito, Ecuador 85) Amalia Romeo, Gland, Switzerland 86) Margarita Restrepo, Gland, Switzerland 87) Eliane Ruster, Crans p.C., Switzerland 88) Jennifer Bischoff-Elder, Hong Kong 89) Azita Lashgari, Beirut, Lebanon 90) Khashayar Ostovany, New York, USA 91) Lisa L Miller, Reno NV 92) Danielle Avazian, Los Angeles, CA 93) Sara Risher,Los Angeles,Ca. 94) Melanie London, New York, NY 95) Susan Brownstein , Los Angeles, CA 96) Steven Raspa, San Francisco, CA 97) Margot Duane, Ross, CA 98) Natasha Darnall, Los Angeles, CA 99) Candace Brower, Evanston, IL 100) James Kjelland, Evanston, IL 101) Michael Jampole, Beach Park, IL, USA 102) Diane Willis, Wilmette, IL, USA 103) Sharri Russell, Roanoke, VA, USA 104) Faye Cooley, Roanoke, VA, USA 105) Celeste Thompson, Round Rock, TX, USA 106) Sherry Stang, Pflugerville, TX, USA 107) Amy J. Singer, Pflugerville, TX USA 108) Milissa Bowen, Austin, TX USA 109) Michelle Jozwiak, Brenham, TX USA 110) Mary Orsted, College Station, TX USA 111) Janet Gardner, Dallas, TX USA 112) Marilyn Hollingsworth, Dallas, TX USA 113) Nancy Shamblin, Garland. TX USA 114) K. M. Mullen, Houston, TX - USA 115) Noreen Tolma! n, Houston, Texas - USA 116) Laurie Sobolewski, Warren, MI 117) Kellie Sisson Snider, Irving Texas 118) Carol Currie, Garland, Garland Texas 119) John Snyder, Garland, TX USA 120) Elaine Hannan, South Africa 121) Jayne Howes, South Africa 122) Diane Barnes, Akron, Ohio 123) Melanie Dass Moodley, Durban, South Africa 124) Imma Merino, Barcelona, Catalonia 125) Toni Vinas, Barcelona, Catalonia 126) Marc Alfaro, Barcelona, Catalonia 127) Manel Saperas, Barcelona, Catalonia 128) Jordi Ribas Izquierdo, Catalonia 129) Naiana Lacorte Rodes, Catalonia 130) Joan Vitoria i Codina, Barcelona,Catalonia 131) Jordi Paris i Romia, Barcelona,Catalonia 132) Jordi Lagares Roset, Barcelona,Catalonia 133) Josep Puig Vidal, Barcelona,Catalonia 134) Marta Juanola i Codina, Barcelona,Catalonia 135) Manel de la Fuente i Colino,Barcelona,Catalonia 136) Gemma Belluda i Ventura, Barcelona,Catalonia 137) Victor Belluda i Ventur, Barcelona,Catalonia 138) MaAntonia Balletbo, Barcelona, Spain 139) Mireia Masdevall Llorens, Barcelona,Spain 140) Clara Planas, Barcelona, Spain 141) Fernando Labastida Gual, Barcelona,Spain 142) Cristina Vacarisas, Barcelona, Spain 143) Enric Llarch i Poyo, Barcelona, Catalonia 144) Rosa Escoriza Valencia, Barcelona,Catalonia 145) Silvia Jimenez, Barcelona, Catalonia 146) Maria Clarella, Barcelona, Catalonia 147) Angels Guimera, Barcelona, Catalonia 148) M.Carmen Ruiz Fernandez, Barcelona,Catalonia 149) Rufi Cerdan Heredia, Barcelona,Catalonia 150) M. Teresa Vilajeliu Roig, Barcelona,Catalonia 151) Rafel LLussa, Girona, Catalonia,Spain 152) Mariangels Gallego Ribo, Gelida,Catalonia 153) Jordi Cortadella, Gelida, Catalonia 154) Pere Botella, Barcelona, Catalonia(Spain) 155) Josefina Auladell Baulenas, Catalunya(Spain) 156) Empar Escoin Carceller, Catalunya(Spain) 157) Elisa Pla Soler, Catalunya (Spain) 158) Paz Morillo Bosch, Catalunya (S! pain) 159) Cristina Bosch Moreno, Madrid (Spain) 160) Marta Puertolas, Barcelona (Spain) 161) Elisa del Pino (Madrid) Spain 162) Joaquin Rivera (Madrid) Spain 163) Carmen Barral (Madrid) Spain 164) Carmen del Pino (Madrid) Spain 165) Diana Ariane Bender (Munich) Germany 166) Annabelle Livingston (London) England 167) Lindsay Taylor (London) England 168) Amy Morgan (London) England 169) Liam Farrell (London) England 170) Damian Tow (London) 180) Michael Hayward (Nottingham) England 181) Jyoti Jackson-Baker (Bristol) England 182) Frazer Waller ( Milton Keynes ) England 183) Tamara Schreiber (Tel Aviv) Israel 184) Dan Goldenblatt (Tel Aviv) Israel 185) Ilan Goldenblatt (Gabriola Island, B.C.) Canada 186) Fiona Chitty (Gabriola Island, B.C.) Canada 187) Elke Barczak (Tokyo) Japan 188) Joe McCunney (Tokyo) Japan 189) Aaron Beutel (Nagoya) Japan 190) Marta Truno i Salvado, Barcelona,Catalonia 191) Zanni Waldstein, (Melbourne) Australia 192) Sally-Anne Levy, London, England 193) Patricia Fletcher, Melbourne, Australia 194) Margot Wilson, Melbourne, Australia 195) Matthew Baker, Melbourne, Australia 196) Liz Shepherd, Melbourne, Australia 197) Nicole Jordain, Melbourne, Australia 198) Stacey Farrell, Mt Maunganui, New Zealand 199) Chantelle Laurent, Mt Maunganui, New Zealand 200) Kristy Bamfield, Hamilton, new Zealand 201) Jim Morrogh, Auckland, New Zealand 202) Carola McCarthy, Orewa, New Zealand 203) Aidan Halligan, Auckland, New Zealand 203) Mike McCarthy, Orewa, New Zealand 204) Kirk Harding, Brooklyn, New York 205) Juliette Chisholm, New York, New York 206) David Hollely, Brooklyn , New York 207) April Reigart Philadelphia, PA USA 208) Sami El-Hajjeh, On, Canada 209) Amy Sharp, St. Catharines, ON Canada 210) Monika Schmuck, Stoney Creek, ON, Canada 211) Jasbir Brar, Stoney Creek, ON, Canada 212) Miriam Inparajah, Toronto, ON, ! Canada 213) Claudia Ezraeelian, London England. 214) Shehan Lena, Manchester, England 215) Virginie Fruh, Lausanne, Switzerland 216) Mathias Holzer, Lausanne, Switzerland 217) Céline Holzer, Lausanne, Switzerland 218) Johanna Harley, Lausanne, Switzerland 219) Dean Harley, Lausanne, Switzerland 220) Marianne Fruh, Lausanne, Switzerland 221) Johan Fruh, Lausanne, Switzerland Virginie Fruh Ch. des Bruyères 14 1007 Lausanne Switzerland 021 601.30.40 076 443.51.02 v_fruh@hotmail.com Interested in marine biology? Scarborough Centre for Coastal Studies (SCCS) http://www.ccs.hull.ac.UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Inappropriate postings Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 06:52:41 -0500 From: Jim Hendee To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov This listserver is not a forum for political discussions or for posting commercially-oriented messages. Also, once you post something like this, others might be temped to discuss it further through this list. I must now moderate the list, which makes it tougher on everyone, so my apologies ahead of time to those of you who may have your posting delayed. Not-so-happily yours, Jim Hendee coral-list administrator Virginie Fruh wrote: > US Congress has authorized the President to go to war against Iraq. > Please > consider this an urgent request. > > ...blah, blah, blah.... > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Need information on carrying capacity Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:32:53 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: Dear Coral lister, I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and Roberts' = (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I am participating = in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations, and so far I have = Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000 divers/site/year. I think it = would be good a figure for begining that could be revised an adjusted = after subsequent monitoring, but I would like to know about other = alternative numbers. I would appreciate to receive that information, as = well as any relevant comment on the issue. Cheers, Pedro ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Reproduction of Porites lutea Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:33:53 -0500 From: "James Rolfe Guest" To: Dear coral-list, I am working on the reproductive cycle of the scleractinian coral Porites lutea in Singapore. Most of the colonies I have sampled are mature in April and/or May and I think that spawning occurs in those months after the full moon (although I haven't witnessed spawning of this species yet). I would be interested to make comparisons of the timing of spawning of this species in Singapore with other coral reef locations. Does anyone know of any publications (other than those listed below) or has any anecdotal evidence of spawning in P. lutea in any other location? The publications which include reproduction of P. lutea that I have so far are: Harriott VJ (1983) Reproductive Ecology of Four Scleractinian Species at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 2:9-18 Kojis BL & Quinn NJ (1981) Reproductive Strategies in Four Species of Porites (Scleractinia). Proc 4th Int Coral Reef Symp 2:145-151 Marshall SM & Stephenson TA (1933) The Breeding of Reef Animals I. The Corals. The Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-29. Sci Rep 3:219-245 Babcock RC et al (1986) Synchronous Spawning of 105 Scleractinian Coral Species on the GBR. Mar Biol. 90:379-384 Heyward AJ (1989) Reproductive Status of Some Guam Corals. Micronesica 21:272 I look forward to hearing from you. Cheers, James Guest Research Scholar Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Blk S2 14 Science Drive 4 Singapore 117543 Tel: +65 68746867 E-mail: scip9051@nus.edu.sg ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: recovery/erosion Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:34:55 -0500 From: "Emily Hardman" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear All, As part of my PhD I am investigating the after-effects of a coral bleaching event in Rodrigues (Indian Ocean) by looking at coral recovery (new recruitment) and bioerosion. Would anyone please be able to recommend some good guides for identifying coral recruits, at least down to genus level, and also for identifying internal macro-boring organisms commonly found in Indo-Pacific branching coral rubble? Thank you very much for your help, Emily Hardman ------------------------------ Emily Hardman Tropical Ecology Group, School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales Bangor, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, LL59 5AB UK Tel: +44 (0) 1248 382 863 E-mail: osp829@bangor.ac.uk ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: question nitrates phosphates Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:20:45 -0500 From: Debbie MacKenzie To: "diannewilson" CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello Dianne, coral-list, At 06:42 PM 25/01/2003 -0400, you wrote: >Anita at Noaa suggested a post this for consideration. > >I live on a small island in the Grenadines in the Caribbean. We are = >seeing long black stringy algae covering reefs and choking it out. = >Hoping the answer was in water testing we bought LaMotte phosphate and = >nitrate test kits....our results are not as expected I'm curious: what did you expect to find (and why?) and what did you actually find? Were you expecting to find elevated nutrient levels? (This is my first guess, since it is routinely thought to be an important cause of increased algae growth these days.) I can't help you in the specifics of discussing exactly what is growing on your reefs, but am interested in your observations. The increasing dominance of marine algae, especially fine or filamentous forms, is a very broad pattern that seems to be occurring in marine environments virtually everywhere now. I am not convinced (although many are) that this change is basically a reflection of an increasing availability of plant nutrients in coastal waters. (Besides increasing nutrient availability, declining populations of herbivores are also sometimes suspected, and doubtless this plays a role...but it is the effect of changing nutrient dynamics on the algae that interests me the most.) The pattern of declining populations of marine invertebrates and their replacement by algal growths is also strongly evident in temperate zones. In my area, Atlantic Canada, we have no shallow water coral reefs but there has been a marked decline in coastal sessile invertebrates (barnacles, mussels...roughly analogous to your corals). Unpolluted areas that were once dominated by barnacles and mussels now predominantly support seaweed. (e.g. see http://www.fisherycrisis.com/barnacles.html ) And within the established seaweed communities there is a marked shift away from the long-dominant, heavier perennial species toward shorter lived algae with much finer structures. The automatic interpretation of this changing appearance of seaweed seems to be that this new, elaborate algal growth must have resulted from an increasing availability of plant nutrients (from pollution). To some, it seems cut and dried. But the signals from the long-established, older, heavier seaweeds as they decline strongly suggest that these plants are experiencing a lowered, rather than an increased, availability of nutrients. Stunted growth, lowered levels of pigmentation, lowered resistance to environmental stressors such as light, heat and dessication...these patterns are visible in all of the typical large seaweed groups in my area. And the increased growth of filamentous algae is dramatic, indeed it also gives the impression that it might be "choking out" the others. (I have a collection of photos on my website, several galleries are linked from this page: http://www.fisherycrisis.com/Galleries/weedgallery.htm ) I have been puzzled at the quick conclusion that commonly seems to be made that the increase in filamentous algae has been stimulated by an increase in nutrient availability. The filamentous growth style, with its relatively high surface area:volume ratio, gives these organisms a natural advantage over the thicker-fleshed algae under conditions where nutrient availability is lowered. Maybe at some level the interpretive difficulty is related to our (subconscious?) comparison of seaweeds to terrestrial plants. It is commonly known that applying fertilizer to a vegetable garden results in a more lush, elaborate growth of plants. So, when we witness an increasingly elaborate growth of seaweed, is this partly why we assume that it must be the result of increased fertilization? But when we view the vegetable garden, we are generally only seeing the "tops" of the plants (stalks, leaves, fruits, etc, responsible for photosynthesis and energy storage) as the "roots" (oft-filamentous tissues responsible for uptake of dissolved nutrients) are invisible. In terrestrial plants, "tops" and "roots" do not respond to fertilizer in the same way. Agricultural research has shown that, when well fertilized, the root:top ratio of plants (for example, corn) declines. Relatively more elaborate root development occurs in the fertilizer-poor plot, and roots then make up a greater fraction of the total mass of the plant. (And this type of plasticity is not at all surprising.) At first glance, seaweeds may well remind us of the "tops" of terrestrial plants, but what is waving in the water column is in fact analogous to both the "tops" and the "roots" of the cornfield. Viewed in this light, today's proliferation of filamentous marine algae (more "root"-like types) and decline in heavier in heavier, fleshy species (more "top"-like) should raise the suspicion that one fundamental change that is occurring in the oceans is a decline in the availability of plant nutrients. (One may also imagine the corals as being more essentially like "tops" than "roots"...) Dianne, it may seem as if I have strayed rather far from your initial question, but the matter of discovering the true relationship between trends in fertilizer availability and growth changes in marine algae is a hugely important one. Thanks for raising it. Debbie MacKenzie http://www.fisherycrisis.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: ReefEd launch - www.reefed.edu.au Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 08:34:43 -0500 From: To: Angela Colliver , "coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov" , Aquatic Information Listserve Dear All, on behalf of our education manager, Angela Colliver, I would like to let you know that ReefED - the latest reef education portal of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has been launched by the Australian Federal Environment Minister Dr. David Kemp today. ReefED is the world's largest on-line, curriculum based, interactive resource about the Great Barrier Reef. It offers : · Outcome focussed teaching resources linked explicitly to Key Learning Areas and Australian State Curriculum Frameworks · GBR Explorer – a comprehensive encyclopaedia of the Great Barrier Reef - fantastic for assignments · On-line action based participation activities such as Reef Guardians Schools program · On-line lesson plans · Reef videos · Images · Video conferencing – students can speak to a diver underwater; · Video streaming and Internet The ReefED web site is powered by the BoaB Content Manager, a product of WWd. The BoaB Content Manager is a database driven web site management system, that allows ReefED staff to fully manage the web site by changing text, creating new pages and sections, uploading images, electronic download files and much more. With a short introduction, new staff can be given access to specific sections, with specific access privileges such as creating content, reviewing content or making pages live. “BoaB is ideal for organizations and companies which have high volumes of information they want to publish on their web site. By simplifying the updating process, the BoaB system allows a client to keep a web site always up-to-date without ongoing expenses.“ www.reefed.edu.au For further information please contact Angela Colliver under angelac @gbrmpa.gov.au. Cheers, Kirsten -- Dr. Kirsten Michalek-Wagner Biologist Coral Reef Ecosystems ReefHQ Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2-68 Flinders Street, Townsville, Qld. 4810 Australia phone: 07 4750 0876 fax: 07 4772 5281 email: kirstenm@gbrmpa.gov.au "For myself, I am an optimist. It does not seem to be much use being anything else." Sir Winston Churchill http://www.reefhq.org.au ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Addresses Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 08:36:43 -0500 From: "Tanga Coast Zone" To: Dear Coral listers, Can anyone help me with the e-mail addresses of: Dr. Alec Dawson Shephard and Dr. Tom van 't Hof Thanks a lot Eric Verheij e-mail: tangacoast@kaributanga.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Carrying capacity, etc. Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 08:36:43 -0500 From: "Patrick Scaps" To: Dear Pedro, You will find informations concerning carrying capacity in coral reef diving in the following papers: Schleyer M.H., Tomalin B.J. 2000. Damage on south african coral reefs and an assessment of their sustainable diving capacity using a fisheries approach. Bull. Mar. Sci. 67(3): 1025-1042. Davis D., Tisdell C. 1995. Recreational scuba-diving and acrrying capacity in marine protected areas. Ocean & Coastal Management. 26(1) : 19-40. Zakai D., Chadwick-Furman N.E. 2002. Impacts of intensive recreational diving on reef corals at Eilat, northern Red Sea. Biol. Conser. 105: 179-187. Harriott V, Davis D, Banks S. 1997. Recreational diving and its impact in marine protected areas in Eastern Australia. Ambio. 26: 173-179. Dixon J.A, Scura LF, van't Hof T. 1993. Meeting ecological and economic goals: marine parks in the Caribbean. Ambio. 22: 117-125. Chadwick-Furman, N.E., 1997. Effects of SCUBA diving on coral reef invertebrates in the US Virgin Islands: implications for the management of diving tourism. In: den Hartog, J.C. (ed), Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Coelenterate Biology, Nationaal Naturhistorisch Museum., pp. 91-100. Sincerely yours, Dr. SCAPS Patrick Ph D Marine Biology Laboratory of Numerical Ecology and Ecotoxicology University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille 59 655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cédex FRANCE Tel: 33 0320436517 E-mail: patrick.scaps@univ-lille1.fr ----- Original Message ----- From: "coral-list-daily" To: Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2003 7:05 AM Subject: coral-list-daily V3 #20 > > coral-list-daily Wednesday, January 29 2003 Volume 03 : Number 020 > > > > Need information on carrying capacity > Reproduction of Porites lutea > recovery/erosion > Re: question nitrates phosphates > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:32:53 -0500 > From: "Pedro Alcolado" > Subject: Need information on carrying capacity > > Dear Coral lister, > > I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and Roberts' > = > (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I am participating > = > in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations, and so far I have = > Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000 divers/site/year. I think it > = > would be good a figure for begining that could be revised an adjusted = > after subsequent monitoring, but I would like to know about other = > alternative numbers. I would appreciate to receive that information, as > = > well as any relevant comment on the issue. > > Cheers, > Pedro > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:33:53 -0500 > From: "James Rolfe Guest" > Subject: Reproduction of Porites lutea > > Dear coral-list, > > I am working on the reproductive cycle of the scleractinian coral > Porites lutea in Singapore. Most of the colonies I have sampled are > mature in April and/or May and I think that spawning occurs in those > months after the full moon (although I haven't witnessed spawning of > this species yet). I would be interested to make comparisons of the > timing of spawning of this species in Singapore with other coral reef > locations. Does anyone know of any publications (other than those listed > below) or has any anecdotal evidence of spawning in P. lutea in any > other location? > > The publications which include reproduction of P. lutea that I have so > far are: > > Harriott VJ (1983) Reproductive Ecology of Four Scleractinian Species at > Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 2:9-18 > > Kojis BL & Quinn NJ (1981) Reproductive Strategies in Four Species of > Porites (Scleractinia). Proc 4th Int Coral Reef Symp 2:145-151 > > Marshall SM & Stephenson TA (1933) The Breeding of Reef Animals I. The > Corals. The Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-29. Sci Rep 3:219-245 > > Babcock RC et al (1986) Synchronous Spawning of 105 Scleractinian Coral > Species on the GBR. Mar Biol. 90:379-384 > > Heyward AJ (1989) Reproductive Status of Some Guam Corals. Micronesica > 21:272 > > I look forward to hearing from you. > > Cheers, > > James Guest > > Research Scholar > Department of Biological Sciences > National University of Singapore > Blk S2 14 Science Drive 4 > Singapore 117543 > Tel: +65 68746867 > E-mail: scip9051@nus.edu.sg > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 10:34:55 -0500 > From: "Emily Hardman" > Subject: recovery/erosion > > Dear All, > > As part of my PhD I am investigating the after-effects of a coral > bleaching event in Rodrigues (Indian Ocean) by looking at coral > recovery (new recruitment) and bioerosion. > > Would anyone please be able to recommend some good guides for > identifying coral recruits, at least down to genus level, and also for > identifying internal macro-boring organisms commonly found in > Indo-Pacific branching coral rubble? > > Thank you very much for your help, > > Emily Hardman > > - ------------------------------ > Emily Hardman > Tropical Ecology Group, > School of Ocean Sciences, > University of Wales Bangor, > Menai Bridge, > Anglesey, > LL59 5AB > UK > > Tel: +44 (0) 1248 382 863 > E-mail: osp829@bangor.ac.uk > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:20:45 -0500 > From: Debbie MacKenzie > Subject: Re: question nitrates phosphates > > Hello Dianne, coral-list, > > At 06:42 PM 25/01/2003 -0400, you wrote: > >Anita at Noaa suggested a post this for consideration. > > > >I live on a small island in the Grenadines in the Caribbean. We are = > >seeing long black stringy algae covering reefs and choking it out. = > >Hoping the answer was in water testing we bought LaMotte phosphate and = > >nitrate test kits....our results are not as expected > > I'm curious: what did you expect to find (and why?) and what did you > actually find? Were you expecting to find elevated nutrient levels? > (This > is my first guess, since it is routinely thought to be an important > cause > of increased algae growth these days.) > > I can't help you in the specifics of discussing exactly what is growing > on > your reefs, but am interested in your observations. > > The increasing dominance of marine algae, especially fine or filamentous > forms, is a very broad pattern that seems to be occurring in marine > environments virtually everywhere now. I am not convinced (although many > are) that this change is basically a reflection of an increasing > availability of plant nutrients in coastal waters. (Besides increasing > nutrient availability, declining populations of herbivores are also > sometimes suspected, and doubtless this plays a role...but it is the > effect > of changing nutrient dynamics on the algae that interests me the most.) > > The pattern of declining populations of marine invertebrates and their > replacement by algal growths is also strongly evident in temperate > zones. > In my area, Atlantic Canada, we have no shallow water coral reefs but > there > has been a marked decline in coastal sessile invertebrates (barnacles, > mussels...roughly analogous to your corals). Unpolluted areas that were > once dominated by barnacles and mussels now predominantly support > seaweed. > (e.g. see http://www.fisherycrisis.com/barnacles.html ) And within the > established seaweed communities there is a marked shift away from the > long-dominant, heavier perennial species toward shorter lived algae with > much finer structures. The automatic interpretation of this changing > appearance of seaweed seems to be that this new, elaborate algal growth > must have resulted from an increasing availability of plant nutrients > (from > pollution). To some, it seems cut and dried. > > But the signals from the long-established, older, heavier seaweeds as > they > decline strongly suggest that these plants are experiencing a lowered, > rather than an increased, availability of nutrients. Stunted growth, > lowered levels of pigmentation, lowered resistance to environmental > stressors such as light, heat and dessication...these patterns are > visible > in all of the typical large seaweed groups in my area. And the increased > growth of filamentous algae is dramatic, indeed it also gives the > impression that it might be "choking out" the others. (I have a > collection > of photos on my website, several galleries are linked from this page: > http://www.fisherycrisis.com/Galleries/weedgallery.htm ) > > I have been puzzled at the quick conclusion that commonly seems to be > made > that the increase in filamentous algae has been stimulated by an > increase > in nutrient availability. The filamentous growth style, with its > relatively > high surface area:volume ratio, gives these organisms a natural > advantage > over the thicker-fleshed algae under conditions where nutrient > availability > is lowered. > > Maybe at some level the interpretive difficulty is related to our > (subconscious?) comparison of seaweeds to terrestrial plants. It is > commonly known that applying fertilizer to a vegetable garden results in > a > more lush, elaborate growth of plants. So, when we witness an > increasingly > elaborate growth of seaweed, is this partly why we assume that it must > be > the result of increased fertilization? > > But when we view the vegetable garden, we are generally only seeing the > "tops" of the plants (stalks, leaves, fruits, etc, responsible for > photosynthesis and energy storage) as the "roots" (oft-filamentous > tissues > responsible for uptake of dissolved nutrients) are invisible. In > terrestrial plants, "tops" and "roots" do not respond to fertilizer in > the > same way. Agricultural research has shown that, when well fertilized, > the > root:top ratio of plants (for example, corn) declines. Relatively more > elaborate root development occurs in the fertilizer-poor plot, and roots > then make up a greater fraction of the total mass of the plant. (And > this > type of plasticity is not at all surprising.) > > At first glance, seaweeds may well remind us of the "tops" of > terrestrial > plants, but what is waving in the water column is in fact analogous to > both > the "tops" and the "roots" of the cornfield. Viewed in this light, > today's > proliferation of filamentous marine algae (more "root"-like types) and > decline in heavier in heavier, fleshy species (more "top"-like) should > raise the suspicion that one fundamental change that is occurring in the > oceans is a decline in the availability of plant nutrients. (One may > also > imagine the corals as being more essentially like "tops" than > "roots"...) > > Dianne, it may seem as if I have strayed rather far from your initial > question, but the matter of discovering the true relationship between > trends in fertilizer availability and growth changes in marine algae is > a > hugely important one. Thanks for raising it. > > Debbie MacKenzie > http://www.fisherycrisis.com > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ------------------------------ > > End of coral-list-daily V3 #20 > ****************************** > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: carrying capacity Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 12:12:51 -0400 From: kdm@bonairelive.com To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Following Pedro Alcalado 's recent request for information on carrying capacity, I wanted to let you know that The Coral Reef Alliance has a fact sheet covering this topic. It has been written with Coral Park practitioners in mind and includes a basic overview of the topic, methods which have been used to determine carrying capacity, management recommendations and a list of key references. It is available on request as a .pdf document (for which you will need Acrobat Reader) and is a 196KB file. Please contact myself (kdm@coral.org) or info@coral.org to request a copy. Kalli De Meyer ************************************ Kalli De Meyer The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) Bonaire Branch Office Kaya Madrid 3A Sabana Bonaire. Dutch Caribbean ************************************ tel: 599-717-3465 email: kdm@coral.org web site: http:\\www.coral.org ************************************ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Diadema die off - another reference Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 16:41:51 -0500 From: "Jim Bohnsack" To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov CC: eshinn@usgs.gov, rbak@nioz.nl, lessiosh , szmanta@uncwil.edu, Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov In the various discussions, I did not see the following reference mentioned concerning the cause of the Caribbean Diadema die off in 1983. Bauer, J.C. and C.J. Agerter. 1987. Isolation of bacteria pathogenic for the sea urchin Diadema antillarum (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). Bull. Mar. Sci. 40(1): 161-165. It provides evidence that an anaerobic bacteria Clostridium was the responsible agent. I believe this study was able to satisfy all but one of Koch's postulates. The last one can not be tested because no known specimen that actually died in the kill was preserved by freezing. Also, I vaguely rember (i.e. I can not verify) someone mentioning that this kill occurred just after Panama started preventing ships from releasing ballast water and other discharges in the Panama Canal. Presumably, cruise ships that held sewage in tanks while crossing the Isthmus would have plenty of opportunity to build up anoxic conditions in their tanks and large abundance of Clostridium. If there is any merit to this hypothesis, I hope everyone appreciates the irony of having one regulation designed to prevent environmental damage (i.e. protect water quality in the Panama Canal) causing great damage elsewhere. REF: > Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 10:08:33 -0500 > From: Gene Shinn > Subject: Dust and other Hypotheses > > TimesDear Coral Listers, > > Since there has been so much discussion of the African dust > hypothesis on the list in recent weeks, I could resist responding no > longer. First, the experiments proposed by Jim Hendee to test African > dust effects on corals are similar to ones I have been proposing for at > least 5 years. Unfortunately, there is little funding to do such work. > In addition, the USGS does not have in place the dust collectors you > mention. We sample for microbes using very small samples and collection > requires only 10-to-15 minutes. We do no routine monitoring but would > if we could. There is no funding for the large expensive samplers > needed to provide enough sample for the experiments Jim proposed. > Secondly, the major problem with finding the Diadema pathogen is that > the pathogen that first killed them has not been identified so we do > not know what to look for. It would be possible, however, to test > living Diadema against those microbes that have been cultured from dust > thus far. > > I thank Lessios for answering Alina's question regarding survival > of West African Diadema. I did not have an answer as elegant as his. I > could only suggest that Diadema living so close to the source, like the > humans and the Siderastera sp. that survive there, long ago adapted and > those that didn't died. Lessios also makes some very valid points > regarding water transport of the unknown pathogen. We accept that the > Diadema die-off began near the Panama Canal (Lessios et al., 1984, > Science, 226:335-337). We also point out that the die-off began in > winter when African dust impacts the southern Caribbean, South America > and the Panama region and it was also the dustiest year since Prospero > began monitoring dust in 1965. The upper Caribbean is impacted later > during the summer months. Like Lessios, we believe water transport is > very important. How else would it infect Diadema in aquaria (I assume > we are talking running seawater aquaria)? Once the Caribbean basin is > impacted as shown in the NOAA satellite image in our 4-page info sheet > in our website, water currents likely complete the distribution of any > pathogens delivered from the air. Areas downcurrent, such as, Belize > and Florida, were impacted by the disease after Panama. What has > concerned us, however, is how did the pathogen later move hundreds of > miles against the Caribbean Current to reach the Lesser Antilles? Dust > contamination of the Atlantic seaward of the Antilles and then > transport downcurrent to the Antilles seems a reasonable possibility. > There is nothing between the Antilles and Africa, and both the wind and > the currents move toward the Antilles. More recent studies conducted by > microbiologists at our office show that microbial species in dust can > change drastically within 30 minutes. Don't expect a dust cloud to > deliver the same microbes everywhere at the same time. > > My main point is that the dust hypothesis is just that, an > hypothesis, as are the other proposed causes of Diadema and coral > death. The ballast-water origin is an unproven hypothesis, as are the > other "usual suspects" that drive coral research funding. This latter > point gets back to what Jim pointed out a week earlier regarding the > emotional "pollution" word. Where is the original basic research > demonstrating the degree of damage done to corals by the "usual > suspects," oil spills, sewage, sedimentation, and mosquito spraying, to > name a few? We seem to have skipped over the basics and then let > assumptions and emotion guide our research and funding agencies. > > Best Wishes, Gene > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Corals for Kiddies? Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 16:43:52 -0500 From: Tracy Grogan To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov This might be a roundabout way of getting an answer, but maybe you could contact the administrator of SSI's Scuba Ranger program. They train kids to dive at the age of 8 and I suspect that whoever runs that program is probably clued into other programs for kids in that age group. They can be reached at Scuba Ranger Headquarters at 970-221-2813 or email at sales@ScubaRangers.com. I'd be interested in learning what you find out. I believe that by educating children we gain our greatest influence on parents...especially in the area of consumption of non-sustainable fish. Outreach programs to youngsters are, I believe, our best hope for long-term behavior changes. Cheers, Tracy At 07:39 PM 1/24/2003 -0500, you wrote: Greetings, coralleros (as Judy Lang likes to say), I was thinking some of you might be able to help this lady's request. The answer would help me, too, because I don't often get a request through our CHAMP page for children this young. Thanks! Cheers, Jim -----Original Message----- From: Lorraine Beato Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 7:43 PM Subject: CHAMP Comment Form Submission I have a 3rd grade daughter who would like to get involved with the coral reefs and marine biology. Are there any kid friendly organizations which she can join or volunteer? We live in Georgia, but do go to Florida quite often. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have. Thanks! ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: Corals for Kiddies? Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 16:45:54 -0500 From: "paul.sikkel" To: ruinraine@aol.com CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Lorraine -- Sea Camp in Florida, Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) in Southern California, and the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS), through Clean Islands International on St.John all run programs for kids. They do accommodate elementary school kids, but I don't know the specific range of ages. There is a marine biologist in your area who also has a young daughter. He may be able to provide you with info. on programs in central Georgia. His name is Dr. Jim Battey and he can be reached at jbattey@uvi.edu. You might also contact the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, not far from the Georgia border. Paul Sikkel Dept. of Biology Murray State University Murray, KY ===== Original Message From coral-list admin ===== >Greetings, coralleros (as Judy Lang likes to say), > > I was thinking some of you might be able to help this lady's request. >The answer would help me, too, because I don't often get a request >through our CHAMP page for children this young. > > Thanks! > Cheers, > Jim > >-----Original Message----- >From: Lorraine Beato >Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 7:43 PM >Subject: CHAMP Comment Form Submission > >I have a 3rd grade daughter who would like to get involved with the >coral reefs and marine biology. Are there any kid friendly >organizations which she can join or volunteer? We live in Georgia, but >do go to Florida quite often. I would appreciate any suggestions you >may have. > >Thanks! > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: PAM workshop in Hawaii Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:20:37 -0500 From: John Runcie To: ALGAE-L@LISTSERV.HEANET.IE, coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Algae and Coral people, For those of you interested in learning more about using pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorescence technology - I am hosting a small workshop at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology's research station at Coconut Island from 28 February to 3 March. Rolf Gademann, who has designed many of the Walz series of PAM instruments, will discuss and demonstrate theoretical background and various applications. There will be many opportunities for practical uses of the machines, and we will have a variety of instruments on site. Accommodation at the island is available. Space is very limited, so please contact me by email at the earliest opportunity if you are interested. cheers John ------------------------------------ Dr John Runcie Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology PO Box 1346 Kaneohe, HI 96744 USA ph (1 808) 236 7477 fax (1 808) 236 7443 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: library awards Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:22:38 -0500 From: bhatcher To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov G=92day Pete, I nominate the University of Asmara, Eritrea, especially the department of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, for the library award. I have worked with the folks there since 1998, and they are doing a great job with very little. This library ward would make a great contribution, because the library is minimal, and they still have only the most rudimentary internet services. In June last year I took part in the UoA=92s =93Research for Nation Building=94 Symposium, and was real= ly impressed with The University of Asmara is a full service university (and the ONLY university) in a nation of 3.5M people that is rebuilding itself following 30 years of war. The mission of the institution is to develop Eritrea=92s human capacity for sustainable development of the nation. It currently has over 5,000 students enrolled in undergraduate classes. The Department of Marine Science and Fisheries typically graduates 15 four year (honours) degree students per year. Most of them find work in the Ministry of Fisheries or the private sector, while some small proportion go on to do graduate degrees overseas. I currently have one of the program=92s graduates as a Ph.D. student, and Nancy Knowlton just took on one as well. These people really make a large and noticable difference in their country. Several are currently involved in a GEF project focused on marine biodiversity (Eritreas has >1200km of the SW Red Sea=92s most pristine marine and coastal environment). The books would be used not only buy this program and its students, but also by staff at the Ministry of Fisheries, and visiting scientists (who are increasing in number since hostilities ended with the arrival of the UN peace-keeping forces). The UpA maintains a full service (albeit poorly stocked) library, with holdings accessible not only to university students, but also to bone fide external researchers. The books and journals would be well looked after in a safe, air-conditioned environment, but would also be very well-used. It is difficult for me to imagine a more deserving institution to receive this award. If you think that they are in the running, please let me know and I will put you in touch with the head of department and the chief librarian. Sincerely, Bruce Bruce G. Hatcher, Ph.D. Environmental Editor, CORAL REEFS c/o Department of Biology, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 4J1 Tel: 1 902 494 6530 Fax: 1 902 494 3736 E-mail: bhatcher@dal.ca -----Original Message----- From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov] Sent: Monday, January 20, 2003 12:05 PM To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Subject: library awards International Society for Reef Studies Library Awards 2003 The International Society for Reef Studies invites any person involved with coral reef studies, management and conservation to nominate an institution for participation in their Library Awards scheme for 2003. The scheme is intended to recognize and support institutions in developing countries for their important contributions to coral reef studies, conservation and management. What will award winners receive? Thanks to the generosity of their authors and publishers and a subsidy by the Society, up to 10 institutions will receive copies of the following publications: =B7 Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, Indonesia, 2000 =B7 Corals of the world (3 volumes) By J.E.N. Veron and Mary Stafford-Smith. =B7 Soft Corals and Sea Fans By K. Fabricius and P. Alderslade. A comprehensive guide to the tropical shallow- water genera of the Central-West Pacific, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea =B7 Systema Porifera Edited by John Hooper and Rob van Soest. =B7 Dynamics of Coral Communities By Ronald H. Karlson. =B7 Perspectives on Coral Reefs By David Barnes (Editor). =B7 Three-year subscription to Coral Reefs (2003-5 incl.) =B7 Three-year subscription to Reef Encounter (2003-5 incl.) Who may nominate an institution for an award? =B7 A member of the institute seeking an award=B7 =B7 Any other person who can provide details How to make a nomination Nominate an institution in no more than 100 words, describing a) the mission of the institution and the numbers of people who use it or are part of it; b) the purpose for which the books would be used; and c) arrangements that will ensure broad access to the books within the institution for whom the books are requested. Send nominations to: ISRS Library Award Committee C/- Dr Peter J Mumby Corresponding Secretary, International Society for Reef Studies Marine Spatial Ecology Lab School of Biological Sciences Hatherly Laboratory Prince of Wales Road University of Exeter Exeter Devon EX4 4PS United Kingdom tel: + 44 (0)1392 263798 fax: + 44 (0)1392 263700 e-mail: p.j.mumby@exeter.ac.uk ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Diadema die off - another reference Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:29:51 -0500 From: "Robert W. Buddemeier" To: Jim Bohnsack CC: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov, eshinn@usgs.gov, rbak@nioz.nl, lessiosh , szmanta@uncwil.edu, Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov Interesting -- African dust doesn't sound like a very good vector for an anaerobe. Two other observations on the Dust Discussion -- 1. Paleoclimate -- based on (dust-relevant) African contributions to Atlantic sediments, the Sahara desertification was complete and its sediment output quasi-steady-state by 5000 years BP. (I think the reference is deMenocal et al. 2000, Quat. Sci. Rev. 19:347-361) If dust were a reliable vector there should have been plenty of chances for ecosystem inoculation before the past decade; alternatively, if this (putative dust-borne infection) were a statistically unique event in the Quaternary, then there is probably no way to 'prove' it, but probably also not much reason to worry about it in the future. 2. Experimental studies -- I think it would be extremely difficult to devise any sort of mesocosm test of the dust hypothesis -- in addition to the issue of how to test for or rule out statistically rare episodic inputs, there is the serious experimental design problem inherent in the enormous differences in surface/volume ratios between aquaria and the real ocean. If you delivered a realistic oceanic surface dose (g/m2/day) to an aquarium, the resultant water concentration would be orders of magnitude greater than in a natural system, and if you tried to generate a realistic oceanic water column concentration in an aquarium, you would be dealing with an almost unmanageably small (and therefore probably unrepresentative) input dose. Further, the high internal (solid) surface to (water) volume ratio of the aquarium system, combined with low water motion relative to the real ocean, would confound interpretation of the behavior of particulate contaminants. Bob Buddemeier Jim Bohnsack wrote: > In the various discussions, I did not see the following reference > mentioned concerning the cause of the Caribbean Diadema die off in 1983. > > Bauer, J.C. and C.J. Agerter. 1987. Isolation of bacteria pathogenic > for the sea urchin Diadema antillarum (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). Bull. > Mar. Sci. 40(1): 161-165. > > It provides evidence that an anaerobic bacteria Clostridium was the > responsible agent. I believe this study was able to satisfy all but one > of Koch's postulates. The last one can not be tested because no known > specimen that actually died in the kill was preserved by freezing. > > Also, I vaguely rember (i.e. I can not verify) someone mentioning that > this kill occurred just after Panama started preventing ships from > releasing ballast water and other discharges in the Panama Canal. > Presumably, cruise ships that held sewage in tanks while crossing the > Isthmus would have plenty of opportunity to build up anoxic conditions > in their tanks and large abundance of Clostridium. If there is any > merit to this hypothesis, I hope everyone appreciates the irony of having > one regulation designed to prevent environmental damage (i.e. protect > water quality in the Panama Canal) causing great damage elsewhere. > > REF: > > > Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 10:08:33 -0500 > > From: Gene Shinn > > Subject: Dust and other Hypotheses > > > > TimesDear Coral Listers, > > > > Since there has been so much discussion of the African dust > > hypothesis on the list in recent weeks, I could resist responding no > > longer. First, the experiments proposed by Jim Hendee to test African > > dust effects on corals are similar to ones I have been proposing for at > > least 5 years. Unfortunately, there is little funding to do such work. > > In addition, the USGS does not have in place the dust collectors you > > mention. We sample for microbes using very small samples and collection > > requires only 10-to-15 minutes. We do no routine monitoring but would > > if we could. There is no funding for the large expensive samplers > > needed to provide enough sample for the experiments Jim proposed. > > Secondly, the major problem with finding the Diadema pathogen is that > > the pathogen that first killed them has not been identified so we do > > not know what to look for. It would be possible, however, to test > > living Diadema against those microbes that have been cultured from dust > > thus far. > > > > I thank Lessios for answering Alina's question regarding survival > > of West African Diadema. I did not have an answer as elegant as his. I > > could only suggest that Diadema living so close to the source, like the > > humans and the Siderastera sp. that survive there, long ago adapted and > > those that didn't died. Lessios also makes some very valid points > > regarding water transport of the unknown pathogen. We accept that the > > Diadema die-off began near the Panama Canal (Lessios et al., 1984, > > Science, 226:335-337). We also point out that the die-off began in > > winter when African dust impacts the southern Caribbean, South America > > and the Panama region and it was also the dustiest year since Prospero > > began monitoring dust in 1965. The upper Caribbean is impacted later > > during the summer months. Like Lessios, we believe water transport is > > very important. How else would it infect Diadema in aquaria (I assume > > we are talking running seawater aquaria)? Once the Caribbean basin is > > impacted as shown in the NOAA satellite image in our 4-page info sheet > > in our website, water currents likely complete the distribution of any > > pathogens delivered from the air. Areas downcurrent, such as, Belize > > and Florida, were impacted by the disease after Panama. What has > > concerned us, however, is how did the pathogen later move hundreds of > > miles against the Caribbean Current to reach the Lesser Antilles? Dust > > contamination of the Atlantic seaward of the Antilles and then > > transport downcurrent to the Antilles seems a reasonable possibility. > > There is nothing between the Antilles and Africa, and both the wind and > > the currents move toward the Antilles. More recent studies conducted by > > microbiologists at our office show that microbial species in dust can > > change drastically within 30 minutes. Don't expect a dust cloud to > > deliver the same microbes everywhere at the same time. > > > > My main point is that the dust hypothesis is just that, an > > hypothesis, as are the other proposed causes of Diadema and coral > > death. The ballast-water origin is an unproven hypothesis, as are the > > other "usual suspects" that drive coral research funding. This latter > > point gets back to what Jim pointed out a week earlier regarding the > > emotional "pollution" word. Where is the original basic research > > demonstrating the degree of damage done to corals by the "usual > > suspects," oil spills, sewage, sedimentation, and mosquito spraying, to > > name a few? We seem to have skipped over the basics and then let > > assumptions and emotion guide our research and funding agencies. > > > > Best Wishes, Gene > > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . -- Dr. Robert W. Buddemeier Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas 1930 Constant Avenue Lawrence, KS 66047 USA e-mail: buddrw@ku.edu ph (1) (785) 864-2112 fax (1) (785) 864-5317 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: coral / reef papers Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 13:54:26 -0500 From: "charles sheppard" Organization: Biological Sciences To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Following an earlier 'thread' on pollution definitions: I list below papers from the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin since 2000 on corals and reefs. There must be about 20 journals which take coral / reef papers. The majority of tropical marine labs and workers can't or don't subscribe to most of them, and as some litt. services are not cheap, and as a distressingly large number find it difficult even to hear about potentially useful papers, it might be useful if any other editors reading this could put lists of reef papers from their journals on coral-list too, perhaps? Best wishes Charles Sheppard AmmarM.S.A., Amin, E.M., Gundacker, D., Mueller, W.E.G. 2000. One Rational Strategy for Restoration of Coral Reefs: Application of molecular biological parameters to select sites for rehabilitation by asexual recruits. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 618-627. Buchan,K.C. 2000. The Bahamas. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 94-111. Carbone,F., Accordi, G. 2000. The Indian Ocean Coast of Somalia. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 141-159. Celliers,L., Schleyer, M.H. 2002. Coral bleaching on high latitude marginal reefs at Sodwana Bay, South Africa. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 1380-1387. Chiappone,M., White A., Swanson, D.W., Miller, S.L. 2002. Occurrence and biological impacts of fishing gear and other marine debris in the Florida Keys. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 597- 604. Connelly,D.P., Readman, J.W., Knap, A.H., Davies, J. 2001. Contamination of the coastal waters of Bermuda by organotins and the triazine herbicide Irgarol 1051. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 409-414. Cox,E.F., Ward, S. 2002. Impact of elevated ammonium on reproduction in two Hawaiian scleractinian corals with different life history patterns. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 1230- 1235. David,C.P. 2003. Heavy metal concentrations in growth bands of corals: A record of mine tailings input through time (Marinduque Island, Phillippines). 46: Mar. Pollut. Bull. In press. Donohue,M.J. 2003. How Multiagency Partnerships Can Successfully Address Large-Scale Pollution Problems: A Hawaii Case Study. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46: In press. Donohue,M.J., Boland, R.C., Sramek, C.M., Antonelis, G.A. 2001. Derelict fishing gear in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands: Diving surveys and debris removal in 1999 confirm threat to coral reef ecosystems. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1301- 1312. Edinger,E.N., Limmon, G.V., Jompa, J., Widjatmoko, W., Heikoop, J.M., Risa, M.J. 2000. Normal Coral Growth Rates on Dying Reefs: Are coral growth rates good indicators of coral reef health? Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 404-425. Edwards,A.J., Clark, S., Zahir, H., Rajasuriya, A., Naseer, A., Rubens, J. 2001. Coral Bleaching and Mortality on Artificial and Natural Reefs in Maldives in 1998, Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies and Intitial Recovery. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 7-15. Epstein,N., Bak, R.P.M., Rinkevich, B. 2000. Toxicity of 3rd Generation Dispersants and Dispersed Egyptian Crude Oil on Red Sea Coral Larvae. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 497-503. Esslemont,G., Harriott, V.J., McConchie, D.M. 2000. Variability of Trace-Metal Concentrations Within and Between Colonies of Pocillopora damicornis. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 637-642. Gilbert,A.L., Guzman, H.M. 2001 Bioindication Potential of Carbonic Anhydrase Activity in Anemones and Corals. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 742-744. Guzman,H.M, Garcia, E.M. 2002. Mercury levels in coral reefs along the Caribbean coast of Central America. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 1415-1420. Harborne,A.R., Afzal, D.C., Andrews, M.J. 2001. Honduras: Caribbean Coast. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1221-1235. Haynes,D. 2000. Sources, Fates and Consequences of Pollutants in the Great Barrier Reef. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 265-266. Haynes,D., Christie, C., Marshall, P., Dobbs, K. 2002. Antifoulant concentrations at the site of the Bunga Teratai Satu grounding, Great Barrier Reef Australia. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 968-972. Haynes,D., Johnson, J.E. 2000. Organochlorine, Heavy Metal and Polyaromatic Hyrdocarbon Pollutant Concentrations in the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) Environment: A Review. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 267-278. Haynes,D., Michalek-Wagner, K. 2000. Water Quality in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: Past Perspectives, Current Issues and New Research Directions. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 428-434. Heikoop,J.M., Risk, M.J., Lazier, A.V., Edinger, E.N., Jompa, J., Limmon, G.V., Dunn, J.J., Browne, D.R., Schwarcz, H.P. 2000. Nitrogen-15 signals of anthropogenic nutrient loading in reef corals. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 628-636. Hoffman,T.C. 2002. Coral Reef Health and Effects of Socio- Economic Factors in Fiji and Cook Islands. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 1281-1293. Holmes,K.E., Edinger, E.N., Limmon, G.V., Risk, M.J. 2000. Bioerosion of massive corals and coral rubble on Indonesian coral reefs. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 606-617. Hutchings,P. 2001. The ENCORE Experiment. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 81-82. Jameson,S.C., Tupper, M.H., Riddley, J.M. 2002. The 3 Screen Doors: Can Marine “Protected” Areas Be Effective? Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 1177-1183 Johnson,A.K.L., Ebert, S.P. 2000. Quantifying inputs of pesticides to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – A case study in the Herbert River catchment of north-east Queensland. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 302-309. Koop,K., Booth, D., Broadbent, A., Brodie, J., Bucher, D., Capone, D., Coll, , J., Dennison, W., Erdmann, M., Harrison, P., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Hutchings, P., Jones, G.B., Larkum, A.W.D., O’Neil, J., Steven, A., Tentori, E., Ward, S., Williamson, J., Yellowlees, D. 2001. ENCORE: The Effect of Nutrient Enrichment on Coral Reefs. Synthesis of Results and Conclusions. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 91-120. Koop,K., Steven, A., McGill, R., Drew, E.D., McDonald, B. 2001. Use of a Telemetered Dispensing System for Controlling Nutrient Additions to Experimental Patch Reefs in the ENCORE Study at One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 121-126. Lam,K.K.Y. 2003. Coral recruitment onto an experimental pulverised fuel ash-concrete artificial reef. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46: In press. Leao,Z.M.A.N., Dominguez, J.M.L. 2000. Tropical Coast of Brazil. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 112-122. Lindahl,U., Ohman, M.C., Schelten, C.K. 2001. The 1997/1998 mass mortality of corals: effects on fish communities on a Tanzanian coral reef. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 127-131 Lipp,E.K., Jarrell, J.L., Griffin, D.W., Lukasik, J., Jacukiewicz, J., Rose, J.B. 2002. Preliminary evidence for human fecal contamination in corals of the Florida Keys, U.S.A. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 666-670. McClanahan,T.R. 2000. Bleaching Damage and Recovery Potential of Maldivian Coral Reefs. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 587- 597. McClanahan,T.R., Cokos, B.A., Sala, E. 2002. Algal growth and species composition under experimental control of herbivory, phosphorous and coral abundance in glovers reef, Belize. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 441-451 Medina-Elizalde,M., Gold-Bouchot, G., Ceja-Moreno, V. 2002. Lead contamination in the Mexican Caribbean recorded by the coral Montastraea annularis (Ellis and Solander). Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 421-423. Miao,X.S., Woodward, L.A., Swenson, C., Li, Q.X., 2001 Comparative concentrations of metals in marine species from French Frigate Shoals, North Pacific Ocean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1049-1054. Mills,A.P. 2001. St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1208-1220. Morrison,R.J., Narayan, S.P., Gangaiya, P. 2001. Trace Element Studies in Laucala Bay, Suva, Fiji. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 397- 404. Morton,B. 2002. Dong-Sha Atoll, South China Sea: Ground Zero. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 835-837. Morton,B., Blackmore, G. 2001. South China Sea. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1236-1263. Negri,A.P., Heyward, A.J. 2000. Inhibition of fertilisation and larval metamorphosis of the coral Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg,1834) by petroleum products. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 420-427. Negri,A.P., Smith, L.D., Webster, N.S., Heyward, A.J. 2002. Understanding ship-grounding impacts on a coral reef: Potential effects of antifoulant paint contamination on coral recruitment. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 111-117. Nugues,M.M., Roberts, C.M. 2003. Partial mortality in massive reef corals as an indicator of sediment stress on coral reefs. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46: In press. Obura,D.O. 2001. Kenya. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1264-1278. Owen,R., Knap, A., Toaspern, M., Carbery, K. 2002. Inhibition of Coral Photosynthesis by the Antifouling Herbicide Irgarol 1051. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 623-632. Reichelt-Brushett,A.J., Harrison, P.L. 2000. The effect of copper on the settlement success of larvae from the scleractinian coral Acropora tenuis. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 385-391. Roberts,J.M., Long, D., Wilson, J.B., Mortensen, P.B., Gage, J.D. 2003. The cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa (Scleractinia) and enigmatic seabed mounds along the north-east Atlantic margin: are they related? Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46: In press. Sheppard,C. 2001. The Main Issues Affecting Coasts of the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans: A Meta-Analysis from Seas at the Millennium. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 1199-1207. Sheppard,C., Rayner, N.A. 2002. Utility of the Hadley Centre sea ice and sea surface temperature data set (HadISST1) in two widely contrasting coral reef areas. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 303- 308. Sheppard,C.R.C. 2002 The Florida Reef Tract and the ‘One third rule’. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 997-978. Spalding,M.D., Jarvis, J.E. 2002. The impact of the 1998 coral mortality on reef fish communities in the Seychelles. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 44: 309-321 Spencer,T., Teleki, K.A., Bradshaw, C., Spalding, M.D. 2000. Coral bleaching in the Southern Seychelles during the 1997- 8 Indian Ocean warm event. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 569-586. Thia-Eng,C., Gorre, I.R.L., Adrian Ross, S., Bernad, S.R., Gervacio, B., Corazon Ebarvia, M. 2000. The Malacca Straits. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 41: 160-178. White,A.T., Vogt, H.P. 2000. Philippine coral reefs under threat: Lessons learned after 25 years of community based reef conservation. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 537-550. White,A.T., Vogt, H.P., Arin, T. 2000. Philippine Coral Reefs under threat: the economic losses caused by reef destruction. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 40: 598-605. Yamamuro,M., Kayanne, H., Yamano, H. 2003. d15N of Seagrass Leaves for Monitoring Anthropogenic Nutrient Increases in Coral Reef Ecosystems. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 46: In press. Yap,H.T. 2001. Another look at coral reef degradation. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42: 527. Best wishes Charles Sheppard Dept Biological Sciences University of Warwick Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK fax: (+44)(0) 24 7652 4619 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Bulk Coral Calcium from Okinawa Date: Sat, 1 Feb 2003 20:56:31 -0500 From: Jon Bonanno To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Doctors, After reviewing your very interesting and thoughtful PDF thread of e-mails (finished Sept. 7th, 2001), in regards to the Coral bleaching and general degradation of reefs, it seemed appropriate to ask the experts this question. Is there a company (or companies) in Okinawa, Japan that is pursuing ecologically friendly mining of high quality coral calcium sand, which is fit for human consumption? Understand that this question could be offensive to some of you, as mining a reef is the last thing that we want to see. This is actually the basis of my question, I would prefer to purchase and support companies that follow strong ecological preservation guidelines. Please assist me in finding the right source in Japan to get the products that I am searching for (bulk high quality coral calcium sand - fit for human consumption). Thank you all in advance. Very Highest Regards, Jon Bonanno ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Coral damage and mucus secretion Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 07:09:45 -0500 From: "Grubba, Tim" To: Dear coral-listers, I am trying to track down information on the secretion of mucus by corals (Acropora) which have suffered physical damage (e.g. damage caused by boat groundings). Specifically I am after information on the timing of mucus secretion - how soon after damage occurs does mucus secretion occur and for how long is mucus secreted. Cheers Tim Grubba Marine Ecologist Marine Conservation Branch Department of Conservation and Land Management 47 Henry St., Fremantle, WA, 6160. Ph 08 9336 0118 Fax 08 9430 5408 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: G. cinereus growth rate Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 09:59:09 -0500 From: Ben Halpern To: coral-list-daily@aoml.noaa.gov I am trying to find an estimate of daily growth rate for the yellowfin mojarra (Gerres cinereus). Does anyone have an approximate value for their daily rate, or the rate for any other congeneric? Thanks, Ben -- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: REEF Marine Conservation Internship Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 10:00:09 -0500 From: Christy Pattengill-Semmens To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Please pass the following on to colleagues and students: The deadline for the summer semester of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)'s Marine Conservation Internship program is fast approaching! Please encourage enthusiastic college students or recent graduates with SCUBA experience and a career interest in marine conservation to apply for this unique opportunity. The internship provides housing and a stipend and is located in Key Largo, FL. A full description and application procedures are available at:www.reef.org/intern. Please contact Leda Cunningham at Leda@reef.org for more information. -- Christy Pattengill-Semmens, Ph.D. Scientific Coordinator Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) www.reef.org ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Coral symbionts Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 10:00:10 -0500 From: "Ivan Marin" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral-lers, Our laboratory has been studing simbiotic relationships between different sea invertebrates. Personally, I am studing coral-associated crustaceans as one of the component of coral reef community. Generally, we are interested in all animals and their complex associated with scleractinian coral colonies. Since 2001 members of our laboratory has been working in South Vietnam waters investigating coral reef community and all influinced factors. As one knows, corals in Vietnam are hardly exploited by fishing, pollution and others, that why this region is very interesting to study effect of exploitation. My supervisor, T.A. Brytaev, and I try to investigate the changes in coral associated communities as factors and indexes of coral community pollution. Here, we are looking for scientist or societies, who are interested in cooperation in this topic. We are interested in any contacts with scientists who make same investigations in other regoins. And yet one. Could you help me to find organizations, societies or funds (their Internet pages), which are supporting and funding different joint projects, scientific projects on studing coral associated communities and grants for PhD student to make joint coral reef condition investigations in Indo-West Pacific. Thank You very much. Sincerely yours Ph.D. student, Ivan N. Marin Laboratory of Evolutional Morphology of Marine Invertebrates (T.Brytaev Laboratory) A.N. Severtzov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (RAS) Leninsky pr. 33 117071 Moscow Russia Fax: 095 954 5534 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Manual: Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 10:02:11 -0500 From: scrfa To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear All, The Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Spawning Aggregations is pleased to announce completion of a "Methods Manual" for spawning aggregation-related work. The Manual may be found at www.scrfa.org under 'Education and Information' and is intended to be a reference, incorporating lots of field examples, for work on aggregations. It includes methods applicable to research ranging from biological studies and monitoring fish numbers (by both fishery dependent and fishery independent means) to techniques for mapping of aggregation sites, and conservation issues, amongst others. Apologies for the cross-posting, Andy Cornish ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Pollution Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 10:02:11 -0500 From: CSalt5@aol.com To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Mr. Sheppard: About a month ago I responded to a request from Jim Hendee for comments on setting priorities for the Coral Reef Task Force to focus on. Topping the proposed list was "land based pollution." I stated that material dredged from offshore for beach restoration was not land based, but should be high on the list because it is one of the leading causes of direct coral destruction. You will not find documentation of this in scientific journals. The acreage estimates are scattered in Corps of Engineers EISs dating back to the 1960s. Ken Lindeman of Environmental Defense attempted to compile a list of projects and add up impacts on coral reefs but, due to poor preproject documentation and an absence of follow up studies, found it impossible to arrive at a precise total. The currently proposed Broward County project would bury, by first estimate, 55 acres of nearshore coral community. Following a public outcry and as frequently happens, this estimate was mysteriously reduced to 35 acres; thirty-five acres for one project which would move 3.5 million cubic yards of sand. In Dr. Lindeman's Dissertation he found that 47.225 million cy have been dredged and deposited since 1960 in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties. It stands to reason that a minimum of 100 acres of reef has been buried by beach fill. Additional aceage has been destroyed by dredges offshore and degraded by settling of suspended sediment. Truly yours, Chuck Sultzman --part1_119.1e93a9c9.2b704f69_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Mr. Sheppard:
     About a month ago I responded to a request from Jim= Hendee for comments on setting priorities for the Coral Reef Task Force to=20= focus on.  Topping the proposed list was "land based pollution." =20= I stated that material dredged from offshore for beach restoration was not l= and based, but should be high on the list because it is one of the leading c= auses of direct coral destruction.  You will not find documentation of=20= this in scientific journals.  The acreage estimates are scattered in Co= rps of Engineers EISs dating back to the 1960s.  Ken Lindeman of Enviro= nmental Defense attempted to compile a list of projects and add up impacts o= n coral reefs but, due to poor preproject documentation and an absence of fo= llow up studies, found it impossible to arrive at a precise total.  The= currently proposed Broward County project would bury, by first estimate, 55= acres of nearshore coral community.  Following a public outcry and as=20= frequently happens, this estimate was mysteriously reduced to 35 acres; thir= ty-five acres for one project which would move 3.5 million cubic yards of sa= nd.  In Dr. Lindeman's Dissertation he found that 47.225 million cy hav= e been dredged and deposited since 1960 in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach cou= nties.  It stands to reason that a minimum of 100 acres of reef=20= has been buried by beach fill.  Additional aceage has been destroyed by= dredges offshore and degraded by settling of suspended sediment.
 
            &nbs= p;            &n= bsp;            = Truly yours,

            &nbs= p;            &n= bsp;            = Chuck Sultzman
 --part1_119.1e93a9c9.2b704f69_boundary-- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: AMLC Meeting Announcement Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 11:07:02 -0500 From: Laurie Richardson To: coral list > MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PAPERS > > 31st Scientific Meeting of the > ASSOCIATION OF MARINE LABORATORIES OF THE CARIBBEAN > Crowne Plaza Hotel > Port of Spain, Trinidad > > July 14-18, 2003 > > We are pleased to announce our upcoming scientific meeting of the > Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean. The meeting > will be centered around scientific presentations and will include a > field trip to enjoy our locale, which this year is the island of > Trinidad. As in the past, presenters may submit papers of their > presentations for potential publication in the peer-reviewed journal > proceedings of the meeting. Presentations will include poster- as > well as verbal presentations. In keeping with the AMLC purpose of > promoting the exchange of scientific and technical information > concerning Caribbean marine sciences, the themes of this scientific > meeting will be: > > … Ornamental Marine Organisms and Fisheries > … Diseases of Coral Reef Organisms > … Remote Sensing and GIS in the Wider Caribbean > … Caribbean Oceanography and Coastal Processes > … Pollution and Anthropogenic Issues > … Public Awareness and Education > … Biodiversity, MPAs, and Conservation > … Fisheries and Aquaculture > … General Caribbean Marine Sciences > > Other topics will be considered subject to session time limitations. > Abstracts must be received by May 1, 2003, and may be in English or > Spanish. Abstracts must be submitted in the form described in the > Abstract Format instructions at the end of this message. Upon receipt > of your > abstract, a brief description of the associated peer-reviewed paper > guidelines for authors and submission requirements will be sent to > you, along with confirmation of receipt of your abstract. It will be > helpful if you assure that your e-mail address is clearly provided > when you submit your abstract. > > If using postal service to submit your abstract, include a hard copy > and an electronic copy on diskette. If using e-mail, attach your > abstract to your message - do not incorporate your abstract in the > body of your message - attach the Word file. Submit your abstract(s) > to: > > Dr. Laurie Richardson > Biology Department > Florida International University > Miami, FL 33199 USA > E-mail: Laurie.Richardson@fiu.edu > > REGISTRATION > > A Registration Form accompanies this Meeting Announcement. Please > note that substantial cost saving may be realized by early (before > May 1, 2003) registration. A second way to save for non-members of > AMLC is to join the association by completing the attached Membership > Form and adding membership fees to the amount remitted for > registration. > > The registration fee covers the initial reception, all meeting rooms, > two coffee breaks per day, a book of abstracts, the program, the > published meeting proceedings, and a souvenir T-shirt. Tickets to > the closing banquet and local field trips will be sold for nominal > prices at the registration desk when you arrive. > > ACCOMODATIONS > > The venue hotel will be the Crowne Plaza in Port of Spain, Trinidad. > Our special AMLC room rates are U.S. $82.00 for single occupancy, and > U.S. 90.00 for double occupancy. These rates include taxes and a > buffet breakfast, and they assume that we rent a minimum number of > rooms, so we encourage all attendees to stay at the venue hotel. We > suggest you make early reservations to assure your getting these > great special rates. You will need a credit card to confirm your > reservation. To make your hotel reservations, contact: > > Mr. Jerome Dinzey > Sales Manager > Crowne Plaza Trinidad > Wrightson Road > Port of Spain, Trinidad > Tel: 1-868-625-3366 > Fax: 1-868-625-4166 > E-mail: eoffice@crowneplaza.co.tt > > TRAVEL > > You may need a visa for travel to Trinidad, so we suggest you check > with your travel agent and secure this visa early. > > Because shuttle service is not provided by the hotel, we suggest > using a taxi. The cost of a taxi from the airport to Port of Spain > is U.S. $20 before 10:00 p.m., and U.S. $30 after 10:00 p.m. > > WE WILL SEE YOU ALL IN TRINIDAD! > > 31st SCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF > MARINE LABORATORIES OF THE CARIBBEAN > TRINIDAD, JULY 14-18, 2003 > > Name > ____ > __________________________________________________________________________ > > Position : > _________________ > _____________________________________________________________ > Organization: > _____________ > ______________________________________________________________ > Address: > ________ > _______________________________________________________________________ > > ________________________________________________________________________________ > > City: __________________________________ > State:______________________ Postal Code: ____________ > Country: ____________________ Tel: ___________________ E-mail: > _______________________________ > Accompanying person (s) > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Mark (X) your registration status: Early registration > Late registration > Before May 1, 2003 > After May 1, 2003 > Current Members of AMLC > Full ($ 250.00) ________ > ($ 290.00) _______ > Student ($ 100.00) ________ ($ > 130.00) _______ > Non-Members of AMLC > Full ($ 300.00) ________ > ($ 340.00) _______ > Student ($ 130.00) ________ ($ > 160.00) _______ > Accompanying person ($ 100.00) ________ ($ > 130.00) _______ > AMLC Membership Fee ________ > _______ > Non-members may join now and pay Members Fees; see the attached > Membership Form. > Total included with this registration $ _______________ > > ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE BY BANK DRAFT PAYABLE TO THE > "INSTITUTE OF MARINE AFFAIRS." > Please send completed registration form with your payment to: > If by postal mail: If by > courier (e.g. Federal Express): > Denise Williams-Dummett, Executive Assistant Denise > Williams-Dummett, Executive Assistant > Institute of Marine Affairs > Institute of Marine Affairs > P.O. Box 3160, Carenage Post Office Hilltop Lane > Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies Chaguaramas, > Trinidad, West Indies > For information and inquiries, you may contact Ms. Williams-Dummett > at: > Tel: 1-868-634-4291/4 or by E-mail at: director@ima.gov.tt > > NEW MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION INFORMATION > > TO BE USED WITH REGISTRATION FOR THE 2003 SCIENCE MEETING IN > TRINIDAD > > Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean > > Thank you for your interest in joining the AMLC. Our membership > categories and fees are as follows: > > _Student ($5.00) _ Regular($25.00) _ > Sponsor ($30.00) > _ Sustaining ($50.00) _ Patron ($100.00) > > Please indicate (above) at which level you are joining, and add that > amount to your registration payment for the Trinidad meeting (July, > 2003). > > Next, please fill out the following information and mail the > completed form with your meeting registration materials. > > Name and Address Information: > > Name: > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Address: > ____________________________________________________________________ > > > ____________________________________________________________________ > > Scientific interests: > ____________________________________________________________ > > Telephone: ____________________________ Fax: > ______________________________ > > E-mail:___________________________________________ > ABSTRACT GUIDELINES > > THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF AMLC! > 31st SCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF > MARINE LABORATORIES OF THE CARIBBEAN > TRINIDAD, JULY 14-18, 2003 > > Deadline for submitting the abstract is May 1, 2003. > The abstract should be in the following IBM or compatible format: > Word processor: MS Word 6- or higher. Font: Times-Roman (size 11) - > Margins: 1.0" all sides. Title - All in capital letters; font size > 11. Title should be short (2 lines maximum) and include Order and > Family of organisms when needed. Scientific names should be in > italics. In the next line, name (s) of author (s) with presenter > underlined, a complete, but short, address for the senior author and > his/her e-mail. Text: Leave one line, and then write the 300 word > (maximum), single paragraph text (single space between lines) of the > abstract, leave one line and write four keywords for the abstract, > the session you want to give your presentation, and if it will be an > oral presentation or a poster. Please, let us know if you would like > to co-chair a session. > > Example: > > ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A NOVEL STRATEGY OF ASEXUAL > REPRODUCTION IN CARIBBEAN MASSIVE CORALS. > E.Weil*, A.L. Ortiz, H. Ruiz & M. Schärer. > *Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico. P.O. BOX > 908, Lajas, PR 00667, USA. eweil@caribe.net > > Corals can reproduce asexually by at least five described strategies. > Only fragmentation and asexual larvae have been reported for the > Caribbean. A novel strategy of asexual reproduction was observed in > massive colonies of the genera Diploria and Dendrogyra in the > Caribbean. These species produce asexual buds which develop as > soft-tissue outgrowths on the ridges, and deposit a well organized > skeleton which is not connected to the parent colony. We have termed > these propagules gemma (pl. gemmae). Gemmae may stay attached until > they get large and heavy and/or surge conditions are strong. > Detached, surviving gemmae form "rolling stones" or re-attach to the > substrate. Some ecological characteristics were assessed by band > transects, counts of number of gemmae per colony, depth distribution, > etc., in several coral reef areas across the wider Caribbean. Results > indicate that: (1) gemmae are widely distributed from Bermuda to > Venezuela, and were restricted to shallow areas (< 5 m); (2) in > Puerto Rico, D. clivosa had a higher abundance of colonies with > gemmae (25.5 %) compared to D. strigosa (11.7 %) and D. > labyrinthiformis (8.7 %); (3) D. strigosa and D. clivosa had > significantly higher average number of gemmae per colony (14.9 and > 6.8 respectively) than D. labyrinthiformis (1.2); (4) the number and > size of gemmae was not related to parent colony size; (5) average > size of gemmae was similar between the three species in Puerto Rico, > and significantly larger in D. strigosa (5.49 mm) compared to > Venezuela (3.62 mm). Maximum size was found in D. clivosa (26 mm). > This strategy could have evolved as a response to the environmental > instability of shallow reef habitats, and may explain the dominance > of Diploria in these habitats. Further research on the genetic > composition of populations of Diplorias in shallow reef habitats, and > the ecological consequences of this strategy is needed. > > Keywords:. Massive scleractinian corals, asexual reproduction, > gemmae, Caribbean. > Session: General Caribbean Marine Sciences > > Oral Presentation __________ > Poster Presentation _________ > > Chair or co-chair this session ____________ > Other session ______ specify which session > ________________________________________ > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Stronger Protections Sought for South Atlantic Groupers Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 12:24:12 -0500 From: Alexander Stone To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov, fish-sci@segate.sunet.se, gcfinet@listserv.tamu.edu, marbio@mote.org, marinelife@onenw.org, cons-wpst-coralreef-forum@lists.sierraclub.org R e e f D i s p a t c h *********************** February 7, 2003 Stronger Protections Sought for South Atlantic Groupers ------------------------------------------------------------------- conservation group makes headway towards grouper management reforms Miami, Florida – Comprehensive management reform for South Atlantic grouper stocks is being called for by the coral reef conservation organization ReefKeeper International in response to information indicating that most grouper stocks are at risk of collapse. The public interest group has requested that an integrated multi-point management program be adopted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and National Marine Fisheries Service to protect groupers from further depletion. To generate public support for the measures, the conservation group is hosting a Save America's Groupers internet petition campaign at http://www.reefguardian.org. The unified management approach would include new reduced fishing quotas for all grouper species based on available population data for designated indicator stocks, partial spawning season fishing closures, and implementation of rebuilding plans that include no-take zones for all officially designated overfished grouper species. “Because the proposed management measures are interdependent and each serves a unique purpose, they must all be implemented if we're going to protect groupers and the fisheries that depend on them,” stated ReefKeeper Director Alexander Stone. Action on the ReefKeeper requests is under consideration by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, but their acceptance is uncertain. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council is currently working on a broad revision of federal grouper fishing regulations. Available scientific data would indicate that increased protection is overdue. A November 2000 study by the American Fisheries Society identified 10 of the 18 South Atlantic grouper species as being vulnerable to extinction. Similarly, the Council's own information indicates that 11 managed grouper stocks are presently overfished. "Precautionary fishery management measures and stock rebuilding plans must be put in place now, before it is too late," said Stone. The 18 grouper species managed in the South Atlantic are naturally divided by where they are found into a shallow-water grouper complex and a deep-water grouper complex. Each complex consists of many grouper species mixed together throughout the ocean bottom. These two so-called mixed fishery complexes have made traditional techniques of managing stocks on an individual species basis unworkable when applied to groupers. Since multiple species are mingled together in the same fishing areas and depths, they are all caught together by the same fishing gear at the same time. As a result of this phenomenon, ReefKeeper contends that any catch restrictions placed on a single species are ineffective because fishers have no way to avoid catching the restricted species while pursuing other species in the same grouper complex. “To compensate for the mixed fishery effect on individual grouper species, we’re asking that management measures be applied collectively to all shallow-water groupers as one multi-species complex, and to all deep-water groupers as another,” commented ReefKeeper Director Stone. Compounding management problems is the fact that, due to limited data and staff resources, the South Atlantic Council cannot actually determine the current population condition of many grouper stocks. According to ReefKeeper, the solution is to designate an "indicator species" of known population status for each of the 2 grouper complexes. "Fishing quotas and management decisions for each of the 2 complexes could then be based on the known population condition of the indicator species in each of the 2 complexes," Stone explained. In fact, it appears that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council may be in at least partial agreement with ReefKeeper’s reasoning. Recently the Council began to consider using the known population condition of Snowy Grouper as the basis for setting fishing quotas and making management decisions for the deep-water grouper complex. But the Council has yet to make any move towards selection of an indicator species for the shallow-water grouper complex. Groupers are seasonal spawners that -- true to their name -- tend to congregate in large groups during spawning season. Shallow-water groupers do this generally in the Spring, while deep-water groupers do it in the Fall. There is widespread concern that fishing for spawning groupers is decreasing their reproductive success year by year. The result is further declines each year in already depressed grouper populations. ReefKeeper is asking the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council to give each grouper species a chance for undisturbed spawning. To do this, the conservation group is advocating establishment of a Spring two-month fishing closure for the shallow-water grouper complex and a Fall closure of the same duration for the deep-water grouper complex. "Staggering the spawning season closures this way would still allow a year-round flow of local grouper to fish markets and restaurants while gradually rebuilding grouper populations as more and more of them live to spawn before being caught," the ReefKeeper spokesman emphasized. Several of the conservation group’s requested management measures have already been included as potential options in the current draft of the revised regulations. These include implementation of science-based overfishing limits, partial spawning season fishing closures, and the setting of rebuilding plans for badly overfished Nassau and Goliath grouper stocks. However, the regulation's present draft still lack several management measures considered essential by ReefKeeper. The conservation group is continuing to advocate for inclusion in the draft regulation of management of grouper stocks on a complex-wide basis, and the adoption of rebuilding plans that include the use of no-take zones for all overfished grouper stocks in the South Atlantic. The public interest organization remains hopeful. “With continued public support, we feel confident the Council will do the right thing and adopt each of these measures which are fundamental to the recovery of South Atlantic groupers from their present depleted condition,” added Stone. The ReefKeeper grouper management requests are being considered for adoption under Amendment 13 to the South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan. To generate public support for the requests, ReefKeeper is seeking sign-ons to a Save America's Groupers petition at http://www.reefguardian.org/Campaigns/SaveOurReefFishGRP/PetitionGRP.html. "America's groupers need greater protection now, before they are all driven to the brink of extinction," ReefKeeper Director Alexander Stone concluded. # # # Contacts: ReefKeeper International / Alexander Stone, Director / (305) 358-4600 or a_stone@reefkeeper.org South Atlantic Fishery Mgmt Council / Greg Waugh, Assistant Executive Director / (843) 571-4366 or gregg.waugh@safmc.net ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: AMLC Meeting announcment format Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 13:03:39 -0500 From: Laurie Richardson To: coral list Dear Colleagues - I formated the AMLC meeting announcement sent out earlier in Netscape, and the margins got scrambled in the posting. If you are thinking of attending this meeting and want a better information package please reply to this and I'll send it as a word attachment. Thanks and sorry for any inconvenience. Laurie Richardson, AMLC Membership Director ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Diadema die off/African dust Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 06:51:25 -0500 From: Chris Kellogg To: Weighing in with my 2 cents on Clostridium (as a microbiologist)-- Clostridium sp., like Bacillus sp., form endospores. Generally, the vegetative cells are rapidly killed by exposure to air, but the spores are not. Both Clostridium and Bacillus sp. are normal soil inhabitants (caveat: C. perfringens is regarded as an indicator of sewage contamination. Note that this 'contamination' and indicator may come from any mammal, not just humans). Point being, there is no reason one could not find Clostridium in African dust. That said, my experiments culturing bacteria from African dust air samples taken in Mali, Africa, have all been done under aerobic conditions. Because I get so much growth (sometimes over 2000 bacterial colonies on a single filter--15 min sample) I can only afford to ID a small subset of bacteria from each sample. The most common genus I have seen is Bacillus. I should be getting some new samples in this month, and will try culturing half the filter under anaerobic conditions to see if anything grows. At one point, Dale Griffin tested some filters from African dust air samples taken in the Virgin Islands under anaerobic conditions, but did not see any growth. However, the Caribbean samples have about 100x fewer bacteria on them than the 'source' dust samples I get from Mali, so if Clostridium is in the dust, I'll have a better shot at detecting it in the samples from Africa. Shameless self promotion: I have just completed an open-file report summarizing my and Dale's work on African dust microbes. It is available at http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/ or you can email me for a high resolution pdf (4.2 MB). Due to our group's enthusiasm for the topic of African dust, it may appear that we are trying to link African dust to everything from coral reef/sea urchin mortality to the assassination of JFK (which is not to say that African dust doesn't occasionally cross the Gulf of Mexico and affect air quality in Texas...), to the exclusion of other hypotheses. Our suggestion that something is possible is not intended to imply that it is the sole or even most probable explanation. Just that it is possible. -Chris ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Christina A. Kellogg, Ph.D. Research Microbiologist United States Geological Survey Center for Coastal and Watershed Studies 600 Fourth Street South St. Petersburg, Florida 33701 PH: (727) 803-8747 X3128 FAX:(727) 803-2031 Email: ckellogg@usgs.gov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Everything is dust in the wind." - Kansas >Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 17:31:43 -0600 >From: "Robert W. Buddemeier" >Organization: KGS >X-Accept-Language: en >MIME-Version: 1.0 >To: Jim Bohnsack >CC: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov, eshinn@usgs.gov, rbak@nioz.nl, > lessiosh , szmanta@uncwil.edu, > Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov >Subject: Re: Diadema die off - another reference >X-MIMETrack: Itemize by SMTP Server on gscamnlh01/SERVER/USGS/DOI(Release >5.0.10 |March > 22, 2002) at 01/30/2003 03:32:03 PM, > Serialize by POP3 Server on gsflstpm01/SERVER/USGS/DOI(Release >5.0.10 |March > 22, 2002) at 01/30/2003 06:41:42 PM, > Serialize complete at 01/30/2003 06:41:42 PM > >Interesting -- African dust doesn't sound like a very good vector for an >anaerobe. > >Two other observations on the Dust Discussion -- > >1. Paleoclimate -- based on (dust-relevant) African contributions to >Atlantic sediments, the Sahara desertification was complete and its sediment >output quasi-steady-state by 5000 years BP. (I think the reference is >deMenocal et al. 2000, Quat. Sci. Rev. 19:347-361) If dust were a reliable >vector there should have been plenty of chances for ecosystem inoculation >before the past decade; alternatively, if this (putative dust-borne >infection) were a statistically unique event in the Quaternary, then there is >probably no way to 'prove' it, but probably also not much reason to worry >about it in the future. > >2. Experimental studies -- I think it would be extremely difficult to devise >any sort of mesocosm test of the dust hypothesis -- in addition to the issue >of how to test for or rule out statistically rare episodic inputs, there is >the serious experimental design problem inherent in the enormous differences >in surface/volume ratios between aquaria and the real ocean. > >If you delivered a realistic oceanic surface dose (g/m2/day) to an aquarium, >the resultant water concentration would be orders of magnitude greater than >in a natural system, and if you tried to generate a realistic oceanic water >column concentration in an aquarium, you would be dealing with an almost >unmanageably small (and therefore probably unrepresentative) input dose. >Further, the high internal (solid) surface to (water) volume ratio of the >aquarium system, combined with low water motion relative to the real ocean, >would confound interpretation of the behavior of particulate contaminants. > >Bob Buddemeier > >Jim Bohnsack wrote: > >> In the various discussions, I did not see the following reference >> mentioned concerning the cause of the Caribbean Diadema die off in 1983. >> >> Bauer, J.C. and C.J. Agerter. 1987. Isolation of bacteria pathogenic >> for the sea urchin Diadema antillarum (Echinodermata: Echinoidea). Bull. >> Mar. Sci. 40(1): 161-165. >> >> It provides evidence that an anaerobic bacteria Clostridium was the >> responsible agent. I believe this study was able to satisfy all but one >> of Koch's postulates. The last one can not be tested because no known >> specimen that actually died in the kill was preserved by freezing. >> >> Also, I vaguely rember (i.e. I can not verify) someone mentioning that >> this kill occurred just after Panama started preventing ships from >> releasing ballast water and other discharges in the Panama Canal. >> Presumably, cruise ships that held sewage in tanks while crossing the >> Isthmus would have plenty of opportunity to build up anoxic conditions >> in their tanks and large abundance of Clostridium. If there is any >> merit to this hypothesis, I hope everyone appreciates the irony of having >> one regulation designed to prevent environmental damage (i.e. protect >> water quality in the Panama Canal) causing great damage elsewhere. >> >> REF: >> >> > Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 10:08:33 -0500 >> > From: Gene Shinn >> > Subject: Dust and other Hypotheses >> > >> > TimesDear Coral Listers, >> > >> > Since there has been so much discussion of the African dust >> > hypothesis on the list in recent weeks, I could resist responding no >> > longer. First, the experiments proposed by Jim Hendee to test African >> > dust effects on corals are similar to ones I have been proposing for at >> > least 5 years. Unfortunately, there is little funding to do such work. >> > In addition, the USGS does not have in place the dust collectors you >> > mention. We sample for microbes using very small samples and collection >> > requires only 10-to-15 minutes. We do no routine monitoring but would >> > if we could. There is no funding for the large expensive samplers >> > needed to provide enough sample for the experiments Jim proposed. >> > Secondly, the major problem with finding the Diadema pathogen is that >> > the pathogen that first killed them has not been identified so we do >> > not know what to look for. It would be possible, however, to test >> > living Diadema against those microbes that have been cultured from dust >> > thus far. >> > >> > I thank Lessios for answering Alina's question regarding survival >> > of West African Diadema. I did not have an answer as elegant as his. I >> > could only suggest that Diadema living so close to the source, like the >> > humans and the Siderastera sp. that survive there, long ago adapted and >> > those that didn't died. Lessios also makes some very valid points >> > regarding water transport of the unknown pathogen. We accept that the >> > Diadema die-off began near the Panama Canal (Lessios et al., 1984, >> > Science, 226:335-337). We also point out that the die-off began in >> > winter when African dust impacts the southern Caribbean, South America >> > and the Panama region and it was also the dustiest year since Prospero >> > began monitoring dust in 1965. The upper Caribbean is impacted later >> > during the summer months. Like Lessios, we believe water transport is >> > very important. How else would it infect Diadema in aquaria (I assume >> > we are talking running seawater aquaria)? Once the Caribbean basin is >> > impacted as shown in the NOAA satellite image in our 4-page info sheet >> > in our website, water currents likely complete the distribution of any >> > pathogens delivered from the air. Areas downcurrent, such as, Belize >> > and Florida, were impacted by the disease after Panama. What has >> > concerned us, however, is how did the pathogen later move hundreds of >> > miles against the Caribbean Current to reach the Lesser Antilles? Dust >> > contamination of the Atlantic seaward of the Antilles and then >> > transport downcurrent to the Antilles seems a reasonable possibility. >> > There is nothing between the Antilles and Africa, and both the wind and >> > the currents move toward the Antilles. More recent studies conducted by >> > microbiologists at our office show that microbial species in dust can >> > change drastically within 30 minutes. Don't expect a dust cloud to >> > deliver the same microbes everywhere at the same time. >> > >> > My main point is that the dust hypothesis is just that, an >> > hypothesis, as are the other proposed causes of Diadema and coral >> > death. The ballast-water origin is an unproven hypothesis, as are the >> > other "usual suspects" that drive coral research funding. This latter >> > point gets back to what Jim pointed out a week earlier regarding the >> > emotional "pollution" word. Where is the original basic research >> > demonstrating the degree of damage done to corals by the "usual >> > suspects," oil spills, sewage, sedimentation, and mosquito spraying, to >> > name a few? We seem to have skipped over the basics and then let >> > assumptions and emotion guide our research and funding agencies. >> > >> > Best Wishes, Gene >> > >> >> ~~~~~~~ >> For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >> digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > >-- >Dr. Robert W. Buddemeier >Kansas Geological Survey >University of Kansas >1930 Constant Avenue >Lawrence, KS 66047 USA >e-mail: buddrw@ku.edu >ph (1) (785) 864-2112 >fax (1) (785) 864-5317 > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 06:53:24 -0500 From: "Duncan MacRae" To: Dear Pedro, I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonaire last year (as yet unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the amount of damage around the mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess of 25000 divers visiting them and showed far higher diversity and greater 'health' than other sites with very few divers. If you would like to know more, do not hesitate to contact me. I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a management tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Better would be the number of tourists that the local wastewater treatment plants of the area can handle..... Regards, Duncan R. MacRae ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM Subject: Need information on carrying capacity > Dear Coral lister, > > I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and Roberts' > = > (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I am participating > = > in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations, and so far I have = > Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000 divers/site/year. I think it > = > would be good a figure for begining that could be revised an adjusted = > after subsequent monitoring, but I would like to know about other = > alternative numbers. I would appreciate to receive that information, as > = > well as any relevant comment on the issue. > > Cheers, > Pedro > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 11:12:13 -0500 From: "Mark Vermeij" To: solutions@cozm.co.uk CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Duncan, and the rest, Being somewhat familiar with the Bonaire situation I want to raise some caution to that what's suggested in your mail, more diversity and greater health are related to higher number of visiting divers. Although this realtion could well exist, to suggest any sort of mechanistical relationship is probably highly premature. Although one could think of divers as an disturbance that jacks up species numbers (i.e. attraction of fish mainly), the suggestion that diving causes/ increases the attractiveness/ health of a reef should not be proposed as such, as it will likely be used as an "easy" argument in discussions occurring all around the world where the reef and society compete. In itself this would of course be ok, were it not that the relation mentioned above is very likely the result of the "non random distribution" of divers around the island and the unwillingness of dive resorts to go all the way to the "really nice spots" on Bonaire, which will take a considerable trip, that many tourists don't deal with very well. Spots with low diversity are not very attractive for divers, hence they aren't brought over there. The regular dive sites occur on the entire leeward site of Bonaire and take the major amount of visitors. The truly exciting reefs occur on the east side or the north side of the island, but suffer from some serious beating by the trade winds. Needless to say that no resort will throw their visitors of the cliffs on these sides of the island to "enjoy" a really good reef. A pattern no evolves where divers aren't brought to the worst and the best sides, creating a relation at the beginning of this continuum between increasing numbers of divers and overall reef quality. I think this underlying factor needs to be addressed before claims as yours can be made, so one doesn't risk the "justification" of adding large numbers of divers to a reef to save it. Best regards, Mark -- Dr. Mark Vermeij Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (RSMAS/UM) NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Science Center 75 Virginia Beach Dr, Miami, FL 33149 USA Tel: +1 305-361-4230, Fax: +1 305-361-4499 E-mail: Mark.Vermeij@noaa.gov http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/cimas/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 11:13:13 -0500 From: "GJ Gast" Organization: Greenpeace To: "Duncan MacRae" , Dear Duncan, 1. Does this mean that building more sewage treatment plants gives coral reefs a higher carrying capacity for tourism? 2. There are no sewage treatment plants on Bonaire. So the allowed number of tourist must be set on zero? I understand that divers carrying capacity is a complicated issue with many varying aspects and that it is hard to come to generally applicable figures. The least one can do is to use the precautionary principle, which in this case means staying way within known safe limits. Using wastewater treatment as a criterium is definately much too simplistic. On the contrary, the wastewater treatment capacity should follow the numbers of tourists and local people. If only that would become reality.... Best wishes, GJ. On 7 Feb 2003, at 6:53, Duncan MacRae wrote: > Dear Pedro, > > I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonaire last year (as > yet unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the amount of damage around > the mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess of 25000 divers visiting > them and showed far higher diversity and greater 'health' than other > sites with very few divers. If you would like to know more, do not > hesitate to contact me. > > I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a > management tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Better > would be the number of tourists that the local wastewater treatment > plants of the area can handle..... > > Regards, > > Duncan R. MacRae > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Pedro Alcolado" > To: > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM > Subject: Need information on carrying capacity > > > > Dear Coral lister, > > > > I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and > > Roberts' = (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I am > > participating = in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations, > > and so far I have = Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000 > > divers/site/year. I think it = would be good a figure for begining > > that could be revised an adjusted = after subsequent monitoring, but > > I would like to know about other = alternative numbers. I would > > appreciate to receive that information, as = well as any relevant > > comment on the issue. > > > > Cheers, > > Pedro > > > > ~~~~~~~ > > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html > > . > > > > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > ========================================================= Dr Gert Jan Gast Seas and Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone +31 20 5236655 Mobile +31 6 5206 2976 Fax +31 20 6221272 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 11:14:14 -0500 From: Hernandez Edwin To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear coral-listers: I partially and respectfully disagree with Duncan MacRae regarding his recommendation of not using diver numbers as a management tool. Under high densities, diver numbers can have a negative effect on coral reef benthic communities. In Puerto Rico, there are still diving schools that take out in some of their trips between 40 and 80 novice divers in a single boat trip. Similarly, we have major hotels in PR that bring bunches of unexperienced snorkellers to shallow reef areas that I have personally seen stepping on living corals everywhere. Novice divers and snorkellers could be extremely destructive in localized reef areas, mostly because they are not familiar with the reefs (and they have not been adequately educated during their trainng, if any at all). They can not adequately control yet their buoyancy, most of them use diving gloves and keep touching everything trying to avoid hitting the bottom, etc. Also, most of the time, diving boats drop anchor on the reef due to the lack of mooring buoys. Thus, these combined effects have a high potential for causing significant destruction. Diver number could affect boat traffic, anchoring, potential for fuel contamination, possible reef trampling to access shore reefs, etc. And, in many instances (e.g., Puerto Rico), this could translate into severe indirect recreational spearfishing effects. Yes, we do still have a LOT of spearfishing diving trips everywhere! Diver number HAS to be taken into consideration because it is not the same having several trips with few experienced and well-trained divers, than to have a bunch of rookies around. I think that to define management of diving activities you have to consider: 1. Overall number of divers. 2. Number of diving trips. 3. Number of divers/trip. 4. Level of diver training. 5. Purpose of diving trip. 6. Ecological conditions of the diving place. 7. Education of reef etiquete and behavior (this should be mandatory). 8. Shoreline entrances to the reef. My research experience (Hernandez-Delgado et al., 2001; Hernandez-Delgado et al., in preparation) has shown that trampling to gain access to deeper reef areas can be extremely destructive in localized areas. And, the higher the number of people, the higher the damage. Thus, diver number is a major part of the carrying capacity formula that should not be left out. Cheers, Edwin ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: carrying capacity Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 11:44:10 -0500 From: "david medio" To: "Mark Vermeij" , CC: I do not know Bonaire, but have worked on the issue of carrying capacity and diver damage. At Ras Mohammed National park (possibly the most densily dived spot anywhere on earth) there is no question that a correlation exists between no of divers and reef degradation. The only thing that has made a difference is (a) diver education, (b) no anchors, (c) no boat discharges and limited number of boats per mooring and per site. Cheers. Dr David Medio Environmental Consultant 43 St John Street York YO31 7QR England +44 1904 647202 david@medio.fsnet.co.uk ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Vermeij" To: Cc: Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 4:12 PM > Dear Duncan, and the rest, > > Being somewhat familiar with the Bonaire situation I want to raise some > caution to that what's suggested in your mail, more diversity and > greater health are related to higher number of visiting divers. Although > this realtion could well exist, to suggest any sort of mechanistical > relationship is probably highly premature. Although one could think of > divers as an disturbance that jacks up species numbers (i.e. attraction > of fish mainly), the suggestion that diving causes/ increases the > attractiveness/ health of a reef should not be proposed as such, as it > will likely be used as an "easy" argument in discussions occurring all > around the world where the reef and society compete. In itself this > would of course be ok, were it not that the relation mentioned above is > very likely the result of the "non random distribution" of divers around > the island and the unwillingness of dive resorts to go all the way to > the "really nice spots" on Bonaire, which will take a considerable trip, > that many tourists don't deal with very well. > Spots with low diversity are not very attractive for divers, hence they > aren't brought over there. The regular dive sites occur on the entire > leeward site of Bonaire and take the major amount of visitors. The > truly exciting reefs occur on the east side or the north side of the > island, but suffer from some serious beating by the trade winds. > Needless to say that no resort will throw their visitors of the cliffs > on these sides of the island to "enjoy" a really good reef. > A pattern no evolves where divers aren't brought to the worst and the > best sides, creating a relation at the beginning of this continuum > between increasing numbers of divers and overall reef quality. I think > this underlying factor needs to be addressed before claims as yours can > be made, so one doesn't risk the "justification" of adding large numbers > of divers to a reef to save it. > > Best regards, > Mark > > -- > Dr. Mark Vermeij > > Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (RSMAS/UM) > > NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Science Center > 75 Virginia Beach Dr, Miami, FL 33149 USA > Tel: +1 305-361-4230, > Fax: +1 305-361-4499 > E-mail: Mark.Vermeij@noaa.gov > > http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/cimas/ > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Reef use and the time element Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 12:15:17 -0500 From: John McManus To: Coral List Regarding reef use and reef health, it is important to account for the time element. In a study of a large number of reef areas in the Philippines, we found very little relationship between coastal density and reef health at first. Then we determined that recent settlements tended to be alongside healthier reefs, and older settlements tended to be along reefs in less good health. An analysis based on this showed good correlations. This supported the idea that people move to healthy coral areas, and then those areas degrade over time. The same would be expected with the dive industry. However, one would need to demonstrate this in a place with a long legacy of dive tourism. see: Pollnac, R.B., McManus, J.W., del Rosario, A. E., Banzon, A.S., Vergara, S.G. and Gorospe, M.L.G. 2000. Unexpected relationships between coral reef health and socio-economic pressures in the Philippines: ReefBase/RAMP applied. Marine & Freshwater Research 51:529-533. Cheers! John John W. McManus, PhD. Director National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (RSMAS) University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Fl. 33149 Phone: 305-361-4814 Fax: 305-361-4910 Email: jmcmanus@rsmas.miami.edu Website: www.ncoremiami.edu ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RV: Need information on carrying capacity Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 12:43:31 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: > Thanks very much, Duncan. It is surprising to know that a coral reef diving > spot visited by 25000 diver in one year still healthy, when in general > recomendations in litterature on carrying capacity do not exceed 10000, with > the exception of San Andres, Colombia, with 29000 (Gallo et al. in prep.; > which also surprised me). You are right about taking more care about > external stress sources (pollution from tourist resorts). Our Environment > Agency is aware about that and we have officially implemented EIAs and > licensing since 1997, which take into account this issue. The problem is > that we are preparing official general regulations for diving even in places > quite far for tourist resorts, and we think that even having very good diver > behaviour regulations and compliance, it would be convenient to set a > precautionary limit in the yearly amount of divers in a dive spot, in oder > to avoid eventual overcrowding by some local turoperators. We have > recommended no more than 4000 diver per year per site, but hearing you > figure I wonder (and worry about) wether we are really limiting the > potential income of country tourist dive bussiness with this relatively low > recommended figure. > Thank you very much again, and please keep helping us on the issue. I send a > copy of this message to Reynaldo Estrada, Director of the National Center of > Protected Areas (CNAP), who is leading the preparation of the dive > regulations, to keep him informed about your interesting comments. > Regards, > Pedro, > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Duncan MacRae > To: > Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 6:53 AM > Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity > > > > Dear Pedro, > > > > I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonaire last year (as yet > > unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the amount of damage around the > > mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess of 25000 divers visiting them and > > showed far higher diversity and greater 'health' than other sites with > very > > few divers. If you would like to know more, do not hesitate to contact me. > > > > I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a management > > tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Better would be the > > number of tourists that the local wastewater treatment plants of the area > > can handle..... > > > > Regards, > > > > Duncan R. MacRae > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Pedro Alcolado" > > To: > > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM > > Subject: Need information on carrying capacity > > > > > > > Dear Coral lister, > > > > > > I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and Roberts' > > > = > > > (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I am participating > > > = > > > in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations, and so far I have = > > > Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000 divers/site/year. I think it > > > = > > > would be good a figure for begining that could be revised an adjusted = > > > after subsequent monitoring, but I would like to know about other = > > > alternative numbers. I would appreciate to receive that information, as > > > = > > > well as any relevant comment on the issue. > > > > > > Cheers, > > > Pedro > > > > > > ~~~~~~~ > > > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > > > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > > > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~ > > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 12:43:32 -0500 From: "Greg Challenger" To: "GJ Gast" CC: I agree with Mark. Correlation is not causation, although I don't recall that it was suggest= ed. It stands to reason that mooring buoys are purposely placed in areas= that appear to be the most diverse and interesting for divers. Some del= ving into historical data regarding both the reef and the time since buoy= placement at each site, as well as continued monitoring of buoy and cont= rol sites may be necessary to make further inferences. In reference to sewage treatment criterion. I think diver carrying capac= ity can be viewed in the context of other pressures. A reef has an overa= ll carrying capacity, which we may define as a point beyond which communi= ty indices are adversely affected in a measurable or observable way. Div= er carrying capacity alone could vary depending on other stressors. Land= use, point source pollution and others may stress a reef such that diver= influences may be more readily observable. This would be a difficult pr= emise for which to design an experiment. I can think of one, but it would= cost boatloads of dough. =20 Waste water treatment as the only factor determinant in carrying capacity= is too simplistic, but I believe Pedro was just making a point. Diver c= arrying capacity at each site likely varies. This is logical given the d= ynamic and varying ecological indices and anthropogenic factors between a= nd among reefs. =20 ----- Original Message ----- From: GJ Gast Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 8:24 AM To: Duncan MacRae; coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Re: Need information on carrying capacity Dear Duncan, 1. Does this mean that building more sewage treatment plants gives =20 coral reefs a higher carrying capacity for tourism? 2. There are no sewage treatment plants on Bonaire. So the allowed =20 number of tourist must be set on zero? I understand that divers carrying capacity is a complicated issue =20 with many varying aspects and that it is hard to come to generally =20 applicable figures. The least one can do is to use the precautionary =20 principle, which in this case means staying way within known safe =20 limits. Using wastewater treatment as a criterium is definately much =20 too simplistic. On the contrary, the wastewater treatment capacity =20 should follow the numbers of tourists and local people. If only that =20 would become reality.... Best wishes, GJ. On 7 Feb 2003, at 6:53, Duncan MacRae wrote: > Dear Pedro, > =20 > I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonaire last year (as > yet unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the amount of damage around > the mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess of 25000 divers visiting > them and showed far higher diversity and greater 'health' than other > sites with very few divers. If you would like to know more, do not > hesitate to contact me. > =20 > I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a > management tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Better > would be the number of tourists that the local wastewater treatment > plants of the area can handle..... > =20 > Regards, > =20 > Duncan R. MacRae > =20 > =20 > =20 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Pedro Alcolado" > To: > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM > Subject: Need information on carrying capacity > =20 > =20 > > Dear Coral lister, > > > > I need to get information about other papers than Hawskin's and > > Roberts' =3D (1997) about carrying capacity in coral reef diving. I a= m > > participating =3D in the elaboration of tourist diving regulations, > > and so far I have =3D Haskin's and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000 > > divers/site/year. I think it =3D would be good a figure for begining > > that could be revised an adjusted =3D after subsequent monitoring, bu= t > > I would like to know about other =3D alternative numbers. I would > > appreciate to receive that information, as =3D well as any relevant > > comment on the issue. > > > > Cheers, > > Pedro > > > > ~~~~~~~ > > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html > > . > > > > > =20 > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > =20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Dr Gert Jan Gast Seas and Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone +31 20 5236655 Mobile +31 6 5206 2976 Fax +31 20 6221272 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ------=_NextPart_001_0003_01C2CE8B.CE1A20B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I agree = with Mark.
Correlation is not causation, although I don't reca= ll that it was suggested.  It stands to reason that mooring buoys ar= e purposely placed in areas that appear to be the most diverse and intere= sting for divers.  Some delving into historical data regarding both = the reef and the time since buoy placement at each site, as well as conti= nued monitoring of buoy and control sites may be necessary to make furthe= r inferences.
 
In reference to sewage treatme= nt criterion.  I think diver carrying capacity can be viewed in= the context of other pressures.  A reef has an overall carrying cap= acity, which we may define as a point beyond which co= mmunity indices are adversely affected in a measurable or observable way.=   Diver carrying capacity alone could vary depending on other stress= ors.  Land use, point source pollution and others may stress a reef = such that diver influences may be more readily observable.  This wou= ld be a difficult premise for which to design an experiment. I can think = of one, but it would cost boatloads of dough.
 
Waste water treatment as the only factor determinant in carrying capac= ity is too simplistic, but I believe Pedro was just making a point.&= nbsp; Diver carrying capacity at each site likely varies.  This is l= ogical given the dynamic and varying ecological indices and anthropo= genic factors between and among reefs.
= ----- Original Message -----
From: GJ Gast
Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 8:24 AM
To: Duncan MacRae; coral-list@coral.aom= l.noaa.gov
Subject: Re: Need= information on carrying capacity
 
Dear Duncan,
=
1. Does this mean that building more sewage treatment plants gives coral reefs a higher carrying capacity for tourism?

2. There are= no sewage treatment plants on Bonaire. So the allowed
number of tour= ist must be set on zero?

I understand that divers carrying capacit= y is a complicated issue
with many varying aspects and that it is har= d to come to generally
applicable figures. The least one can do is to= use the precautionary
principle, which in this case means staying wa= y within known safe
limits. Using wastewater treatment as a criterium= is definately much
too simplistic. On the contrary, the wastewater t= reatment capacity
should follow the numbers of tourists and local peo= ple. If only that
would become reality....

Best wishes, GJ.
On 7 Feb 2003, at 6:53, Duncan MacRae wrote:

> Dear Pedro,=
>
> I did an extensive study on carrying capacity on Bonair= e last year (as
> yet unpublished). I looked at 40 sites and the am= ount of damage around
> the mooring buoys. Some sites had in excess= of 25000 divers visiting
> them and showed far higher diversity an= d greater 'health' than other
> sites with very few divers. If you = would like to know more, do not
> hesitate to contact me.
> <= BR>> I suggest that you are very careful using diver numbers as a
&= gt; management tool, it has tended to open up a large can of worms. Bette= r
> would be the number of tourists that the local wastewater treat= ment
> plants of the area can handle.....
>
> Regards,=
>
> Duncan R. MacRae
>
>
>
> ---= -- Original Message -----
> From: "Pedro Alcolado" <alcolado@ama= .cu>
> To: <coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Sent: = Tuesday, January 28, 2003 10:32 PM
> Subject: Need information on c= arrying capacity
>
>
> > Dear Coral lister,
>= ; >
> > I need to get information about other papers than Haw= skin's and
> > Roberts' =3D (1997) about carrying capacity in co= ral reef diving. I am
> > participating =3D in the elaboration o= f tourist diving regulations,
> > and so far I have =3D Haskin's= and Roberts' figures of 5000-6000
> > divers/site/year. I think= it =3D would be good a figure for begining
> > that could be re= vised an adjusted =3D after subsequent monitoring, but
> > I wou= ld like to know about other =3D alternative numbers. I would
> >= appreciate to receive that information, as =3D well as any relevant
&= gt; > comment on the issue.
> >
> > Cheers,
> = > Pedro
> >
> > ~~~~~~~
> > For directions = on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
> > digest= s, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html
> >= ; .
> >
> >
>
> ~~~~~~~
> For direct= ions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
> digest= s, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .
> <= BR>

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Dr Gert Jan Gast
Seas and Oceans = Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands
Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam= , The Netherlands
Phone +31 20 5236655
Mobile +31 6 5206 2976
Fa= x +31 20 6221272

~~~~~~~
For directions on subscribing and unsu= bscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please see http://www.coral.no= aa.gov/lists/coral-list.html .
------=_NextPart_001_0003_01C2CE8B.CE1A20B0-- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Rapid assessment for coral disease Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 10:07:26 -0800 (PST) From: "M.Kathleen Hurley" To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear List- I am looking for a rapid assessment method for coral disease in the Dominican Repúblic. I would greatly appreciate any information on a rapid assessment method for assessing coral disease. I am aware of the modified CARICOMP method, but am looking for alternatives. Please respond directly to me. THanks in advance for your help. Kathleen Hurley, M.S. US Fulbright Fellow __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 16:50:26 -0500 From: "Michael Risk" To: "Mark Vermeij" , solutions@cozm.co.uk CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Mark, and Duncan, and the rest: I had already replied to Duncan privately re his posting, but your response has prompted me to make this wider submission. I did NOT read his posting as saying, divers are good for reefs. I'm sure Duncan is way too smart for that. There are many factors involved here, some of which you point out. As divers are taken to good spots, these also tend to have higher diversity, duh. In my experience, divers per se do not produce a lot of stress on reefs. Some of you should dive Sipadan, which receives several 10's of thousands of divers to an island that is only a few acres. We reef scientists need to be clear that what the locals do to attract and keep the divers is far more damaging. Duncan is right on the money when he says, look to the wastewater treatment facilities. All debates on "carrying capacity" need first and foremost to deal with land-based sources before any diver headcounts are attempted. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: USCRTF Meeting 26-27 Feb Date: Fri, 07 Feb 2003 17:53:06 -0500 From: "Heidi Schuttenberg" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force will hold its 9th meeting in Washington D.C. February 26-27. The meeting is open to the public and participation by all interested stakeholders in encouraged. Participants can register in advanced or on-site during the event. There is no cost for registration. Those interested have the opportunity to exhibit. There will also be an opportunity for public comment. The agenda for the meeting can be found at the Task Force web site: http://coralreef.gov/ Specific contact information about the meeting, exhibiting, and registration can be found in the Federal Register Notice pasted below. with best regards, Heidi Schuttenberg Federal Register Notice, 23 January 2003 Time and Date: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, February 26 and 27, 2003. Place: Departmental Auditorium, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240. Status: The Department of the Interior, as co-chair with the Department of Commerce, on behalf of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF), announces a public meeting of the Task Force. Composed of the heads of eleven federal agencies and the Governors of seven states, territories, and commonwealths, the Task Force has helped lead U.S. efforts to address the coral reef crisis and sustainably manage the nation's valuable coral reef ecosystems. Matters to be Considered: The CRTF will discuss implementation of the National Plan for Coral Reef Conservation Action, improvements in Task Force operations, and accept public comments. The agenda will be available from the contact person below and published on the web at http://coralreef.gov/ when finalized. Individuals and organizations will have opportunities to register for exhibit space and register to provide public comments limited to less that 5 minutes. Wherever possible, those with similar viewpoints or messages are encouraged to make joint statements. Testimony will be received on the afternoon of February 26. Written statements may also be submitted to the Task Force up to March 14, 2003. Contact Person for More Information: Organizations and individuals desiring to register for public comments or to obtain additional information should contact Patty Myatt, c/o the Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife Parks, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., MS-MIB-3156, Washington, DC 20240, telephone 202-208-6621, email patty_myatt@ios.doi.gov. -- Heidi Schuttenberg Environmental Policy Specialist NOAA Ocean Service Office of Response and Restoration ph: 301-713-2989 x224 fx: 301-713-4389 Subject: carrying capacity and other management approaches Date: Sat, 08 Feb 2003 06:19:42 +0000 From: "Anthony Rouphael" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Listers Subject: Information requests Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 15:24:24 +0700 (ICT) From: "Duncan R. MacRae" To: Dear coral-list, Many people have requested further information from me. I will endearvour to reply to you all and deliver more information no some form as soon as possible. I am in the field until the end of April. Regards, Duncan R. MacRae Director, Coastal Zone Management A co-operative of professionals working in ICZM www.cozm.co.uk solutions@cozm.co.uk Thailand mobile: +66 (0) 668 55676 UK mobile: +44 (0) 7958 230 076 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Coral symbionts Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 00:15:07 -0800 From: "Gregor Hodgson" To: "Ivan Marin" , Dear Ivan, Coral reefs in Vietnam are some of the most overfished in the world and the reefs are subject to many other impacts. You may be interested in the following: Thang, H.V., G. Hodgson, E. Hresko, C. Ovel (eds) 1998. Coastal Biodiversity Priorities in Vietnam. Proceedings of the Workshop on Coastal Priorities in Vietnam, Hanoi 4-6 November 1997. Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development Publication 98-02, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong. Vo S.T. and Hodgson G. 1997. Coral reefs of Vietnam: Recruitment limitation and physical forcing. p. 477-482. Vol. 1. In: HA Lessios (ed) Proc. 8th Intl. Coral Reef Symposium, June 24-29, 1996, Panama City, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama. Gregor Hodgson, PhD Director, Reef Check Professor (Visiting) Institute of the Environment 1362 Hershey Hall Mailcode 149607 University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 90095 USA Tel: (1) 310-794-4985 Fax: (1) 310-825-0758 Email: gregorh@ucla.edu www.ReefCheck.org ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ivan Marin" To: Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 7:00 AM Subject: Coral symbionts > Dear Coral-lers, > > Our laboratory has been studing simbiotic relationships between different > sea invertebrates. Personally, I am studing coral-associated crustaceans as one > of the component of coral reef community. Generally, we are interested in all > animals and their complex associated with scleractinian coral colonies. > Since 2001 members of our laboratory has been working in South Vietnam > waters investigating coral reef community and all influinced factors. As one > knows, corals in Vietnam are hardly exploited by fishing, pollution and others, > that why this region is very interesting to study effect of exploitation. My > supervisor, T.A. Brytaev, and I try to investigate the changes in coral > associated communities as factors and indexes of coral community pollution. > Here, we are looking for scientist or societies, who are interested in > cooperation in this topic. We are interested in any contacts with scientists > who make same investigations in other regoins. > > And yet one. Could you help me to find organizations, societies or funds > (their Internet pages), which are supporting and funding different joint > projects, scientific projects on studing coral associated communities and > grants for PhD student to make joint coral reef condition investigations in > Indo-West Pacific. > > > Thank You very much. > > Sincerely yours > > Ph.D. student, Ivan N. Marin > Laboratory of Evolutional Morphology of Marine Invertebrates > (T.Brytaev Laboratory) > A.N. Severtzov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (RAS) > Leninsky pr. 33 > 117071 Moscow > Russia > Fax: 095 954 5534 > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: carrying capacity, LACs and economic values paper Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 19:14:54 -0000 From: "Spurgeon, James" To: "'alcolado@ama.cu'" , "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov '" Dear Pedro and listers The visitor "carrying capacity" of a coral reef is a function of the following factors: ·Number of people entering the water ·*Means of accessing the water (anchoring, shoreline, boardwalks etc) ·*Activity they undertake (diving, snorkelling, with gloves etc) ·*Visitor experience, training and education ·*Management tools (fines, visitor facilities, restricting access etc) ·Natural physical conditions (depth, topography, currents, waves, etc) ·Type of corals (form and fragility) ·*Extent of other stresses (wastewater, sea temperature etc) ·*Levels of acceptable change (extent of acceptable coral cover etc) Consequently, reef carrying capacities will differ enormously (and Duncan's point is certainly valid). However, for management purposes, generalizations could be made for several different categories of reef. Furthermore, because several factors* can be modified, carrying capacity at any site can be changed significantly. Note that in the Galapagos Islands, a maximum carrying capacity of 20,000 visitors per year was set in 1985. Currently, over 65,000 people visit each year. Through various management measures, associated visitor damage is minor, especially compared to other stresses (e.g. introduction of domestic animals). I've not seen Jamie Oliver's paper, but "limits of acceptable change" is a great concept if you are confident of the cause-effect relationships. This is more the case for terrestrial systems than marine. LAC also requires legislation and management controls strong and flexible enough to allow effective and timely changes in management. Controlling visitor numbers also does significantly affect potential economic, financial and social benefits. For many asscociated reasons it will be better to build up capacity cautiously over time! All these issues are being explored in some current/proposed research: Spurgeon, J. (in prep) "Maximizing benefits and revenues from coral reef management", hopefully culminating in a paper to be presented in Japan. In the near future I'll be looking for partial funding and additional materials to draw upon. Offers for either would be greatly appreciated! In addition to those who requested it a while ago, anyone wanting a pdf copy of Spurgeon J. (2001) "Economic Value of Coral Reefs: The Next Ten Years", let me know. James Spurgeon Executive Environmental Economist/Scientist Jacobs (formerly JacobsGIBB) Tel: +44 (0)118 963 5346 Fax: +44 (0)118 926 3888 E-mail: james.spurgeon@jacobs.com Web: www.jacobs.com www.gibbltd.com ============================================================================== NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any viewing, copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. ============================================================================== ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: carrying capacity Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 06:50:32 +0500 From: "William Allison" To: Bearing in mind that procedures and standards vary considerably among operations, at several locations I survey diver-caused direct physical damage is trivial . Supervised divers are kept away from the substrate and cause little damage. Unsupervised divers probably cause most of the damage. Considering supervision at a more general level I suspect that owned reefs (resorts) sustain less damage than common property reefs. By way of example, some of the worst behaved divers I have seen have been from live-aboard boats (little direct supervision, common-property-nobody-is-watching situation). Decisions about supervision and degree of access are management tools in Jamie Spurgeon's classification. Snorkelers cause more damage than divers. In general they are unsupervised and have no training about either the biota or snorkeling. Overall, carrying capacity based on diver damage seems to be a minor issue. Much more important seems to be the damage done in the course of constructing and operating the diving tourism infrastructure. Bill William (Bill) Allison Atoll Science Rangas, Violet Magu Male MALDIVES (960) 329667 beliamall@dhivehinet.net.mv Subject: Re: Carrying capacity on Bonaire Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 08:05:32 -0500 From: "Duncan R. MacRae" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Mark, coral listers, It looks like I have managed to raise some useful discussion on this topic, which is needed. It seems that everyone has valid points but a few people are missing the target I put out. I would not been so short sighted as to suggest that: 'more diversity and greater health are related to higher number of visiting divers'. .... perhaps I should clarify myself further. The key issue I was addressing was the use of diver numbers as a management tool. If managers start to put a figure on how many divers can visit a reef, then many people involved in the dive industry will see this as a green light to fill the reefs to 'capacity'- not the best situation. Or, the tourism industry in an area may be unfairly penalised by strict visitor regulations. By refraining from using head counts, we are in effect already applying the precautionary principle. My point was that there are far more important factors to be addressed in most areas of coral reef than to count diver numbers. One key point that I noticed in the literature was the lack of information on how much 'actual' damage divers cause and its significance for reef ecology. Various studies have been done counting the amount of contact, contact on different topographies, types of damage, amount of contact by different levels of experience etc etc. I could only find one reference that looked at how much damaged was caused to a colony from repeated touching and scraping (Talge 1992). So back to the point that using carrying capacity numbers for divers as a management tool is not as problem free as it may first seem. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: carrying capacity, LACs and economic values paper Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 08:20:47 -0500 From: "Jaap, Walt" To: , There is a recent economic evaluation of southeast Florida reef economics, very detailed: Socioeconomic study of reefs in southeast Florida. Final report: Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties, Principal investigators: G.M. Johns, V.R. Leeworthy, F.W. Bell, and M.A. Bonn (all of these individuals are academic economists). Six chapters, six appendices, available through Hazen and Sawyer, 4000 Hollywood Blvd., 7th floor, north tower, Hollywood, FL 33021, USA. - ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Carrying capacity vs. usage, re: Bonaire Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 12:11:03 -0800 (PST) From: Melissa Keyes To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello Listers, Concerning recreational divers on Bonaire in microcosm, I have been diving these reefs daily since mid-August 2002. The damage done by thousands of recreational divers cannot compare to the daily damage done by the local fishermen who are liscensed to drop big rocks on the coral as anchors for their little boats. They do not use the old bent-rebar anchors, which cause much more damage, but they systematically go along the entire reef system, moving from place to place by lifting their rocks, or cinderblocks, and letting them bounce along the coral to the next stop. Or sometimes they actually pull the rocks out of the water onto their boats, which is hard work, as these are twenty pound monsters, not pebbles. And when the ?-quarter inch cotton string that's their anchor line breaks, or gets tangled, whoops, there it goes into the sea, strangling and scraping, unseen to them, everything it catches on. I've wished I could stay in fourty-fifty-sixty feet of water on Scuba for the entire morning to video and document just one day's damage one fisherman does. I bet if the broken and upturned stony corals, 'soft' corals, and sponges could be quantified into year's growth destroyed, it would be in the low hundreds for each day's catch, which soon will be nothing but Damsel fish. A standard piece of dive equipment for me is scissors to cut fishing line off coral. I really like this Island, but the Park gets much more credit than it deserves. The residents, fish and critters, have not been protected. I won't go into the issue of the locals who I've seen illegally spearfishing, the dearth of sizeable fish, or the near-total absence of fish in the "Reserve", in which I dove once to help out with a yearly survey. But then, the Reserve did have really beautiful coral. No fish larger than three centimeters, an amazing sight, but really beautiful coral. My question: Does a coral reef need fish? Regards, Melissa Keyes, s/v Vinga, Bonaire/St. Croix ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now Subject: ICRIN's Coral Reef Directory Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 16:40:31 -0800 From: Sherry Flumerfelt To: Dear Ivan, Have you tried searching ICRIN's International Directory of Coral Reef Organizations (http://directory.coralreef.org/)? This is a database of hundreds of organizations from around the world that work on coral reef related issues, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), research institutions, aquariums, marine protected areas (MPAs), government agencies, international programs and more. If you type "Vietnam" in the keyword search, you will come up with organizations that work in that region. This database is a work in progress. If your coral reef organization is not yet listed, please add it to the Directory by clicking "Add Your Organization" and answering the questions. If your organization is already listed and you would like to add additional information, click "Edit Your Organization." If you do not know your email login and password, please contact ngo@coral.org. Best of luck. Sherry Flumerfelt Program Coordinator ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) 417 Montgomery Street, Suite 205 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone: 415-834-0900 ext. 306 Fax: 415-834-0999 Email: sflumerfelt@coral.org Web site: http://www.coral.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you signed the Dive In Pledge yet? Show that you care about coral reefs. http://www.coral.org/diveinpledge.html > > coral-list-daily Monday, February 10 2003 Volume 03 : Number 029 > > > > Re: Coral symbionts > RE: carrying capacity, LACs and economic values paper > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 00:15:07 -0800 > From: "Gregor Hodgson" > Subject: Re: Coral symbionts > > Dear Ivan, > > Coral reefs in Vietnam are some of the most overfished in the world and the > reefs are subject to many other impacts. You may be interested in the > following: > > > > Thang, H.V., G. Hodgson, E. Hresko, C. Ovel (eds) 1998. Coastal Biodiversity > Priorities in Vietnam. Proceedings of the Workshop on Coastal Priorities in > Vietnam, Hanoi 4-6 November 1997. Institute for Environment and Sustainable > Development Publication 98-02, Hong Kong University of Science and > Technology, Hong Kong. > > > > Vo S.T. and Hodgson G. 1997. Coral reefs of Vietnam: Recruitment limitation > and physical forcing. p. 477-482. Vol. 1. In: HA Lessios (ed) Proc. 8th > Intl. Coral Reef Symposium, June 24-29, 1996, Panama City, Smithsonian > Tropical Research Institute, Panama. > > > > Gregor Hodgson, PhD > Director, Reef Check > Professor (Visiting) > Institute of the Environment > 1362 Hershey Hall Mailcode 149607 > University of California at Los Angeles > Los Angeles CA 90095 USA > > Tel: (1) 310-794-4985 Fax: (1) 310-825-0758 > Email: gregorh@ucla.edu > www.ReefCheck.org > > > > > > - ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ivan Marin" > To: > Sent: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 7:00 AM > Subject: Coral symbionts > > >> Dear Coral-lers, >> >> Our laboratory has been studing simbiotic relationships between > different >> sea invertebrates. Personally, I am studing coral-associated crustaceans > as one >> of the component of coral reef community. Generally, we are interested in > all >> animals and their complex associated with scleractinian coral colonies. >> Since 2001 members of our laboratory has been working in South Vietnam >> waters investigating coral reef community and all influinced factors. As > one >> knows, corals in Vietnam are hardly exploited by fishing, pollution and > others, >> that why this region is very interesting to study effect of exploitation. > My >> supervisor, T.A. Brytaev, and I try to investigate the changes in coral >> associated communities as factors and indexes of coral community > pollution. >> Here, we are looking for scientist or societies, who are interested in >> cooperation in this topic. We are interested in any contacts with > scientists >> who make same investigations in other regoins. >> >> And yet one. Could you help me to find organizations, societies or > funds >> (their Internet pages), which are supporting and funding different joint >> projects, scientific projects on studing coral associated communities and >> grants for PhD student to make joint coral reef condition investigations > in >> Indo-West Pacific. >> >> >> Thank You very much. >> >> Sincerely yours >> >> Ph.D. student, Ivan N. Marin >> Laboratory of Evolutional Morphology of Marine Invertebrates >> (T.Brytaev Laboratory) >> A.N. Severtzov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (RAS) >> Leninsky pr. 33 >> 117071 Moscow >> Russia >> Fax: 095 954 5534 >> >> ~~~~~~~ >> For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >> digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . >> > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ------------------------------ > > Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2003 19:14:54 -0000 > From: "Spurgeon, James" > Subject: RE: carrying capacity, LACs and economic values paper > > Dear Pedro and listers > > The visitor "carrying capacity" of a coral reef is a function of the > following factors: > > ·Number of people entering the water > ·*Means of accessing the water (anchoring, shoreline, boardwalks etc) > ·*Activity they undertake (diving, snorkelling, with gloves etc) > ·*Visitor experience, training and education > ·*Management tools (fines, visitor facilities, restricting access etc) > ·Natural physical conditions (depth, topography, currents, waves, etc) > ·Type of corals (form and fragility) > ·*Extent of other stresses (wastewater, sea temperature etc) > ·*Levels of acceptable change (extent of acceptable coral cover etc) > > Consequently, reef carrying capacities will differ enormously (and Duncan's > point is certainly valid). However, for management purposes, > generalizations could be made for several different categories of reef. > > Furthermore, because several factors* can be modified, carrying capacity at > any site can be changed significantly. Note that in the Galapagos Islands, a > maximum carrying capacity of 20,000 visitors per year was set in 1985. > Currently, over 65,000 people visit each year. Through various management > measures, associated visitor damage is minor, especially compared to other > stresses (e.g. introduction of domestic animals). > > I've not seen Jamie Oliver's paper, but "limits of acceptable change" is a > great concept if you are confident of the cause-effect relationships. This > is more the case for terrestrial systems than marine. LAC also requires > legislation and management controls strong and flexible enough to allow > effective and timely changes in management. > > Controlling visitor numbers also does significantly affect potential > economic, financial and social benefits. For many asscociated reasons it > will be better to build up capacity cautiously over time! > > All these issues are being explored in some current/proposed research: > Spurgeon, J. (in prep) "Maximizing benefits and revenues from coral reef > management", hopefully culminating in a paper to be presented in Japan. In > the near future I'll be looking for partial funding and additional materials > to draw upon. Offers for either would be greatly appreciated! > > In addition to those who requested it a while ago, anyone wanting a pdf copy > of Spurgeon J. (2001) "Economic Value of Coral Reefs: The Next Ten Years", > let me know. > > James Spurgeon > Executive Environmental Economist/Scientist > > Jacobs (formerly JacobsGIBB) > Tel: +44 (0)118 963 5346 > Fax: +44 (0)118 926 3888 > E-mail: james.spurgeon@jacobs.com > Web: www.jacobs.com > www.gibbltd.com > > > > > ============================================================================== > NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged > information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any viewing, > copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by unintended > recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in > error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it > from your computer. > > ============================================================================== > > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ------------------------------ > > End of coral-list-daily V3 #29 > ****************************** > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Support for access to European museum collections Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 18:03:08 +0100 From: "Hoeksema, B.W." To: "Coral List" > Apologies for cross-postings. > > Dear Colleague, > > Under the 6th Framework Programme (FP6) of the European Commission (2002-2006), a proposal is in preparation to the Specific Programme on Structuring the European Research Area. The purpose of the proposal is to create a network of a number of institutions holding important biological research collections throughout Europe. The proposal, which is being prepared in the framework of the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF), is intended to provide access with financial support for visiting researchers to the collections of the participating organisations. > > The proposal to the European Commission has to demonstrate a > "> European Research Institution> "> status of our museum. To obtain this status we have to show (through letters of support) that there is a high degree of scientific and/or social interest in having access to our museum and to the other partners in the proposal. > > If for any future work, you or a colleague should need access to our museum or one of the other institutions (see attached list), I kindly request that you send a letter of support. Your letter of support should specify why you want to have access and which institutions you want to visit. With respect to the institutions to visit, you are invited to mention the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden (we hold many (type) specimens of Cnidaria), and any additional institute that is relevant for your research (see attached list). > > Enclosed is an example of a support letter that can be used as a guide, if you find it suitable for your needs. Please, spread this information also to your colleagues. Letters of support should be sent by e-mail, fax or letter to the chair of the Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF). An example of such a letter with the address is in the annex. I invite you to send the letter of support at short term, but not later than 7 March 2003. > > Thanking you in advance for your interest. > > Bert W. Hoeksema (Head, Department of Invertebrates) > Leendert P. van Ofwegen (Curator, Coelenterates Section) > > National Museum of Natural History Naturalis > P.O. Box 9517 > 2300 RA Leiden > The Netherlands > Tel. +31.71.5687631 > Fax +31.71.5687666 > E-mail: Hoeksema@naturalis.nnm.nl > > The infrastructures listed below are expected to be members of the network to which Access grants for visitors will be applied for. > > Country Infrastructures > Austria Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna > Belgium Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles, Brussels Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren National Botanic Garden of Belgium, Meise > > Germany Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin > Denmark University of Copenhagen, COBICE > Spain Museo Nacional Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid > France Muséum national d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris > Hungary Hungarian Museum of Natural History, Budapest > Netherlands Zoological Museum, University of Amsterdam & National Natural History Museum Naturalis National Herbarium Netherlands, Leiden Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Utrecht > Poland Museum and Institute of Zooology, PAS, Warsaw > Sweden Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm > United Kingdom The Natural History Museum, London Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh > > > > Sample > > > > To: Dr. Henrik Enghoff (Chair) > Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (CETAF) > Zoologisk Museum > Universitetsparken 15 > DK-2100 Copenhaguen OE > Denmark > > Email: henghoff@zmuc.ku.dk > Fax: + 45 35 32 10 10 > > Dear Dr. Enghoff, > > For my research on [subject / taxonomic group], I need access to specimens [from the region X] held in the collections of > {Please enter the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, and any other relevant museum from the attached list].> > > Research visits are especially important as the [well curated/unique/diverse/type] collections and the experts at the institutes are crucial for the progress in my scientific work. > > I am looking forward to establishing cooperationships with the mentioned institutes, and I support the initiative of your network to facilitate access to their collection facilities. > > > Yours sincerily, > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Requests for paper on "economic value of corals - 10 years on" Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 12:38:02 -0000 From: "Spurgeon, James" To: "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov'" Dear Listers Many apologies for having to respond via the coral list, but I am currently working in Kazakhstan (developing a GIS based water resources optimisation model), and sending emails takes forever. I will send the pdf to all those requesting it when I return to the UK in 2 weeks. For those who asked, it cannot be downloaded from a web site, and I don't know the size of the file. For those interested, the Kazak approach for increasing the carrying capacity for swimming in rivers at the moment (eg last weekend when it was -26C), is to simply make the holes in the ice bigger. There is little need to restrict how long people stay in the water! Best wishes James -----Original Message----- From: M.C. Ricardo Muñoz Chagín To: Spurgeon, James Sent: 10/02/2003 17:46 Subject: RE: carrying capacity, LACs and economic values paper James Spurgeon: I am interested in a pdf copy of Spurgeon J. (2001) "Economic Value of Coral Reefs: The Next Ten Years" Thanks in advance. M.C. Ricardo Muñoz Ecología y Manejo de Sistemas Arrecifales, S.C.P. Mérida,Yucatán, México -----Mensaje original----- De: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov] En nombre de Spurgeon, James Enviado el: Domingo, 09 de Febrero de 2003 01:15 p.m. Para: 'alcolado@ama.cu'; 'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov ' Asunto: RE: carrying capacity, LACs and economic values paper Dear Pedro and listers The visitor "carrying capacity" of a coral reef is a function of the following factors: ·Number of people entering the water ·*Means of accessing the water (anchoring, shoreline, boardwalks etc) ·*Activity they undertake (diving, snorkelling, with gloves etc) ·*Visitor experience, training and education ·*Management tools (fines, visitor facilities, restricting access etc) ·Natural physical conditions (depth, topography, currents, waves, etc) ·Type of corals (form and fragility) ·*Extent of other stresses (wastewater, sea temperature etc) ·*Levels of acceptable change (extent of acceptable coral cover etc) Consequently, reef carrying capacities will differ enormously (and Duncan's point is certainly valid). However, for management purposes, generalizations could be made for several different categories of reef. Furthermore, because several factors* can be modified, carrying capacity at any site can be changed significantly. Note that in the Galapagos Islands, a maximum carrying capacity of 20,000 visitors per year was set in 1985. Currently, over 65,000 people visit each year. Through various management measures, associated visitor damage is minor, especially compared to other stresses (e.g. introduction of domestic animals). I've not seen Jamie Oliver's paper, but "limits of acceptable change" is a great concept if you are confident of the cause-effect relationships. This is more the case for terrestrial systems than marine. LAC also requires legislation and management controls strong and flexible enough to allow effective and timely changes in management. Controlling visitor numbers also does significantly affect potential economic, financial and social benefits. For many asscociated reasons it will be better to build up capacity cautiously over time! All these issues are being explored in some current/proposed research: Spurgeon, J. (in prep) "Maximizing benefits and revenues from coral reef management", hopefully culminating in a paper to be presented in Japan. In the near future I'll be looking for partial funding and additional materials to draw upon. Offers for either would be greatly appreciated! In addition to those who requested it a while ago, anyone wanting a pdf copy of Spurgeon J. (2001) "Economic Value of Coral Reefs: The Next Ten Years", let me know. James Spurgeon Executive Environmental Economist/Scientist Jacobs (formerly JacobsGIBB) Tel: +44 (0)118 963 5346 Fax: +44 (0)118 926 3888 E-mail: james.spurgeon@jacobs.com Web: www.jacobs.com www.gibbltd.com ======================================================================== ====== NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any viewing, copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. ======================================================================== ====== ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ============================================================================== NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any viewing, copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. ============================================================================== ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: histology technique for corals? Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 10:53:07 -0800 From: "Mike Matz" To: Hello all, I would greatly appreciate if you could direct me to the state-of-the-art coral histology techniques (sample separation from the colony, fixation, cutting, staining, viewing). We want to look at some Faviids. thanks in advance Mike Matz Whitney Lab, university of Florida Subject: carrying capacity Date: Wed, 12 Feb 2003 19:00:33 -0400 From: "Tom van't Hof" To: The question by Pedro Alcolado has stirred up quite a bit of discussion, which is good. I think we need to defer judgment on Duncan McRae's study until the results are available for review by the scientific community, but I just want to say this: while the lack of sewage treatment in Bonaire is certainly a very important issue, in particular for the reefs near the developed area, it's a little too easy to blame just sewage and not the entire realm of activities and needs of divers and snorkellers. Until we have hard data to reject the guideline of 5,000 - 6,000 divers per site per year proposed by Roberts et al., let's be careful in adopting new estimates. None of the high-use sites in the Dixon et al. and the Roberts et al. studies were anywhere near sewage discharges. Having said that, I would also like to strongly support the application of the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) approach as an alternative to traditional carrying capacity estimates, which aim at numbers. LAC really is a management planning tool, and while it has only been applied to a MPA once to my knowledge (the Saba Marine Park, Netherlands Antilles), it does have tremendous potential and merits. The key to the success of a LAC planning framework, however, is the degree to which monitoring is carried out in order to determine whether or not any standards may have been violated and the willingness of the stakeholder community to implement the previously agreed management interventions if standards are being violated. Stankey, Cole, McCool and others have published many papers on the applicability of the LAC framework, including a generic LAC process which I find very useful, also for MPA management planning. ************************************************************************************************************** Tom van't Hof Marine & Coastal Resource Management Consulting The Bottom, Saba Netherlands Antilles Tel. (599) 416-3348 Fax (599) 416-3299 e-mail tomvanthof@hotmail.com "Specializing in marine protected areas since 1979." Resume, references and project history at http://www.irf.org/hof.htm Subject: Tropical Marine Ecology Course in Akumal, Mexico Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 10:38:09 -0500 From: Drew Harvell To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov CC: kiho@american.edu, kmh34@cornell.edu, lhj1@cornell.edu > SHOALS MARINE LABORATORY (Cornell University / University of New > Hampshire) > announces the continuation of its on-going course on the Yucatan > Peninsula, in Akumal, Mexico: > > Tropical Marine Science > > Dates: June 16 - July 14, 2003 > > … Semester Credits Earned: 6 > > … Cost: $3,200 (this price does not include airfare or meals > while in Akumal) > > … Cornell course numbers: BIOSM 418 > > > Prerequisites: Recognized SCUBA certification, a medical examination, one > full year of college level biology, and permission of instructors. This is > a course designed for students interested in learning about coral reef > ecology and conservation in an environment where these topics are of > immediate concern. Students will spend four weeks in Akumal, Mexico, a > small resort town located about 60 miles south of Cancun on the Caribbean > coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Housing will be provided by the Centro > Ecologico Akumal (http://www.ceakumal.org/), a local organization > dedicated to the sustainable development of Akumal and the protection of > its coral reefs. Akumal is a developing center for research in coral reef > biology and ecology. Limited to 15 students. > > The first two weeks will be spent studying basic coral reef ecology and > learning the benthic fauna of the local reefs. During the following two > weeks, students will participate in a reef monitoring project that will > aid in the establishment of a marine park in Akumal. TMS students will > have the opportunity to interact with the scientists involved in this > research through discussions and field work. > > Faculty involved with the course this summer include Professors Kiho Kim > (American University), Garriet Smith (University of South Carolina), Sean > Grace (Salve Regina) and Drew Harvell (Cornell University). > > For a detailed course description, please go to: > http://www.sml.cornell.edu/college/pc-cctms.htm > For more information, please contact Laurie Johnson via email: lhj1@cornell.edu -- Drew Harvell Professor Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology E- 321 Corson Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 VOICE: 607-254-4274 FAX: 607-255-8088 email:cdh5@cornell.edu http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/harvell/harvell.html Subject: ISRS Subsidized Memberships Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 10:59:51 -0600 (CST) From: "Richard B. Aronson" To: Coral-List Each year the International Society for Reef Studies offers several partial subsidies of memberships. If you are interested in financial assistance with an ISRS membership, please see: http://www.uncwil.edu/isrs/membership.html Applications should be sent to Dr. Peter Mumby, ISRS Corresponding Secretary, at P.J.Mumby@exeter.ac.uk. The deadline for applications is March 1st. Rich Aronson Vice President International Society for Reef Studies ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: NCORE update and new website Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 14:27:16 -0500 From: "John McManus" To: "Coral-List" NCORE is pleased to welcome aboard two key personnel and a NEW website: Dr. Johanna Polsenberg, Assistant Director, has worked in tropical ecosystems in Australia, Indonesia and elsewhere, and was formerly with the US Congressional Staff as a specialist and speaker on "Science and the Public". Felimon "Nonong" Gayanilo, Senior Software Engineer, has worked with ICLARM (now the World Fish Center) and the University of British Columbia, and is most well-known as the software developer of the FAO/ICLARM Fisat and Fisat II packages, which are used for fisheries analysis in many countries (http://www.fao.org/fi/statist/fisoft/fisat/index.htm). He will play a key role in our program to develop Dynamic Decision Support Systems for coral reefs, which will integrate hydrodynamic, ecological and socioeconomic simulation models into 3D Geographic Information Systems. This tool development is a core element of the CARRUS Alliance, a Comparative Analysis of Reef Resilience Under Stress, which will involve independently-funded research teams conducting long-term studies of major reef systems under agreements for the exchange of software, methods, data, and results. Further information can be found at our NEW website, www.ncoremiami.org. This site is expected to change quarterly, as online, highly detailed GIS systems are developed for our focal reef areas. Cheers! John _________________________________________________________ John W. McManus, PhD Director, National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, Florida 33149. jmcmanus@rsmas.miami.edu Tel. (305) 361-4814 Fax (305) 361-4910 www.ncoremiami.org ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Tortugas Shrimping Violation Brings $20,000 Penalty Date: Thu, 13 Feb 2003 17:03:06 -0500 From: "Cheva Heck" To: "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov '" NOAA03-R404 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 13, 2003 CONTACT: Cheva Heck Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 305.292.0311, ext. 26 305.304.0179 (cell) TORTUGAS ECOLOGICAL RESERVE VIOLATION BRINGS $20,000 PENALTY NOAA Cites Owner and Operator of Shrimp Trawler Attorneys for the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have issued a $20,000 civil penalty in the case of a vessel cited for illegal shrimp trawling in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s protected Tortugas Ecological Reserve last December. Christine Ho of Abbeville, La., owner of the Fishing Vessel Miss Christine V, and vessel captain Cu T. Nguyen of Port Arthur, Texas, face a combined penalty in the incident. The Coast Guard vessel Nantucket cited the Miss Christine V on Dec. 16, 2002. The Nantucket escorted the Miss Christine V to Key West, where its catch of 1,117 lbs. of pink shrimp was seized and sold by a NOAA agent. The $1,733.38 proceeds from the sale remain in escrow pending settlement of the case. Five days previously, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers had cited the Miss Christine V for illegal shrimp trawling inside the Tortugas Shrimp Sanctuary, a cooperative closure between the State of Florida and the Department of Commerce. “Once again, we thank the United States Coast Guard for helping to provide the effective enforcement that is critical to the success of the Tortugas Ecological Reserve,” said Sanctuary Superintendent Billy Causey. “Law-abiding commercial and recreational fishermen, who are by far the majority, deserve to know that those who violate the reserve’s protections will pay the price.” The Tortugas Ecological Reserve, established in 2001, protects 151 square nautical miles of deep coral reefs and other essential habitat for fish and other marine life. The reserve is the largest of the sanctuary’s network of 24 “no-take” areas set aside to protect habitat and preserve the diversity of marine life in the coral reef ecosystem of the Florida Keys. NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) seeks to increase the public awareness of America’s maritime heritage by conducting scientific research, monitoring, exploration and educational programs. Today, 13 national marine sanctuaries encompass more than 18,000 square miles of America’s ocean and Great Lakes natural and cultural resources. In addition, the NMSP is conducting a sanctuary designation process to incorporate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve into the national sanctuary system. NOAA National Ocean Service (NOAA Oceans and Coasts) manages the National Marine Sanctuary Program and is dedicated to exploring, understanding, conserving and restoring the nation’s coasts and oceans. NOAA Oceans and Coasts balances environmental protection with economic prosperity in fulfilling its mission of promoting safe navigation, supporting coastal communities, sustaining coastal habitats and mitigating coastal hazards. The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. On the internet: NOAA - http://www.noaa.gov NOAA Oceans and Coasts - http://www.nos.noaa.gov Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary - http://www.fknms.nos.noaa.gov ### Subject: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 11:53:26 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: Dear listers, I was fascinated reading Vollmer and Palumbi´s recent paper on hybridization of Acropora palmata and cervicornis. It establishes clearly and convincingly the facts of that issue. But reading this paper I remembered an anecdote of mine. A few years ago I was visisting quite frequently (for different reasons, once staying 10 days there working on sponges) the nice Aquarium of Xcaret, Cancun. I was witness of something I think is amazing. In the big bowl representing the reef crest, there was a trasplanted Acropora palmata colony (the biggest one among others). There was full illumination and a wave simulator, with good water circulation there. I was able to observe how that colony was slowly being transformed in a prolifera bushy-palmate like fenotype. The ends of the palmate branches began to show short arising (in the same plane of the branch top) acute branches typical of prolifera, and the skeleton remaining between them becoming quite traslucent (looking like a duck foot illuminated at the opposite site). I wonder what was the final outcome of this gradual transformation. I observed that about 4 years (maybe less or more, I do not remember exactly) after I saw this colony for the first time. I would suggest that appart from well proved genetically derived prolifera like fenotypes, some kinds of changes in environmental variables (at least in acquarium conditions) would be able to lead also to the same bushy-palmate fenotype (maybe due to weaker hidrodynamic regime). Really interesting, no? Best wishes, Pedro Alcolado Subject: Re: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 12:47:22 -0500 From: "Sam Jones" To: "Pedro Alcolado" , Hi Pedro, Very interesting observation indeed. Thank you for sharing it. I continue to marvel at the phenotypic plasticity of corals. I've noticed a number of interspecific morphological differences in both the field and in the lab, cultured corals. Without a doubt, environmental conditions within an aquarium (or the field) can influence a number of coral physiological properties to include branch spacing, coloration, growth rates, growth forms, etc. The spectral quality and quantity of light (GFP, MAA, Symbiodinium concentration/type), nutrients (Symbiodinium growth rates), various water circulation properties (e.g. speed, laminar vs. oscillatory, etc.), general system chemistry, etc. are some of the environmental parameters that can be 'tweaked.' It's possible to take a single colony of a highly phenotypically plastic coral head (e.g. P. damicornis), put fragments of the colony under different environmental conditions, and observe different physiological responses. The Aquarium is a wonderful place to do this kind of work. If you get a chance, you may want to check our Veron and Pichon's "Scleractinia of Eastern Australia", Part 1, Families Thamnasteriidae, Astrocoeniidae, and Pocilloporidae; this book demonstrates quite nicely the impressive array of interspecific morphologies from corals under various environmental conditions. Sam Jones Manager, Ex Situ Coral Conservation Research Laboratory Wildlife Conservation Society The New York Aquarium Osborn Laboratories of Marine Sciences Boardwalk at West 8th St. Brooklyn, NY 11224 Subject: Re: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 12:16:15 -0600 From: "Robert W. Buddemeier" Organization: KGS To: Sam Jones CC: Pedro Alcolado , coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov On this topic, if you have not already seen it you might be interested in: Carlson BA (1999) Organism responses to rapid change: what aquaria tell us about nature. American Zoologist 39:44-55 Bob Buddemeier Sam Jones wrote: > Hi Pedro, > Very interesting observation indeed. Thank you for sharing it. I > continue to marvel at the phenotypic plasticity of corals. I've > noticed a number of interspecific morphological differences in both > the field and in the lab, cultured corals. Without a doubt, > environmental conditions within an aquarium (or the field) can > influence a number of coral physiological properties to include branch > spacing, coloration, growth rates, growth forms, etc. The spectral > quality and quantity of light (GFP, MAA, Symbiodinium > concentration/type), nutrients (Symbiodinium growth rates), various > water circulation properties (e.g. speed, laminar vs. oscillatory, > etc.), general system chemistry, etc. are some of the environmental > parameters that can be 'tweaked.' It's possible to take a single > colony of a highly phenotypically plastic coral head (e.g. P. > damicornis), put fragments of the colony under different environmental > conditions, and observe different physiological responses. The > Aquarium is a wonderful place to do this kind of work. If you get a > chance, you may want to check our Veron and Pichon's "Scleractinia of > Eastern Australia", Part 1, Families Thamnasteriidae, Astrocoeniidae, > and Pocilloporidae; this book demonstrates quite nicely the impressive > array of interspecific morphologies from corals under various > environmental conditions. > Sam Jones > > Manager, Ex Situ Coral Conservation Research Laboratory > Wildlife Conservation Society > The New York Aquarium > Osborn Laboratories of Marine Sciences > Boardwalk at West 8th St. > Brooklyn, NY 11224 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Pedro Alcolado > To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov > Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 11:53 AM > Subject: Hybridization in Acropora > > Dear listers, > I was fascinated reading Vollmer and Palumbi´s recent paper on > hybridization of Acropora palmata and cervicornis. It establishes > clearly and convincingly the facts of that issue. But reading this > paper I remembered an anecdote of mine. A few years ago I was > visisting quite frequently (for different reasons, once staying 10 > days there working on sponges) the nice Aquarium of Xcaret, > Cancun. I was witness of something I think is amazing. In the big > bowl representing the reef crest, there was a trasplanted Acropora > palmata colony (the biggest one among others). There was full > illumination and a wave simulator, with good water circulation > there. I was able to observe how that colony was slowly being > transformed in a prolifera bushy-palmate like fenotype. The ends > of the palmate branches began to show short arising (in the same > plane of the branch top) acute branches typical of prolifera, and > the skeleton remaining between them becoming quite traslucent > (looking like a duck foot illuminated at the opposite site). I > wonder what was the final outcome of this gradual transformation. > I observed that about 4 years (maybe less or more, I do not > remember exactly) after I saw this colony for the first time. I > would suggest that appart from well proved genetically derived > prolifera like fenotypes, some kinds of changes in environmental > variables (at least in acquarium conditions) would be able to lead > also to the same bushy-palmate fenotype (maybe due to weaker > hidrodynamic regime). Really interesting, no? > Best wishes, > Pedro Alcolado > > -- Dr. Robert W. Buddemeier Kansas Geological Survey University of Kansas 1930 Constant Avenue Lawrence, KS 66047 USA e-mail: buddrw@ku.edu ph (1) (785) 864-2112 fax (1) (785) 864-5317 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 13:35:55 -0500 From: "Dana Williams" Organization: RSMAS/CIMAS To: Pedro Alcolado CC: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Pedro- If I understood your description, I have seen this in some colonies that I have been monitoring for the past 9 months. In these colonies I have seen the translucent type skeleton between the 'acute' branches become filled in and ultimately ends up looking like a typical A. palmata branch tip. It seems as though some colonies elongate their branches by laying down the framework then going back and filling it in, whereas others do it all in one 'step'. My observations so far suggest to me that there are perhaps different genotypes that vary in the way they build their skeleton rather than hydrodynamic or light differences because not all individuals in an area display this appearance... That is my two cents worth (with the caveat of a relatively short, but repeated observations)! Dana Williams Pedro Alcolado wrote: > Dear listers,I was fascinated reading Vollmer and Palumbi´s recent paper > on hybridization of Acropora palmata and cervicornis. It establishes > clearly and convincingly the facts of that issue. But reading this paper I > remembered an anecdote of mine. A few years ago I was visisting quite > frequently (for different reasons, once staying 10 days there working on > sponges) the nice Aquarium of Xcaret, Cancun. I was witness of something I > think is amazing. In the big bowl representing the reef crest, there was a > trasplanted Acropora palmata colony (the biggest one among others). There > was full illumination and a wave simulator, with good water circulation > there. I was able to observe how that colony was slowly being transformed > in a prolifera bushy-palmate like fenotype. The ends of the palmate > branches began to show short arising (in the same plane of the branch top) > acute branches typical of prolifera, and the skeleton remaining between > them becoming quite traslucent (looking like a duck foot illuminated at > the opposite site). I wonder what was the final outcome of this gradual > transformation. I observed that about 4 years (maybe less or more, I do > not remember exactly) after I saw this colony for the first time. I would > suggest that appart from well proved genetically derived prolifera like > fenotypes, some kinds of changes in environmental variables (at least in > acquarium conditions) would be able to lead also to the same bushy-palmate > fenotype (maybe due to weaker hidrodynamic regime). Really interesting, > no?Best wishes,Pedro Alcolado -- Dana E. Williams, Ph.D. Post Doctoral Associate National Marine Fisheries Service 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami FL 33149 (305) 361-4569 Subject: RE: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 13:41:43 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: "Dana Williams" , Thanks for your interesting reply, Dana. The difference is that the colony that I talk about was originally a typical Acropora palmata that gradaually transformed in a bushy-palmate fenotype after being introduced in the aquarium. Genes did not change, form yes. Pedro ----- Original Message ----- Subject: RE: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 13:55:38 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: "Todd R. Barber" , Dear Todd, Thanks for your quick and interesting reply. If you need a piece of that coral colony you might request it to Dr. Martin Sanchez (sacbemar@playa.com.mx or msanchez@playa.com.mx), Director of Xcaret Aquarium, but I wonder wether this colony is still alive now. Hopefully yes. Keep me informed, please. The last time I saw it was in november 2001. Regards, Pedro Subject: RE: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 14:10:24 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: "Dana Williams" , Dana, I forgot to explain you that differently from your cases, in the Xcaret colony the process is opposite. If I understood you, your colonies are bushy Acropora that fill the angles among their branches transforming themselves into palmate branches, while in the Xcaret colony we deal with a typical palmate Acropora palmata that becomes bushy-palmate. Pedro Alcolado ----- Original Message ----- Subject: Re: Hybridization in Acropora Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 19:45:18 -0800 (PST) From: Hernandez Edwin To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear Pedro and fellow listers. Just a minor observation following Pedro's posting on rapidly changing Acropora palmata morphology. Here in Puerto Rico, I've seen in two locations on the northern coast at Arrecife La Ocho, also known as El Escambron (San Juan), and at Vega Baja Beach (about 20-25 km west of San Juan) high densities of A. palmata colonies with mixed phenotypes. These colonies are growing on very shallow (0.5-1.5 m) and highly turbulent habitats. Most of the colonies show typical A. palmata branches in the colony portions under less turbulent microhabitats (lower part of the colony). But, those colony portions exposed to the prevalent turbulent conditions (upper branches) show typical A. prolifera forms. I've always thought that these "hybrid" morphs are the result of local environmental factors. Their distribution is limited only to the most turbulent zone. Thus, it would be interesting to look at the genetics of these known A. prolifera hybrids and those A. prolifera-looklike palmatas. Is this sudden increase in branchiness a strategy to dissipate high energy from incoming waves? Or is it simply a reproductive strategy to rapidly colonize, disperse and dominate shallow turbulent reef zones? Or is it an strategy of some genetic variants to try to fix their genes by producing larger numbers of weaker fragments, which will inebitably will fragment and disperse, thus rapidly dispersing genetic clones downcurrent? Moreover, this process that Pedro just described under aquarium conditions, which might be the same one that could explain my observations under field conditions, should be tested as a potential A. palmata propagation and restoking method. If palmata branches can exhibit such a rapid increase in branchiness under stronger water movement, then, wouldn't it be feasable either to propagate corals under flowing tank or field conditions by allowing single branches to rapidly produce a high number of new branches which can be cut and transplanted to repeat the process? Just a though... Cheers, Edwin ===== Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado, Ph.D. University of Puerto Rico Department of Biology Coral Reef Research Group P.O. Box 23360 San Juan, P.R. 00931-3360 Tel (787) 764-0000, x-4855; Fax (787) 764-2610 __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day http://shopping.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Summer Internships Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 08:30:10 -0500 From: Dennis Hanisak To: "'Coral Reef Listserver'" > SUMMER INTERNSHIPS > > Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution offers a Summer Internship Program > to qualified undergraduate and graduate students interested in > marine-related fields. Our Internship Program is designed to provide > students work experience in a research environment. The areas of study > may include, but are not limited to: aquaculture, biomedical marine > research, marine biology, marine mammal research, marine natural product > chemistry, marine microbiology, ocean engineering, and oceanography. The > 2003 Summer Intern Program begins May 27 and continues through August 1 > (10 weeks). Deadline for applications is March 1. Awards will be > announced ca. April 1. > > A downloadable application form is available at > . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Hybridization/phenotypic variation in Acropora Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2003 12:47:02 -0500 From: Judy Lang/Lynton Land To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear Edwin, Pedro et al., In contrast to the situation described below by Edwin, there is--or at least there used to be--a small reef crest in a relatively sheltered location inside Discovery Bay Harbour (SW corner, just west of the bauxite loading facility) in which. if I remember correctly, the outer margins of some colonies of Acropora palmata produced a morphology more resembling A. cervicornis than A. prolifera. I presumed this was a response to reduced rates of water flow. Judy On Friday, February 14, 2003, at 10:45 PM, Hernandez Edwin wrote: > Dear Pedro and fellow listers. > > Just a minor observation following Pedro's posting on > rapidly changing Acropora palmata morphology. > > Here in Puerto Rico, I've seen in two locations on the > northern coast at Arrecife La Ocho, also known as El > Escambron (San Juan), and at Vega Baja Beach (about > 20-25 km west of San Juan) high densities of A. > palmata colonies with mixed phenotypes. > > These colonies are growing on very shallow (0.5-1.5 m) > and highly turbulent habitats. Most of the colonies > show typical A. palmata branches in the colony > portions under less turbulent microhabitats (lower > part of the colony). But, those colony portions > exposed to the prevalent turbulent conditions (upper > branches) show typical A. prolifera forms. > > I've always thought that these "hybrid" morphs are the > result of local environmental factors. Their > distribution is limited only to the most turbulent > zone. Thus, it would be interesting to look at the > genetics of these known A. prolifera hybrids and those > A. prolifera-looklike palmatas. > > Is this sudden increase in branchiness a strategy to > dissipate high energy from incoming waves? Or is it > simply a reproductive strategy to rapidly colonize, > disperse and dominate shallow turbulent reef zones? Or > is it an strategy of some genetic variants to try to > fix their genes by producing larger numbers of weaker > fragments, which will inebitably will fragment and > disperse, thus rapidly dispersing genetic clones > downcurrent? > > Moreover, this process that Pedro just described under > aquarium conditions, which might be the same one that > could explain my observations under field conditions, > should be tested as a potential A. palmata propagation > and restoking method. > > If palmata branches can exhibit such a rapid increase > in branchiness under stronger water movement, then, > wouldn't it be feasable either to propagate corals > under flowing tank or field conditions by allowing > single branches to rapidly produce a high number of > new branches which can be cut and transplanted to > repeat the process? Just a though... > > Cheers, > > Edwin > > ===== > Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado, Ph.D. > University of Puerto Rico > Department of Biology > Coral Reef Research Group > P.O. Box 23360 > San Juan, P.R. 00931-3360 > Tel (787) 764-0000, x-4855; Fax (787) 764-2610 > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day > http://shopping.yahoo.com > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: The Bali Proceedings are Printed Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2003 21:43:28 -0500 From: Terry Done To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Listers, The Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali Oct 2000, have now been printed and will soon be distributed to people who paid full registration to the Symposium. A number of copies are available for sale, and persons wishing to purchase a copy or notify a change of address should do so using forms at the following address. http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/bookshop-books.html Please encourage your library and colleagues to purchase a set. The huge job of compiling the Proceedings for publication was undertaken by the editorial team of M. K. Kasim Moosa, S. Soemodihardjo, A. Nontji, A. Soegiarto, K. Romimohtarto, Sukarno and Suharsono. As President of ISRS (1999-2002), I am very grateful for their efforts, both personally, and on behalf of the international coral reef community. With best wishes, Terry Done ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Old ISRS Symposium Proceedings Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:04:59 -0800 (PST) From: Hernandez Edwin To: Coral List Dear coral-listers. I've been doing an unsuccessful internet search trying to find the previous ISRS Symposium Proceedings and had no luck at all. I was able to acquire only vols. 3, 5 and 6 of the 5th Int. Coral Reef Symp. Does anybody know where should I go in the internet to get vols. 1, 2 and 4 of the 5th Symp., as well as where to get the Proceedings of the 6th Symposium and those earlier if there are still old copies around? Please, reply directly to coral_giac@yahoo.com. Thanks in advance. Edwin ===== Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado, Ph.D. University of Puerto Rico Department of Biology Coral Reef Research Group P.O. Box 23360 San Juan, P.R. 00931-3360 Tel (787) 764-0000, x-4855; Fax (787) 764-2610 __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day http://shopping.yahoo.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Old ISRS Symposium Proceedings Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 15:41:24 -0600 (CST) From: "Daphne G. Fautin" To: Hernandez Edwin CC: Coral List Dear Edwin and others, Periodically, the list of titles and publishers is published in REEF ENCOUNTER. One is in volume 24, which is available on line. The URL is http://www.uncwil.edu/isrs/reef-encounter/re24/24reef.pdf Daphne On Tue, 18 Feb 2003, Hernandez Edwin wrote: > Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 12:04:59 -0800 (PST) > From: Hernandez Edwin > To: Coral List > Subject: Old ISRS Symposium Proceedings > > Dear coral-listers. > > I've been doing an unsuccessful internet search trying > to find the previous ISRS Symposium Proceedings and > had no luck at all. > > I was able to acquire only vols. 3, 5 and 6 of the 5th > Int. Coral Reef Symp. > > Does anybody know where should I go in the internet to > get vols. 1, 2 and 4 of the 5th Symp., as well as > where to get the Proceedings of the 6th Symposium and > those earlier if there are still old copies around? > > Please, reply directly to coral_giac@yahoo.com. Thanks > in advance. > > Edwin > > ===== > Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado, Ph.D. > University of Puerto Rico > Department of Biology > Coral Reef Research Group > P.O. Box 23360 > San Juan, P.R. 00931-3360 > Tel (787) 764-0000, x-4855; Fax (787) 764-2610 > Daphne G. Fautin Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Curator, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center Haworth Hall University of Kansas 1200 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7534 USA telephone 1-785-864-3062 fax 1-785-864-5321 for e-mail, please use fautin@ku.edu website www.nhm.ku.edu/~inverts 7th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COELENTERATE BIOLOGY 6-11 July 2003 (including the 2003 North American meeting of the International Society for Reef Studies) for details, go to http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/iccb/ direct to database of hexacorals, including sea anemones newest version released 31 January 2003 *** http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Hexacoral/Biodata/ *** -- All programmers are optimists -- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: summer course at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 13:41:16 -1000 From: Greta Smith Aeby To: Coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov The Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology is pleased to announce its 2003 Edwin W. Pauley Summer Program, ASSESSING THE HEALTH OF PACIFIC CORALS, June 9 – June 28, 2003. Specific Topics include: Identification and surveying of stressed corals, histopathology of corals (Ester Peters, Debbie Santavy); Physiological determinants of coral health (Craig Downs, Cheryl Woodley), Microbial ecology of coral reefs (Forest Rohwer). Participants: Graduate level students or working professionals. Limit 12 students. Credit: college credit can be obtained through the University of Hawaii. Application: deadline March 30; application form is available on our website: http://www.hawaii.edu/HIMB/Education/pauley.html For more information contact: Dr. Greta Aeby Email: greta@hawaii.edu ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Identification of Octocorals Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2003 08:33:13 -0500 From: "Craig Bonn" Organization: NOAA To: "coral-list-daily@aoml.noaa.gov" Dear Listers, I am involved in a research project in Florida Bay looking at species composition in the release channels that lie between the banks. The hardbottom channels contain hardcorals as well as numerous gorgonians. I need help in identifying the gorgonians to at least the genus level. I took video with closeups of the gorgonians and was wondering if there is anyone that could take a look and help me in their identification. So far, I have identified a few: Plexaurella nutans; Briareum asbestinum; and Pseudoplexaura spp. from the video. Im not an expert and was hoping that someone could direct me to someone with some expertise. Thanks CS Bonn Craig Steven Bonn Biological Fisheries Technician NOAA/NOS/CCFHR Seagrass Ecology Craig Steven Bonn Biological Fisheries Technician NOAA/NOS/CCFHR Seagrass Ecology 101 Pivers Island Road Cellular: 252-725-4794 Beaufort Fax: 252-728-8784 North Carolina Home: 252-354-5370 28516 Work: 252-728-8777 USA Additional Information: Last Name Bonn First Name Craig Steven Version 2.1 Subject: Re: Old ISRS Symposium Proceedings Date: Wed, 19 Feb 2003 08:28:55 -0600 (CST) From: "Richard B. Aronson" To: Hernandez Edwin CC: Coral List Dear Edwin and Listers, Doug Fenner shot this reminder across the list in January 2000 regarding the proceedings: Complete information on how to order all the Coral Reef Symposium Proceedings are available in Reef Encounter 24, Dec. 1998, page 9. You can read Reef Encounter on the ISRS (International Society for Reef Studies) web site at http://www.uncwil.edu/isrs/ Click on Reef Encounter on the left, then click on Issue 24, and go to page 9. Cheers, Rich Aronson Vice President, ISRS On Tue, 18 Feb 2003, Hernandez Edwin wrote: > Dear coral-listers. > > I've been doing an unsuccessful internet search trying > to find the previous ISRS Symposium Proceedings and > had no luck at all. > > I was able to acquire only vols. 3, 5 and 6 of the 5th > Int. Coral Reef Symp. > > Does anybody know where should I go in the internet to > get vols. 1, 2 and 4 of the 5th Symp., as well as > where to get the Proceedings of the 6th Symposium and > those earlier if there are still old copies around? > > Please, reply directly to coral_giac@yahoo.com. Thanks > in advance. > > Edwin > > ===== > Edwin A. Hernandez-Delgado, Ph.D. > University of Puerto Rico > Department of Biology > Coral Reef Research Group > P.O. Box 23360 > San Juan, P.R. 00931-3360 > Tel (787) 764-0000, x-4855; Fax (787) 764-2610 > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Shopping - Send Flowers for Valentine's Day > http://shopping.yahoo.com > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 11:46:45 -0500 From: gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu with ESMTP for coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov; Tue, 18 Feb 2003 10:46:00 -0500 Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.0.20030218104613.02803180@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu> X-Sender: dgleason@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003 10:47:50 -0500 To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov From: Danny Gleason Subject: Tropical Marine Biology Summer Course Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: owner-coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list Greetings All, I would appreciate it if you could make your students aware of our Tropical Marine Biology summer course that will be held at Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas during July 21 - August 4, 2003. This class usually fills up fast and we can only take 12 students. Students will receive 4 semester hours of transfer credit (undergraduate or graduate) as long as their home institution agrees to it. More information about the course can be found at the following web site: http://www.bio.gasou.edu/Bio-home/Gleason/Trop_Mar_Biol/TMB_Home_Page.html Thanks for your help! Cheers, Danny ************************************** Daniel Gleason Department of Biology Georgia Southern University P.O. Box 8042 Statesboro, GA 30460-8042 Phone: 912-681-5957 FAX: 912-681-0845 E-mail: dgleason@gasou.edu http://www.bio.gasou.edu/Bio-home/Gleason/Gleason-home.html ************************************** ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: SST Time Series Fagatele Bay, AS Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 22:21:09 -0500 From: "Alan E Strong" To: Coral-list , Nancy Daschbach , Lara Hansen , Peter Craig , Rusty Brainard , Jim Hendee NOTICE -- Possible American Samoa Bleaching http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/sub/sst_series_fagatele_cur.html The above time series shows that SSTs at American Samoa have been flirting with critical levels that would indicate bleaching may be close at hand. We understand from P. Craig that some bleaching has indeed been observed recently at Ofu. This is in a region where we have seen Degree Heating Weeks (DHW), that show accumulations of HotSpot values, beginning to accumulate...presently at 2.6 DHW. Any observations of bleaching should be reported at the following address: http://www.reefbase.org/input/bleachingreport/index.asp AES Coral Reef Watch Program -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad --------------------------------------------------------------------- SST Time Series -- Fagatele Bay, AS [2002-present SST time series] ---------------- [2000-2001 SST time series] ---------------- Coral Bleaching Threshold SST = Maximum Monthly Mean SST + 1 degree C ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Home | SST Time Series Index Page [NOAA logo] [DOC logo] Contact the Webmaster Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division NOAA Science Center 5200 Auth Road Cellular: 443-822-3668 Camp Springs Fax: 301-763-8108 MD Work: 301-763-8102 x170 20746 USA Additional Information: Last Name Strong First Name Alan E. Version 2.1 Subject: Hybridization in Acropora (cont.) Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 12:53:50 -0500 (EST) From: Steven Vollmer To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov hello coral-listers, sorry for my untimely response to last weeks thread about hybridization in acropora (posted by Pedro Alcolado ) with specific reference to a cancun aquarium colony of a. palmata becoming bushy morph (i have to confess that i am only a weekly subscriber). Per Dana Williams comment, leading edges of a. palmata typically form little branchlets which later fuse (this probably points to its shared common ancestor with a. cervicornis being branching), but I have also heard of 'frankenstein' colonies of a. palmata. Most notably, Antonio Ortiz and Hector Ruiz in Puerto Rico dropped a. palmata branches into deep holes and watched as the colonies threw out branched runners - so if you stress a. palmata or put colonies in novel environments (e.g. aquarium and transplants) don't be surprised if the phenotype goes out of whack. When you observe prolifera phenotypes apparently coming out of a. palmata colonies in the field (per Edwin's comment) - it is likely two colonies one palmata with a prolifera colony interspersed (this is the case for the lee stocking island, bahamas palmata reef). Finally, if you find a 'frankenstein' palmata or other caribbean acropora and are curious - i will gladly genotype it for you. Best, steve ___________________________ Steve Vollmer OEB Harvard University 16 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 ***Current Address*** Palumbi Lab Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove, CA 93950 ph: 831.655.6210 / fax: 831.375.0693 svollmer@oeb.harvard.edu ___________________________ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: tourism impact on coral reefs Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 12:40:11 -0600 From: "Olson" To: Hello, my name is Gabriela Peon and I would like to know if titanium dioxide, a very common ingredient in sunscreen lotions harms coral reefs, and if it does, would somebody know which sunscreen brand or active ingredient is truly harmless to coral reefs. I live in Cancun, Mexico and we have thousands of tourists snorkeling and diving on coral reefs every single day of the year. Any other valuable information you may have on sunscreen lotions effects on coral reefs or marine life will be very very much appreciated. Gabriela Peon Cancun, Mexico olson@cancun.com.mx Subject: Coral Spawning Events for 2003 Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 15:01:55 -0500 From: "Beaver, Carl" To: Would any members wish to speculate as to the dates of coral spawning in the western Atlantic for 2003? Last years prediction (I think by Dr. Alina Szmant) hit the nail on the head and consequently the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies was able to observe coral spawning on the Veracruz reefs for the first time. Carl Beaver Ph.D. Associate Research Scientist Florida Marine Research Institute 100 8th Ave. SE. St Petersburg, FL 33701-5020 Ph. 727-896-8626 ext 1110 / SC 523-1110 Fx 727-893-1270 e-mail Carl.beaver@fwc.state.fl.us ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Coral Spawning Events for 2003 Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 16:14:02 -0500 From: "Alina M. Szmant" To: "Beaver, Carl" , coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Carl (and others): I feel like I should start an "Alina says... " column, and make it an annual feature. I am glad to hear that I was accurate last year! For summer of 2003: Alina says... Full moon of Aug is on Aug 12 at 4:48 am. Acropora spp will spawn sometime between Aug 15 and 17 at ca. 10:00 to 10:30 am at Florida latitudes and ca. 30-60 min earlier further south (ca. 2 hr after sunset) Montastraea spp and Diploria strigosa will spawn Aug 18 to 20 at ca. 11 pm or so in Florida and ca. 30 to 60 min earlier further south. (ca. 3 hr after sunset) In exchange for sticking my neck out once again, I hope those of you lucky enough to be out there and observe spawning will email me back and let me know if your observations were on other dates. We refine our estimates each year by gathering more observations. Cheers, and don't step on the corals in the frenzy! Alina Szmant P.S. I am not liable for any errors in my estimates, or any consequences of your spending your good time and money to be out there those nights. However, if it works out, you owe me a beer for having saved all the time and money trying to figure it out for yourself. At 03:01 PM 2/21/03 -0500, Beaver, Carl wrote: > Would any members wish to speculate as to the dates of coral spawning in > the western Atlantic for 2003? Last years prediction (I think by Dr. > Alina Szmant) hit the nail on the head and consequently the Harte > Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies was able to observe coral > spawning on the Veracruz reefs for the first time. > > > > Carl Beaver Ph.D. > Associate Research Scientist > Florida Marine Research Institute > 100 8th Ave. SE. St Petersburg, FL 33701-5020 > Ph. 727-896-8626 ext 1110 / SC 523-1110 > Fx 727-893-1270 > e-mail Carl.beaver@fwc.state.fl.us > > > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . ******************************************************************* Dr. Alina M. Szmant Coral Reef Research Group Professor of Biology Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina at Wilmington 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane Wilmington NC 28409-5928 tel: (910)962-2362 fax: (910)962-2410 email: szmanta@uncwil.edu http://www.uncwil.edu/people/szmanta/ ****************************************************************** Subject: RE: Coral Spawning Events for 2003 Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 16:37:53 -0500 From: "Brad Rosov" To: "Alina M. Szmant" , "Beaver, Carl" , Going along with this coral spawning thread, I'd like to know if there are any folks planning on collecting coral spawn this year in the Florida Keys. I would be interested in teaming up with others. Alina- if you will under take this effort again, I'll buy you two beers! Brad Rosov Marine Conservation Program Manager The Nature Conservancy of the Florida Keys brosov@tnc.org (305) 745-8402 office (305) 304-6275 cell Subject: Re: Coral Spawning Events for 2003 Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 08:21:37 +0000 From: "Judith Mendes" To: szmanta@uncwil.edu, Carl.Beaver@fwc.state.fl.us, coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Further south, in the Caribbean (Cayman, Jamaica), it would be best to wait until after the September full-moon to observe spawning in Montastrea species. September full-moon = 10th at 16.36 UT. Predicted spawning dates and time = September 16th - 18th, 21.30 local time (ca. 3.5 hr after sunset). Judith Mendes _________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch with absent friends - get MSN Messenger http://messenger.msn.co.uk ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: dissertation research Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 02:36:25 -0800 (PST) From: Gemma Franklin To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hi, i wondered if anyone could help me with getting hold of data on the coral reefs around cancun and mexico as i'm doing research on the effects of tourism on coral reefs in the areas. I'd be very grateful for any information. many thanks, Gem (university student in Leeds, England) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, and more Subject: Ricardo Munoz's email Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 11:50:42 -0500 From: Judy Lang/Lynton Land To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear all, I am looking for a current email for M.C. Ricardo Muñoz, of Mérida,Yucatán, México. (We would like to ask him in which year(s) he quantified live stony coral cover in Akumal and Báhia Média Luna.) Many thanks to anyone who can help us locate him. Judy Lang ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Acropora cervicornis in aquariums Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 19:58:59 +0000 From: "Juan Torres" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear coral-listers: I am trying to mantain Acropora cervicornis colonies in outdoor aquariums for an UV enhanced experiment. Yet, so far I haven't had any luck even though the aquariums have running seawater, aereation, are being fed, and the temperature is mantained similar to the one at the reef where the colonies were removed. All the colonies were removed from less than two feet of water. When they are put in the aquariums they begin to bleach between 2-4 days after even though the physical conditions remain the same. This is about the fourth time we try without any luck at all. The seawater is filtered all the time with sand and UV filters. Do anyone have any suggestions regarding the maintenance of this species in outdoor aquariums like these? Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Juan L. Torres University of PR Dept. of Marine Sciences _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: Acropora cervicornis in aquariums Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 21:20:57 +0100 From: "Alf Jacob Nilsen" To: "Juan Torres" , Hi Juan, Are you using an open or closed aquarium system? If you have a closed one, protein skimming might help. Bleaching might also be due to to heavy light... try put a curtain to block the heaviest sunlight or lower the corals.... cheers Alf J Alf Jacob Nilsen Bioquatic Photo 4432 Hidrasund, Norway ajnilsen@online.no fax: 004738372351 ph: 004738372256 -----Original Message----- From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of Juan Torres Sent: 24. februar 2003 20:59 To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Acropora cervicornis in aquariums Dear coral-listers: I am trying to mantain Acropora cervicornis colonies in outdoor aquariums for an UV enhanced experiment. Yet, so far I haven't had any luck even though the aquariums have running seawater, aereation, are being fed, and the temperature is mantained similar to the one at the reef where the colonies were removed. All the colonies were removed from less than two feet of water. When they are put in the aquariums they begin to bleach between 2-4 days after even though the physical conditions remain the same. This is about the fourth time we try without any luck at all. The seawater is filtered all the time with sand and UV filters. Do anyone have any suggestions regarding the maintenance of this species in outdoor aquariums like these? Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Juan L. Torres University of PR Dept. of Marine Sciences _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.445 / Virus Database: 250 - Release Date: 21.01.2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.445 / Virus Database: 250 - Release Date: 21.01.2003 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Duke Marine Lab Summer Integrated Marine Conservation Program Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 17:31:38 -0500 From: Helen Nearing To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov APOLOGIES FOR CROSS LISTINGS Duke University Integrated Marine Conservation Program The Duke University Marine Laboratory is offering an unparalleled educational opportunity from July 7 to August 8, 2003. Duke's Integrated Marine Conservation Program teaches the principles necessary for the conservation and preservation of the coastal and oceanic environment. The focus is on interdisciplinary problem solving--using natural and social science theory to resolve real world environmental problems. This program is a tremendous opportunity for students at any level to think about conservation biology and policy in an environment full of students and faculty grappling with the same issues. The core class (BIO 109/ENV 209 Conservation Biology and Policy) involves field trips, discussion groups, role play (in 2002 it was a fishery management scenario), lecture, and a final project for graduate students that focuses on the integration of science and policy. Undergraduate students will have a case-study based final exam. Students will leave the class with an appreciation of the policy process, as well as with a grounding in the fundamentals of marine conservation. There may be no other course, anywhere, that can offer as much in an intensive 5-week summer session. In addition to the classwork, the session hosts a Distinguished Conservation Scholar each week to give a lecture, to lead discussions, and to be available to meet with students on an individual basis. Speakers in the past have included such scientists as Jane Lubchenco, Jeremy Jackson, Carl Safina, Jim Estes, and Kai Lee, and non-scientists such as Pulitzer-Prize winning environmental reporter John McQuaid. A final and critical dimension to the class comes from the presence of international students, who often have first-hand knowledge of conservation battles and have worked to influence environmental policy. Past international participants have included 51 students from 34 different countries. In any particular year, we expect 5-15 international fellows. Interaction with these individuals does much to foster awareness of the difficulty of implementing conservation at the ground level. If funding is available several special fellowships will be awarded on a competitive basis to international students, especially those from developing countries, to attend BIO 109/ENV 209. The Global Fellows in Marine Conservation application credentials are due April 1st. Participants in the Integrated Marine Conservation Program usually enroll in the program's 'core' course (Conservation Biology and Policy) and one of seven elective courses offered concurrently (Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles; Marine Mammals; Marine Ecology; Marine Invertebrate Zoology; Barrier Island Ecology; Marine Policy; Independent Research). Enrollment in any one course is also possible. Applications for the Integrated Marine Conservation Program will be accepted until the program is full. Duke University Marine Lab summer tuition scholarships are awarded to either U.S. or non-U.S. citizens on a competitive basis and cover full tuition for any one course in Term II. These summer tuition scholarship applications are due April 1st. Additionally, a grant from Panaphil Foundation allows the Duke Marine Laboratory to offer three tuition scholarships to U.S. citizens and three fellowships to international students attending Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. These applications are due April 1st. For further information, visit http://www.env.duke.edu/marinelab/programs/summer2.html or contact ml_admissions@env.duke.edu; 252/504-7502. Subject: Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 01:02:18 -0500 From: "Julian Sprung" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Juan, Sometimes observers confuse bleaching and tissue loss, and sometimes one leads into the other. Would you say the corals are just getting pale or are they dying? When you say "no luck" it sounds like they are dying- that's not bleaching, or at last not just bleaching. If your corals are losing tissue after a few days this may be attributed to bacteria, some other pathogen, and/or a stress response by the coral. That being an oversimplification perhaps. Are the corals placed on a white sand/gravel bottom or are they on rocks? The difference can have a dramatic impact on the light field for the coral. You are likely to have better luck with them in any case if you maintain a temperature below 82 degrees F. This will reduce the incidence of problems with bacterial pathogens and slow their progress if they occur. Therefore a chiller may help. Place it on a re-circulating loop and feed new seawater into the exhibit at a slow rate. Check the oxygen level in your system at night. It may be getting low (depending on the amount of aeration, circulation, and substrate thickness). When you say that the tanks have running seawater do you mean open system? If you are using sand filters, discontinue doing so. No need for them for this set up, and they may be developing hydrogen sulfide pockets that would affect oxygen levels, and possibly produce problems with pathogenic bacteria. Julian Sprung -----Original Message----- From: owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:owner-coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of Juan Torres Sent: 24. februar 2003 20:59 To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Subject: Acropora cervicornis in aquariums Dear coral-listers: I am trying to mantain Acropora cervicornis colonies in outdoor aquariums for an UV enhanced experiment. Yet, so far I haven't had any luck even though the aquariums have running seawater, aereation, are being fed, and the temperature is mantained similar to the one at the reef where the colonies were removed. All the colonies were removed from less than two feet of water. When they are put in the aquariums they begin to bleach between 2-4 days after even though the physical conditions remain the same. This is about the fourth time we try without any luck at all. The seawater is filtered all the time with sand and UV filters. Do anyone have any suggestions regarding the maintenance of this species in outdoor aquariums like these? Any info will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Juan L. Torres University of PR Dept. of Marine Sciences _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.445 / Virus Database: 250 - Release Date: 21.01.2003 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.445 / Virus Database: 250 - Release Date: 21.01.2003 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: coral cement ? Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 06:51:52 -0800 From: "Mike Matz" To: "coral-list" Hi all, Please - tell me which compound (exact brand name would be most appreciated!) could be used to cover up the damaged part of the coral colony underwater, after chiseling off a piece. (I 'm afraid this is urgent - I have to leave to the field in two days!) Thanks in advance! Mike Matz P.S. Some people were interested, with regard to my previous questions (last time it was coral histology), what kind of research we are doing. I just put up a new web page! Check it out: http://www.whitney.ufl.edu/research_programs/matz.htm Subject: Symposium on Subaquatic Activities Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 10:25:32 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: To listers potentially interested to attent at a sympsosium on Subaquatic Activities and diving in Cuban coral reefs. See attachment for information. All the best, Pedro Subject: NOAA News Online (Story 1104) Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 13:59:00 -0500 From: "Alan E Strong" To: "Roger B. Griffis" , Heidi Schuttenberg , Rusty Brainard , Jordan West , Karen Koltes , Jim Hendee , Eric Bayler , William Skirving , Marco Noordeloos , Jamie Oliver , Terry Done , "Dr. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg" , Ray Berkelmans , Arthur E Paterson , Andy Hooten , "Dr. Marea Hatziolos" , Rafe Pomerance CC: Coral-list NOAA News Story - Press Release - Degree Heating Week Charts - OPERATIONAL! http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s1104.htm AES -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad --------------------------------------------------------------------- NOAA Magazine || NOAA Home Page Commerce Dept. NOAA USING SATELLITE DATA TO MONITOR HEAT STRESSES ON CORAL REEFS [NOAA satellite image of Degree Heating Weeks for the past 12 weeks taken Feb. 25, 2003.]February 25, 2003 — NOAA scientists are using satellite data to monitor the long-term effects of heat stresses on several coral reefs throughout the world. While the scientists have been monitoring the stresses for some time, the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service is now providing an operational product called “Degree Heating Week”. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Degree Heating Weeks for the past 12 weeks taken Feb. 25, 2003. Click here for DHW.) “Degree Heating Weeks have been available experimentally for some time,” said Dr. Alan Strong, coordinator of Coral Reef Watch at NOAA Satellite and Information Services. “Turning operational means that coral reef managers and stake holders will now have up-to-date, accurate, and reliable information on the status of their reefs and may be able to take active measures to prevent further damage if their site has a high DHW rating.” Using satellite-derived information, DHWs continuously monitor the cumulative thermal stress of several coral reefs throughout the globe, including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Galapagos, the Bahamas and others. The extent and acuteness of thermal stress, key predictors of coral bleaching, contribute to coral reef degradation worldwide. Coral reefs compose a large and integral part of the coastal ocean, supporting a variety of sea life and providing resources of significant economic importance. Coral bleaching occurs as coral tissue expels zooxanthellae, a symbiotic algae essential to coral survival that resides within the structure of the coral. Bleaching is induced by high water temperatures. A Degree Heating Week is designed to indicate the accumulated stress experienced by coral reefs. For example, if the current temperature of a reef site exceeds the maximum expected summertime temperature by one degree Celsius, then the site receives a rating of 1 DHW. If the current temperature at the site is two degrees Celsius above the maximum expected summertime temperature or one degree above for a period of two weeks, the site would receive a rating of 2 DHWs, and so on. With the operational product, NOAA Satellite and Information Services will provide continuous technical support on a 24-hour, seven-day basis, and will maintain a Web site which will be updated twice a week. NOAA Satellite and Information Services is the nation’s primary source of space-based meteorological and climate data. NOAA Satellite and Information Services operates the nation's environmental satellites, which are used for weather and ocean observation and forecasting, climate monitoring and other environmental applications. Applications include sea-surface temperature, fire detection and ozone monitoring. NOAA Satellite and Information Services also operates three data centers, which house global data bases in climatology, oceanography, solid earth geophysics, marine geology and geophysics, solar-terrestrial physics, and paleoclimatology. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce. Relevant Web Sites NOAA’s Degree Heating Week NOAA Satellite and Information Services NOAA's Coral Reef Media Contact: Patricia Viets, NOAA Satellite and Information Services, (301) 457-5005 Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division NOAA Science Center 5200 Auth Road Cellular: 410-490-6602 Camp Springs Fax: 301-763-8572 MD Work: 301-763-8102 x170 20746 USA Additional Information: Last Name Strong First Name Alan E. Version 2.1 Subject: more on A cervicornis experiments Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 22:35:05 +0000 From: "Juan Torres" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral Listers: Here is more information regarding my experiments with A cervicornis that might answer some of the questions that were asked. Sorry I didn't give it before. 1) The main reason of the experiment is to measure the effect of enhaced UV radiation on two coral species: A cervicornis and P furcata. Even though I have had these problems with A cervicornis, I did not have any problems with P furcata. The samples from both species were collected from the same depth at the reef (1-1.5m), tied to wire frames which are covered with plastic, and kept acclimatizing on the reef at <1m depth for a month. After the month they were inspected and all the colonies from both species were perfectly fine. All the corals were placed in the aquariums less than 30 minutes from removing them from the reef and were maintained with aereation during the trip to the aquariums. The aquariums have a 30 gallon capacity and only 3-4 colonies with between 6-8 branches were put inside each aquarium. The aquariums were not covered with any mesh or shading cloth because the PAR and UV light regime measured were similar to the ones measured from they were ketp acclimatizing. The control aquariums are being kept under normal (no shading) sunlight and others are under UV lamps which are turned on only two hours during the day (between 11:00am-1:00pm) which results in an average 5% increase in the dose the control ones are recieving. Other aquariums are under a Hyzod panel that filters 99% of the UV radiation reaching the aquariums. Yet, I might try covering the aquariums with some mesh and see if this results. 2) This is an open water system, the salinity has been monitored and is between 34-35ppt all the time, and the temperature measured with HOBO thermometers fluctuates between 27oC at night and 29.5oC at noon, which compares to the temperature that is currently being measured at the reef where they were removed (between 26.7-30oC). We have not made analysis on nutrients. 3) I believe, after reading Julian Sprung's e-mail, that it may be both bleaching and RTN happening since it begins with a discoloration of the colonies and after 1-2 days the tissue can be seen to hang from the skeleton in most of the colonies. Yet, I sincerely appreciate all the information posted and any other will be greatly appreciated too! Regards, Juan L. Torres University of PR Dept. of Marine Sciences _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: carrying capacity Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 17:36:23 -0800 From: "Oliver, Jamie (WorldFish)" To: "Coral List (E-mail)" Dear Coral Listers, For your information, the paper referred to by James Spurgeon in this recent discussion thread is now available for download from ReefBase. (Search in the Literature area for Author = Spurgeon and year =2003) In addition, my paper on Limits of Acceptable Change is also on ReefBase. (Search in Literature for Author = Oliver and year = 1995) I would like to urge other members of the list to take advantage of the upload facility of ReefBase to share any (non copyright) reports with the general coral reef community by putting them onto ReefBase (go to User Input/ literature). If the upload interface is a deterrent, just email me any material and I will upload it myself. The Literature section of ReefBase now has over 14,000 references relating to coral reefs, and nearly 1000 of these have links to full text. For a list of recently added references that have access to full text see http://www.reefbase.org/pdf/ReefBase Literature Recent Additions (full text).doc Best Regards Jamie Oliver ================================================== ReefBase www.reefbase.org ReefBase is developed by the WorldFish Center. It is a product of the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). It is supported by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) ==================================================== =============================== Jamie Oliver Senior Scientist (Coral Reef Projects) WorldFish Center PO Box 500, Penang 10670 Phone: (604) 626 1606 Fax: (604) 626 5530 email: J.Oliver@cgiar.org visit ReefBase on: www.reefbase.org =============================== Subject: FW: [Fwd: NOAA Seeks Comments on Ways to Restore Injured Coral an d Seagrass] Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 13:40:32 -0600 From: "Precht, Bill" To: Coral-list FYI - See Below ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2003 CONTACT: Cheva Heck Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary 305.292.0311, ext. 26 305.304.0179 (cell) NOAA Seeks Comments on Ways to Restore Injured Coral and Seagrass The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will host two public scooping meetings to obtain input on proposed methods to restore or replace coral and seagrass habitat destroyed by incidents such as boat groundings or anchor damage. NOAA is preparing programmatic environmental impact statements (PEIS) that describe methods and guidelines for coral and seagrass restoration projects in the Florida Keys and Flower Garden Banks (off the Texas cost) national marine sanctuaries. Preparing these statements will help speed preparation of environmental assessments and individual restoration plans for specific sites and contribute to faster restoration of injured coral and seagrass areas. NOAA is also accepting written comments on the documents through April 15, 2003. NOAA expects to complete both the coral and seagrass environmental impact statements by March 2004. What: Public scoping meetings on coral and seagrass restoration techniques When: Thursday, March 6, 2003 Afternoon meeting: 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Evening meeting: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Where: Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway, gulfside. Contact: Harriet Sopher, 301.713.3145, ext. 109 or harriet.sopher@noaa.gov. ### Subject: Re: FW: [Fwd: NOAA Seeks Comments on Ways to Restore Injured Coral and Seagrass] Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 15:34:10 -0500 From: "Cheva Heck" To: "Precht Bill" CC: Coral-list Hi, Bill. I appreciate your keeping the list informed, but I believe you unfortunately obtained an earlier version of this notice that contains two errors. First of all, we are obviously holding "scoping" meetings, as opposed to "scooping" meetings, although I am sure our local reporters would be appreciative if these meetings produced some scoops. Second, as I'm sure G.P. Schmahl will agree, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is off the Texas coast, not the Texas cost. Sorry, G.P.! I apologize for the errors. Cheva "Precht, Bill" wrote: > > > FYI - See Below > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 26, 2003 > > CONTACT: Cheva Heck > Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary > 305.292.0311, ext. 26 > 305.304.0179 (cell) > > NOAA Seeks Comments on Ways to Restore Injured Coral and Seagrass > > The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will host two public > scooping meetings to obtain input on proposed methods to restore or > replace coral and seagrass habitat destroyed by incidents such as boat > groundings or anchor damage. > > NOAA is preparing programmatic environmental impact statements (PEIS) that > describe methods and guidelines for coral and seagrass restoration > projects in the Florida Keys and Flower Garden Banks (off the Texas cost) > national marine sanctuaries. Preparing these statements will help speed > preparation of environmental assessments and individual restoration plans > for specific sites and contribute to faster restoration of injured coral > and seagrass areas. > > NOAA is also accepting written comments on the documents through April 15, > 2003. NOAA expects to complete both the coral and seagrass environmental > impact statements by March 2004. > > What: Public scoping meetings on coral and seagrass restoration > techniques > > When: Thursday, March 6, 2003 > Afternoon meeting: 2:00 to 4:00 pm. > Evening meeting: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. > > Where: Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway, gulfside. > > Contact: Harriet Sopher, 301.713.3145, ext. 109 or > harriet.sopher@noaa.gov. > > ### > > > > > > Subject: Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 12:13:37 +0200 (IST) From: gefenyov@post.tau.ac.il To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov hello to you all i'm using a fluorescence prob to detect bacteria inside stone corals. i'm checking crushed tissue sampels and cross sections (10 microns depth)of the coral. i have a serious problem of auto fluorescence of both crushed and whole sampels on the same wavelength i'm using for my probs (490, 630 and 540 nm). the auto fluorescence is produced by the algea and by the coral tissue itself. i'm looking for a technique to decrease the auto fluorescence using prehybridization washing or some other method. thanks Yuval Gefen department of molecular microbiology Tel-aviv university, Israel. gefenyov@post.tau.ac.il ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Again Symposium on Subaquatic Activities Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 12:02:28 -0500 From: "Pedro Alcolado" To: Subject: El Niño: Research, Forecasts and Observations Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 11:06:31 -0500 From: "Alan E Strong" To: Coral-list El Nino gives way to return to upwelling off South America and Galapagos... http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/ -- **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* Alan E. Strong Team Leader, Marine Applications Science Team (MAST) Coral Reef Watch Project Coordinator Phys Scientist/Oceanographer NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3 NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W 5200 Auth Road Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304 Alan.E.Strong@noaa.gov 301-763-8102 x170 FAX: 301-763-8572 http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad --------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric [NOAA El Niño page] Administration [Dept of Commerce] [NOAA] [{short description of image}] [{short description of image}] [Image] El Niño is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the Tropical Pacific having important consequences for weather and climate around the globe. NOAA is the National [NOAA/NESDIS latest SST anomalies] Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has primary responsibilities for providing forecasts to the Nation, and a leadership role in sponsoring El Niño observations and research. [What is El Niño?] What is El Niño? What's happening today? NOAA Sites A comprehensive listing of NOAA El Niño sites: Forecasts Observations Research More about El Niño Comprehensive Index of more sites Educational sites Animations and Graphics [New!] non-NOAA sites Impact [New!] La Niña La Niña is associated with cooler than normal water temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Links on this page will have detailed information on processes involved in, and the status of La Niña. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Credits | Disclaimer | feedback: webmaster@www.noaa.gov Last updated: February 28, 2002 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division Alan E. Strong, Ph. D. Oceanographer/Team Leader NOAA/NESDIS/ORA Oceanic Research & Applications Division NOAA Science Center 5200 Auth Road Cellular: 410-490-6602 Camp Springs Fax: 301-763-8572 MD Work: 301-763-8102 x170 20746 USA Additional Information: Last Name Strong First Name Alan E. Version 2.1 Subject: Coral Literature on the Web Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2003 11:56:11 -0500 From: Jim Hendee To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov In response to Jamie Oliver's recent notice on coral literature, I would also like to point out at least two other good sources: The CHAMP Literature Page: http://www.coral.noaa.gov/bib/literature.shtml ...and NOAA's Coral Reef Information (CoRIS) System Web Page: http://www.coris.noaa.gov/library/welcome.html Cheers, Jim ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Brief test. Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 14:37:39 -0500 From: "Louis Florit" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov This is a final test to verify a software upgrade. Please ignore. Thank you. Louis Florit Coral-List Sysadmin ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Pressure classification methodology? Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2003 14:58:26 +0000 From: "sarah hamylton" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello everyone, I was wondering if someone could advise me on some work I am doing for my dissertation. I am seeking a classification scheme for categorising reefs on the basis of the pressure they are under. Thus far, I have only been able to find a report that uses distance from the nearest populated area- this is included in my data set but doesn't give any indication of the type of pressure. I am not really interested in quantifying the impact intensity, just classifying reefs based on the presence of each pressure. The data set I have is similar to a Reefcheck one- it assesses a number of pressures on a semi-quantitative scale- rating presence from none to heavy. I’m tempted to make up my own classification scheme, assigning weights to the different influences and then attempting to justify the weightings I have used. Justification would be based on impact magnitude in terms of frequency/ damage potential. Maybe also incorporating papers written on influences that are known to be particularly problematic in the study area. I can’t help thinking that this will become a little subjective though, I am tempted to weight the presence of sewage pollution heavier than tourist diving as the latter is present at all my study sites whereas the former only has a presence at three out of twenty two study sites. Does anyone know of any set methodologies for categorising individual reefs on the basis anthropogenic pressures present? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, Sarah Hamylton. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. More info here. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: Pressure classification methodology? Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 14:52:49 -0500 From: "John McManus" To: "sarah hamylton" , Both the global and Southeast Asian Reefs at Risk studies (and the current one for the Caribbean) involved categorizing reefs based on potential pressures, to the best we could determine without the expense of visiting each reef (http://www.wri.org/wri/reefsatrisk/}. There is a classification scheme for levels of overfishing, particularly on reefs, based on market surveys in: Subject: Re: Pressure classification methodology? Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2003 09:10:04 +1000 From: Jon Brodie Organization: ACTFR To: sarah hamylton , coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov sarah hamylton wrote: > > > Hello everyone, > > I was wondering if someone could advise me on some work I am doing for my > dissertation. I am seeking a classification scheme for categorising > reefs on the basis of the pressure they are under. Thus far, I have only > been able to find a report that uses distance from the nearest populated > area- this is included in my data set but doesn't give any indication of > the type of pressure. I am not really interested in quantifying the > impact intensity, just classifying reefs based on the presence of each > pressure. The data set I have is similar to a Reefcheck one- it assesses > a number of pressures on a semi-quantitative scale- rating presence from > none to heavy. I’m tempted to make up my own classification scheme, > assigning weights to the different influences and then attempting to > justify the weightings I have used. Justification would be based on > impact magnitude in terms of frequency/ damage potential. Maybe also > incorporating papers written on influences that are known to be > particularly problematic in the study area. I can’t help thinking that > this will become a little subjective though, I am tempted to weight the > presence of sewage pollution heavier than tourist diving as the latter > is present at all my study sites whereas the former only has a presence > at three out of twenty two study sites. Does anyone know of any set > methodologies for categorising individual reefs on the basis > anthropogenic pressures present? > > Any help would be much appreciated. > > Thanks, > > Sarah Hamylton. > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. More info here. > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing > and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see > http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Hi Sarah Have you seen the Price et al 1998 paper on just such a methodology for the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia - in Environmental Conservation 25(1): 65-76. The Reefs at Risk approach is also worth a look - see Bryant et al, 1998 'Reefs at Risk' published by WRI, ICLARM WCMC and UNEP. regards Jon Brodie Principal Research Scientist Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research James Cook University Townsville, Australia ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Pressure classification methodology? Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 01:11:27 -0500 From: Judy Lang/Lynton Land To: Bob Buddemeier CC: sarah hamylton , coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Bob, Excellent point! Besides planting trees wherever we can, what on Earth (and underwater, of course) are members of the coral-list who worry about the effects of climate change supposed to do when most visits to our field sites are associated with the release of masses of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? Judy Lang > And a final point -- in an era of disease, bleaching, and climate > change, it may be pretty short-sighted to do pressure assessments only > on the basis of local anthropogenic factors, and essentially > impossible to interpret or understand reef 'responses' only in those > terms. > > Bob Buddemeier > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Reef pressure Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 09:15:36 -0000 From: "Nicholas Polunin" To: CC: Sarah For your info, my group has done a lot of work relating ecological differences at the level of whole traditional Fijian fishing grounds to a fishing pressure index. The index is simply the number of residents per unit area or unit length of reef habitat. See for example the references: (1) Jennings S, Polunin NVC 1996. Effects of fishing on the biomass and structure of target reef fish communities. Journal of Applied Ecology 33: 400-412 (2) Jennings S, Polunin NVC 1996. Fishery development, fishing strategies and socioeconomics in Fijian qoliqoli. Fisheries Management and Ecology 3: 335-347 (3) Jennings S, Polunin NVC 1997. Impacts of predator depletion by fishing on the biomass and diversity of non-target reef fish communities. Coral Reefs 16: 71-82 (4) Polunin NVC, Jennings S 1998. Differential effects of small-scale fishing on predatory and prey fishes on Fijian reefs. pp 95-124 In: D.M. Newbery, H.H.T. Prins & N. Brown (Eds) Dynamics of Tropical Communities, Symposia of the British Ecological Society 37. Blackwell, Oxford. (5) Jennings S, Reynolds JR, Polunin NVC 1999. Predicting the vulnerability of tropical reef fishes to exploitation: an approach based on phylogenies and life histories. Conservation Biology 13: 1466-1475 (6) Dulvy NK, Mitchell RE, Watson D, Sweeting C, Polunin NVC 2002. Spatial scale-dependent top-down control of mesoinvertebrates along a Fijian fishing gradient. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 278: 1-29 In one case we have used fishing licences per unit of reef area. See: Cooke A, Polunin NVC, Moce K 2000. Comparative assessment of stakeholder management in traditional Fijian fishing-grounds. Environmental Conservation 27: 291-299 The fishing index can be validated in terms of our previous work with logbook surevys in some of the grounds. See: (1) Jennings S, Polunin NVC 1995. Comparative size and composition of yield from six Fijian reef fisheries. Journal of Fish Biology 46: 28-46 (2) Jennings S, Polunin NVC 1995. Relationships between catch and effort in Fijian multispecies reef fisheries subject to different levels of exploitation. Fisheries Management and Ecology 2: 89-101 (3) Jennings S, Polunin NVC 1995. Biased underwater visual census biomass estimates for target species in tropical reef fisheries. Journal of Fish Biology 47: 733-736 Clearly this won't work everywhere, for example in locations where human population density and/or reef arrea are related to other disturbing factors such as fertilizer use and thus nutrient input to the sea. Nick Polunin Reader, Marine Science & Technology Newcastle University T +44 (0)191 222 6675 F - 7891 Schl www.ncl.ac.uk/marine/staff ICEF Conf 2003 www.icef.eawag.ch/ ISRS Conf 2004 www.plando.co.jp/icrs2004 Jrnl http://uk.cambridge.org/journals/enc/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: RE: Information about Cabo Pulmo in Baja California Sur, Mexico Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 10:26:15 -0600 From: "Dr. Fernando Perez-Castillo" To: "coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov" Dear all: I am planning to do a monitoring programme in the 'Parque Nacional Cabo Pulmo' in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Cabo Pulmo was declared a Natural Protected Area in June 6, 1995, and it has a total surface of 7100 has (71 sq. Km). It is located at 23 d 22 m 30 s - 23 d 30 m 00 s and 109 d 28 m 03 s - 109 d 23 m 00 s approximately. Cabo Pulmo Park is located between La Paz and San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The National Park of Cabo Pulmo supports the most extensive growth of coral in the Gulf of California and its biological diversity is one of the highest in the West Coast of Mexico. Pulmo Reef supports the most extensive growth of coral in the Gulf of California. There are species from Panama, California and Cortez Provinces and its edge has been calculated around 25000 years. Before Cabo Pulmo was declared National Park, the commercial (mainly Pearl Oyster) and sport fisheries had an adverse pressure on the reef resources. Now thanks to the decree those activities started to be regulated. However, the general tourism increase in the region and in particular the sport diving in the reef are new pressures that need to be taken into account if we want to preserve this singular reef. In addition, the new federal government development proposal 'Escalera Nautica' to be carried out along and across the Gulf of California will bring new pressures to the Pulmo Reef. My field is related to biogeochemical cycles and in particular I am interested in fluxes of organic matter. Any suggestions of what needs to be considered to start a continuous and simple monitoring programme in Pulmo Reef with the objective of have a base line of the physicochemical conditions of the reef. Sincerely yours Fernando Perez-Castillo ========================================= Dr. Fernando Pérez Castillo CICESE - Unidad Baja California Sur - Biogeoquímica Miraflores 334 Fraccionamiento Bellavista La Paz, Baja California Sur CP 23050 MEXICO Tel/Fax (01)-612-121-3031 (nacional) Tel/Fax (52)-612-121-3031 (international) e-mail: fperez@cicese.mx ========================================= ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Lithophaga genus - sediment producers? Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 16:39:16 GMT From: "Iain Macdonald" Organization: Manchester Metropolitan University To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov CC: Karl.Kleeman@univie.ac.at, reef@mailup.univ-mrs.fr, peyrot@com.univ-mrs.fr Dear all I was originally under the assumption that Lithophaga boring bivalves do not produce any carbonate sediment when they bore into coral skeletons due to their mode of boring - chemical digestion. However, a short extract from Adjas et al. (1990) has put a bit of doubt on this assumption. They and Peyrot-Clausade (pers comm) in previously cited paper, mention the production of very fine (1 to 5 microns) carbonate needles. I was wondering if any of you could resolve this fact for me. Thanks Iain Macd. Adjas, A., Masse, J-P., Montaggioni, L.F. (1990). "Fine- grained carbonates in early reef environments: Mataiva and Takapoto atolls, Central Pacific Ocean." Sedimentary Geology 67: 115-132. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Pressure classification methodology? Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2003 10:43:07 -0600 From: Bob Buddemeier Organization: Kansas Geological Survey To: sarah hamylton CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Sarah, Nick Polunin has pointed out that there are good ways to get indicators or proxies for single variables or clusters of closely related effects. The issue is very different once you try to do some sort of multi-variate but quantitative assessment. My opinion is that the Reefs at Risk approach is about as detailed, as well tested and justified, and as useful as one can hope for, and although it could be 'tuned' for specific locales or concerns, it's a wheel that not only doesn't need reinventing, but also one that probably can't realistically be improved on a whole lot (see below). There are whole schools of analysis devoted to this sort of thing -- Kerry Turner and his colleagues like the PSIR (Pressure-State-Impact-Response) conceptual model; you can find out more about that by going to : http://www.nioz.nl/loicz/firstpages/products/fp-products.htm, and under the Reports and Studies category go to R&S #11 (downloadable pdf file). Personally, I do not find this approach terribly useful for serious quantitative analysis, but it does raise some very important conceptual points -- specifically, by separating pressure from impact and including the state of the system. The same amount of nutrient dumped on a well-flushed fore-reef and in a relatively stagnant lagoon will have very different impacts -- and hence, operationally, be functionally different pressures. Similarly, response to coral mortality will depend on the reproductive strategies and potentials of the survivors and on connectivity to other sources of propagules. I would suggest that a lot of work has been done on classifying reef vulnerability by looking outward toward the stresses; I don't think the level of systematic classification of the relation of reef community characteristics (areal size, diversity, cover/population, regional and local environmental settings, recent history of stress or damage, etc.) to vulnerability has kept up with that, and at local-to-regional scales that is a key component. I am a little confused by your request -- you say "I am not really interested in quantifying the impact intensity, just classifying reefs based on the presence of each pressure." but you continue to say "Justification would be based on impact magnitude in terms of frequency/ damage potential." ??? If you are looking at impacts you are going to need to deal with nonlinearities, thresholds, and synergies -- reducing salinity from 34 to 28 psu might not have too much effect; reducing it from 28 to 22 would likely be catastrophic. And the outcome of the catastrophe would depend on how much sediment and nutrient loading came with the fresh water [ Suggestion -- test whatever classification system you come up with against the well-documented history of Kaneohe Bay]. This raises a number of other issues -- we tend to think of anthropogenic impacts in terms of how much foreign stuff people dump in the water or how many organisms they kill, but the second-order pressures resulting from land and water use can have major effects that aren't fully considered (floods, for example, may be either controlled or exacerbated by human activity). And a final point -- in an era of disease, bleaching, and climate change, it may be pretty short-sighted to do pressure assessments only on the basis of local anthropogenic factors, and essentially impossible to interpret or understand reef 'responses' only in those terms. Bob Buddemeier sarah hamylton wrote: > Hello everyone, > > I was wondering if someone could advise me on some work I am doing for my > dissertation. I am seeking a classification scheme for categorising reefs > on the basis of the pressure they are under. Thus far, I have only been > able to find a report that uses distance from the nearest populated area- > this is included in my data set but doesn't give any indication of the > type of pressure. I am not really interested in quantifying the impact > intensity, just classifying reefs based on the presence of each pressure. > The data set I have is similar to a Reefcheck one- it assesses a number of > pressures on a semi-quantitative scale- rating presence from none to > heavy. I’m tempted to make up my own classification scheme, assigning > weights to the different influences and then attempting to justify the > weightings I have used. Justification would be based on impact magnitude > in terms of frequency/ damage potential. Maybe also incorporating papers > written on influences that are known to be particularly problematic in the > study area. I can’t help thinking that this will become a little > subjective though, I am tempted to weight the presence of sewage pollution > heavier than tourist diving as the latter is present at all my study sites > whereas the former only has a presence at three out of twenty two study > sites. Does anyone know of any set methodologies for categorising > individual reefs on the basis anthropogenic pressures present? > > Any help would be much appreciated. > > Thanks, > Subject: Re: Reef pressure Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2003 09:08:14 -0800 From: Tegan Churcher Hoffmann To: CC: , Kalli De Meyer Dear Sarah, I did a study in Fiji and the Cook Islands comparing reefs that had different levels of economic development, population, pressure, land-use practices, and marine management practices. The Marine Pollution Bulletin Article and my dissertation show the specific classification system I used. If you or anyone else is interested I can send .pdf files of the articles below. Thanks, Tegan Hoffmann, T.C.. 2002. Coral reef health and effects of socio-economic factors in Fiji and the Cook Islands. Marine Pollution Bulletin. V44: 1281-1293. Hoffmann, T.C. 2002. The Re-implementation of the Ra'ui: Coral Reef Management in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Coastal Management. V30:401-418 Hoffmann, T.C. 2001. Reefs of Life to Reefs of Death: The Political Ecology of Coral Reef Health in the Cook Islands and Fiji. Ph.D dissertation Department of Geography University of California at Berkeley. Tegan Churcher Hoffmann, Ph.D Acting Program Director CORAL - The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) The Coral Reef Alliance 417 Montgomery Street, Suite 205 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone 415-834-0900 x 302 Fax 415-834-0999 thoffmann@coral.org "Working together to keep coral reefs alive." CORAL's site ICRIN's site: ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Diadema antillarum Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2003 20:11:37 +0000 From: "Miguel Lugo" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello all coral list readers, I am looking for any information regarding the histology of gonads (photos, papers, etc.) on the black sea urchin Diadema antillarum. I am trying to describe de reproductive cycle of this urchin for populations in the southwest part of the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Thank you for any information provided. Miguel Lugo _________________________________________________________________ Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Help on marine life and reef preservation Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 16:32:53 -0500 From: Moshe Bar-Nachoom To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hi all, =20 I am new to this list and was directed here by Jean Michele Costeau. =20 The reason I'm subscribed to this list and others as such is that I am currently seeking any information and advise regarding marine preservation and ecology awareness. Major harm is caused to the Eilat Red-Sea reef by divers, pollution, harbor activities and marine fisheries that not only cause excess pollution but also, at occasions, when a net is torn apart, the inbound species find themselves at large and start consuming other native marine life. =20 We are some people who are interested in providing a safeguard association aimed at preservation and divers' behavior, monitoring and education. If you have any information that can help, any advise, any thoughts on the subject, please share them. Thank you very much for your time, and looking forward to your ideas. =20 Sincerely yours, Moshe Bar-Nachoom ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: summer field course in reef fish biology - limited space remaining Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 18:04:31 -0500 From: sale@uwindsor.ca To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov List members, particularly in North America, and the Caribbean, Please draw information about the following two-week field course on reef fish ecology, to senior undergraduate and beginning graduate students. We have a few spaces remaining, and these will be filled on a first come, first served basis. ECOLOGY, BIOLOGY and BEHAVIOR of CORAL REEF FISHES This course will be offered, June 2 - 15, 2003, inclusive, by the University of Windsor, at the University of Belize Institute of Marine Studies facility in the Turneffe Islands, Belize. Instructors are Drs. Peter F. Sale, Stuart A. Ludsin and Jake Kritzer. Intended for senior undergraduate, or commencing graduate students. Course fee is CDN$ 1725.00 (US$ 1105.00), not including travel to Belize. Places are limited so contact us quickly. Full details available at www.uwindsor.ca/sale (scroll down to the course title and click through). PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THE LIST - GO TO THE WEBSITE, OR REPLY DIRECTLY TO ME Peter F. Sale Biological Sciences University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada N9B 3P4 519-253-3000, ext. 2727 519-971-3609 FAX sale@uwindsor.ca ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: need information about videography Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2003 01:41:55 -0800 (PST) From: aida saffarian To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear coral list we are a team of experts working on coral reef in Persian Gulf and searching for videography method to survey and assess coral reef areas in the rigon. please kindly send me any available information in this regard. Thank you in advance and looking forward to hearing from you soon. best regards Aida saffarian __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: looking for Dr.Helge Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2003 01:51:39 -0800 (PST) From: aida saffarian To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hello everyone I am looking for email address of Dr.Helge. It would be highly appreciated if you could kindly send me his address if avaiable. any help would be much appreciated thank you Aida Saffarian __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Announcement: NOAA releases new coral reef maps of NW Hawaiian Islands Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 09:08:02 -0500 From: "Roger B Griffis" Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOAA03-R407 Contact: Glenda Tyson (301) 713-3066 March 5, 2003 NOAA RELEASES FIRST EVER DETAILED MAPS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS An atlas is now available from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, providing baseline information about the locations and distributions of the shallow-water seabed features of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI). The Atlas of the Shallow-Water Benthic Habitats of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands - Draft supports research, management, and conservation of critical resources in the NWHI region. NOAA is an agency of the Department of Commerce. Developed through a partnership between NOAA National Ocean Service (NOAA Oceans and Coasts), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, the State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, the University of Hawaii, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Analytical Laboratories of Hawaii, the atlas depicts shallow-water seabed features in the NWHI with unprecedented detail. The maps also provide baseline information when assessments are performed to evaluate whether or not changes, such as increases or decreases in reef cover, impacts of marine debris, and the effects of global warming, are taking place in the area. The atlas is considered to be in draft form because confirming the accuracy of the maps is extremely difficult. As more information about the coral reef ecosystems in the NWHI is collected, the maps will be revised and updated. In the atlas, shallow-water refers to water generally less than 30 m (98 ft) deep. Approximately 2,360 sq. km (911 sq. miles) of coral reef ecosystems were mapped, representing about 68 percent of the estimated 3,493 sq. km (1,349 sq. miles) of shallow-water coral reef ecosystems in the NWHI. An even bigger area of coral reef ecosystems may be found in water greater that 30 m (98 ft) deep. Other mapping activities and technologies will be used in coming years to characterize the seabed associated with these deeper water areas in the NWHI. In addition to the printed atlas, a set of two CD-ROMs is available. These CD-ROMs contain the digital, high-resolution, detailed benthic habitat maps; aggregated habitat cover maps; and detailed estimated depth maps. These maps can be incorporated into a computerized GIS or other software for further use and analysis. The CD-ROMs also contain documentation on how the maps were generated, and other information related to mapping the benthic habitats of the NWHI. The atlas was produced in response to a mandate from the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to develop shallow-water coral reef ecosystem maps for all U.S. waters by 2007. The primary funding source for the development of this product was the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program. The products generated from this and other coral reef mapping efforts are used to support NOAA, other federal, state, territory, and local activities, including NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Programs’ endeavor to designate NWHI as a National Marine Sanctuary and research for the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program. The effort to map U.S. coral reef ecosystems is led by the Biogeography Program in NOAA Oceans and Coasts National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. The Biogeography Program develops information through research, monitoring, and assessment on the distribution and ecology of living marine resources and their associated habitats for improved ecosystem management. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) are a series of islands, atolls, shallow water banks, and seamounts that start with Nihoa Island, which is 250 km (155 miles) west-northwest of Kauai, and stretch 1,920 km (1,193 miles) west-northwest to Kure Atoll. The NWHI make up the western portion of the Hawaiian Archipelago, which includes the islands of Hawai`i and O`ahu. The diverse, expansive and pristine shallow-water coral reef ecosystems of the NWHI are unique. This ecosystem hosts a distinctive array of marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, birds, and invertebrates, including species that are endemic, rare, threatened, and endangered. NOAA National Ocean Service (NOAA Oceans and Coasts) is dedicated to exploring, understanding, conserving and restoring the nation’s coasts and oceans. NOAA Ocean and Coasts balances environmental protection with economic prosperity in fulfilling its mission of promoting safe navigation, supporting coastal communities, sustaining coastal habitats, and mitigating coastal hazards. The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. On the Internet: NOAA - http://www.noaa.gov NOAA Oceans and Coasts - http://www.nos.noaa.gov NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program - http://coris.noaa.gov/ Draft Atlas of the Shallow-Water Benthic Habitats of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands - http://biogeo.nos.noaa.gov/projects/pacific/nwhi/data U.S. Coral Reef Task Force - http://coralreef.gov Mapping Implementation Plan - http://biogeo.nos.noaa.gov/MIP --------------------------------------------------------------------- Roger B. Griffis Policy Advisor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Roger B. Griffis Policy Advisor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA/NOS/ORR Rm 10116 1305 East West Highway Pager: 877-632-5370 Silver Spring Fax: 301-713-4389 MD Work: 301-713-2989 x 115 20910 USA Additional Information: Last Name Griffis First Name Roger Version 2.1 Subject: Re: Help on marine life and reef preservation Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 09:15:03 -0800 From: Tegan Churcher Hoffmann To: Dear Moshe Bar-Nachoom, You may find these downloadable guidelines, in particular 1 on diving and 1 on snorkeling, useful to hand out to divers. Please visit our website. http://www.coralreefalliance.org/parks/guidelines.html Thanks, Tegan Tegan Churcher Hoffmann, Ph.D Acting Program Director CORAL - The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) The Coral Reef Alliance 417 Montgomery Street, Suite 205 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone 415-834-0900 x 302 Fax 415-834-0999 thoffmann@coral.org "Working together to keep coral reefs alive." CORAL's site ICRIN's site: Tegan Churcher Hoffmann, Ph.D Acting Program Director CORAL - The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) The Coral Reef Alliance 417 Montgomery Street, Suite 205 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone 415-834-0900 x 302 Fax 415-834-0999 thoffmann@coral.org "Working together to keep coral reefs alive." CORAL's site ICRIN's site: ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting in Wash DC Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 07:30:25 -0500 From: "Roger B Griffis" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Task force calls for improved water quality Allison A. Freeman, Greenwire staff writer Federal officials and local governments should increase collaborative efforts to address continuing threats to coral reefs, particularly in reducing wastewater, runoff pollution and overfishing in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, concurred top federal and state environmental officials last week at a meeting of U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The CRTF, established by an executive order in 1998 to "preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems," comprises the heads of 11 federal agencies and the leaders of 10 states, territories and commonwealths. At its biennial meeting in Washington, D.C., last week, the group passed resolutions calling for upgrading wastewater treatment systems in areas supporting coral reef habitat, improving water quality through the federal Everglades Restoration Plan and promoting sustainable trade in coral reef products. "The Task Force resolutions and statements reflect the intent [to] highlight these issues as really important to address the coral reef crisis," said Roger Griffis, co-chair of the CRTF steering committee and policy advisor for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coral reef conservation program. "It's clear from the level of representation we have from around the nation and around the world that coral reefs and their continued protection are high priorities," said Tim Keeney, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. In 2000, the CRTF adopted the U.S. National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs, laying out 13 major goals to help sustain coral reef ecosystems. The CRTF has brought together government and nongovernmental entities to address key issues, such as the nationwide effort to map and characterize all shallow U.S. reefs. In October 2002 the CRTF identified land-based pollution, overfishing, lack of public awareness, recreational overuse, coral reef disease and climate change as the major threats to reefs and called for additional efforts to reduce these threats. According to a recent Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network report, coral reefs, which are highly sensitive to environmental change and key indicators of broader problems in the ocean, have declined by 27 percent worldwide. The report found that 60 percent of the world's coral reefs could be lost by 2030. At its meeting, the CRTF encouraged states to work with local stakeholders and federal partners to develop local action plans to address the key threats. "This is an effort to identify and implement actions from the ground up ... to help achieve goals of the U.S. National Action Plan," said Griffis. The CRTF lacks authority to regulate or appropriate funds. As such, the resolutions can not be incorporated into law. However, they can serve as blueprints for continued state and federal restoration efforts. Florida officials, for example, are hoping the resolutions will help leverage increased federal funding for local cleanup efforts. "A resolution passed at the level of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, the secretary and assistant secretary level, can be put in front of decision-makers, conservation groups, stakeholders, fishermen and other appropriate people to show that it is recognized at high levels that we need to take action," said Billy Causey, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. "To take action, we need resources. This is a powerful tool to move to the next step." Protection of the reefs is important to Florida not only because they "provide a very diverse and biologically important community," Causey said, but also for economic reasons. The park logs 13.3 million visitor days a year, resulting in $1.2 billion in tourism revenues. "We cannot afford to lose this reef," Causey said. An official with the U.S. EPA said the agency would not respond to the resolutions, which it supported, until the CRTF releases the final versions in coming weeks. But the official said the resolutions would likely not lead to new rulemaking, but rather encourage the agency to assist and coordinate with other groups and local officials. But Dan Meyer, general counsel for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the CRTF is not taking enough action to address declining coral reefs. He said the CRTF should "bash heads" and address reef harming practices executed by agencies within the group, citing the Army Corps of Engineers in particular. Meyer said the Corps' oversight of beach renourishment -- placing sand on the shore of eroding beaches -- often allows low-cost, uncareful methods that stir up sand in the water and choke the reef. The Corps also harms the reef with dredging permits and by allowing fiber optic cable to cross reef zones without environmental review, Meyer said. Meyer said the agencies on the CRTF should cooperate to more staunchly protect the reefs, consulting with one another and using existing laws, like the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, to tighten their regulatory authority. "Without solving the central oversight problem, the Coral Reef Task Force is going to be like an undertaker for the reefs. It will document their burial and demise but won't have been a doctor to step in and see the patient before it died," Meyer said. "Because the reefs are not out in the public's view, we risk not knowing that we missed the boat on this until the reefs are dead." Kacky Andrews, Director of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, said the resolutions will not spur the state to write more coral reef regulations, but said she hopes they will encourage Congress to direct more funding to Florida, especially for the state's wastewater treatment plan. "The federal government has done a lot for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, but there is a lot of need," she said. Andrews noted that in the Florida Keys, nutrient-laden wastewater from some 25,000 septic tanks, 6,500 cesspits and 900 shallow-injection wells compromises water quality in the nearshore coral reef system. CRTF's Everglades restoration resolution asked state regulators to consider how coral reefs will be affected by water flowing through the Everglades and into the Florida Bay. As the state develops and implements its 20-year plan to restore historic flows to the Everglades, the reefs will almost certainly benefit, Andrews said. Other resolutions called for programs to address wastewater treatment systems in the Virgin Islands, where the current system inadequately accommodates a growing population, and in Puerto Rico, where more than 30 percent of homes are not connected to a wastewater treatment system. The resolution dealing with trade urges the United States to promote the sustainable trade of coral reef species under international negotiations. The U.S. consumes more than 80 percent of coral reef products traded worldwide, NOAA's Griffis said. The Marine Aquarium Council, a coral reef products stakeholder coalition, is working to develop a voluntary certification program for sustainable, environmentally sound standards for trade of reef products. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Ph.D. studentship, coral disease Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2003 18:00:40 GMT+00:00 From: To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral list Digest, I am a mature postgraduate student studying my Master of Research at the University of Plymouth UK, due to end September 2003. My project is investigating the possible role of ‘phage therapy in combating coral disease. I have been a keen keeper of marine species for over twenty years and reef conservation is most important to me. My question is this, does anyone know of any Ph.D. opportunities globally involving the specific area I am currently in and or coral disease in general? Thanks Chris Aslett -------------------- talk21 your FREE portable and private address on the net at http://www.talk21.com ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Announcing: Cnidarian Biochemistry Bibliography Available Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 15:42:07 -0500 From: "Cheryl Woodley" To: Coral List Serve , CDHCList There is a new research resource available to the coral research community in the form of a Cnidarian Biochemistry Bibliography. The bibliography includes 1055 references and covers the period of 1965-2002. It is available on the CHAMP webpage at the following URL address: http://coastal.aoml.noaa.gov/RIS/RISWEB.isa The Cnidarian Biochemistry Bibliography is titled ‘cnidarianbio.pdt’ and is fully searchable. The bibliography is one of the resources resulting from the Coral Disease and Health Consortium’s workshop identifying research needs. It is planned that this resource will be updated approximately semi-annually. With this in mind, if you are aware of citations that should be included under this topical area, please forward the information to Sylvia Galloway at the following email address: Sylvia.Galloway@noaa.gov We also welcome notice of new publications relevant to this collection. If you have any questions about the bibliography, send them to the same email address. The publications have been collected in support of the preparation of a review on the same subject. The bibliography and a short version of the review will be published as a NOAA TM. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Cheryl M. Woodley, PhD Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research Cheryl M. Woodley, PhD Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research Hollings Marine Laboratory 331 Ft Johnson Fax: 843-762-8737 Road Work: 843-762-8862 Charleston South Carolina 29412 Additional Information: Last Name Woodley First Name Cheryl Version 2.1 Subject: Re: Cnidarian Biochemistry Bibliography Available Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 22:44:20 -0500 From: Jim Hendee To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Actually, the link that Cheryl kindly provided is a link off the CHAMP Literature Page, which may be confusing to some. The appropriate link to use, which will allow you access to more literature, is: http://www.coral.noaa.gov/bib/literature.shtml then click on CHAMP Literature Server. The link to the Coral Disease Page is: http://www.coral.noaa.gov/coral_disease/ and from there you can link to the Coral Disease and Health Consortium. Cheers, Jim Cheryl Woodley wrote: > There is a new research resource available to the coral research > community in the form of a Cnidarian Biochemistry Bibliography. The > bibliography includes 1055 references and covers the period of > 1965-2002. It is available on the CHAMP webpage at the following URL > address: > > http://coastal.aoml.noaa.gov/RIS/RISWEB.isa > > The Cnidarian Biochemistry Bibliography is titled ‘cnidarianbio.pdt’ and > is fully searchable. > > The bibliography is one of the resources resulting from the Coral > Disease and Health Consortium’s workshop identifying research needs. It > is planned that this resource will be updated approximately > semi-annually. With this in mind, if you are aware of citations that > should be included under this topical area, please forward the > information to Sylvia Galloway at the following email address: > > Sylvia.Galloway@noaa.gov > > We also welcome notice of new publications relevant to this collection. > If you have any questions about the bibliography, send them to the same > email address. > The publications have been collected in support of the preparation of a > review on the same subject. The bibliography and a short version of the > review will be published as a NOAA TM. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: juvenile response to heat stress Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 15:13:32 +1000 From: To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear all, I have been running a heat tolerance experiment on juveniles and adults of Acropora tenuis in an indoor aquarium, to look at juvenile versus adult response to heat stress. I am currently searching for literature in this area that has looked at juvenile response to heat stress/bleaching, and possibly in relation to adult response. If you know of anything that would be of help to me, please e-mail me at: alittle@aims.gov.au. Any information/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Angela Little ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: need information about videography Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 16:05:57 +1000 From: Andrew Chin To: aida saffarian CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Aida, Have a look at the Australian Institute of Marine Science Long Term Monitoring Program website, I've found it very useful. It contains information on videography but also good examples of the reports they produce. http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/reef-monitoring/projinfo.html The website also contains information on the video transect sampling design and the 1996 standard operating procedure is available at: http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/research/reef-monitoring/ltm/mon-sop2/sop2-00.html There is an updated version (2001) but I don't think it's available online yet. The AIMS team have also been involved with coral surveys in that region and may be able to provide some assistance. cheers Andrew aida saffarian wrote: > Dear coral list > > we are a team of experts working on coral reef in > Persian Gulf and searching for videography method > to survey and assess coral reef areas in the rigon. > please kindly send me any available information in > this regard. > Thank you in advance and looking forward to hearing > from you soon. > best regards > > Aida saffarian > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more > http://taxes.yahoo.com/ > > ~~~~~~~ > For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the > digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . -- ----------------------------------------------------- *** ANDREW CHIN Project Manager Research and Monitoring Coordination Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority PO Box 1379 TOWNSVILLE, QLD 4810 Australia +61 7 4750 0810 ph. +61 7 4772 6093 fax. GMT + 10 hours a.chin@gbrmpa.gov.au *** Visit the State of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area Report 1998 on line at http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/publications/sotr/ *** --------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Spawning in East Africa Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 13:46:42 +0100 From: "Sangeeta Mangubhai" To: "Coral-List" Coral-Listers, I am currently undertaking my Masters through Southern Cross University, Australia. However, I am based in Mombasa, Kenya and I am studying the reproductive ecology (spawning, gametogenic cycles, fecundity, recruitment) of 4 selected coral species (Acropora valida, Platygyra daedalea, P. sinensis, Echinopora gemmacea) in the Mombasa Marine Park and Reserve. I am writing to find out whether anyone has measured, recorded or made any field observations of corals (any species) spawning in East Africa or the wider Western Indian Ocean. If so, I would like to find out the following: 1. Which coral species you observed spawning? 2. Where was spawning observed - if possible a reef/site name as well as the country? 3. When was spawning observed - time of day, date, year? 4. Any studies that have been undertaken in the region on spawning & fecundity? Please note, I am interested in hearing any general observations made in the field of spawning and am happy to summarise the results of my query back to the list. Regards Sangeeta ________________________________ Sangeeta Mangubhai PO Box 10135 Bamburi, Mombasa KENYA Tel: +254 (11) 474 582 (home) Tel/Fax: +254 (11) 5486 473 (work) Mobile: 0733-698-771 Email: smangubhai@africaonline.co.ke ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Bleaching: no worries Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 14:37:27 +0100 From: "GJ Gast" Organization: Greenpeace To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov For your information. The global warming problem is over.... Or not? Best wishes, GJ. ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Herald Sun(Melbourne) February 27, 2003, Thursday SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 19 LENGTH: 1105 words HEADLINE: Reef's white lies BYLINE: ANDREW BOLT BODY: Four years ago green doomsayers said the Great Barrier Reef was turning white and had but a few years to live. They were wrong. Again IF YOU go out to the reef today, you're in for a big surprise. It's still there. Yes, the Great Barrier Reef is out there and looking its blinding best. Curse that global warming. Yet again, it hasn't struck, just as wasn't predicted by professional alarmists four years ago. But also yet again, we'll remember their global warming scare campaign long after the facts emerge which prove we needn't fret. So let me remind you how we were told in 1999 that our reef was dying so fast that it would be a bleached white corpse by 2030, if not sooner. It started when Greenpeace commissioned Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg to find out why bits of the reef had gone white. Given Greenpeace thrives on environmental horror stories, it was delighted when the professor concluded global warming was making the sea so hot that the coral was dying. The future was "quite bleak", Hoegh-Guldberg told our media, typically credulous when reporting environmental scares. "Coral reefs could be eliminated from most areas of the world by 2100," and the Great Barrier Reef itself "looks to be under pressure within, say, the next 30 years". Hoegh-Guldberg, who I'm sure honestly believed what he was saying, made it clear the reef's fate was all but sealed. His report insisted: "Corals do not appear to show any sign that they are able to adapt fast enough to keep pace with changes in ocean temperature." And with Greenpeace moaning "Yes, yes", Hoegh-Guldberg warned humankind to mend its ways. Give up its sinful cars. Live more frugal lives. Turn its face against its wastrel ways. As if that would really help. I T is astonishing that we're so hungry to hear these old Biblical roars from born-again environmentalists of: "Repent! For the end of the world is nigh." For, sure enough, Hoegh-Guldberg that year won the Eureka Prize for Scientific Research. Journalists who reported on his work were shortlisted for top media awards. Tour guides told visitors to the reef to look while they could -- it wouldn't be around much longer. And green groups luxuriated in the despair, the World Wildlife Fund orgasmically claiming that in 1998 alone, "about 60 per cent of the world's reefs died". True, some scientists mumbled, "Er, but . . .". The head of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Virginia Chadwick, even declared: "I genuinely do not believe that in 50 years all of the reef will be dead." BUT the media were little interested in such reassurance. Instead, they seemed too eager to accept as proved Hoegh-Guldberg's claims -- or any "evidence" that whips along the global warming hysteria. The ABC 7.30 Report's Kerry O'Brien, for instance, last year suggested the reef was already on its last polyps, mourning how the "once-spectacular reef" was becoming "bleached bone white". Once spectacular? ABC TV's New Dimensions, hosted by professional New Ager George Negus, moaned: "No matter how hard these reef scientists work, they warn that coral reefs are not adapting fast enough to compensate for the rate of rising sea temperatures." And last May, ABC television's flagship Four Corners program sombrely began its report on the reef: "Across the world, coral reefs are turning into marine deserts. It's almost unthinkable that Australia's Great Barrier Reef -- the world's biggest coral edifice, 2000km long, home to 400 coral and 1500 fish species -- could be headed the same way." Almost unthinkable? Completely unthinkable, in fact, once you ferret out the good news. In late 2001, scientists announced that the microscopic algae that was expelled from coral, causing it to bleach, actually stayed alive, meaning the coral could recover. And recover it did. The Maldives found that its own coral, bleached during the 1998 El Nino effect, quickly repaired itself. As its Government observed, its reefs were 60 million years old and had survived "much greater changes in sea temperatures and sea levels than they are facing now". So calm down. In our Great Barrier Reef, too, strange things have been happening. For a start, the marine park authority this summer could find not one coral bleaching "event", even though the seas have been warmed by a prolonged El Nino. "The Great Barrier Reef is one of the healthiest reef systems in the world today," the authority happily declared. Moreover, the reef has been recovering from the four bleachings it suffered since 1991, confirms the CSIRO. Even Hoegh-Guldberg, now head of Queensland University's Centre for Marine Studies, has conceded that many sections of the reef are showing "surprising" signs of recovery, and he's trying to figure out why. But he says he won't agree that the coral may be adapting to climate change. Of course not. Let's keep this greenhouse bogy and scare those silly Australians into a Green-approved lifestyle of organically-grown sackcloth and National Park ashes. This is not the first time that screaming warnings of an environmental Armageddon on the reef have tailed into an embarrassed silence when the end of the world gets called off. Again. A smirking report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science recalls that in the 1960s we were told the reef would be eaten alive by Crown of Thorns starfish, and "it was feared that the structure of the reef would be totally destroyed, exposing the North Queensland coast to increased levels of wave action and consequent erosion". As the AIMS drily notes: "This clearly did not happen." IN fact, AIMS is now investigating whether these evil reef-munching starfish actually help the reef by eating fast-growing species of coral that may otherwise overwhelm the rest. Then there's the other reef-ending scares about ozone holes, pollution, farm run-off and whatever eager minds can imagine. It's all goaded Professor Bob Carter, a respected marine geologist at James Cook University, into denouncing the constant fear-mongering on a reef he says is actually healthy. Asked why our official scientific bodies were so keen to preach such doom, the exasperated professor replied: "The overwhelming emphasis of those boards these days is not science for the sake of understanding. It's science for the sake of making money." I hope that's not true -- and am sure it's not for scientists such as Hoegh- Guldberg. But as our glorious reef wakes today to another beautiful day in paradise, I have to ask: Why are we so keen to think it's going to hell? bolta@heraldsun.com.au ------- End of forwarded message ------- ========================================================= Dr Gert Jan Gast Seas and Oceans Campaigner, Greenpeace Netherlands Keizersgracht 174, 1016DW Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone +31 20 5236655 Mobile +31 6 5206 2976 Fax +31 20 6221272 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: byouant weight technique question Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 16:45:57 -0500 From: Sean Coats To: "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov'" Subject: FWD: **Best Practices Call for submissions** Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 23:11:41 -0500 From: szmanta To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov CC: szmanta@uncwil.edu Hi All: A good friend of my is in charge of the program described below, and I thought that there might be some coral reef projects that you might want to submit to it. Good publicity for your work and some pretty good prizes as well! Cheers, Alina Szmant >===== Original Message From "Forrester, Amy" ===== -----Original Message----- From: Forrester, Amy Sent: Wed 3/12/2003 1:41 PM To: 'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov' Cc: Subject: **Best Practices Call for submissions** Towards Best Practices (TBP) is a new electronic forum, built as a resource for the conservation community. The eForum, at www.nbii.gov/datainfo/bestpractices/index.html allows researchers, policy-makers, students, and others to develop principles and practices related to the study and management of the biocomplexity. The TBP website is now actively soliciting submissions of Best Practices to the eForum. Best Practices can cover far ranging topics, from practices related to agriculture, biodiversity, and conservation economics, to methods for modeling impacts of human populations or sustainable development. After preliminary review by an Advisory Board, submissions will be posted on the eForum where the work can be discussed and developed in an open, public, electronic community. All posted submissions will also be eligible for one of several Awards for Excellence, including sponsorship of travel to the annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology. The forum has been developed by National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), in partnership with CSA, a leading bibliographic database provider, and the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International. Go to www.nbii.gov/datainfo/bestpractices/index.html for more information about the Call For Submissions as well as the Awards for Excellence in Best Practices, and about the rich range of resources available through the eForum to researchers, policy-makers, and others interested in biocomplexity and conservation. Alina M. Szmant UNCW Center for Marine Science On travel from UNCW ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: UK PhD project on cold-water corals Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 16:30:56 +0000 From: "Murray Roberts" To: , Please pass this advertisment to potential applicants. The Scottish Association for Marine Science is advertising for applicants for a three year PhD project to investigate 'A carbon and nitrogen budget for the cold water coral Lophelia pertusa'. Applicants should have, or expect to obtain a first class or upper second class honours degree in an appropriate subject. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) eligibility rules will apply for some of the studentships. For further information including an application form please write to Ms C Bonomy, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunbeg, Oban, Argyll, Scotland PA37 1QA. Project descriptions are also posted on our web site: http://www.sams.ac.uk. Deadline for application is 8 April 2003. Please note that NERC eligibility criteria may restrict applicants to UK nationals, for further information please contact Ms C Bonomy at the above address. Background to project In the last ten years our understanding of the distribution of cold-water corals has increased dramatically. With greater survey effort over the continental shelf and slope vast reef areas have been discovered off for example the Norwegian and Irish coasts. However, we understand very little of the basic biology of the species that create these deep-water reef frameworks. This project will focus on the dominant cold-water coral species in the NE Atlantic, Lophelia pertusa. By studying coral growth, respiration and nutrition we will provide fundamental insights into the biology of this species. Laboratory study of live coral will be directed using environmental data collected from the reef environment using a purpose-built benthic photo lander. Isotopic and fatty acid analyses of corals collected during offshore cruises will help understand the trophic status of these species. The overall aim of the project is to develop a simple model of the fluxes of carbon and nitrogen thr! ough L. pertusa and to extrapolate this to the reef environment. The successful candidate should have a sound biological training and experience of biochemistry and physiology would be an advantage. The student will join a current PhD student also working on cold-water corals and would be expected to work for short periods offshore for which full training will be given. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Spawning in East Africa Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 18:44:31 +0000 From: "Judith Mendes" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Sangeeta, Two years ago I did a review of spawning times at different geographical locations around the world. At that time I did not find any reports of spawning from Kenya. However, I did find a relationship between spawning, temperature and rainfall. Basically, spawning occurred at the highest temperatures outside of, and prior to, the period of heaviest rainfall. These results were included in a paper published in Marine Ecology Progress Series last year: Mendes JM and Woodley JD (2002) Timing of reproduction in Montastraea annularis: relationship to environmental variables. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 227:241-251. Based on that work, and on plotting the following mean monthly temperature and rainfall data for Mombasa (taken from worldclimate.com): Month Temp(C)Rainfall (mm) Jan 27.6 28.4 Feb 28.0 16.2 Mar 28.4 60.3 Apr 27.6 182.2 May 26.0 293.0 Jun 24.9 101.1 Jul 24.2 82.1 Aug 24.2 65.1 Sept 24.9 65.7 Oct 25.9 90.2 Nov 26.9 96.4 Dec 27.6 63.4 I would suggest that you look for spawning after the full-moon in March, and again after the full-moon in April. How many nights after the full-moon? I don’t know, the literature reports spawning anywhere from 1 to 11 nights after the full-moon. Perhaps someone more familiar with the species you are working on can narrow it down for you. The full-moon in March is on the 18th (next week Tuesday!), and in April it is on the 16th. Good luck with your spawning hunt. I would be interested to know what you find. Judith Mendes Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 13:46:42 +0100 From: "Sangeeta Mangubhai" Subject: Spawning in East Africa Coral-Listers, I am currently undertaking my Masters through Southern Cross University, Australia. However, I am based in Mombasa, Kenya and I am studying the reproductive ecology (spawning, gametogenic cycles, fecundity, recruitment) of 4 selected coral species (Acropora valida, Platygyra daedalea, P. sinensis, Echinopora gemmacea) in the Mombasa Marine Park and Reserve. I am writing to find out whether anyone has measured, recorded or made any field observations of corals (any species) spawning in East Africa or the wider Western Indian Ocean. If so, I would like to find out the following: 1. Which coral species you observed spawning? 2. Where was spawning observed - if possible a reef/site name as well as the country? 3. When was spawning observed - time of day, date, year? 4. Any studies that have been undertaken in the region on spawning & fecundity? Please note, I am interested in hearing any general observations made in the field of spawning and am happy to summarise the results of my query back to the list. Regards Sangeeta ________________________________ Sangeeta Mangubhai PO Box 10135 Bamburi, Mombasa KENYA Tel: +254 (11) 474 582 (home) Tel/Fax: +254 (11) 5486 473 (work) Mobile: 0733-698-771 Email: smangubhai@africaonline.co.ke _________________________________________________________________ Overloaded with spam? With MSN 8, you can filter it out http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail&pgmarket=en-gb&XAPID=32&DI=1059 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Resource survey of Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 12:39:05 -0500 From: "Adriana Cantillo" Organization: NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CCMA To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Resource survey of Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary The 1983 assessment of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary has been published. The full citation, contents and abstract are below. Individual chapters can be cited using the format for chapters in a book. The document can be downloaded from the Internet here , scroll down to "Bohnsack" and download the PDF files. The document will also be available in CD format. Please request copies from M. J. Bello (NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC) at Maria.Bello@NOAA.GOV. Rescue of this work was funded through a grant of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Prediction and Modeling Program (SFERPM) - a competitive program conducted by the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR), in association with the South Florida Living Marine Resources Program (SFLMR) - for Coastal and Estuarine Data/Document Archeology and Rescue (CEDAR) for South Florida. --- Bohnsack, J. A., A. Y. Cantillo and M. J. Bello (eds.) (2002) Resource survey of Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary 1983. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS CCMA 160. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-478. NOAA LISD Current References 2002-8. NOAA/NOS National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, MD. 340 pp. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Walter C. Jaap (Florida Department of Natural Resources) CHAPTER 2 USES OF THE SANCTUARY James A. Bohnsack (NOAA/NMFS) and Walter C. Jaap (Florida Department of Natural Resources) CHAPTER 3 GENERAL HABITAT DESCRIPTION AND MAPPING James A. Bohnsack (NOAA/NMFS) CHAPTER 4 HOLOCENE SEDIMENT THICKNESS AND FACIES DISTRIBUTION, LOOE KEY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, FLORIDA Barbara H. Lidz, Daniel M. Robbin and Eugene A. Shinn (USGS) CHAPTER 5 GROWTH HISTORY OF MONTASTRAEA ANNULARIS AT LOOE KEY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, FLORIDA J. Harold Hudson (NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary) CHAPTER 6 LOOE KEY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY RESOURCE SURVEY: CORALS AND OTHER MAJOR BENTHIC CNIDARIA Jennifer Lee Wheaton and Walter C. Jaap (Florida Department of Natural Resources) CHAPTER 7 RESOURCE SURVEY OF FISHES WITHIN LOOE KEY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY James A. Bohnsack, Douglas E. Harper, David B. McClellan, David L. Sutherland and Michael White (NOAA/NMFS) CHAPTER 8 STATUS OF SELECTED CORAL RESOURCES James A. Bohnsack and Michael White (NOAA/NMFS) and Walter C. Jaap (Florida Department of Natural Resources) CHAPTER 9 MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS James A. Bohnsack (NOAA/NMFS) TAXONOMIC APPENDIX ABSTRACT Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary (LKNMS) was designated in 1981 to protect and promote the study, teaching, and wise use of the resources of Looe Key Sanctuary. A quantitative resource inventory was funded in 1983 by NOAA in cooperation with the University of Miami, the United States Geological Survey, and the Florida Department of Natural Resources. The objective of the study was to quantitatively inventory selected resources of LKNMS in order to allow future monitoring of changes in the Sanctuary as a result of human or natural processes. This study, referred to as Phase I, gives a brief summary of past and present uses of the Sanctuary; and describes general habitat types, geology and sediment distribution, coral abundance and distribution, the growth history of the coral Montastraea annularis, reef fish abundance and distribution, and status of selected resources. An interpretation of the results of the survey are provided for management consideration. The results are expected to provide fundamental information for applied management, natural history interpretation, and scientific research. -- Dr. Adriana Y. Cantillo Chemist NOAA/National Ocean Service National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science 1305 East West Hwy., 9110 Silver Spring, MD 20910 301 713 3028 x 147 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: ICCB Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003 15:05:29 -0500 From: "Daphne G. Fautin" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov THE DEADLINE (April 1) IS APPROACHING for submission of abstracts for the SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COELENTERATE BIOLOGY 2003 NORTH AMERICAN MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR REEF STUDIES and for early registration and for applications for the ISRS Student Travel Award The website (http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/iccb/) has updated information on invited speakers, their titles, meeting schedule, and guidelines for presentations and publication. Questions should be directed to any member of the Local Organizing Committee. Daphne G. Fautin Chair, Local Organizing Committee Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Curator, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center Haworth Hall University of Kansas 1200 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7534 USA telephone 1-785-864-3062 fax 1-785-864-5321 for e-mail, please use fautin@ku.edu website www.nhm.ku.edu/~inverts 7th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COELENTERATE BIOLOGY 6-11 July 2003 (including the 2003 North American meeting of the International Society for Reef Studies) for details, go to http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/iccb/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Position Announcemnet: Director, Waikiki Aquarium Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003 15:41:00 -1000 From: Charles Delbeek To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov, jellyfish@lists.aza.org, "Mohan Pete" , syngnathidae@egroups.com, EUACCoralASP@yahoogroups.com, "PMDF Mailserv V4.3" Apologies in advance for cross-posting. Please give a few days for all documents to be made available online. UNIVERSITY OF Hawai‘i Director, Waikîkî aquarium The University of Hawai‘i at Mânoa seeks a dynamic leader with significant experience as a manager to serve as director of its Waikîkî Aquarium. The Waikîkî Aquarium is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and serves as a major tourist attraction for the State of Hawai‘i. For information about the University of Hawai‘i at Mânoa and the Waikîkî Aquarium, please go to www.uhm.hawaii.edu and www.waquarium.org. For a job description and specific application/nomination requirements and procedures, please go to http://workatuh.hawaii.edu or www.hawaii.edu/executivesearch/aquarium or call (808) 956-6133. Review of candidates will begin on Wednesday, April 30, 2003, and will continue until the position is filled. The University of Hawai‘i is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and encourages applications from and nominations of women and minority candidates. Aloha! J. Charles Delbeek Aquarium Biologist Waikiki Aquarium 2777 Kalakaua Ave. Honolulu, HI, USA 96815 www.waquarium.org 808-923-9741 808-923-1771 FAX Subject: Seventh International Conference on Coelenterate Biology Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 14:09:45 -0500 From: Sharon Brookshire To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov THE DEADLINE (April 1) IS APPROACHING for submission of abstracts for the SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COELENTERATE BIOLOGY 2003 NORTH AMERICAN MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR REEF STUDIES and for early registration and for applications for the ISRS Student Travel Award The website (http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/iccb/) has updated information on invited speakers, their titles, meeting schedule, and guidelines for presentations and publication. Questions should be directed to any member of the Local Organizing Committee. Daphne G. Fautin Chair, Local Organizing Committee Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Curator, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center Haworth Hall University of Kansas 1200 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7534 USA telephone 1-785-864-3062 fax 1-785-864-5321 for e-mail, please use fautin@ku.edu website www.nhm.ku.edu/~inverts 7th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COELENTERATE BIOLOGY 6-11 July 2003 (including the 2003 North American meeting of the International Society for Reef Studies) for details, go to http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/iccb/ ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Belize field course on reef fish ecology, biology, behavior Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 12:11:01 -0800 From: "Cindy Shaw" To: List members, particularly in North America, and the Caribbean, Please draw information about the following two-week field course on reef fish ecology, to senior undergraduate and beginning graduate students. We have 10 spaces remaining available at present, and these will be filled on a first come, first served basis. (Since I will be out of e-mail contact until March 4th, do not send a deposit prior to that date - I will contact all students in order of receipt of e-mail enquiries.) This course will be offered, June 2 - 15, 2003, inclusive, by the University of Windsor, at the University of Belize Institute of Marine Studies facility in the Turneffe Islands, Belize. Instructors are Drs. Peter F. Sale, Stuart A. Ludsin and Jake Kritzer. Intended for senior undergraduate, or commencing graduate students. Course fee is CDN$ 1725.00 (US$ 1105.00), not including travel to Belize. Places are limited so contact us quickly. Full details available at www.uwindsor.ca/sale (scroll down to the course title and click through). PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THE LIST - GO TO THE WEBSITE, OR REPLY DIRECTLY TO ME Peter Sale Peter F. Sale Biological Sciences University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada N9B 3P4 519-253-3000, ext. 2727 519-971-3609 FAX sale@uwindsor.ca ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Coral/MPA policy job announcement for US Fish & Wildlife Service Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 16:31:46 -0500 From: To: coral-list@aoml.noaa.gov (sorry for cross postings ...) - Access http://www.usajobs.opm.gov for full information on the following announcement. The job is related to development and implementation of policies for coral reefs and marine protected areas. Vacancy Announcement Number: FWS9-03-30 Opening Date: 03/19/2003 Closing Date: 04/02/2003 Position: REFUGE PROGRAM SPECIALIST GS-0485-11/13 Salary: $47,910 - $88,770 per year Promotion Potential: GS-13 Duty Location: 1 vacancy at ARLINGTON, VA WHO MAY APPLY: Open to all qualified U.S. Citizens. MAJOR DUTIES: The incumbent is a staff specialist in the Division of Natural Resources with substantive national responsibilities related to administration of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The primary responsibility is planning and implementation of policies and overseeing activities Service-wide related to implementation of Executive Orders 13089 (Coral Reef Conservation) and 13158 (Marine Protected Areas), as well as other marine-focused initiatives; and their application to the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 and Fulfilling the Promise (a strategic vision document for the NWRS.) A focus of this position is preparing Service plans, policy, and budget information for refuge coral reef ecosystems and marine protected areas in the NWRS. The incumbent uses knowledge of wide-ranging refuge and marine protected area management activities and information to objectively analyze strategies and approaches to accomplish national priorities of the System, the Service, the Department, and the marine focused initiatives. Decision support is provided by upper management through completion of briefings, analysis of critical issues, and preparation of strategy documents. The incumbent may represent the Service as team leader on various Service or interagency task forces. Efforts are integrated Division and Service-wide fish and wildlife conservation and management activities to include strategic planning, policy making, budget support, and strong customer service. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Applicants must have general and/or specialized experience. When specified, applicants must also meet any Mandatory (Selective Placement) Factors listed. Status applicants must also meet time-in-grade requirements and time after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of this announcement. This position requires the ability to type at least 40 words per minute. You must submit a statement certifying that you type this speed. KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED Candidates should submit a narrative statement on a separate page(s) with specific responses to the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in this announcement. Failure to submit your narrative response to the KSAs for this job may negatively affect your eligibility and/or rating for this position. 1. Knowledge of the legislation, policies and organizational entities impacting coral reef/marine ecosystems. 2. Ability to be an effective advocate for NWRS lands and waters for fish, wildlife, plant, and marine conservation through effective oral communication. 3. Ability to be an effective advocate for NWRS lands and waters for fish, wildlife, plant, and marine conservation through clearly articulated written documents. 4. Ability to analyze concepts and broad statements and formulate clear, concise recommendations for practical implementation at various organizational levels. 5. Ability to effectively and productively interact with other Federal, State, and local agency representatives, conservation organizations, and the general public. ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> Susan White, Assistant Manager J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge 1 Wildlife Dr. Sanibel, FL 33957 ph: 239-472-1100 x 225 fx: 239-472-4061 susan_white@fws.gov ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> Subject: Dive In To Earth Day just around the corner! Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 14:05:49 -0800 From: Dive In To Earth Day To: Greetings from the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), This April, don't miss the opportunity to be a part of "Dive In To Earth Day." Dive In is an international celebration of ocean lovers -- divers, snorkelers, marine educators and others -- all taking action to protect our underwater world during the week of Earth Day (April 15-22). You can be a part of Dive In by: 1) SIGNING THE DIVE IN PLEDGE: A simple, online way to support coral reef conservation. Add your voice to the thousands and help us collect 10,000 signatures by Earth Day, April 22. http://www.coral.org/diveinpledge.html 2) ORGANIZE AND REGISTER A DIVE IN EVENT: It's easy. A Dive In event can be anything from an educational seminar to a fundraiser for a marine park or a beach/underwater cleanup. If you already have a marine event for Earth Day, be sure to sign up on the Dive In Web site. http://divein.coralreefalliance.org/addanactivity (if you register your event by April 1st, we'll send you a package with posters and support materials) 3) PARTICIPATE IN AN EVENT NEAR YOU: Find out what Dive In events are happening in your community, and lend a helping hand. To find an event go to: http://divein.coralreefalliance.org/findanactivity Anyone can participate. It's easy! Visit the Dive In Web site for more information on how. http://www.coral.org/divein. If you have more questions, contact divein@coral.org. The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) coordinates Dive In To Earth Day with the support of Project AWARE Foundation, West Marine, Earth Day Network and the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). We hope to see you out there on Earth Day! Best wishes, Sherry Flumerfelt Dive In To Earth Day Coordinator The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) 417 Montgomery Street, Suite 205 San Francisco, California, USA 94104 Phone: 415-834-0900 ext. 306 Fax: 415-834-0999 Email: divein@coral.org Web site: http://www.coral.org/ -- All programmers are optimists -- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Dates coral spawning 2003 / South. Caribbean Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 09:06:44 -0500 From: "Mark Vermeij" To: coral-list CC: NANCIweb@yahoogroups.com Dear all, Below you'll find the predicted dates for this years' coral spawning in the Southern Caribbean. For anyone interested in places more towards the North I would refer to Dr. Szmant's dates posted on the list a few weeks ago. The data are based of yearly observations during the last 6 years on Curacao (Netherlands Antilles, 12N). Acropora palmata : Aug 17 18: 21h15-22h00; Acropora cervicornis: Aug 17 18: 21h00-22h00; Diploria labyrinthiformis: Sep 15-18 & Oct 16-18: 22h00-23h30; Diploria strigosa: Sep 17 18 22h00-23h 30;Oct 17 18 22h00-23h00 Montastraea cavernosa: Sep 15-17 & Oct 15 16: 21h00-23h00; M. annularis s.l. : Sep 15-18 & Oct 16-18: 21h00-22h30; Eusmilia fastigiata: planulae likely visible between Sep 15 Oct 31 in tentacles; Madracis senaria: Sep 18 19 & Oct 18 19, between 0h00-06h00; Agaricia humilis: entire period Sep- Nov; Agaricia agaricites: entire period Sep- Nov; Stephanocoenia michelini: Sep 16-18 & Oct 16-18: 21h00-22h00; Enjoy the wonder and best regards, Mark Vermeij -- Dr. Mark Vermeij Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (RSMAS/UM) NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Science Center 75 Virginia Beach Dr, Miami, FL 33149 USA Tel: +1 305-361-4230, Fax: +1 305-361-4499 E-mail: Mark.Vermeij@noaa.gov http://www.rsmas.miami.edu/groups/cimas/ Subject: RFP 2004 - Perry Institute for Marine Science / Caribbean Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 06:50:45 -0500 From: "CMRC" To: Marine Research Center Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 15:54:55 -0500 Sender: owner-coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list http://www.cmrc.org/funding.htm NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) CARIBBEAN MARINE RESEARCH CENTER REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FY2004 Undersea Research on Tropical and Subtropical Marine Ecosystems As one of six NURP Centers under the auspices of NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) (www.nurp.noaa.gov), the Caribbean Marine Research Center (CMRC) (www.cmrc.org) is presently soliciting proposals for undersea research in the Caribbean region for FY2004. The present announcement is soliciting pre-proposals for two specific funding opportunities: 1) NURP funds for two year projects focusing on NOAA/NURP research priorities under the research theme of Examinations of the effectiveness of 'no-take' marine protected areas to be initiated in 2004; and 2) NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (NCRCP) funds for one to two year projects (with one year preferred) that address the following priority research needs for the U.S. Caribbean: overfishing, pollution, coral disease and bleaching, and invasive species, and the impact of these stressors on coral reef ecosystems. The evaluation of management effectiveness is also encouraged. Note that there is requirement of 50% non-federal match for these funds. These competitions are contingent upon CMRC receiving adequate funds from NOAA/NURP. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION Please note that preproposals are required. See the Proposal Guidelines for full description of the FY2004 Request for Proposals and instructions for submitting proposals. At this time we are soliciting pre-proposals for undersea research in the Caribbean for the year 2004 in the two funding opportunities outlined above. For Funding Opportunity #1: Proposals will be accepted for work at any site in the Caribbean pertinent to U.S. interests, but priority areas for operations are Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For Funding Opportunity #2: Proposals will be accepted for work at any site in the U.S. Caribbean, which includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. CMRC also encourages innovative uses of existing data and inter-site comparisons throughout the Caribbean. The in situ approach supported by NURP allows acquisition of otherwise unobtainable observations, samples, exploration, and experimentation related to NOAA's priority research objectives. Eligible applicants are U.S. institutions of higher education, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local and Indian tribal governments. Proposals may include federal researchers as collaborators with a researcher who is affiliated with a U.S. academic institution, non-federal agency, or any other non-profit organization. Federal organizations may not charge federal salary, travel, or overhead, but other categories are appropriate. For proposals with a federal partner, the federal partner will receive funds through an inter-agency transfer (or intra-agency in the case of a NOAA partner) from the national NURP office. If you are interested in submitting a proposal that addresses any of these funding opportunities and you require further information please contact CMRC at the address below. Pre-proposals are required and must be submitted by email by May 15, 2003. Pre-proposals should be <3 pages and give a summary of the proposed research, describe research goals and facilities/equipment requirements, outline time or logistic constraints, give area of operations including depths, and estimate the level of support required. This will ensure that appropriate research guidelines are addressed, and permit operations staff to evaluate feasibility. Proposal budgets for CMRC funded projects generally range from $10-70K for direct scientific support. Smaller feasibility studies (<$5K) may also be supported as program development projects (see www.cmrc.org for details). Proposals that have co-funding for data analysis and investigator salaries have the greatest rate of approval. Funding of the second year of proposals will be contingent upon progress and funding availability. On the basis of the pre-proposals, requests for final proposals will be issued together with final submission guidelines. Final proposals are due at CMRC by August 1, 2002. Following peer review of the proposals, a rebuttal process, and recommendations from CMRC's Technical Review Panel, research projects will be ranked on the basis of scientific merit, match to NOAA/NURP and NCRCP programmatic goals, contribution to research theme, and logistical considerations. Investigators will be notified of the status of their proposals by January 2003. DEADLINE FOR PRE-PROPOSALS IS MAY 15, 2003 DEADLINE FOR FULL PROPOSALS IS AUGUST 1, 2003 Address proposals, questions, or comments to: John Marr, Ph.D., Center Director 561-741-0192 Voice Caribbean Marine Research Center 561-741-0193 Fax 100 North U.S. Highway 1, Suite 202 jmarr@cmrc.org Jupiter, FL 33477 Please see our web site (www.cmrc.org) for more details on our programs, information and guidelines for proposal preparation, previous research projects, publication list, and present research activities. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Perry Institute for Marine Science / Caribbean Marine Research Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 07:13:52 -0500 From: "CMRC" To: Center Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 16:20:12 -0500 Sender: owner-coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Precedence: list PERRY INSTITUTE FOR MARINE SCIENCE CARIBBEAN MARINE RESEARCH CENTER BI-ANNUAL REPORT http://www.cmrc.org/pubs.htm I'm writing today to let you know about what we at the Perry Institute for Marine Science have been accomplishing over the last two years. We are leading the way in scientific discoveries and techniques to advance our understanding about marine science and capabilities for improving management of marine resources. The Perry Institute is also playing a key role in helping to educate future scientists as well as citizens of the U.S. and Caribbean island nations. The Perry Institute operates the Caribbean Marine Research Center, one of just six regional centers in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Undersea Research Program. Our research facility, located on Lee Stocking Island in the Bahamas, provides a support base for scientists from around the world in efforts to advance scientific knowledge about the marine environment. During the past two years, CMRC has hosted and provided support for several hundred scientists and students while conducting its own research. Our work concentrates on critical marine issues such as increasing populations of commercial and recreational fisheries, improving and protecting coral reef ecosystems, monitoring global climate and environmental changes, and developing new techniques for alternatives to overfishing, habitat destruction, and marine protected area design. We offer advanced diving facilities and laboratories to further this research and as well as strong education and outreach programs to promote the significance of these issues to all of us. The Perry Institute for Marine Science is a not for profit, public 501(c)(3) corporation based in Florida since 1970. Our mission is to improve and enhance the understanding of the wider Caribbean region's marine environment by supporting and conducting high quality marine research and education programs in order to provide solutions to people and our oceans. Many of you play a critical role in the advancement of science today and building more support for the work being done through the Perry Institute. Please take a moment to look at the accomplishments of our organization and our promise to the future. Please visit our website at http://www.cmrc.org/pubs.htm. You can view and download our annual report there as well as see recent developments in our programs. Best regards, John Marr, Ph.D. Director Perry Institute for Marine Science Caribbean Marine Science Center 100 N. US Highway 1, Suite 202 Jupiter, FL 33477-5122 Telephone: (561) 741-0192 Fax: (561) 741-0193 Email: cmrc@cmrc.org Web: www.cmrc.org -- All programmers are optimists -- Frederick P. Brooks, Jr. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: coral growth rate estimates Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 11:10:04 -0500 From: ppeckol To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov hello list: My student is interested in references (and information) on growth rate estimates for Agaricia spp. Any help in this would be great. thanks for your time Paulette Peckol Smith College 413-585-3844 ppeckol@email.smith.edu ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Research Assistance Request Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 13:46:29 -0500 From: Meredith A Dorner To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Hi everyone, I am currently finishing up a masters project examing algal symbiont variation within the host anemone Aiptasia. I'm looking to broaden the geographical range of my project and so am interested in obtaining samples from locations around the world, but specifically in the Caribbean. If anyone can assist me, please contact me for details. Thank you! Meredith Dorner mdorner@acsu.buffalo.edu University at Buffalo ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Lessepian migration Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2003 18:00:42 -0500 From: Ed Cordell To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov I am requesting information on Lessepian migration thru suez canal from northern red sea of any scleractinian corals in to the eastern mediterranean. Thank you. Ed Cordell ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Re: Lessepian migration Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 09:32:11 +0100 From: Imène Meliane To: Ed Cordell CC: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov your best contact for Lessepsian migration is probably Dr. Bella Galil. from the National Institute of Oceanography in Haifa Israel. as for Scleractinarian in the Med (including the Eastern basin), you should contcat H. Zibrowius, in Marseille. Both are in the working group on Invasive spp. of the CIESM, and you can get their contcats in the following adress: http://www.ciesm.org/people/addit.html I did not hear about a lessepsian scleractinarian in the Med, at least one that proved to be invasive. But there's a case of a new immigrant scleractinarian from the Southwest Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea, having established itself only recently along the Israeli coast. Oculina patagonica . http://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00227/contents/01/00539/s002270100539ch002.html . Hope this helps, Imene Ed Cordell wrote: >I am requesting information on Lessepian migration thru suez canal from >northern red sea of any scleractinian corals in to the eastern mediterranean. > >Thank you. > >Ed Cordell > >~~~~~~~ >For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the >digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . > > ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Cayman Islands: Internship Announcement Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:06:59 -0500 From: Carrie Manfrino To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov ____________________________________ INTERNSHIP ANNOUCEMENT The Central Caribbean Marine Institute is announcing available spaces in our summer internship programs in the Cayman Islands. Internship credit is available through Rutgers University. We are extending the registration deadline for qualified undergraduate and graduate applicants for our: 1) Structure and Diversity of Coral Reefs Internship 2) Coral Reef Fish Population Assessment: Occurrence and distribution of Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) and fish populations of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. This is a highly selective program, to ensure the best training possible during the research internship only a maximum of 12 students will be able to participate at a time. Students will collect data to be used on a large on-going study of the coral reef ecosystems of Little Cayman. The goals of this program are: (1) To increase the interest of future young scientists in coral reefs and enhance their training, (2) To learn more about coral reef communities and divulge this knowledge by means of scientific publications, and (3) To provide data that will assist in protecting these ecosystems. For more information go to our website: www.reefresearch.org Or contact us at info@reefresearch.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dr. Carrie Manfrino Central Caribbean Marine Institute - USA P.O. Box 1461 Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 921-3590 CCMI - Cayman PO Box 37 Little Cayman, Cayman Islands (345) 948-0107 ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Undergrad research program in Turks & Caicos Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:35:06 -0500 From: Ola Russell To: "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov'" THE SCHOOL FOR FIELD STUDIES SUMMER & FALL UNDERGRADUATE FIELD COURSES The School for Field Studies (SFS), an environmental field studies program, still has space in its Summer & Fall 2003 courses at out field station in the Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies. Financial aid is still available (you don't need to be receiving financial aid at your school to qualify). SFS is accredited through Boston University. Project focus: ASSESSING THE ROLE OF MARINE PARKS FOR SOUTH CAICOS ISLAND Summer session I: June 9 - July 8 (four credits) Summer session II: July 14 - August 12 (four credits) Fall session: Sept. 8 - December 11 (16 credits) Specific Topics include: marine parks as a means of resource development for South Caicos; marine ecology, ecotourism, fish stock assessment and coastal zone management. Course includes lectures, field exercises (snorkel or SCUBA), research and field trips. Go to our website to read more about our unique program. http://www.fieldstudies.org/pages/programs/br_west_indies.html Participants: undergraduate level college students Credit: Summer = 4 credits; Semester = 16 credits; SFS is accredited through Boston University. Application: deadline April 30 for Summer & Fall 2003 programs; application form is available on our website: www.fieldstudies.org For more information contact: Lili Folsom (lfolsom@fieldstudies.org) or call us at 1.800.989.4418 Lili Folsom Director of Admissions The School for Field Studies 10 Federal Street Salem, MA 01970 978-741-3567 lfolsom@fieldstudies.orgwww.fieldstudies.org Subject: Summer workshop for students Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 13:16:02 -0800 From: Pam Muller Organization: USF College of Marine Science To: "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov'" A student workshop on Biocomplexity in Shallow-Water Hydrothermal Systems will be held May 25-31 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The workshop is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the University of South Florida. The course is open to 15 graduate and upper-level undergraduate students from North America on a competitive basis. Travel and living expenses will be provided to those chosen to participate. Further information, including details on how to apply, can be found at: http://www.biocomplexity.usf.edu/biocomplexity. Take a look, and please to send the address out to whomever might be interested. Pamela Hallock Muller, Professor College of Marine Science University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Florida ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: American Samoa Chief Biologist Position Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 19:15:41 -0500 From: Will White To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources American Samoan Government POSITION DESCRIPTION: chief biologist Application Deadline: April 11th, 2003 General description: As Chief Biologist, the incumbent is responsible for planning and implementing research studies pertinent to the fisheries resources programs conducted by the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR). Duties: • Responsible for providing expert technical guidance and advice to the Director of the DMWR, and Territorial and United States governmental agencies concerning fishery resources, and marine habitat management (including protection, research, enhancement and mitigation) • Assist the project specialists to undertake biological, ecological research on reef, lagoonal and offshore resources in relation to fisheries activities, including socio-economical aspects • Support DMWR’s Community Based Monitoring Program • Assist in the implementation of field sampling programs, and the analysis of resulting data, based on standardized methodologies • Assist in assessing the status of reef resources and, where possible, the impact of fisheries (subsistence, recreational and commercial) • Assist in the preparation of reviews, technical reports and scientific papers for publication, and present findings to regional and/or scientific meetings • Write interoffice and progress reports • Experienced at presenting analysis results in written and oral form to assist in the preparation of administrative and policy decisions, and the preparation of federal grants proposals and reports. • Supervise Principle Investigators and regularly assign technicians and assistants • Experience in Wildlife ecology will be an advantage Qualifications: • This position requires an individual with a minimum of a Masters Degree (PhD preferred) in biological science with an emphasis on fisheries, marine science or oceanography or related discipline • Significant experience in reef fisheries research, including field research programs • Familiarity with ecosystem approaches to fishery resources assessment and management. • Experience with planning, coordinating, supervising and management programs • Experience with computer-based and statistical analysis of fishery, social, or ecological data • Excellent cross-cultural communication and work team skills • five years of directly relevant experience. Applicants are advised to include a list of their publications Salary and hiring process: The contract is for a two-year (2) period. Pay will start at US$ 35,000 per annum. Annual leave and sick leave accumulate at 8 hours and 4 hours respectively per bi-weekly pay period. Both U.S. federal and American Samoan holidays are observed. Medical services are provided at the local hospital at subsidized rates. Subsidized housing (80%) with minimal rent is provided in government owned or leased properties. Preference may be given to US and Pacific wide citizens, although qualified people of other nationalities are encouraged to apply. Point of hiring must be from USA or Pacific region. Application: Mail, fax or email c.v., publication list and contact details for 3 references and a covering letter addressing the qualifications and responsibilities indicated above to: Ray Tulafono, Director Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources P.O. Box 3730 Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA Fax: (684) 633-5944 Email applications may be routed via Will White: will@blueskynet.as ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: ISRS/ICCB deadline Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 11:15:41 -0500 From: "Daphne G. Fautin" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov ABSTRACT DEADLINE EXTENDED 7th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COELENTERATE BIOLOGY 2003 North American meeting of the INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR REEF STUDIES 6-11 July 2003, Lawrence, Kansas USA The abstract deadline for this meeting has been extended a fortnight, to 15 April 2003. Abstracts must be submitted electronically through the ICCB website. The correct URL of the website is http://web.nhm.ku.edu/inverts/iccb Deadline for applications for the Student Travel Award Program of the ISRS remains 1 April. Please see the website for details. Registration may be done on line through the website. Details of program, summary of field trips, specifications for presentations and publication, and more are available on the website. For additional information, please contact Daphne Fautin, fautin@ku.edu. ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: SETAC Asia/Pacific and Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology (A SE) conference Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 07:56:21 -0500 From: Ross Jones To: "'coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov'" The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (Asia/Pacific) is holding a joint international conference with the Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology (ASE) in Christchurch, New Zealand from 28 September - 1 October 2003 The conference theme: "Solutions to Pollution" reflects a desire to address practical solutions to environmental issues facing the Asia/Pacific region. There is a specific 'Tropical ecotoxicology' session, with the possibility of a special issue of the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry if there is sufficient interest. The session is broad, but hopefully will include all research relevant to tropical ecotoxicology, or biomarkers/bioindicators in tropical organisms, or new techniques and methods applied with tropical organisms. Abstracts are due by 2 May 2003 (see dates below). Important dates Abstract submission deadline: 2 May 2003 Author acceptance notification: 30 May 2003 Final scientific programme available on website: 30 June 2003 Deadline for submitting files for oral presentations: 14 September 2003 For complete abstract submission, registration, and housing information, please go to www.ecotox.org.au/nz2003 For further information on the nature of the session please contact: DR ROSS J JONES Centre for Marine Studies (CMS) THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND Brisbane, QLD 4072, AUSTRALIA e-mail: rjones@uq.edu.au ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/coral-list.html . Subject: Undergrad research program in Turks & Caicos Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 10:13:24 -0500 From: Russell To: THE SCHOOL FOR FIELD STUDIES SUMMER & FALL UNDERGRADUATE FIELD COURSES The School for Field Studies (SFS), an environmental field studies program, still has space in its Summer & Fall 2003 courses at out field station in the Turks and Caicos Islands, British West Indies. Financial aid is still available (you don't need to be receiving financial aid at your school to qualify). SFS is accredited through Boston University. Project focus: ASSESSING THE ROLE OF MARINE PARKS FOR SOUTH CAICOS ISLAND Summer session I: June 9 - July 8 (four credits) Summer session II: July 14 - August 12 (four credits) Fall session: Sept. 8 - December 11 (16 credits) Specific Topics include: marine parks as a means of resource development for South Caicos; marine ecology, ecotourism, fish stock assessment and coastal zone management. Course includes lectures, field exercises (snorkel or SCUBA), research and field trips. Go to our website to read more about our unique program. http://www.fieldstudies.org/pages/programs/br_west_indies.html Participants: undergraduate level college students Credit: Summer = 4 credits; Semester = 16 credits; SFS is accredited through Boston University. Application: deadline April 30 for Summer & Fall 2003 programs; application form is available on our website: www.fieldstudies.org For more information contact: Lili Folsom (lfolsom@fieldstudies.org) or call us at 1.800.989.4418 Lili Folsom Director of Admissions The School for Field Studies 10 Federal Street Salem, MA 01970 978-741-3567 lfolsom@fieldstudies.org www.fieldstudies.org ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/ Subject: Caribbean Coral recruit ID Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 17:56:06 +0000 From: "John McWilliams" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Dear Coral-list Can anyone suggest references on identifying Caribbean coral recruits to family level? I'll probably use a dissecting microscope to examine the recruits on ceramic tiles that will be less than 4 months old. Being able to ID Porites, Montastrea, Acropora, Agaricia and Diploria genera would be a bonus. Many thanks, John _________________________________________________________________ Get Hotmail on your mobile phone http://www.msn.co.uk/msnmobile/mobilehotmail ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/ Subject: Tropical Marine Biology Course - 3 spots left! Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 09:36:09 -0500 From: Danny Gleason To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Greetings All, We still have 3 spots left for our Tropical Marine Biology summer course that will be held at Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas during July 21 - August 4, 2003, so I would appreciate it if you would make your students aware of this. Students will receive 4 semester hours of transfer credit (undergraduate or graduate) as long as their home institution agrees to it. More information about the course can be found at the following web site: http://www.bio.gasou.edu/Bio-home/Gleason/Trop_Mar_Biol/TMB_Home_Page.html Thanks for your help! Cheers, Danny ************************************** Daniel Gleason Department of Biology Georgia Southern University P.O. Box 8042 Statesboro, GA 30460-8042 Phone: 912-681-5957 FAX: 912-681-0845 E-mail: dgleason@gasou.edu http://www.bio.gasou.edu/Bio-home/Gleason/Gleason-home.html ************************************** ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/ Subject: Looking for... Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 17:40:54 +0100 From: "Micky V. Schoelzke" To: "coral list" Dear All, I was wondering if anyone knew an email adress for Aaron Miroz (I tried snail mail to the aquarium in Maui, but no luck). Thanks in advance, Micky Schoelzke Subject: RFP 2004 - Caribbean Marine Research Center Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2003 20:28:23 -0500 From: "CMRC" To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov http://www.cmrc.org/funding.htm NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) CARIBBEAN MARINE RESEARCH CENTER REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FY2004 Undersea Research on Tropical and Subtropical Marine Ecosystems As one of six NURP Centers under the auspices of NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP) (www.nurp.noaa.gov), the Caribbean Marine Research Center (CMRC) (www.cmrc.org) is presently soliciting proposals for undersea research in the Caribbean region for FY2004. The present announcement is soliciting pre-proposals for two specific funding opportunities: 1) NURP funds for two year projects focusing on NOAA/NURP research priorities under the research theme of Examinations of the effectiveness of 'no-take' marine protected areas to be initiated in 2004; and 2) NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (NCRCP) funds for one to two year projects (with one year preferred) that address the following priority research needs for the U.S. Caribbean: overfishing, pollution, coral disease and bleaching, and invasive species, and the impact of these stressors on coral reef ecosystems. The evaluation of management effectiveness is also encouraged. Note that there is requirement of 50% non-federal match for these funds. These competitions are contingent upon CMRC receiving adequate funds from NOAA/NURP. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION Please note that preproposals are required. See the Proposal Guidelines for full description of the FY2004 Request for Proposals and instructions for submitting proposals. At this time we are soliciting pre-proposals for undersea research in the Caribbean for the year 2004 in the two funding opportunities outlined above. For Funding Opportunity #1: Proposals will be accepted for work at any site in the Caribbean pertinent to U.S. interests, but priority areas for operations are Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For Funding Opportunity #2: Proposals will be accepted for work at any site in the U.S. Caribbean, which includes Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. CMRC also encourages innovative uses of existing data and inter-site comparisons throughout the Caribbean. The in situ approach supported by NURP allows acquisition of otherwise unobtainable observations, samples, exploration, and experimentation related to NOAA's priority research objectives. Eligible applicants are U.S. institutions of higher education, not-for-profit institutions, and state, local and Indian tribal governments. Proposals may include federal researchers as collaborators with a researcher who is affiliated with a U.S. academic institution, non-federal agency, or any other non-profit organization. Federal organizations may not charge federal salary, travel, or overhead, but other categories are appropriate. For proposals with a federal partner, the federal partner will receive funds through an inter-agency transfer (or intra-agency in the case of a NOAA partner) from the national NURP office. If you are interested in submitting a proposal that addresses any of these funding opportunities and you require further information please contact CMRC at the address below. Pre-proposals are required and must be submitted by email by May 15, 2003. Pre-proposals should be <3 pages and give a summary of the proposed research, describe research goals and facilities/equipment requirements, outline time or logistic constraints, give area of operations including depths, and estimate the level of support required. This will ensure that appropriate research guidelines are addressed, and permit operations staff to evaluate feasibility. Proposal budgets for CMRC funded projects generally range from $10-70K for direct scientific support. Smaller feasibility studies (<$5K) may also be supported as program development projects (see www.cmrc.org for details). Proposals that have co-funding for data analysis and investigator salaries have the greatest rate of approval. Funding of the second year of proposals will be contingent upon progress and funding availability. On the basis of the pre-proposals, requests for final proposals will be issued together with final submission guidelines. Final proposals are due at CMRC by August 1, 2002. Following peer review of the proposals, a rebuttal process, and recommendations from CMRC's Technical Review Panel, research projects will be ranked on the basis of scientific merit, match to NOAA/NURP and NCRCP programmatic goals, contribution to research theme, and logistical considerations. Investigators will be notified of the status of their proposals by January 2003. DEADLINE FOR PRE-PROPOSALS IS MAY 15, 2003 DEADLINE FOR FULL PROPOSALS IS AUGUST 1, 2003 Address proposals, questions, or comments to: John Marr, Ph.D., Center Director 561-741-0192 Voice jmarr@cmrc.org Caribbean Marine Research Center 100 North U.S. Highway 1, Suite 202 Jupiter, FL 33477 561-741-0193 Fax Please see our web site (www.cmrc.org) for more details on our programs, information and guidelines for proposal preparation, previous research projects, publication list, and present research activities. http://www.cmrc.org/funding.htm ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/ Subject: Coral Calcium Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 10:39:46 -0500 From: "Lynn Davidson" To: Have you seen this? -----Original Message----- From: Lauren Coules [mailto:Lavoneigii@lycos.ne.jp] Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 4:23 AM To: esint@erols.com Subject: Nutritional Break Through, Look Better Now esint Do you know why the healthiest and longest living people reside in Okinawa Japan? With Coral Calcium You Can: *** Prevent Premature Aging and Disease *** Build Leaner Muscle Mass *** Reduce Body Fat and Stress *** Increase Energy Levels and Sexual Stamina *** Look and Feel Younger See what Doctors World Wide are saying about Coracal. Get the facts CoraCal is made with 100% pure Okinawa Marine Coral Calcium which has the highest rate of Calcium absorption into the bloodstream and Calcium Orotate, a mineral carrier that maximizes the absorption rate and delivers the Coral Calcium to where the body needs it most. This formula is 100% Natural and not available anywhere else in the world! See what the New England Journal of Medicine, Science News and US News Report have to Say. Get the facts 100% Unconditional Risk Free Guarantee* FREE 1 Month Supply * ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/ Subject: needing to reach out to reef researchers... Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 12:10:01 -0500 From: Douglas Zook To: coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov Greetings: I am seeking to inform as soon as possible those involved in coral reef research about our special international congress set for later this year. The Fourth International Symbiosis Congress will be held at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada this August 17-23. The Congress features an overall theme of "global threats to symbionts," and includes an opening address by Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of Qeensland University. Other symposia include marine symbioses as led by Margaret McFall-Ngai of the University of Hawaii, Cyanobacterial symbioses as led by Birgitta Bergman of Stockholm University. symbiosis in evolution as led by Lynn Margulis, University of Massachusetts, Deep sea chemoautotrophic systems as led by Charles Fisher of Penn State University, Horizontal gene transfer with Charles Delwiche of the University of Maryland, Nutrient interactions in symbiosis as led by Kristin Palmqvuist of Umea Unievrsity, Sweden, among others. This promises to be a dynamic and unique week. Indeed, it is the only opportunity where those involved with coral-dino symbioses or other marine symbioses can interact not only with each other but with those involved in N-fixation, mycorrhizae, and other symbiotic systems. Please access the Congress web site at http://people.bu.edu/dzook/ for the full scientific programme, the latest information, as well as registration, accommodations, and submission of papers procedures. Thank you! Douglas Zook, President International Symbiosis Society Associate Professor Boston University, USA (dzook@bu.edu) -- ~~~~~~~ For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the digests, please see http://www.coral.noaa.gov/lists/