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http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ mccarty_and_peters/coral/C-intro.htm

Coral Reefs. http://tools.coralreef.org/content/ objects/view.acs?object_id=545. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ mccarty_and_peters/coral/C-intro.htm. Importance of Coral Reefs. 0.2% of world’s oceans Habitat for 1/3 of marine fishes Habitat for tens of thousands of other animals

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http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ mccarty_and_peters/coral/C-intro.htm

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  1. Coral Reefs http://tools.coralreef.org/content/ objects/view.acs?object_id=545 http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ mccarty_and_peters/coral/C-intro.htm

  2. Importance of Coral Reefs • 0.2% of world’s oceans • Habitat for 1/3 of marine fishes • Habitat for tens of thousands of other animals • The rainforests of the oceans

  3. Importance of Coral Reefs • PROTECTION TO COASTLINES • ECONOMIC RESOURCES • BIODIVERSITY • NATURAL BEAUTY

  4. Importance of Coral Reefs • PROTECTION TO COASTLINES • absorb energy of ocean waves • reduce erosion of shoreline • storm damage • flooding

  5. Importance of Coral Reefs • ECONOMIC RESOURCES • Fisheries for food • Fisheries for jobs • Tourism • Building materials • Aquarium trade

  6. Importance of Coral Reefs • BIODIVERSITY • The rainforests of the sea • Genetic diversity • Pharmaceuticals

  7. Importance of Coral Reefs • NATURAL BEAUTY http://sustainableseas.noaa.gov/missions/ florida2/background/coralspawning.html

  8. $375 billion in environmental goods and services Reefs at Risk 1998 (http://www.wri.org/powerpoints/reefswww/sld011.htm

  9. Caribbean reef values(annual net benefits in 2000) • Fisheries: $310 million • Dive tourism: $2.1 billion • Shoreline protection: $0.7-2.2 billion Total: $4.1-4.6 billion

  10. REEFS WORLDWIDE ARE THREATENED 11% of reefs have been lost 16% of reefs severely damaged ~60% of studied reefs threatened by human activities No pristine reefs left

  11. CARIBBEAN REEFS DECLINING 1970s: ~50% coral cover Present: ~10% coral cover =80% reduction in coral cover over last 30 years Gardner et al. 2003 Science 301: 958-960

  12. Threats to coral and coral reefs: 1) Natural 2) Anthropogenic of human origin

  13. Natural disturbances that affect corals and coral reefs? Hurricanes Tsunamis Volcanoes Earthquakes Predators & competitors Bleaching Pathogens

  14. Hurricanes • Physical damage • Smothering • Freshwater poisoning http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ 1989hugo.html • Destruction of other ecosystems upon • which coral reefs depend

  15. Tsunamis • Physical damage • Erosion • Possible disruption of reproduction and recruitment

  16. Volcanoes • Depends upon where volcano occurs • Heat • smothering and sedimentation http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/ current_volcs/montserrat/montserrat.html

  17. Earthquakes • Little direct impact • Indirect impacts • triggers tsunamis • coastal landslides

  18. Predators • crown of thorns starfish • snails • parrotfish • butterflyfish http://www.aims.gov.au/pages/reflib/ cot-starfish/pages/cot-q07.html http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/pgallery/pgflower/living/fg_living.html

  19. Competitors • algae http://catbert.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/algae.html

  20. Bleaching • Loss of zooxanthellae • causes • higher than usual ocean temperature • sharp changes in salinity • heavy UV light exposure http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ mccarty_and_peters/coral/Bleach.htm

  21. http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/coral_bleaching_index.htmlhttp://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/orad/coral_bleaching_index.html

  22. Pathogens • Diseases on the rise • new pathogens (8+) • land pathogens (Aspergillus) • occurring at all depths • More susceptible when stressed http://ourworld.compuserve.com/ homepages/mccarty_and_peters/ coral/Bbd.htm

  23. Threats to coral and coral reefs: 1) Natural 2) Anthropogenic of human origin

  24. Anthropogenic threats to coral reefs: Overfishing Development Mining and dredging Recreation

  25. Overfishing • Ecological imbalance http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/reef/reef2570.htm http://tools.coralreef.org/content/objects/view.acs?object_id=545

  26. Overfishing • Ecological imbalance http://catbert.er.usgs.gov/african_dust/events.html

  27. Overfishing • Destructive fishing practices http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/students/coral/coral5.htm http://www.wri.org/indictrs/rrcyanid.htm

  28. Development • Sediment  smothering • Freshwater input • Pollutants & nutrients (sewage, pesticides, fertilizer, heavy metals, pathogens)

  29. Development http://www.wcmc.org.uk/marine/data/coral_mangrove/coral.danger.html http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mccarty_and_peters/coral/c-intro.htm

  30. Development http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/scied/science/habitat/influences.html

  31. Mining for construction materials and dredging • Destruction of reef structure • stirs up sediment

  32. Recreation • Anchors, boats, flippers, hands, feet • Kill animal tissue • Skeleton breakage http://www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov/scied/science/habitat/influences.html

  33. Synergistic effects • interaction of natural changes & human activity • multiple insults

  34. Global climate change • Reduced reef building • Increase in frequency and intensity of hurricanes • Increases in bleaching • Increased in disease

  35. Synergistic effects CORAL DOMINATED ALGAL DOMINATED

  36. JAMAICA OVERFISHING HURRICANE ALLEN 1980 ACROPORA DIE-OFF 1980S DIADEMA DIE-OFF 1983

  37. JAMAICA MORE ALGAE NO GRAZERS LESS CORAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE ALGAL DOMINATED SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS

  38. BUCK ISLAND, ST. CROIX PROTECTION SINCE 1961 ACROPORA DIE-OFF 1980S DIADEMA DIE-OFF 1983 HURRICANE HUGO 1989 HURRICANES MARILYN/LUIS 1995

  39. BUCK ISLAND, ST. CROIX PROTECTION LITTLE OVERFISHING DISEASE PHYSICAL DAMAGE CORAL DOMINATED

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