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Global Change Research Team

Global Change Research Team. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Gulf Ecology Division. EPA Global Change Research. Goal “ Build capacity to assess and respond to global change impacts on fresh water and coastal ecosystems” --- ORD Multi-Year Plan.

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Global Change Research Team

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  1. Global Change Research Team National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Gulf Ecology Division

  2. EPA Global Change Research Goal “Build capacity to assess and respond to global change impacts on fresh water and coastal ecosystems” --- ORD Multi-Year Plan GED FocusCoral reef ecosystems

  3. Value of Coral Reef Ecosystems Services Tourism; diving, snorkeling, fishing Fishing (subsistence) Shoreline protection Bio-mining (natural products) Functions Biodiversity Primary and secondary productivity

  4. Value of Coral Reef Ecosystems Services Tourism; diving, snorkeling, fishing Fishing (subsistence) Shoreline protection Bio-mining (natural products) Functions Biodiversity Primary and secondary productivity All stem from stony (reef-building) corals

  5. Corals Highly Sensitive to GC Sentinel ecosystem - Worldwide bleaching during El Nino events - Linked to high sea temperatures - Local variability linked to UV exposure and water quality Environmental problem of global proportions - 27% world reefs lost since 1970 - 16% world reefs lost in 1998 El Nino - 80% Caribbean reefs lost in last 30 yrs

  6. Coral Bleaching – Disruption of Symbiosis Loss of symbiotic algae = Loss of energy for coral growth and survival

  7. GED Global Change Research Team Task 1Field bioassessment tools to characterize coral condition Task 2Dose-response relationships for intact corals and algal symbionts with global change stressors Task 3 Geospatial comparison of stressors, coral condition, and dose-response patterns

  8. Field Assessment Tools William Fisher Symbiont UV x Temp John Rogers Geospatial Analysis Mace Barron Chemical Analyses Dragoslav Marcovich Disease and Bleaching Debbie Santavy Coral UV x Temp Leah Oliver Coral Culture Will Davis Photogrammetry Lee Courtney GED Global Change Research Team

  9. Bioassessment tools to characterize coral condition

  10. Bioassessment tools to characterize coral condition GED Dive Team uniquely qualified to develop and validate field methods for coral assessment

  11. EPA Protocol Existing methods are insufficient • Either colony-based or surface area-based; but not both • 2D surface area rather than 3D EPA protocol • Colony-based AND provides surface area • Based in 3D units • Useful metrics for coral condition • Simple, rapid survey

  12. EPA Coral Condition Protocol: Three Underwater Observations Colony Identification Colony Size (3-D) Percent Live Coral

  13. EPA Coral Condition Protocol: Three Underwater Observations Colony Identification Colony Size (3-D) Percent Live Coral Metrics applicable to reef value and sustainability Provides data for forecast models

  14. Coral Condition Metrics % Live Coral Colony Identification Colony Size Colony %LC Species %LC Reef %LC Colony Surface Area Species SA Reef SA Reef Complexity Colony Abundance Colony Density Species Richness Species Frequency Unique Species Species Abundance Species Density Species Diversity Tolerant:Intolerant Species Reef Abundance Coral Community Structure Population Structure Size-Related Health Colony Live SA Species Live SA Reef Live SA 3D Live Coral Cover Species Dead SA Reef Dead SA Species Live:Dead SA Reef Live:Dead SA

  15. Coral Condition Metrics % Live Coral Colony Identification Colony Size Colony %LC Species %LC Reef %LC Colony Surface Area Species SA Reef SA Reef Complexity Colony Abundance Colony Density Species Richness Species Frequency Unique Species Species Abundance Species Density Species Diversity Tolerant:Intolerant Species Reef Abundance Coral Community Structure Population Structure Size-Related Health Colony Live SA Species Live SA Reef Live SA 3D Live Coral Cover Species Dead SA Reef Dead SA Species Live:Dead SA Reef Live:Dead SA

  16. Measuring 3D Surface Area Photogrammetry validates use of coral geometry to estimate 3D surface area from simple field measurements (height, diameter)

  17. 3D SA from Field Measurements SA calculated from average of height, maximum radius and orthogonal radius

  18. Coral Research Laboratory: A Unique ORD Facility http://www.epa.gov/facilities_network/coralresearch.html Coral culture Symbiotic algae culture Solar exposure system

  19. Coral Research Laboratory: A Unique ORD Facility http://www.epa.gov/facilities_network/coralresearch.html Coral culture Symbiotic algae culture Solar exposure system Unique capacity to determine dose-response relationships and biological weighting functions

  20. Importance of Symbiotic Algae Coral Polyps • Energy for growth and survival of corals • Coral recovery requires recolonization • Susceptible to GC stressors • Research attributes: culturable, rapid responses, limited number of clades Algae = Zooxanthellae

  21. Coral and SymbiontStress-Response Profiles 28oC 28oC 33oC UV Radiation UV radiation and temperature are interactive stressors

  22. Algae Clade Variability Different algal clades exhibit different sensitivity to GC stressors (T x UV)

  23. Algae Clade Variability Clade sensitivity, once modeled, becomes an important GC assessment and management tool

  24. Geospatial Analysis Spatial and temporal comparisons of • GC stressors • - Sea surface temperatures • - UV exposures • - Land-based nutrients, contaminants • Coral disease • Multiple surveys in Florida Keys with focus on DT and KW • Coral condition • 2004 Survey in Florida Keys

  25. Spatial Trends in Coral Disease

  26. Spatial Trends in Coral Disease

  27. Temporal Trends in Coral Abundance

  28. Spatial Mapping Spatial distribution of coral quantity disease and condition metrics Allows comparisons with spatially variable GC stressors and dose-response thresholds A method to distinguish GC stressors from other anthropogenic factors

  29. EPA disease and bleaching protocol for FKNMS EPA Coral Assessment Guidance for Biocriteria Development (OW) based on field assessment methodology Biocriteria development in USVI (R2) EPA Protocol adopted by FRRP Biological weighting functions to improve existing forecast models for coral bleaching Region-wide (FL) geospatial analysis for State and Sanctuary managers (focus on vulnerability and sustainability) Research Outcomes

  30. Thank you, GED Global Change Research Team Fisher.william@epa.gov

  31. Field options to estimate 3D SA of Diploria Single measurement Two measurements Three measurements

  32. Assessment tools for coral condition monitoring Photogrammatic methods for 3D SA and growth Culture and exposure methods for corals and algae Dose-response and biological weighting functions for UV x T exposure of algal clades PCR methods to distinguish clades Assessments of disease and condition in Florida Keys GIS map layers for exposure and condition GPRA 2006 to address 2010 APM for ‘tools in the hands of managers’ Research Products

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