The Restoration Of Coral Reefs Brett Crawford. What are Coral Reefs? Represent one of the most...

The Restoration Of Coral Reefs

Brett Crawford

What are Coral Reefs?

Represent one of the most diverse ecosystems on planet; “Rainforest of the ocean”.

Tropical and Semi-tropical waters. Temps range from 61-86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Three types of Coral Reefs.


Barrier Reef

Occur offshore, separated from mainland by water.

Great Barrier Reef

Largest reef system, 2,900 individual reefs, 900 islands, stretches 1,600 miles.

Can be seen from space.


Fringing Reef

Has shallow back reef zone, reef grows directly from shoreline.

Most common reef type in Caribbean and Red Sea.


Atolls

An island of coral that encircles a lagoon partially or entirely.

Most are in Pacific Ocean.


Corals are very small animals.

Sessile

Eat small fish and plank-tonic animals using tentacles.

Corals grouped into colonies, individual parts are “Polyps”.

Polyps secrete Calcium Carbonate skeleton from base.

Substrate for Corals.

Coral grows as more Calcium Carbonate skeleton deposited.

Living Coral on surface.

Average growth 0.3-10 cm/per year.


Coral Polyp


Zooxanthellae Algae

Live in Polyps.

Symbiotic

Algae-photosynthesizes and creates food for coral.

Coral-provides protection and gives access to light.


Provide food and habitat for Sponges, Crabs, Shrimp, Sea Slugs, Sea Stars, Oysters, Sea Turtles and Fish.

Good indicators for water quality in ocean.

Protect coastlines from erosion.

Coral Reef Values

Natural goods for fisheries industry.

High value as fish sanctuary and nurseries.

Tourism

$483 million in annual net benefits to U.S. economy from tourism and recreational activities related to U.S. coral reefs.

$1.1 billion in annual net benefits to U.S. economy from overall goods and services related to U.S. coral reefs.

Threats to Coral Reefs

Pollution

Agricultural and Industrial runoff.

Sewage and toxic waste discharge.

Erosion and sedimentation.


Fishing

Over-fishing can drastically decrease certain fish species, disrupt multiple Trophic levels.

Fishing techniques

Fishing gear

Anchoring of fishing vessels


Global Climate Change

Biggest threat to coral reefs.

Bleaching and spread of infectious diseases.

CO2 in atmosphere causing “ocean acidification”.

Rising water level, harder for light to get to corals.

Solutions to Coral Reef Threats

NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and other agencies.

Fishing

“No Take” Zones-Florida Keys

Fish Replenishment Areas-West Hawaii

Solutions to Coral Reef Threats

Pollution

Control land based pollution sources.

Focus on protection of watershed quality

Easements, Trusts or Reserves from stakeholders party (local, state, federal, etc.)

Global Climate Change

Too big for NOAA

Reduce the emissions of Green House Gases.

Too much excess CO2 already in atmosphere, coral reefs will be affected throughout this century.

Ocean absorbs 1/3 of additional CO2 from humans, causes further “ocean acidification”.

Restoration Ecology & Coral Reefs

Many coral reefs have passed their Abiotic threshold.

Assisting recovery of “freak landscapes”.

Increase ecological integrity and historical fidelity.

Goals must be dynamic, b/c ecosystems are dynamic.


Coral Farming or Gardening

Fragment poorly spaced Corals.

Attach to grate in nursery area.

Transplant when mature.


Collection of gametes during coral spawning.

Rear juvenile coral communities in lab from fertilized eggs.

Once mature, transplanted back into reef.


Education

“Adopt-A-Coral” program.

Increase public awareness

No social constraint


Coral Farming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=I69isSS1TvI

References

Coral Reef-http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.sciencedaily.com/2008/04/080401200446-large.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401200446.htm&usg=__OfeYb3DVdB119mxWw3u7GKcCq0c=&h=398&w=600&sz=64&hl=en&start=93&sig2=C48b32QlA1EtXazfawCRqw&zoom=1&tbnid=ls3a2X-frUifwM:&tbnh=175&tbnw=233&ei=iGKsTc_bB8rkiAKw7a3vDA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DCoral%2Breef%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D680%26tbm%3Disch0%2C3453&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=760&vpy=158&dur=2158&hovh=183&hovw=276&tx=154&ty=80&oei=cWKsTfb0H-Tm0QGqyb3-BQ&page=7&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:93&biw=1280&bih=680

Barrier Reef-http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.treehugger.com/great-barrier-reef.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/06/oceans-of-change-protecting-the-planets-life-support-system.php&usg=__dJhOHd-VKHyMQonREyaG5skqXu4=&h=351&w=468&sz=36&hl=en&start=57&sig2=jTGYuRZOicd7vPjOcHHGSg&zoom=1&tbnid=rv_vPRGrszDiWM:&tbnh=152&tbnw=205&ei=BmOsTcjGA-HiiAKWucnvDA&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbarrier%2Breef%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D680%26tbm%3Disch0%2C1711&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=792&vpy=282&dur=295&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=168&ty=136&oei=_mKsTfveL9KP0QHJtsT5CA&page=4&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:57&biw=1280&bih=680

Fringing Reef-http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://coralreef.capiz.biz/images/fringing.jpg&imgrefurl=http://coralreef.capiz.biz/fringing.html&usg=__yxNGO3mcOQA-mrDfxNQq9_w5vaU=&h=285&w=380&sz=39&hl=en&start=0&sig2=L8eDdYLIJC73J6alqhafkg&zoom=1&tbnid=97AoOHm_GQS-MM:&tbnh=156&tbnw=208&ei=d2OsTeLrI8OP0QH2pYX5CA&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfringing%2Breef%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D680%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=143&vpy=139&dur=777&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=219&ty=128&oei=d2OsTeLrI8OP0QH2pYX5CA&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

Atolls- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Atafutrim.jpg

References Coral Polyp-http://gc.kuty.cz/redsea/coralpolyp.jpg

Zooxanthelae Algae-http://agsci.oregonstate.edu/aquatic-bt/sites/default/files/zooxanthellae_SANTOS.jpg

Sedimentation-http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/wgroups/resources/lbsp/resources/kanakakai_%20wharf_kc.JPG

Blast Fishing-http://w3.shorecrest.org/~Lisa_Peck/MarineBio/syllabus/ch11_ecosystems/ecosystem_wp/coralreefs_johnathan_alexj/dynamite_reef_1.jpg

Bleaching-http://africanalchemy.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/coral-bleaching.jpg

Coral Farming-http://www.ramadianbachtiar.com/assets/20060512_Indonesia_VoicesFromTheSea_RB_010.jpg

Coral Spawning-http://img-ak.verticalresponse.com/media/d/5/1/d51c21facf/be324c6740/63b08ae701/library/CORAL%20NL%20Aug%202010/Coral-spawning.jpg

Adopt-A-Coral-http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Mp5QFpdLmE/Sq832mSGT2I/AAAAAAAAEd4/1vzCk8aA3q8/s400/sidebar.jpg

Adopt-A-Coral-http://www.floridakeysdivectr.com/images/adopt-a-coral-program-key-largo.jpg

References

EPA, . "Coral Reef Protection: What Are Coral Reefs?." United States Environmental Protection Agency 04/06/2011: n. pag. Web. 18 Apr 2011. <http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/habitat/coral_index.cfm#problems>.

NOAA, . "NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program." U.S. Department of Commerce:National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration . NOAA, 02/02/2010. Web. 18 Apr 2011. <http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcorals/>.

Linden, B., and B. Rinkevich. "Creating Stocks Of Young Colonies From Brooding Coral Larvae, Amenable To Active Reef Restoration." Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 398.1-2 (2011): 40-46. Web. 18 Apr 2011. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8F-51Y4500-1&_user=10&_coverDate=02%2F28%2F2011&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=gateway&_origin=gateway&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=975b5f37c85c2ce41be64b08e1b27d90&searchtype=a>.

Waddell, , and Clark. "The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems Of The United States And Pacific Freely Associated States." NOAA's State Of The Coast 2008: n. pag. Web. 18 Apr 2011. <http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/coral/welcome.html>.

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