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PIFSC External Review, June 24, 2008

Integrated Coral Reef Ecosystem Assessments in the U.S-affiliated Pacific Islands. PIFSC External Review, June 24, 2008. Vision Statement.

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PIFSC External Review, June 24, 2008

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  1. Integrated Coral Reef Ecosystem Assessments in the U.S-affiliated Pacific Islands PIFSC External Review, June 24, 2008

  2. Vision Statement CRED leads an integrated, interdisciplinary, ecosystem-based program of research, mapping, and long-term monitoring of coral reef ecosystems of the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands to promote conservation and management through innovative and collaborative science of the highest integrity.

  3. Threats • Climate change • Ocean warming – coral bleaching and disease • Ocean acidification – calcification rates, biodiversity shifts • Sea-level rise – drowning reefs and coastal infrastructure? • Storm tracks and intensities • Ocean circulation – larval transport/recruitment • Local Threats • Overfishing - trophic and ecosystem shifts • Pollution and marine debris – habitat degradation • Coastal development and sedimentation – habitat degradation • Invasive species – ecosystem shifts • Recreational overuse – trophic and ecosystem shifts • Global threats significantly impact local/regional ecosystems • Local management requires knowledge of regional and global processes and threats

  4. Pacific RAMP Integrated Ecosystem Observations of ~50 islands and atolls Benthic Habitat Mapping Oceanography & Water Quality Monitoring NWHI CNMI MHI Guam PRIA Long-term Monitoring of Fish, Corals, Algae, Macroinvertebrates, Microbes Integrated Ecosystem Assessments, Reporting, and Modeling AS Comparative analyses across diverse biogeographic, environmental, and anthropogenic gradients

  5. Ecological Observations • Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA) • Fish, corals, invertebrates, algae, microbes • Abundance/density, size, species richness, % benthic cover, disease prevalence • ~200-1,000 m2 • Towed-diver Surveys (TDS) • Benthic composition/condition • % cover of live or stressed coral, macroalgae • Habitat complexity • Abundance of large fish, macroinvertebrates • fish (>50 cm TL), turtles, seals, cetaceans • COTS, giant clams, sea cucumbers, urchins • ~25,000 m2 • Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) • Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs)

  6. Other corals Montipora Acropora Pocillopora P. compressa Porites Corals Mean coral cover MHI (9.0 ± 2.3%) comparable to NWHI (10.4 ± 2.0%) Distribution, composition, abundance (density/cover), and size of corals over time

  7. Coral & Algal Disease BLE: Bleaching SGA: Skeletal growth anomalies WSY: Acute tissue loss TLS: Subacute tissue loss TRE: Trematodiasis HYP: Hyper-pigmented irritations EFI: Endolithic fungal infection OTH: Other Distribution, type, and prevalence of disease by coral and algal species over time

  8. Algae Algal composition, both in the NWHI and more broadly across the Pacific region, shows distinct biogeographic patterns. Note different regions of the NWHI: North, Mid, South. From Vroom & Page (2006) From Schils and Vroom (in review)

  9. Invertebrates Density of COTS/ha Distribution and abundance of key macroinvertebrates over time

  10. Large Fish, Coral, & Habitat

  11. Reef Fish & People

  12. Reef Fish Over Time MHI S-NW Mid-NW N-NW

  13. Gaps/Future Directions • Integrated Ecosystem Assessments • Improve assessment of human dimension • Improve understanding of ecosystem linkages • Ecosystem Modeling during later stages of CAMEO • Improve temporal resolution and extend depth of monitoring • EARs – continuous biotic & anthropogenic monitoring • AUV and BotCam – monitor/map deep habitats & resources • Improve linkages between science and management • Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Reports • Comparative analyses across Pacific Islands region • CAMEO - Ecological impacts of human activities and climate • Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification • Calcification plates, coring, improved size class, ultrasound • Biodiversity Assessments – inverts, algae, microbes • CoML- CReefs, ARMS, and molecular tools

  14. Ecosystem Assessments Outline for Island & Archipelagic Comparison Chapters • Geopolitical Context – improve human dimension • Survey Effort • Benthic Habitat Mapping and Characterization • Oceanography and Water Quality • Coral and Coral Disease • Algae and Algal Disease • Benthic Macroinvertebrates - CReefs • Reef Fish • Island Summary & Integration – CAMEO proposal Linking science to management: • American Samoa reef fisheries management • Scientific bases for development of network of MPAs Presently working on Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Reports for Hawaiian Archipelago & Mariana Archipelago To be released at ICRS: available for download at: www.pifsc.noaa.gov

  15. 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.

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