integrated coral reef ecosystem assessments in the u.s
TRANSCRIPT
Hawaii Conservation Conference, July 30, 2008
Integrated Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Coral Reef Ecosystem Assessments in the U.S.-affiliated Assessments in the U.S.-affiliated
Pacific Islands: a Comparative Pacific Islands: a Comparative Approach to Better Understand the Approach to Better Understand the
Northwestern Hawaiian IslandsNorthwestern Hawaiian IslandsRussell E. Brainard, Annette DesRochers, Jamison Gove, Jean Kenyon, Marc Russell E. Brainard, Annette DesRochers, Jamison Gove, Jean Kenyon, Marc
Lammers, Russell Moffitt, Marc Nadon, Benjamin Richards, Robert Schroeder, Lammers, Russell Moffitt, Marc Nadon, Benjamin Richards, Robert Schroeder, Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Susan Vogt, Peter Vroom. and colleagues at:Bernardo Vargas-Angel, Susan Vogt, Peter Vroom. and colleagues at:
Key Threats Climate changeClimate change
Ocean warming – coral bleaching and diseaseOcean warming – coral bleaching and disease Ocean acidification – calcification rates, biodiversity shiftsOcean acidification – calcification rates, biodiversity shifts Sea-level rise – drowning reefs and coastal infrastructure?Sea-level rise – drowning reefs and coastal infrastructure? Storm tracks and intensitiesStorm tracks and intensities Ocean circulation – larval transport/recruitmentOcean circulation – larval transport/recruitment
Local ThreatsLocal Threats Overfishing - trophic and ecosystem shiftsOverfishing - trophic and ecosystem shifts Pollution and marine debris – habitat degradationPollution and marine debris – habitat degradation Coastal development and sedimentation – habitat Coastal development and sedimentation – habitat
degradationdegradation Invasive species – ecosystem shiftsInvasive species – ecosystem shifts Recreational overuse – trophic and ecosystem shiftsRecreational overuse – trophic and ecosystem shifts
Local management requires knowledge of regional and global Local management requires knowledge of regional and global processes and threatsprocesses and threats
BackgroundThe mission of CRED is to provide sound scientific The mission of CRED is to provide sound scientific information needed to support implementation of information needed to support implementation of
ecosystem approaches to management and ecosystem approaches to management and conservation to address these threats at national, conservation to address these threats at national,
regional, and local (island/atoll) scales. regional, and local (island/atoll) scales.
This is accomplished primarily through the Pacific This is accomplished primarily through the Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP), Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP),
which is an integrated, interdisciplinary, assessment which is an integrated, interdisciplinary, assessment and long-term monitoring program of the coral reef and long-term monitoring program of the coral reef ecosystems of the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands.ecosystems of the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands.
Pacific RAMP
NWHI
MHI
PRIA
CNMI
Guam
AS
Integrated Ecosystem Observations of ~50 islands and atolls
Comparative analyses across diverse biogeographic, environmental, and anthropogenic gradients
Benthic Habitat Mapping
Oceanography & Water Quality
Monitoring
Long-term Monitoring of Fish,
Corals, Algae, Invertebrates,
Microbes
Assessment of Ecological and Biodiversity Impacts of
Climate Change
Ecological ObservationsRapid Ecological Assessments (REA) - ~200 -1000 mRapid Ecological Assessments (REA) - ~200 -1000 m22
Fish, corals, invertebrates, algae, microbes (new)Fish, corals, invertebrates, algae, microbes (new) Abundance/density, size, species richness, % benthic cover, Abundance/density, size, species richness, % benthic cover,
disease prevalencedisease prevalenceTowed-diver Surveys (TDS) - ~25,000 mTowed-diver Surveys (TDS) - ~25,000 m22
Benthic composition/conditionBenthic composition/condition % cover of live or stressed coral, macroalgae% cover of live or stressed coral, macroalgae Habitat complexityHabitat complexity
Abundance of large fish, macroinvertebrates Abundance of large fish, macroinvertebrates fish (>50 cm TL), turtles, seals, cetaceans fish (>50 cm TL), turtles, seals, cetaceans COTS, giant clams, sea cucumbers, urchinsCOTS, giant clams, sea cucumbers, urchins
Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS)Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS)Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs)Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs)Calcification Plates for Ocean Acidification (new)Calcification Plates for Ocean Acidification (new)
Pacific-wide Corals
Maximum SST Annual Range of SST Annual Mean Significant Wave Height
Percent Coral Cover, Towed-diver Surveys
05
10152025303540
Kure Midway P & H Lisianski Laysan Maro FFS Kaula Lehua Niihau Kauai Oahu Molokai Lanai Maui Hawaii
Perc
ent c
over
Corals
Mean coral cover MHI (9.0 ± 2.3%) comparable to NWHI (10.4 ± 2.0%)
Other coralsOther coralsMontiporaMontiporaAcroporaAcroporaPocilloporaPocilloporaP. compressaP. compressaPoritesPorites
Coral Composition, Towed-diver Surveys
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Kure
MidwayP &
H
Lisian
ski
Laysa
nMar
oFFS
Kaula
Lehua
Niihau
Kauai
Oahu
Molokai
Lanai
Maui
Hawaii
Corals work led by Jean Kenyon
Coral Disease
Disease work by Bernardo Vargas-Angel
Large Fish Over Time
0
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1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
YEAR
Fish
(>50
cm) B
iom
ass
(kg
per 1
00 s
q.m
)
N.MARS.MARPRIAAMSMNWHIMHI
Pacific-wide Large Fish Biomass
PRIA
NMAR
ASSMAR MHI
NWHI
Fish work by Bob Schroeder, Ben Richards, Marc Nadon
Large Fish & People
Fish work by Bob Schroeder, Ben Richards, Marc Nadon
70% of the variance of large fish 70% of the variance of large fish biomass explained by distance to biomass explained by distance to human population centershuman population centers
Fish Biomass & Habitat
Large Fish, Coral, & Habitat
Reef Fish & People
Fish work by Bob Schroeder, Ben Richards, Marc Nadon
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Feb. ‘05
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May ‘05
Lammers et al., 2008
spawning event
Reef Fish
Cetaceans
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160
December January February March April May
Trig
gere
d wh
ale
song
det
ectio
nsHumpback whale song at Rapture reef, FFS
Passive acoustics (EARs) work led by Marc Lammers
Invertebrates COTS
Distribution and abundance of Crown-of-thorns seastars
Biodiversity Assessments
Census of Marine Life
Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems (CReefs)
Assessment and monitoring of coral reef biodiversity with a focus primarily on understudied, lesser known, or cryptic invertebrate, algal, and microbial species.
Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS): systematic collectors to monitor indices of invertebrate diversity using molecular techniques.
PeopleVessel detections at Rapture reef, FFS
0
1
2
3
8/7/20
06
8/14/2
006
8/21/2
006
8/28/2
006
9/4/20
06
9/11/2
006
9/18/2
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9/25/2
006
Date
# of
ves
sels
det
ecte
d
N = 34
Vessel detections in NPAS
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ves
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ecte
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Timing of vessel traffic in NPAS
Passive acoustics (EARs) work led by Marc Lammers
Management Outputs
Available for download at: www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred
Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring ReportsCoral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Reports provide provide comprehensive integrated island and comprehensive integrated island and archipelagic ecosystem assessments including:archipelagic ecosystem assessments including:
• Geopolitical ContextGeopolitical Context• Benthic Habitat Mapping and CharacterizationBenthic Habitat Mapping and Characterization• Oceanography and Water QualityOceanography and Water Quality• Coral and Coral Disease Coral and Coral Disease • Algae and Algal DiseaseAlgae and Algal Disease• Benthic MacroinvertebratesBenthic Macroinvertebrates• Reef FishReef Fish• Island/Archipelagic Summary & IntegrationIsland/Archipelagic Summary & Integration
Pacific RAMP contributed extensively to six chapters of thePacific RAMP contributed extensively to six chapters of the State of Coral Reef State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Freely Associated States: 2008Ecosystems of the United States and Freely Associated States: 2008
Pacific RAMP contributed extensively to two chapters of the Pacific RAMP contributed extensively to two chapters of the Coral Reefs of the Coral Reefs of the World, Vol. 1: Coral Reefs of the USAWorld, Vol. 1: Coral Reefs of the USA
Presently working on Reports for Hawaiian Archipelago and Mariana ArchipelagoPresently working on Reports for Hawaiian Archipelago and Mariana Archipelago
Management OutcomesSome key management outcomes include: Some key management outcomes include: Documented NWHI as unique predator-dominated ecosystem Documented NWHI as unique predator-dominated ecosystem
contributed to establishment of PMNMcontributed to establishment of PMNM
Documented mass coral bleaching in NWHI led to changed Documented mass coral bleaching in NWHI led to changed understanding of key threatsunderstanding of key threats
Documented baseline levels of coral disease across PacificDocumented baseline levels of coral disease across Pacific
Discovered many new species of coral, algae, invertsDiscovered many new species of coral, algae, inverts
Removed ~580 mtons of marine debris Removed ~580 mtons of marine debris
Proposal to establish additional large-scale MPAs in PRIA Proposal to establish additional large-scale MPAs in PRIA and Mariana Archipelagoand Mariana Archipelago
Protection of large reef fish in American SamoaProtection of large reef fish in American Samoa
Scientific foundation for network of MPAs in Am SamoaScientific foundation for network of MPAs in Am Samoa
ConclusionPacific RAMP provides resource managers, Pacific RAMP provides resource managers,
policy makers, and other stakeholders policy makers, and other stakeholders essential integrated ecosystem assessments essential integrated ecosystem assessments
and long-term monitoring information at and long-term monitoring information at local, regional, and national levels to support local, regional, and national levels to support informed decision making for implementing informed decision making for implementing ecosystem approaches to management and ecosystem approaches to management and
conservation to address key threats.conservation to address key threats.
Thank YouThank You