CORAL REEF CRISIS

Think Tank # 5: A Strategic Planning Session for

Ocean Acidification Research

Little Cayman Research CentreDecember 3 – 7, 2007

Central Caribbean Marine Institute

PO Box 1461 Princeton, NJ 08540

Jim HendeeCarrie Manfrino

•US 501(c)3 – Headquartered in Princeton, New US 501(c)3 – Headquartered in Princeton, New JerseyJersey

• Cayman Islands Non-Profit, Grand CaymanCayman Islands Non-Profit, Grand Cayman

•UK Charity with headquarters in London UK Charity with headquarters in London

•Little Cayman Research Centre Primary AssetLittle Cayman Research Centre Primary Asset

RESEARCH EDUCATION OUTREACH

Central Caribbean Marine Institute

CCMI MISSION

RESEARCH EDUCATION OUTREACH

““Sustaining biodiversity through research, education, and outreach”Sustaining biodiversity through research, education, and outreach”

CCMI’s Key Strategic Thrusts• To become the premier marine institute providing research and education

facilities and programs based in the Caribbean.

• To be a leader in Caribbean community-based outreach programs promoting sustainable coral-reef ecosystems through better understanding of the existing reef environment.

• To establish programs that result in dialogue, strong relationships, and support from the Cayman Island’s Government and community.

• To develop capital and academic resources that fully fund and support our research and education programs.

• To develop a faculty that establishes the intellectual reputation of the institute.

Research Themes• Connectivity:

– Understand how reef organisms are connected at various depths and across geographic regions where social differences can be measured in relation to marine environmental conditions.

• Stress Response: – To better understand how coral reefs are

stressed as a result of global climate change and human impacts.

CCMI Research ProgramsCCMI Research ProgramsClimate Change & Coral Reef Stress

.

LAMP – Long-Term Assessment & Monitoring Program

CCMI’s umbrella program to study our most threatened species and critical habitats in the Cayman Islands.

• Ecological Information- on the coral reef system (AGRRA, CARICOMP, LAMP Protocols)

• Environmental Information via NOAA-ICON Station – Instrumentation • Measure effects of climate change on coral reefs• Improves technological capacity for weather forecasting,

storm prediction, tracking, and modeling.

Studying resiliency of our reefs since 2005.Importance: Knowing where juvenile corals are most likely coming from and where they are most likely going to settle is fundamental to coral regeneration.

Recruitment has not declined over all the years. Juvenile growth rates per species Juvenile survival over time Adult population has stabilized loss since 2004. Fish populations are not decreasing

This work is illustrating that juvenile coral growth and that the community structure is similar to the overall adult population.

We infer that the history of low fishing pressure and low growth of fleshy algae results in resiliency despite mortality.

Research In Progress: Reef ResiliencyResearch In Progress: Reef Resiliency

25cm & m2 quadrants

Long Term StrategyWithout Science- Everything is anecdotal

• Centre of Excellence for Climate Change and Environmental Stress Research on Coral Reefs;

• Coordinating a global effort with NOAA to understand the community changes in response to climatic variations;

• Build a resident research program at LCRC that also provides research staff to address adaptations to climate change;

• Build partnerships that will benefit from the NOAA instrumentation capability, CCCC, World Bank , OTEP.

Think Tank #5: Ocean Acidification

Think Tank # 5: A Strategic Planning Session for

Ocean Acidification Research

Little Cayman Research Centre

WHY LITTLE CAYMAN ?

Central Caribbean Marine Institute

PO Box 1461 Princeton, NJ 08540

Little Cayman and the Cayman Islands

Bloody Bay Marine Park

Little Cayman Research Centre

Establish Little Cayman as a Reference Site for Reef

ResearchMarine Protected Areas > 50 % of island

Low Human Population and Development

Variety of Reef Settings

Diploria strigosa

Agaricia (Ag.spp.) – Lettuce Coral

Montastrea annularis Montastrea faviolata

Porites porites (PP) – Finger Coral

Montastrea cavernosa

Top six species (= 70 % Community)

Framework Building

Non-Framework Building

Montastraea sp. continued to decline. Mortality was high in the massive corals Montastraea sp. continued to decline. Mortality was high in the massive corals Montastrea Montastrea annularis annularis and and M. faveolata.M. faveolata.

•To monitor trends in coral To monitor trends in coral diversity and mortality on reefs diversity and mortality on reefs that have low local human impact. that have low local human impact.

• Gather data that provides Gather data that provides insight into global trends of coral insight into global trends of coral degradation without the degradation without the confounding factors of local confounding factors of local anthropogenic influences. anthropogenic influences.

• Create a long term coral reef Create a long term coral reef monitoring program in the monitoring program in the Cayman Islands.Cayman Islands.

Long Term DatabaseAnnual Ecological Studies1999 –Present

•Coral Cover, Fish Biomass and density Coral Cover, Fish Biomass and density remains above average.remains above average.

•Algae competition was insignificant and Algae competition was insignificant and continues to not be an issue.continues to not be an issue.

•Recruitment was above average and we see Recruitment was above average and we see little change over the years.little change over the years.

• White Plague (syndromes) were taking a toll White Plague (syndromes) were taking a toll especially on the large massive colonies, especially on the large massive colonies, cover has been reduced from 26 – 17% on cover has been reduced from 26 – 17% on average.average.

•No clear trend in disease and mortality in No clear trend in disease and mortality in relation to human activitiesrelation to human activities

White Plague disease is slowly working White Plague disease is slowly working its way up this colony of its way up this colony of DendrogyraDendrogyra located on the leeward side of Little located on the leeward side of Little Cayman.Cayman.

Major Results 1999 - 2007

Are corals recruiting & Are corals recruiting & regenerating ?regenerating ?

Figure 11

02468

101214

Sites Surveyed

Recr

uits

Per

Squ

are

Met

er

1999

2004

Recruits per square meter in 1999 and 2004

Availability of substrateAvailability of coralsSustainability of juvenilesN-S Differences in recruitment

Despite their isolation from heavy fishing, pollution, and Despite their isolation from heavy fishing, pollution, and other human induced stresses, the coral reefs around other human induced stresses, the coral reefs around Little Cayman are still showing signs of degradation.Little Cayman are still showing signs of degradation.

Global Influence

This is evidence that corals are being stressed by a large scale change in their environment, and that the lack of local impact may not aggravate the condition but it is not enough to neutralize the global influence.

Local: Reef Resiliency

CCMI - NOAA Objectives

• Establish LCRC as a Reference Site for for Climate Change and Coral Reef Stress Research;

• Coordinating a global effort with NOAA to understand the community changes in response to climatic variations;

• Build a resident research program at LCRC that also provides research staff to address adaptations to climate change;

• Build partnerships that will benefit from the NOAA instrumentation capability.