MEMBERSHIP Number 34 May 2007 The annual subscription for individual membership of ISRS for a family membership. Those received after 1st May will cost US$32, is currently US$80, provided renewal payments are made by 1st March US$100 and US$110 respectively. New members can join at the base each year. Individual and Family Members receive the journal rate of US$25, US$80 and US$90 at any time of the year. Financial Reefs, the magazine Encounter and other periodic mailings. Family assistance may be available to prospective members with legitimate membership is US$90. Student membership costs US$25 and benefi ts needs. Please contact ISRS Corresponding Secretary Richard Aronson include all of the above except the journal Coral Reefs. at [email protected]. The Category - Sustaining Member- is for those supporting the Institutional subscriptions to Coral Reefs must be placed society with a subscription of $200. In addition to other benefi ts, sustaining directly with Springer-Verlag. members will see their names printed in each issue of Reef Encounter. Subscriptions to the Society should be addressed to: Renewals received between 1 March and 30 April will cost International Society for Reef Studies, P.O. Box 1897, Lawrence, Kansas US$30 for a student member, US$90 for a full member and US$100 66044-8897, USA. NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS Reef Encounter is the International Society for Reef Studies’ We acknowledge contributions by email. If you do not receive magazine-style newsletter. In addition to our main feature articles, we an acknowledgement within one week of submitting electronic material, include news on all aspects of reef science, including meetings, expedi- please contact us to verify that it was received. We reserve the right to REEF tions, book reviews, and information on student opportunities. We en- edit text to achieve a consistent style, and to minimize our changes courage discussion and debate on issues concerning reefs or the ISRS, you should use recent issues as style guides. We do not usually return and we welcome letters to the Editor for our correspondence column articles for checking unless we consider our editorial changes may have ENCOUN TER (). We aim to complement the Society’s journal, Coral Reefs, altered your meaning. Articles are not refereed, and opinions expressed by publishing brief reviews of recent trends and developments that bear and errors of fact remain largely the author’s responsibility. No published Mag a zine of the In ter nation al So ci ety for Reef Stud ies on reef studies. Please note that Reef Encounter does not publish origi- item should be taken as ISRS opinion unless indicated. Please note that nal scientifi c data. We do, however, have a section reporting on recent Reef Encounter is an entirely voluntary effort. We do not have funds to publications (Reef Briefs). To have a paper to be included, please send a pay contributors, and the editors are also unpaid. copy (reprint or corrected proofs only) to the Editor. Articles should range We welcome contributions regardless of when they arrive. between 200 and 2000 words. Except in exceptional circumstances, text Issue 35 (expected out in November 2007) will have the updated yearly should be sent by email to [email protected] schedule of when you can expect Reef Encounter in the future. Sub- Reef Encounter has an informal and journalistic style, and missions for issue 35 are due 15 September 2007. If you are planning a while references are permitted, they should be kept to a minimum. Please substantial contribution, it will help the Editor plan ahead by contacting number references in the text using superscript, and list them at the end her well in advance of the deadline. Thank you for your support. of the article in the order in which they are cited, fi rst through the text, and then through the table and fi gure legends. Each reference should have a DEADLINE FOR COPY FOR REEF ENCOUNTER 35 unique number, and references should not be combined. Avoid the use (DUE OUT NOVEMBER 2007) IS 15 SEPTEMBER 2007 of op.cit. or ibid, and use World List abbreviations. In all other aspects, references should follow the style prescribed for Coral Reefs. Please send correspondence and submissions to one of these We particularly welcome artwork and photographs to help addresses: us illustrate the magazine. Images can be sent as hard copy to the Editor. Electronic images should have a resolution of 350 dpi and must [email protected] be a size appropriate for the magazine format. In particular, we can- not enlarge small electronic images and retain publishable quality. We or prefer tiff format fi les. Where images are included in the article, please send legends and/or captions separately (not in the image fi le). Explain Editor, Sue Wells. Email: all symbols, abbreviations, shading patterns, etc. Maps should have a scale and indicate orientation. Please use either metric units or imperial [email protected] with metric units. Please send with your article a short ‘by-line’ explain- ing who you are. Include your full address and email details which will be published with your article. We have no regular reprint system, but contributors who are not already members will receive a free copy of the relevant issue. Please consider joining the society if you are not already a member!

APPLICATION FORM FOR MEMBERSHIP Name: ...... I/We enclose a cheque (in US$ ONLY please) of: Address: ...... US$80 for FULL membership ...... US$90 for FAMILY membership ...... US$25 for STUDENT membership Title: ...... US$200 for SUSTAINING membership Fields of Interest: ...... Credit Card Payment: VISA/MasterCard

Bank drafts and cheques to be made payable to: International Society for Reef Studies. If a receipt is required, please request it at the time No...... Expir. Date ...... of payment. Send completed application forms and payment to ISRS, P.O. Box 1897, Lawrence, Kansas 66044-8897, USA. Signature ......

60 Reef En coun ter 34, May 2007 ISSN 0255-2787 EDITORIAL AND ISRS NEWS EDITORIAL

Welcome to the 34th edition of Reef interesting study on citations in coral new editing staff starting with the 35th Encounter. This edition is full of reef studies. In Currents we report on issue. We wish Sue Wells and her staff interesting news and fun fi ndings in impacts to reefs from the tsunami of luck with the journal we have worked the world of reef science! News of the 2005, and unusual lesions associated so closely over the last several years. election results and information on with in the Atlantic. Our Thank you to all the contributors who the make up of the ISRS community Fellowship Reports bring news make this journal worth reading. Keep comes to you in ISRS News. The of progress from all over the world the articles coming! News section brings us information including Australia, Fiji, the western William F. Precht, on management of reefs in the West Atlantic and more. Martha Robbart, and Indian Ocean, and the results of an Reef Encounter will be under a Beth Zimmer

ISRS NEWS Outgoing ISRS Presidentʼs message

My presidential term from 1 January Edmunds (fellow selection 2003-04), reporting track-record of ISRS/TOC 2003 to 31 December 2006 has been all the members of the Local Organis- fellows on their work; ISRS largely un- a busy time for me, but I am left with ing Committee in Japan (10th ICRS), responsive to key issues and events a sense that the ISRS did not engage Dick Dodge and Barbara Brown and (e.g. tsunami); and the ISRS seem- fully with the fact that it is the world their editorial teams (Coral Reefs), Tim ingly unable itself to engage in impor- body of and for reef science. My ten- McClanahan (membership survey), tant issues such as worldwide reef ure came at a time when the news an anonymous donor (ISRS/TOC fel- degradation. about coral reefs has been dire, and lowships), Rich Aronson (constitution, I believe there are ways we can im- at the same time public awareness STAP, ICRS agreement, subsidized prove our effectiveness as a Society has never been higher. subscriptions), Michel Pichon (11th for and about reef science. Some of What did we achieve in the three ICRS selection), Pete Mumby (e-vot- the perceived defi ciencies are being years of my presidency? Singu- ing, membership liaison), and John addressed (e.g. fellow reports here- lar achievements include: improved Ware (fi nances, fi nancial reporting). with, new RE), but clearly there is work funding for editing the journal Coral Given the Society is run by unpaid to do if the ISRS is to fulfi l its key role Reefs; a very successful ICRS (10th, volunteers, who as accomplished in world science at this cru- Okinawa); the 2nd highest Coral Reefs coral reef scientists, are already com- cial juncture. The wider membership impact factor ever; the fi rst member- mitted heavily to their science and clearly has much to contribute in the ship survey; expansion of the ISRS other professional activities (e.g. new term just beginning, and the fu- fellowship program and 18 ISRS/ teaching, consultancy, management ture President, other Offi cers and the TOC fellows funded; changes to the … families); maybe I should be fully rest of the Council will set the stage ISRS constitution voted on; excellent content with our achievements. How- for this. Above all, it is important that new editorial team engaged for Coral ever, I believe the Society will only the Society continue to play a leading Reefs; two regional ISRS meetings progress in its important role if it rec- role in upholding and disseminating (Kansas 2003, Bremen 2006); Ft Lau- ognizes where it has not made the good science. We must help the wider derdale engaged to host the 11th ICRS; grade. Places where we have done community understand that even if three outreach (‘briefi ng’) papers dis- poorly and need to improve include: politicians are determined to ignore seminated; new web site established failure to progress the briefi ng papers the pressing need for scientifi cally- at FIT; and new regime agreed for pro- after 2004; low level of interaction based conservation of coral reefs, it is duction of Reef Encounter. between the ISRS membership and not because there is a lack of sound These and other achievements the ISRS Council; low voter turnout; science and scientifi cally-based man- are important for the Society and for decline in ISRS membership since agement advice. coral reefs, and would not have been 2004; few and irregular issues of Reef Nicholas Polunin possible without the work of many Encounter; lack of follow-up on mem- ISRS President 2003-2006 people. I would like to thank Rob van ber survey conducted via the annual 15 November 2006 Woesik (web site, e-voting system membership renewals; inactivity of and [latterly] fellow selection), Pete some ISRS Council members; poor

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 3 ISRS NEWS

Incoming ISRS Presidentʼs message

Are all coral reef ecosystems in immi- impetus for the Society to continue Plans are in full swing for the 11th nent danger of collapse? What are the producing Briefi ng Papers (BPs) on International Coral Reef Symposium, causes of reef degradation? Are reef important topics in reef science. In- to be held in Fort Lauderdale July fi sheries recoverable? What is the role coming Vice President Tim McClana- 7–11, 2008. ISRS co-sponsors the of nutrients? What can MPAs do for han will direct this program. His task ICRS, and we are working with the Lo- coral reefs? Which combinations of will be to identify topics and authors cal Organizing Committee to ensure a strategic actions will offer the best for the BPs, which will be published successful, stimulating and enjoyable chance to save reefs? The only thing in Reef Encounter and on our web- meeting. Travel funds will be available uncontroversial about these questions site, with an ISRS byline. Tim will help on a competitive basis for those with is that they are controversial. What- the authors synthesize large amounts legitimate fi nancial needs, and there ever we believe to be the correct—or of information into short statements, will be an announcement about the I should say the more correct—an- which can be understood by general Student Travel Award Program (STAP) swers, we all share a profound sense audiences and which can be further closer to the time of the Symposium. of dismay at what is happening to the digested into press releases. The key With this issue of Reef Encounter, global environment in general and to to working with the media will be to Bill Precht steps down as Editor and coral reefs in particular. That is reason offer up one new and discrete ‘fac- Sue Wells takes over. We thank Bill enough for us to come together as the toid’ at a time. We welcome sugges- and his team for their hard work and society that is ISRS. tions and participation in this program welcome Sue. This will also be the We are a large group of smart and from all our members. last printed issue of RE, because we opinionated students, policymak- In another important outreach ef- will be going electronic under Sue’s ers, advocates, managers, amateur fort, the Society will begin developing guidance. naturalists and scientists from over curricular materials on coral reefs for We also thank outgoing Council- 65 countries worldwide, so disagree- primary and secondary school stu- lors Katharina Fabricius, Ove Hoegh- ments are inevitable. Even heated con- dents. My institution, the Dauphin Is- Guldberg, Tim McClanahan, Michel troversies should be no surprise. Now land Sea Lab (DISL), has a prominent Pichon, Helmut Schuhmacher and is most decidedly not the time to lay K–12 component, and we can use Makoto Tsuchiya. The new and con- aside our intellectual differences; we DISL and other institutions around tinuing Offi cers and Councillors are are, after all, a scientifi c society. Argu- the world as proving grounds. We will listed on the next page, and I look for- ment and debate in tandem with rigor- need plenty of help from the member- ward to working with all of them. ous investigation, leading ultimately to ship at large to get this program going Finally, I offer Nick my sincere grati- reconciliation, is the only path forward and make it a success. tude for his four years of hard work on to effective policy recommendations. We will also ramp up our partici- behalf of ISRS. He has all but bled for For some questions, enough data are pation in such efforts as the Inter- this Society and he deserves heartfelt available for the overwhelming major- national Coral Reef Initiative and the thanks from all of us. Past-Presidents ity of the ISRS membership already U.S. Coral Reef Task . Again, we and other former Offi cers remain a to have reached consensus, and the will consider any and all offers of help critical repository of corporate mem- ISRS is working to get those conclu- from our members. ory and are constantly dunned for sions out to the public. As for the con- Nick worked hard to expand our advice, so to Nick and the other past- troversies, we can neither fi ddle while student-fellowship program, which is Presidents out there I say, “You know the world burns, nor can we roll over funded largely by The Ocean Conser- who you are, and so do we!” and accept facile alarmism. We must vancy (TOC) through an anonymous Please feel free to contact me redouble our efforts to reach scientifi c donation. This issue of Reef Encoun- ([email protected]) or Corresponding agreement without dissipating the ter showcases research supported by Secretary Isabelle Côté (imcote@sfu. strength of what we ultimately say to the ISRS/TOC Graduate Fellowships ca) with any questions, suggestions the public. This will be my toughest in Coral Reef Science. We are truly or concerns. Good luck to us all in re- challenge as President. grateful to our benefactor and look pairing the world’s coral reefs. Among outgoing President Nick forward to continued funding for de- Polunin’s legacies, and directly con- serving students who will do cutting- Richard B. Aronson nected to this challenge, is a strong edge research on coral reefs. ISRS Incoming President

4 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 ISRS NEWS

2006 ISRS Election Results

Dear ISRS members, Councillors for electronic voting was more than Dr Andrew H Baird double that of the last postal vote. I am pleased to report the following Dr Steve Coles On behalf of the Society I’d like to results from the 2006 ISRS election: Dr Michio Hidaka thank everyone that stood for election Dr Dennis K Hubbard (the results were pretty close). I’d also President Dr Melanie McField like to thank Rob van Woesik and his Dr Richard Aronson Dr Caroline Rogers team for managing the website so ef- Vice-President fectively during the election. Dr Tim McClanahan Changes to bylaws were accepted Sincerely, Corresponding Secretary but since less than 40% of the mem- Dr Isabelle M. Cote bership voted the proposed changes Professor Peter J Mumby to the Constitution could not be ad- Corresponding Secretary, ISRS opted. Note, however, that the turnout International Society for Reef Studies: Financial Report 2005

Total cash assets as of December 31, creased their editorial subsidy allow- Marketing Fees – Allen 1,579.34 2005 were $150,751.24, all of which ances to ISRS). Income and Expenses Marketing & Management are in interest bearing checking ac- for 2005 were as follows: Coral Reefs – counts. At the beginning of the year Springer-Verlag 22,679.42 cash assets were $148,368.42, rep- Income: “Reef Encounter” – resenting a net increase of $2,382.82 Memberships 62,075.00 Allen Press 5,075.71 (All in U.S. dollars.) This “profi t” is mis- Interest 744.38 Briefi ng Paper 5,000.00 leading because it includes a deposit Editorial Subsidies 38,052.60 2004 Tax Prep. 650.00 of $10,052.07designated for the next (from Springer-Verlag) Miscellaneous** 1,050.43 International Conference on Coelen- Contribution Reserved Total Expenses 99,112.21 terate Biology. Without this contribu- for Future ICCB 10,052.07 Less ICCB Funds 10,052.07 tion, the Society actually shows a loss Total Income 110,924.05 NET INCOME(LOSS) ($7,669.25) for 2005 in the amount of $7,669.25. This is attributed to a 14% decrease Less Expenses: *Editorial expenses for 2005 included retro- in memberships (representing a defi - Editorial Subsidies Paid* 43,887.79 active payments for 2004. cit of $10,232.28) plus a substantial Travel/Meeting Subsidies 0 **Miscellaneous expenses include ware- increase in postage, publishing costs Postal Permit & Fees 13,984.16 house fees, honorariums, awards, software and for Coral Reefs, and increased edi- Bank Charges 45.00 publication of the annual membership directory. torial subsidies some of which were Credit Card Charges 1,258.82 disbursements for 2004 editorial ex- Management Fees – Allen 13,330.56 penses (Note: Springer Verlag also in- Marketing & Management Where do we fi t in? An analysis of coral citations and ISRS membership

We might assume that the diligent might be surprised to learn that be- or about fi ve times the ISRS member- coral reef scholar is a member of the tween January 2000 and April 2004, ship. Additionally, the keyword reef is ISRS, reads most of the abstracts when Coral Reefs published around expected to produce just over 2000 to papers in Coral Reefs, follows a 350 articles, the ISI Science Citation citations over this same period using dozen or so other related journals, Index compiled 6466 papers in 1024 GeoRef, the geological literature da- and stays in regular contact with a journals based on the keyword coral. tabase (Gischler 2000), and the social few dozen ISRS colleagues. This These papers were produced by and medical sciences are also likely to scholar, who we should assume feels 20,147 authorships, which conserva- produce a considerable list of publi- pleased that he is following and stay- tively suggest that no less than 5000 cations. Even the best intentioned of ing in the forefront of his science, people are publishing papers on coral us will be daunted by the possibility

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 5 ISRS NEWS of reading a good portion of these lished, and for all journals combined pooled into a classifi cation system papers, following these journals, and in each subject area. I then compared and, again, ranks are probably a very staying in touch with a signifi cant por- the results of the total number of pub- poor statistic for comparing a variable tion of our colleagues. This also begs lications and citations with the stated where the standard deviations are the question of where the Society and subject areas of ISRS members to larger than the mean, and mean and our journal fi t into the larger view of evaluate our correspondence with the standard deviation are positively re- coral and reef studies and how we can broader literature. One problem with lated. Nonetheless, the journals listed continue to play a central role in reef the ISRS membership survey, that in Table 1, by number of publications, scholarship and avoid slipping into became clear in doing this compari- do represent the main contributors to becoming a specialized society and son, is that we did not give members coral natural science scholarship and journal. the option of a few subject areas in will give the reader a good view of the In the past issue of Reef Encoun- the questionnaire, namely agronomy, state of leading journals publishing ters, I analyzed the membership data chemistry, engineering, and interdisci- coral papers. of the ISRS based on 463 respondents plinary. We gave the option for chemi- Marine Ecology Progress Series or a little over half of the membership cal but not chemis- published the most coral papers while (McClanahan and Nzuki 2005). This try, as in natural products and other Coral Reefs published the second indicated that we are largely a soci- chemistry disciplines. This indicates a most followed by , Bul- ety of academics that study the bio- need to change future versions of the letin of Marine Science, Marine Pol- diversity and conservation of membership questionnaire. lution Bulletin, Journal of Experimen- and fi sh in the and Indo- When presenting my Impact Fac- tal Marine Biology and Ecology, and Pacifi c. We are, however, quite inter- tor (IF4.25) for each journal, I also Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, disciplinary with a broad array of sub- present both the mean and standard Palaeoecology produced the most ge- disciplines and some representation deviation. It is poorly appreciated ology papers (Table 1). Of the 18,862 in most broad subject areas. The that standard deviations on IFs are citations Marine Ecology Progress question I address here is how does frequently larger than the means Series received the most, followed by the ISRS membership correspond to and that the mean and standard de- Science, Coral Reefs, Marine Biology, the larger academy of publishing coral viation of IFs are strongly correlated Proceedings of the National Academy scientists and are there ways that we (r2 = 0.75 in this dataset). Much un- of Science, Nature, and the chemistry can broaden our perspective to be- necessary importance and anxiety is journal Natural Product Reports. come more inclusive and representa- created by small differences in IFs. If The average IF4.25 for this data tive of this wealth of knowledge and reporting variances around IFs were set is 3.22+8.55 and Coral Reefs scholars? common, we would realize that there lies below that at 2.87+ 5.39, which In order to do this I examined the is probably little statistical difference makes it 160th on the list by this per above natural science ISI database of between closely ranked journals. Cita- paper measure (but note the SDs). journals, numbers of published pa- tion of literature is patchy, cumulative, The IF4.25 does hold some surprises, pers, and citations per paper over the and path or history dependent (Kuhn however, as two chemistry journals above 4.25 year period and classifi ed 1996). Here you will see that there are Nature Product Reports and Nature the journals into major subject areas, often differences in the journals IF with Biotechnology are the top journals, which specifi cally included agronomy, the IF for coral papers, something that largely because fl uorescent proteins biology, chemistry, conservation, ecol- authors need to appreciate when de- derived from the coral Dicosoma are ogy, engineering, geology, interdisci- ciding where to submit. stimulating many advances in bio- plinary, and oceanography. The papers A few points to consider when ex- technology. Even the leading produc- in this database are included if the amining these numbers and compar- ers of coral papers are not ranked word coral is in the title, abstract, or ing with other IFs and reviews of cita- high in this list with, for example, Ma- keywords. I reduced the total number tion; I did the classifi cation of journals rine Ecology Progress Series ranked of journals from 1024 to 371 as 657 into subject areas and did not use the 119th. Among the leading IF4.25 jour- journals published less than 2 coral classifi cation that the ISI reports, the nals, the 7th ranked Science is prob- papers during the study period or, in a length of time after publication to ci- ably the biggest contributor to coral very few cases, coral was an acronym tation is 4.25 rather than 2 years, and science as practiced by most Society for something other than the organ- the presented IFs are not for the jour- members and it published 69 papers ism we study. This reduced the total nal as a whole but based only on coral with an average IF4.25 of 17+40. number of papers to 5606 and 18,862 papers. For example, the ISI would list Clearly, a paper published in Science citations. Coral Reefs as a journal in aquatic sci- can get considerable attention but it I present the results of the top ences where as I listed it as interdisci- can also be entirely ignored. twelve journals in each subject area, plinary. The ranking of journals can be There are notable differences in based on total number of papers pub- very dependent on the way they are the number of journals, citations, and

6 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 ISRS NEWS

Figure 1. Percentage representation of the ISRS membership and total natural science citations and papers in the major subject areas for coral studies. Comparison based on a summary of ISRS membership survey of 463 respondents, the ISI database of 371 journals (>2 publications in 4.25 years), 5606 papers, and 18,862 citations. citations per paper in the major sub- omy, management, geology, ocean- respond closely with the members ject areas (Table 1). The subject area ography, and engineering. sub-disciplines and needs to be in- of biology produce the most number Comparison of the percentage corporated into future membership of journals at 95, followed closely by of total papers and citations with questionnaires. The interdisciplinary geology at 92, chemistry at 56, ecol- the subject area interests of Society category is expected to spread evenly ogy at 41, management at 39, inter- members indicates that ISRS is both among the other subject areas and disciplinary at 17, engineering at 15, over represented in biology and ecol- the agronomy and engineering sub- oceanography at 12 and agronomy ogy and underrepresented in chem- ject areas are too small a proportion at 4. The total number of papers pro- istry relative to the number of papers of the categories to greatly infl uence duced is highest in biology, followed and citations in these subject areas the results. by ecology, geology, management, in- (Fig. 1). This fi ts with the observations These fi ndings suggest a number terdisciplinary, chemistry, oceanogra- that ecology published more and of possible scenarios for ISRS de- phy, engineering, and agronomy. Con- chemistry less coral papers relative velopment. First, to be more repre- sequently, ecology is producing more to other subdisciplines in these sub- sentative of coral scholarship there and chemistry fewer coral papers per ject areas. Geology and management is a need to increase the member- journal. Total citations are highest for membership subject area interests ship of chemistry focused members ecology followed by interdisciplinary, seem to match well with publications and their publications in Coral Reefs. biology, geology, chemistry, manage- frequencies. Members were not given The fi rst step in this direction was re- ment, oceanography, engineering, the options of agronomy, engineer- cently undertaken with the addition of and agronomy. Interdisciplinary jour- ing, and interdisciplinary and we used a Biology Subject Editor with a focus nals have the highest IF4.25 followed chemical oceanography to represent on genetics, molecular biology, and by chemistry, ecology, biology, agron- chemistry, which may not always cor- biochemistry to the journal. There is

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 7 ISRS NEWS a need to insure that other aspects rine protected areas. In order to in- manner, avoid the pitfalls of scholastic of chemistry are represented on the crease the relevance and application isolation and tradeoffs, and expand editorial board, that these areas are of this strength there will be a need to into these underrepresented subject also included in symposia as a regular strengthen the social science aspects areas. part of our meetings, and that there of coral reef studies, particularly so- Tim R. McClanahan are increased cross-society and disci- cioeconomics. The above analyses ISRS Council Member pline interactions with the other major focused on the natural sciences, as chemical societies and journals. This the medical, social, and natural sci- References will broaden the scope and relevance ence ISI databases are compiled and of the Society and is also expected to organized separately. Nonetheless, to Gischler E (2000) Reefs - Challenges and raise the IF of the journal. increase the relevance and applica- opportunities for the new millennium. Secondly, the Society should tion of our natural science strength, Palaios 15 (2): 85–86. continue to promote interdisciplinary a similar study of social and medical Kuhn TS (1996) The Structure of Scientifi c work as this is one of it’s strengths, science literature is needed as well Revolutions, Third Edition. The Univer- sity of Chicago Press, London. and is also a leading area of citation. as larger representation of these sub- McClanahan TR, Nzuki S (2005) Who are Thirdly, as found in the membership ject areas in our Society. The Soci- we? An analysis of the ISRS member- survey, the Society’s strength is in bi- ety should continue along its original ship. Reef Encounter 33:6-8. ology and ecology, particularly areas mandate to study coral reefs in the of biodiversity assessment and ma- most inclusive and interdisciplinary

Table 1. Summary of the ISI Science Citation Index for the keyword coral published between January 2000 and April 2004. Journal listed by major subject areas where the top 12 journals by total numbers of papers is presented. The number of papers, number of citations, citations per paper and the standard deviation (SD) are presented. See paper for compilation details.

Subject area No. of No. of Citations Number of Journals Journal Titles papers Citations per paper SD

Agronomy = 4 AQUACULTURE 13 103 7.9 18.6 AQUACULTURE RESEARCH 5 12 2.4 4.3 JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY 4 1 0.3 0.5 JOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY 4 2 0.5 0.6 All journals 26 118 2.77 6.01 Biology = 95 MARINE BIOLOGY 213 877 4.1 6.0 HYDROBIOLOGIA 89 260 2.9 4.4 JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 62 217 3.5 5.3 REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA TROPICAL 55 44 0.8 1.2 JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM 42 61 1.5 2.0 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 36 194 5.4 5.5 BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 30 168 5.6 8.7 JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY 28 38 1.4 2.2 JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 26 156 6.0 8.9 INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY 26 4 0.2 0.8 EVOLUTION 25 252 10.1 10.4 JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 24 32 1.3 1.8 All journals 1257 3714 2.82 3.32 Chemistry = 56 JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 62 225 3.6 3.0 MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 30 181 6.0 5.8 TETRAHEDRON LETTERS 21 63 3.0 2.9 MOLECULAR ECOLOGY NOTES 16 14 0.9 1.6 CHEMICAL GEOLOGY 15 58 3.9 3.9 TETRAHEDRON 14 82 5.9 8.9 TOXICON 13 33 2.5 2.0 JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 12 125 10.4 9.5 NATURAL PRODUCT REPORTS 11 491 44.6 70.4 JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 11 67 6.1 5.7

8 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 ISRS NEWS

Table 1. Continued

Subject area No. of No. of Citations Number of Journals Journal Titles papers Citations per paper SD

ORGANIC LETTERS 11 67 6.1 5.8 JOURNL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 10 87 8.7 7.4 All journals 438 2168 4.2 5.1 Ecology = 41 MARINE ECOLOGY-PROGRESS SERIES 347 1295 3.7 4.6 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE 206 415 2.0 4.3 JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY 123 375 3.0 4.4 MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH 78 171 2.2 2.8 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY OF FISHES 72 112 1.6 2.5 ECOLOGY 50 364 7.3 8.0 OECOLOGIA 41 217 5.3 7.6 MARINE ECOLOGY-PUBBLICAZIONI DELLA STAZIONE ZOOLOGICA DI NAPOLI I 23 36 1.6 2.1 JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY 19 38 2.0 3.2 NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH 18 44 2.4 3.3 SCIENTIA MARINA 17 24 1.4 2.2 ECOLOGY LETTERS 16 163 10.2 13.6 All journals 1208 3880 3.2 4.0 Geology = 92 PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY 100 343 3.4 4.3 SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY 72 198 2.8 3.1 GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA 70 199 2.8 5.4 MARINE GEOLOGY 52 145 2.8 3.5 GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS 42 111 2.6 3.9 FACIES 39 64 1.6 2.0 JOURNAL OF PALEONTOLOGY 35 43 1.2 1.8 JOURNAL OF SEDIMENTARY RESEARCH 30 48 1.6 2.2 GEOLOGY 30 109 3.6 4.3 EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS 30 159 5.3 5.9 GEOLOGY 30 109 3.6 4.3 JOURNAL OF SEDIMENTARY RESEARCH 30 48 1.6 2.2 All journals 1173 3002 2.0 2.4 Interdisciplinary = 17 CORAL REEFS 309 888 2.9 5.4 SCIENCE 69 1179 17.1 39.6 ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE 48 104 2.2 2.8 NATURE 42 608 14.5 32.3 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 33 805 24.4 39.3 CARIBBEAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 21 18 0.9 1.2 CONTINENTAL SHELF RESEARCH 20 52 2.6 4.6 ESTUARIES 15 73 4.9 5.9 CIENCIAS MARINAS 13 3 0.2 0.4 CHINESE SCIENCE BULLETIN 12 18 1.5 1.7 SCIENCE 10 4 0.4 0.7 ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 8 0 0 0 All journals 621 3806 4.9 8.7 Management = 39 MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 128 288 3.0 4.7 ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE 70 90 1.3 2.3 FISHERIES RESEARCH 37 49 1.3 1.5 FISHERY BULLETIN 34 74 2.2 2.1 JOURNAL OF SHELLFISH RESEARCH 31 28 0.9 1.8 ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 26 222 8.5 8.4 CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES 25 128 5.1 8.6 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 24 67 2.8 3.7

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 9 ISRS NEWS

Table 1. Continued

Subject area No. of No. of Citations Number of Journals Journal Titles papers Citations per paper SD

AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS 23 58 2.5 3.6 BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 22 83 3.8 4.7 AMBIO 20 68 3.4 6.7 OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT 19 17 0.9 1.7 All journals 101 226 1.9 2.2 Engineering = 15 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING 15 46 3.1 3.7 REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT 15 86 5.7 7.2 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 11 13 1.2 0.9 WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 7 14 2.0 3.6 MINERALS ENGINEERING 5 0 0.0 0.0 MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING C-BIOMIMETIC AND SUPRAMOLECULAR SYSTEMS 5 6 1.2 1.3 MINERALS ENGINEERING 5 0 0 0 IEEE JOURNAL OF OCEAN ENGINEERING 4 8 2.0 2.7 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 4 7 1.8 3.5 SEA TECHNOLOGY 4 0 0.0 0.0 CHEMICAL & ENGINEERING NEWS 4 0 0.0 0.0 CANADIAN JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING 3 14 4.7 4.7 All journals 101 226 1.9 2.2 Oceanography = 12 LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY 55 233 4.2 5.2 OCEANOLOGICA ACTA 11 22 2.0 1.3 JOURNAL OF PLANKTON RESEARCH 9 17 1.9 2.8 JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS 6 0 0.0 0.0 PROGRESS IN OCEANOGRAPHY 6 2 0.3 0.8 OCEANOLOGY 5 0 0.0 0.0 SARSIA 5 4 0.8 1.1 DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS 5 16 3.2 1.9 JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH 5 18 3.6 4.6 FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY 4 6 1.5 1.7 FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY 4 6 1.5 1.7 JOURNAL OF ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC TECHNOLOGY 3 11 3.7 2.1 All journals 118 338 1.96 1.96 Grand total = 371 Grand Total (All journals) 5606 18862 2.9 4.1

BEST PAPER AWARD 2004 – Coral Reefs Each year the International Society was nominated the Best Paper from a vid Idip, supported by Dr. Rob van for Reef Studies nominates one paper total of 63 published research articles. Woesik. which has been published in its jour- Nominations were received from the We congratulate the authors for nal Coral Reefs for the “Best Paper of Editorial Board and the Topic Editors their interesting and insightful re- the Year” Award. for the journal. search and wish them well in their For the year 2004, the paper We are delighted that the award continuing careers. “Coral spawning in the western Pa- was made to a team of young re- Barbara Brown cifi c Ocean is related to solar insola- searchers from the Palau Inter- Emeritus Professor of tion: evidence of multiple spawning national Coral Reef Center: Lolita Tropical Marine Biology events in Palau” (Vol 23:133-140), Penland, Jim Kloulechad, and Da- Editor in Chief

10 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 ISRS NEWS

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 11 ISRS NEWS / NEWS

An Open Letter to the Members of the International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS)

Many thanks to those of you who amendments which were carefully frequently and be available on line as were nominated for offi ce, who stood considered and drafted by the offi cers well as by mail. These improvements for election, and to the relatively few and council. In two key positions the will go a long way to restoring the in- of you who voted. Congratulations candidates ran unopposed. These are spiring international scientifi c com- and thanks to the outstanding group unhealthy signs of disengagement in munication and informal collegiality of members who were elected as of- the functioning of the Society. that initially drew many of us to join fi cers and councilors and who have Communication is the key and two the ISRS. responsibility to lead us in our chal- new developments will help a great I urge every member to resolve to lenging times. Our collective concern deal. First, the new leadership of our become more active in the future. At and engagement in our infl uential In- journal Coral Reefs has overcome the very least, every member should ternational Society is critical to our many of the frustrating problems of vote in the next election. Remember, future and, may I say, to the future of publication delays and communica- we are led by volunteers whose suc- coral reefs. tion diffi culties by the innovation of cess comes not only from their good Of course, I am concerned by the electronic manuscript submission ideas and hard work, but from the ac- relatively few people who voted-- and review. Second, our offi cers are tive support and engagement of the less than 30% of our membership by moving to revitalize our newsletter members. generous calculation. Under our con- Reef Encounter, a critical outlet for Thanks again and best wishes to stitution this abysmal level of partici- informal scientifi c and humorous ar- our offi cers, councilors, and editors, pation did not allow resolution of the ticles, announcements, cartoons, and John Ogden proposed constitutional and by-laws exchanges. It will be published more ISRS President 1995-1998 NEWS A New Report on Citations in Coral Reef Studies

Recently, Essential Science Indicators ranks authors, institutions, countries England, and one each from France, (ESI) - Special Topics reported citation and journals. Below are several of the Kenya, and Sweden. James Cook data for the fi eld of Coral Reef Ecology citation results. University, the Australian Institute of over the last 10 years (1994-2004). 1 Marine Science, and the Smithsonian The papers were written by 5060 au- Institute are the top three in the world Top Nations and Institutions thors affi liated with 1644 institutions (Table 1).3 in 103 countries. ESI, a Web product In the ESI list of Top 20 nations with of Thomson ISI (Institute for Science the most citations, the USA and Aus- Top Authors and Papers of the Information) surveys papers from a tralia are ranked fi rst and second, re- Decade broad range of scientifi c disciplines spectively. 2 The top ten countries ac- and ranks them according to the total count for 87% of the total number of The ten most highly cited authors from number of times they have been cited citations (Figure 1). 1994-2004 include four from Austra- in other papers. From an extensive The Top 20 institutions with the lia, three from the USA, and one each citation database, begun in 1994 and most citations include eight from the from Kenya, England and France (Ta- updated every two months, ESI also USA, six from Australia, three from ble 2).4

12 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 NEWS

Figure 1. The top ten nations with the most citations in Coral Reef Ecology. (Modifi ed from the ESI website).

Table 1. The top 20 institutions with the most citations in Coral Reef Ecology from 1994-2004. (Modifi ed from the ESI website).

Number of Number of Rank Institution Citations Rank Institution Citations

1 James Cook University 4031 11 University of California at San Diego 684 2 Australian Institute of Marine Science 1917 12 Wildlife Conservation Society 649 3 Smithsonian Institution 1720 13 University of Newcastle Upon Tyne 637 4 University of California at 14 Australian National University 618 Santa Barbara 1536 15 University of Queensland 575 5 University of North Carolina 1270 16 Stockholm University 479 6 University of Miami 1080 17 State University of New York at 7 University of Hawaii 927 Stony Brook 442 8 Oregon State University 804 18 University of York 434 9 University of Sydney 761 19 University of Cambridge 423 10 University of Perpignan 699 20 Australian Museum 414

Table 2. The top ten most highly cited authors in Coral Reef Ecology from 1994-2004. (Modifi ed from the ESI website).

Rank Author Nation Institution Total Cites Number of Papers 1 Hughes TP Australia James Cook University 1125 25 2 McClanahan TR Kenya Wildlife Conservation Society 633 34 3 Hixon MA USA Oregon State University 617 12 4 Jones GP Australia James Cook University 597 29 5 Carr MH USA University California Santa Cruz 540 10 6 Warner RR USA University California Santa Barbara 518 29 7 Bellwood DR Australia James Cook University 460 39 8 Roberts CM England University of York 423 20 9 Gattuso JP France Université Pierre et Marie Curie 420 20 10 Caley MJ Australia James Cook University/AIMS 416 13

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 13 NEWS

The Top 20 most highly cited pa- Table 3 lists the fi ve most frequently 3http://www.esi-topics.com/coralreef/inst/ pers in Coral Reef Ecology character- cited papers of the past decade.5 c1a.html (Top 20 Institutions - most istically address environmental issues citations) 4 that affect coral reefs, such as over- http://www.esi-topics.com/coralreef/ References: fi shing, global warming and human authors/b1a.html (Top 20 Authors - most citations) impact. Other topics in this highly 1http://www.esi-topics.com/coralreef/ 5http://www.esi-topics.com/coralreef/ index.html cited group include recruitment of papers/a1.html (Top 20 Papers 1994- 2http://www.esi-topics.com/coralreef/ reef organisms, population modeling, 2004) chemical ecology, and reef geology. nations/d1a.html (Top 20 Nations - most citations)

Table 3. The fi ve most highly cited papers in Coral Reef Ecology from 1994-2004. (Modifi ed from the ESI website).

Rank Paper Number of Cites 1 Hughes, T.P. (1994) Catastrophes, phase-shifts, and large-scale degradation of a 441 Caribbean coral reef. Science 265, 1547-1551. 2 Caley, M.J. et al. (1996) Recruitment and the local dynamics of open marine populations. 244 Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 27, 477-500. 3 Carpenter, S.R. et al. (1998) Nonpoint pollution of surface waters with phosphorus and 230 nitrogen. Ecol. Appl. 8, 559-568. 4 Doherty, P. and T. Fowler (1994) An empirical test of recruitment limitation in a coral 203 reef fi sh. Science 263, 935-939. 5 Hoegh-Guldberg, O. (1999) Climate change, and the future of the 195 world’s coral reefs. Marine Freshwater Res. 50, 839-866.

The Bleeker Award for Distinguished Contributions to Indo-Pacifi c Ichthyology

The Scientifi c Advisory Committee for A committee consisting of mem- congratulations to them on the honor the 6th Indo-Pacifi c Fish Conference bers of both the Scientifi c Advisory bestowed by their fellow ichthyolo- (IPFC) initiated an award for distin- Committee and the Organizing Com- gists. The awards could not have been guished contributions to Indo-Pacifi c mittee for the 7th IPFC was assembled made without the nominations that Ichthyology. This award was named to select the award winners. The inau- were received, and the nominators in honor of the “father” of Indo-Pacifi c gural awards, consisting of a plaque deserve our thanks. Thanks are also ichthyology, Pieter Bleeker, and will and prizes, were presented during the due to the members of the Bleeker be awarded every four years in con- opening ceremonies of the 7th IPFC Award Committee for their hard work junction with the IPFC. (20 May, 2005) to Dr. John E. Randall in the diffi cult task of selecting the The Pieter Bleeker Memorial (systematic ichthyology) and Dr. J. winners from a stellar list of nominees. Award for Excellence in Indo-Pa- Howard Choat (ecological ichthyol- The Organizing Committee of the 7th cifi c Ichthyology is awarded to a liv- ogy). Each winner presented a plenary IPFC, under the able chairmanship of ing ichthyologist for “an outstanding talk to open the IPFC. Dr. Kwang-Tsao Shao, provided the body of published work in Indo-Pa- Introductions for each of these award plaques and prizes, in addition cifi c ichthyology, mainly in systemat- outstanding ichthyologists were pre- to putting on an excellent conference. ics and ecology.” Nominations were pared by former students, and the Thanks, too, to Drs. Kent Carpenter, solicited worldwide for “The Bleeker,” Bleeker Awardees provided a full list- and Kendall Clements and it was decided that for the inaugu- ing of their publications. These are – former students of the award win- ral award two Bleekers would be avail- posted on the website of the Ichthyo- ners – for their excellent introductions able; one for excellence in systematic logical Society of Japan (http://www. of the winners, and to Dr. Keiichi Mat- ichthyology and one for excellence in fi sh-isj.jp/english/meeting.html) and suura for arranging for the Bleeker ecological ichthyology. The awards serve as a valuable resource. Award information to be posted on are based on the nominee’s specifi c Thanks to the Bleeker Awardees the ISJ website. contributions and their impacts on for their outstanding career contribu- Jeffrey M Leis, Chair, ichthyology. tions and for their excellent talks, and Bleeker Award Committee

14 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 NEWS

Livening up PowerPoint presentations with movie clips – a new resource

Getting the right balance between believe that video clips can transform Sea, Indian and Pacifi c Oceans) and information and animation in a Pow- a presentation and help an audience topics (coral bleaching, fi shing, man- erPoint presentation is never easy. I visualise the topic more clearly. groves, tourism impacts, ecosystem once saw a conference talk in which Over the last few years I’ve taken processes, reef habitats, etc). Files the speaker ‘livened up’ his slides a fair amount of underwater video are FREELY available for scientifi c by having cartoon birds fl ying across whilst on research trips. Today’s com- and educational purposes and can be the screen. Everyone was very im- puters have so much memory that downloaded at: http://www.reefvid. pressed but many, like me, spent the it’s perfectly feasible to incorporate org remainder of the talk wondering how large video in PowerPoint. With the I hope you fi nd them useful. to do that in PowerPoint. I don’t think help of John Hedley, who designed Peter anybody remembered what he was a database and website, I have now Dr. Peter J Mumby talking about. In contrast, conveying placed the archive of over 500 clips Marine Spatial Ecology Lab the importance of bioerosion to the online. Clips can be searched by University of Exeter Women’s Institute requires something topic, species or location and span a [email protected] more intriguing than blocks of text. I range of geographic areas (Caribbean 6 October 2006

New MPA Newsletter for the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Region

By Nyawira Muthiga and experts and other MPA stakeholders its production is coordinated by Julius Francis on various issues or activities tak- During the third Regional Training ing place in the regional MPAs. Also, Keith Spencer Course in Marine Protected Areas through the Newsletter, MPAs in the De Hoop Nature Reserve (MPA) Management in the Western region will be able to inform wider Private Bag X18 Indian Ocean region held in August audiences of their activities and raise Bredasdorp 2004, in Malindi, Kenya, the partici- their profi le and visibility. Furthermore, 7280 South Africa pants and the trainers involved in the the Newsletter will act as a bulletin Email: [email protected] course agreed to establish a Regional board for different announcements of Nyawira Muthiga (nmuthiga@wcs. MPA Newsletter. The Newsletter in- relevance to MPAs in the region. The org) and Julius Francis tends to inform MPA practitioners, Newsletter is produced quarterly and ([email protected]). Monitoring bleaching in the Western Indian Ocean – going beyond some white corals

By Tim McClanahan 2005 and spread from southern Africa it possible to monitor a half dozen The ability to monitor bleaching on to the Mascarene Islands. A group sites in just a few days of fi eld work. a global basis has increased greatly of 12 collaborators working in differ- The results give a “bleaching index” with the regular reporting of tempera- ent countries agreed to use a single for every coral taxon sampled and for ture anomalies, hot spots, and de- system for monitoring bleaching (Mc- every site. The coral bleaching results gree heating weeks data that are now Clanahan 2004) and to nearly simul- can be compared over sites and time regularly posted on the NOAA website taneously undertake the same set of quantifi ably in a specifi c and repeat- (http://www.osdpd.noaa.gov/PSB/ measurements in areas with and with- able way. This opens the possibility of EPS/SST/SST.html). Biologists work- out reported hotspots. comparing sites, taxa, and times in a ing in the fi eld have not responded The methods classify haphazardly way that will allow quantifi cation and to the possibility of monitoring these selected coral colonies into seven cat- improved tracking and comparing events with equal sophistication or egories from normal color to recently of bleaching reports. This study has coordination. A fi rst attempt to start dead. The method is simple and a produced one of the fi rst broad-scale this process was recently undertaken single investigator can sample about surveys of bleaching and a baseline in the Western Indian Ocean associ- 300 colonies in less than one hour. for future monitoring. ated with a hot spot that developed Data entry and partial analysis take One of the spin off effects of this in the southern Indian Ocean in early less than 15 minutes, and this makes project is that coral communities and

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 15 NEWS biodiversity are quickly assessed at a large region, which would be very time participating in this project contact rate that is much more cost effective consuming without a simple method. Tim McClanahan tmmclanahan@wcs. than the current reliance on transect Plans and proposals are being devel- org methods. The project will, therefore, oped to maintain this program over McClanahan, T. R. 2004 (Mar. Biol. produce a single snapshot of biodi- time and to expand it to other regions. 144(6): 1239-1245) versity and community structure in a For more information and interest in Toolkit and Management Effectiveness Workbook for Managers in the WIO Region

By Julie Church ing review and updating. Comments by the managers. The Workbook will and reviews should be addressed to: have a complementary website (www. [email protected]. wiomsa.org\mpaworkbook.htm and Toolkit CD ROM. There are also plans to Recognizing the diffi culties and com- Workbook translate this into French and Portu- plexities involved in managing Marine A workbook for assessing the ef- guese. Protected Areas (MPAs) in the West- fectiveness of marine protected ar- ern Indian Ocean (WIO), partners in- eas was produced in order to test Launch and Training volved in the WIO Marine Biodiver- and adapt the World Commission on There are plans to launch, distrib- sity Conservation Project decided to Protected Areas (WCPA) methodolo- ute and provide basic training on the publish a Toolkit for managing MPAs gies for use at MPAs in the WIO. It is Toolkit and Workbook along with a in the WIO. This consists of a ring- based mainly on the approach used Fisheries Database from September binder of theme sheets, each of which in the World Heritage project and the to December 2005 in all ten countries would address a key issue faced by WCPA Management Effectiveness in the WIO along with the Toolkit and a MPA manager, with a focus on the Task Force (METF) Framework. It has Workbook. Four workshops will be or- situation in the WIO. The Toolkit also been tested in eight MPAs in three ganized by lead country fi sheries and has a complementary website (www. countries in the WIO – Kenya, Tanza- wildlife management authorities. A co- wiomsa.org\mpatoolkit.htm). It is de- nia and the Seychelles. It is designed ordinator will be hired to oversee the signed to be a dynamic product that to allow for a dynamic process of MPA workshops and to train the participants will be revised as new information management, based on the lessons on the various products. The audience becomes available, or as new sheets learned through piloting the fi rst draft will include key decision-makers, and are developed. WIOMSA and GEM- of the workbook in the eight MPAs. It marine and fi sheries practitioners and PA-EA have been instrumental in the takes into account the management researchers. (Contact Julie Church at development of this Toolkit and will issues faced in the WIO, is cost effec- [email protected]) act as the focal point for this ongo- tive, and encourages self-assessment Fisheries Database for the WIO Region

By Julie Church gional overview of inshore, especially phase was the development of the The WIOFISH database has just been small-scale fi sheries (and associated database in 2004. In order to make developed, led by the Oceanographic offshore fi sheries that impact them), the information widely accessible and Research Institute (ORI), South Africa, including their problems and specifi c to facilitate the generation of reports, with three contractual phases that management needs. This will then the system will be made accessible involved partners from Kenya, Sey- enable comparisons of policy and via the Internet by August 2005 (www. chelles, Mozambique, Tanzania and management strategies among these wiofi sh.org). WIOFISH is designed to South Africa. Madagascar, Comoros fi sheries. The database will provide be dynamic and evolving, accessible and other IO Island States are to join semi-quantifi able indicators of the sta- to a wide audience through the world- at a later stage. tus, and progress, in the management wide web, and will be managed and The main objective is to identify all of these fi sheries which will increase updated by a regional node (ORI), in the types of small-scale fi sheries that the understanding of the threats to close collaboration with the national exist in the WIO region and to gain biodiversity of the WIO fi sheries. nodes. better understanding of their biologi- The basic information was com- The Fisheries Database will be cal and socio-economic character- piled during the initial phase of the launched and distributed from Sep- istics. This in turn will provide a re- Project in 2002 and 2003. The second tember to December 2005 in all ten

16 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 NEWS / OBITUARIES countries in the WIO along with the authorities. A coordinator will be hired sion-makers, and marine and fi sheries Toolkit and Workbook. Four work- to oversee the workshops and to train practitioners and researchers. Contact shops will be organized by lead coun- participants on the various products. Julie Church at cjulie@africaonline. try fi sheries and wildlife management The audience will include key deci- co.ke OBITUARIES

Obituary: Hans Mergner, 1917–2005

Particularly the older generation of Hans Mergner was born as the army. In 1936, Hitler’s (semi-) secret reef workers remember Hans Mergner second of three children in Lemgo, a rearmament of land, sea, and airforces well, as he regularly attended many small town in central Germany on 8 absorbed young men who would have of our reef conferences (from the fi rst May 1917. His father was a school- been unemployed otherwise. Hans one on Mandapam Camp, India, in teacher and provided his children a became an offi cer in the artillery and 1969 to the eighth in Panama, 1996). broad background of bourgeois cul- qualifi ed as a spotter. During the war Moreover, he was one of the fi rst ture. His fi nancial status, however, al- he served in France but spent most of members of ISRS. In the following I lowed only the oldest son to attend a his time in Russia, where he was taken will attempt to point out how he got university; Hans, although very much prisoner in 1944. He was kept in Sibe- acquainted with and “infected” by the interested in life and geosciences, had ria until 1949 working as a wood-cut- phenomenon of coral reefs. to enter a professional career in the ter. Hans was a talented artist: his gift

Figure 1. Hans Mergner (right) during a reef course at the site of the future Marine Science Station, Aqaba (Jordan) in February 1972.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 17 OBITUARIES

Figure 2. (page 19) Part of an underwater panorama, drawn by Hans Mergner at Aqaba and used as cover of a special volume of the journal Deep- Sea Research. This page: Hans Mergner making this drawing.

to draw and paint true to nature probably relieved him during his captivity, since he painted por- traits and other ornamental ser- vices for his guards. At the age of 32 he became a student of biology and geol- ogy at the University of Tübin- gen. He earned his PhD in 1956 with a thesis on the ontogeny of the hydroid Eudendrium rac- emosum under the supervision of Prof. A. Kuehn. After an in- termezzo in brain research he took over a position as Assistant Professor at the University of Giessen, where he joined a team studying developmental physi- ology of freshwater sponges. The artifi cial induction of oscular openings was the scientifi c ba- sis for his habilitation in 1963. In 1964, a “Meteor”-cruise through the brought him, as a hydroid specialist, for the fi rst time in physical contact with coral reefs. A 16 weeks travel grant to the Caribbean to collect and observe hydroids in the fi eld was another experience which sparked his passion for coral reefs and their different patterns of appearance and zonation. Hence, his appointment as a full professor of zoology at the newly founded Ruhr-University, Bochum, in 1970 happened in due time: he had the possibility to form a team of marine zoolo- gists with emphasis on reefs - in addition to his commitments to research in functional morphol- ogy and developmental biology. Hans Mergner learned and from then on

18 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 OBITUARIES

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 19 OBITUARIES

Figure 3. One example of Hans’ superb paintings of orchids

20 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 OBITUARIES supervised courses, master and PhD ending passion for underwater land- preferred to make drawings to show theses with ecological focus on the scapes. the essentials (Fig. 2). Mediterranean and the Red Sea (Fig. I was lucky to join Hans Mergner’s Hans Mergner retired from uni- 1). The site of the future Marine Sci- team in 1971 and collaborate with him versity in 1984; six years later the ence Station of Aqaba (Jordan) was until 1982. During fi eld work I learned weighty book “Orchideen-kunde” – a selected during such an expedition in to appreciate his talents to recognize profusely illustrated manual to grow 1972 (in cooperation with the Jordan the principal physiographic features, orchids (Fig. 3) – bore witness to how University, Amman). Reef studies in to estimate dimensions and propor- seriously he pursued his hobby as an the Northern and Central Red Sea as tions minutely and to represent them artist. Hans Mergner is survived by his well as in the Indian Ocean and West- graphically. Although he became a wife Maya and three sons. ern Pacifi c resulted from his never skilled underwater photographer he Helmut Schuhmacher

Vicki Harriott – Tribute to a Renowned Coral Reef Ecologist

It is with great sadness that we write at James Cook Univer- this tribute for a very special colleague. sity, similarly established Dr Vicki Harriott, Associate Professor foundations for a number in the School of Environmental Sci- of new directions includ- ence at Southern Cross University, ing coral reef restoration New South Wales, Australia passed techniques, spatial and away in March 2005, to the loss of temporal patterns in coral the marine science community. Her recruitment and the im- career spanned just 25 years, yet was pacts of crown-of-thorns impressive for the diversity of contri- starfi sh on the GBR. butions she made in a range of roles. Briefl y leaving Aca- In particular, she will be remembered demia in 1987, Vicki as a strong advocate whose work in became the inaugural coral reef research, education and Assistant Curator at management was internationally rec- the ognized and widely respected. Aquarium (Reef HQ) Vicki’s career was rich and varied. in Townsville, Australia, and put her interactions, fouling communities, im- She gained a BSc (1976) and then knowledge of coral community struc- pacts of divers on coral communities, an MSc (1980) from the University of ture to practical use when she set up coral community rehabilitation, and Queensland, Australia for her research the main exhibit – then the largest impacts of sewage and other distur- on holothurian reproduction and pop- coral reef tank in the world. Always bances on reef communities. With her ulation ecology at Heron Island Re- expanding her horizons, she applied colleagues and students, Vicki de- search Station in the southern Great for and received a Churchill Fellow- veloped a body of information about Barrier Reef (GBR). She was awarded ship to travel to the U.S. and S.E. Asia temperate reefs that was very timely a PhD from James Cook University in to research ways of improving condi- in relation to global change and its im- 1984 for her research on coral repro- tions in the Aquarium. pact on coral reefs, which represents duction and community structure at In 1990, Vicki accepted a lecturing one of her most important contribu- Lizard Island Research Station in the position at Southern Cross Univer- tions to coral reef science. Her long- northern GBR. Even at this early stage sity, Lismore, where she taught and standing focus on latitudinal patterns in her career, Vicki’s clear-sighted and developed undergraduate teaching in processes controlling coral com- focused approach to research was units in Biology, Marine Ecosystems, munity structure culminated in the an inspiration to her peers. She com- Ecology, and Aquaculture. In addition, publication of a biophysical model pleted some of the inaugural work on she coordinated the development in a recent (2002) paper with Simon coral reproduction at Lizard Island - and accreditation of the Fisheries and Banks in the journal Coral Reefs. In before coral mass spawning was rec- Aquaculture stream in undergraduate addition to successfully supervising ognized, and published one of the fi rst teaching. Shifting her focus to sub- postgraduate and Honors students papers on bleaching of GBR corals - tropical coral communities, Vicki initi- at Southern Cross University, Vicki before bleaching was widely acknowl- ated collaborative research programs played a key role in the formation of edged as the harbinger of environ- on latitudinal patterns of coral recruit- the Southern Cross University Branch mental stress it is known to be today. ment, coral growth and environmental of the National Tertiary Education Her subsequent postdoctoral work records from coral cores, coral-algal Union (NTEU), subsequently being

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 21 OBITUARIES elected as President of the Branch. In for the live coral trade. Vicki’s work is leadership and mentoring of women recognition of her outstanding contribu- also used as the basis for managing at University and in the NTEU. tions to Southern Cross University, Vicki the industry by the Great Barrier Reef Vicki was supremely success- was rapidly promoted to Senior Lecturer Marine Park Authority. ful at balancing her professional and then Associate Professor. Vicki returned to Southern Cross and personal life, and enjoyed close Next, Vicki turned her consider- University in 2003 to continue her friendships with many colleagues able skills to managing and promoting roles in teaching and research despite from around the world. Vicki’s life, education at the CRC Reef Research her deteriorating health as a conse- achievements and friendships were Centre, returning to Townsville in 2000 quence of a particularly pernicious celebrated at gatherings of friends for three years as the Program Leader cancer. Focused research and pre- and colleagues in Townsville and at for the Education and Communica- scient insights have been a hallmark Southern Cross University recently. tion section. In recent years, her ef- of her career, and will undoubtedly The coral reef community will sadly forts have supported a wide range contribute to the legacy provided by miss her insights, her vitality, her good of postgraduate students working on her more than 45 papers in interna- will and her friendship. coral reef research. Her dedication tional refereed journals and confer- to students was such that she com- ence proceedings, and at least 34 Bette Willis mented on thesis drafts from her hos- other papers, technical reports, book Marine Biology and Aquaculture pital bed. She expanded the role at chapters and consultancy reports and James Cook University, Australia CRC Reef, tackling extension activi- their infl uence on the next generation Peter Harrison ties, website development and pub- of reef researchers and managers. Environmental Science and lications, in addition to issues relat- In recognition of Vicki’s lifetime Management ing to postgraduate scholarships and work on coral reefs and reef manage- Southern Cross University, Australia training. Focusing her research more ment, the Australian Coral Reef So- on issues pertinent to reef manage- ciety (ACRS) arranged a plenary ad- Helene Marsh ment, Vicki wrote a seminal report on dress and a memorial student prize for Tropical Environmental Science and the Coral Harvesting Industry on the the best paper in her name at their an- Geography GBR, which led to the Prime Minister nual ACRS conference. Details of how James Cook University, Australia overturning a decision by the Environ- colleagues and friends can donate to Carden Wallace ment Minister to ban the industry. As the fund to support the student prize Museum of Tropical Queensland a result of this work, Vicki was invited appear below. The NTEU NSW Divi- Australia to be a plenary speaker at a work- sion has also announced a substan- shop in Indonesia in 2001 to develop tial contribution to a memorial fund for internationally acceptable guidelines coral research in recognition of Vicki’s Donations sought for the Vicki Harriott Memorial Stuudent Prize Fund

In recognition of the special contribu- this prize and invites colleagues and doing so you can opt to record your tion to coral reef research by Dr. Vicki friends of Vicki’s to donate to the me- name as a donor. Other options suit- Harriott, marine biologist and edu- morial fund so that Vicki’s great con- able for donors in Australia are to cator, the ACRS has established the tribution towards marine science and send a check or money order to the Vicki Harriott Memorial Student Prize. education can be acknowledged and ACRS made payable to the “ACRS The prize is presented each year at remembered. The ACRS Council has Vicki Harriott Award Fund,” or make a the ACRS Annual Scientifi c confer- set a fund-raising target of AU$10,000 deposit at any branch of the Westpac ence for the best student presenta- (ten thousand Australian dollars) for Bank and ask for a reference number tion. A formal tribute was paid to Vicki the fund to enable this prize to be for the payment. Harriott at the ACRS Annual Scientifi c awarded “in perpetuity”. Some gen- Conference held in August 2005 at erous donations have been received Bank: Westpac Banking Corporation Heron Island. There was a very high but we are still short of our target and Account Name: ACRS Vicki Harriott standard of presentations by eligible further donations would be greatly Award Fund students from a range of universities, appreciated. BSB Number: 034061 with the inaugural prize being award- A specifi c bank account has been Account Number: 221697 ed to Meir Sussman of James Cook established by the ACRS Council so SWIFT identifi cation: WPACAU2S (for University and the Australian Institute that donors may contribute directly to contributions from outside Australia) of Marine Science. the fund. Details are provided below. The ACRS Council has estab- The easiest way to make your pay- Thank you for your support. lished a dedicated fund to support ment is via internet banking and in

22 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 OBITUARIES / CURRENTS

Dr Selina Ward c/- Centre for Marine Studies Website: President The University of Queensland www.australiancoralreefsociety.org Australian Coral Reef Society St Lucia QLD 4072 Australia

CURRENTS Target Phenomena on South Pacifi c Reefs: Strip Harvesting by Prudent Pathogens?

Mysterious circular patterns resembling to gastropod grazing or egg laying ar- parallel strips of host material (hence targets, ranging from a few centimeters rays, but closer microscopic examina- the “prudent strip-harvesting” anal- up to several meters in diameter, com- tion eliminated these hypotheses. The ogy). monly occur on vertically-orientated conspicuous bright-white concentric To date, we have no evidence coralline algal crusts (Fig. 1) through- bands (Fig. 2) appear to be CLOD-like identifying the mechanisms respon- out South Pacifi c coral reefs. At fi rst, pathogens1,2, but unlike CLOD, which sible for the target-like patterns, but we thought the target-like concentric kills on a broad scale along a mov- we suspect that they must be related circular confi gurations might be related ing front, “target phenomena” attack to some unusual dispersal/settlement the corallines in behavior of the putative pathogens. relatively station- Since “target phenomena” are so ary parallel/con- conspicuous throughout the South centric strips (Fig Pacifi c, we would welcome any fur- 3). The infected ther insights/hypotheses from the readership—the suggestion of “alien quickly begin to crop circles in the sea” has already regrow back over been proposed. the dead zones (arrows), while References the pathogen pre- sumably “leap- 1Littler MM, Littler DS (1995) Impact of frogs” outward CLOD pathogen on Pacifi c coral reefs. over narrow living Science 267:1356-1360 2 zones to infect in- Littler MM, Littler DS (2003) South Pacifi c creasingly longer Reef Plants. OffShore Graphics, Inc., Washington DC 331 pp Figure 1.

Figure 2. Figure 3.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 23 CURRENTS

Acknowledgments: We are sin- and the Smithsonian Marine Station at 37012, Department of Botany, MRC cerely grateful to Joan Koven, Robin Fort Pierce. SMSFP Contr. No. 678. 166, National Museum of Natural South and the people of Dravuni for M. M. Littler ([email protected]) History, Washington, DC 20013, USA their hospitality and assistance. Fund- • D. S. Littler • B.L. Brooks ing came from the Marpat Foundation Smithsonian Institution, PO Box

Ecosystem structure in degraded Caribbean coral reef ecosystems and the role of marine reserves

The geological record indicates that changes observed over time. In this related with herbivorous fi sh biomass. two living species, Acropora cervi- manner we can more appropriately in- Other invertebrate groups were rather cornis and A. palmata were the major vestigate how ecosystems respond to inconspicuous and showed no pattern contributors to reef construction in large-scale disturbance regimes. of response to fi sh biomass (our proxy the past (Pleistocene and Holocene). We collected information from all for anthropogenic ). These two species were well adapted major ecosystem components (includ- Despite the lack of response in the over the millennia to deal with natural ing fi sh and benthic communities) us- benthic community, our results do re- disturbances such as hurricanes and ing standard visual census techniques veal the fi rst signs of recovery in the predators. However, by the end of the across the Caribbean. Sites were se- fi sh community. It is critical to note, 1970s, populations of these species lected based on published data on the however, that high fi sh biomass and started to diminish in abundance and history of exploitation. We traveled to large proportions of apex predators today they are rare on most Carib- several reef sites in Florida Keys, Dry were only found inside reserves that bean reefs. Declines are not limited to Tortugas, Belize, , Jamaica were large, no-take, and had been en- Acropora species, and overall, cover and Cuba and surveyed reefs in both forced for at least a decade. Our study of Caribbean corals has declined from protected and unprotected areas. Our demonstrates that fi sh communities approximately 50% to 10% or less results show a remarkable range of in the Caribbean can resemble that of over the last three decades. While cli- fi sh biomass across all sites, from 14 healthy reef fi sh communities, such as mate has been relatively stable over to 593 gm-2. There was a large overlap those found in the Pacifi c, within this the last 10,000 years, the last several of species biomass abundance across relatively short time period. centuries have witnessed increased sites from different areas, which indi- Regardless of which factors have disturbance on reefs as a result of hu- cated similar community structure had the largest effect upon reefs, our man activities, such as pollution, fi sh- overall. These results, combined with results indicate that chronic human ing, and habitat destruction. The infl u- specifi c changes observed in the fi sh disturbance has resulted in a homo- ence of specifi c anthropogenic distur- community structure, strongly sug- geneous reef landscape across the bances on coral reefs and the imme- gest that differences in our sites can region that no longer resembles earlier diate local consequences have been be attributed to anthropogenic distur- descriptions of Caribbean coral reefs. studied extensively over the last two bance, most notably fi shing, and not Yet, we also show that recovery can oc- decades. Yet, it has become increas- just geography. Both size of fi sh and cur within the fi sh community when at ingly diffi cult to demonstrate causality the average trophic level decreased least fi shing is prohibited. This limited among the multiple disturbances and along our gradient. Particular fi sh recovery however occurs only within the dramatic change in ecosystem groups (families) had lower species one segment of the coral reef ecosys- structure that has occurred across the richness or were almost absent in the tem, and full recovery remains absent. Caribbean during this time period. We most degraded reefs (i.e. groupers, Over the past few thousand years, currently lack critical information on Serranidae). environmental conditions have been the impact of multiple disturbances at In addition, coral abundance was fairly stable and coral reefs have thrived, the regional scale (Caribbean wide), very low in all sites surveyed, with two constructing the reef structures we see largely due to the diffi culties of col- isolated exceptions. In these sites, today, despite natural environmen- lecting and analyzing ecosystem-wide higher cover and biomass was a re- tal disturbances. Against this back- data. One to this problem is sult of large, relic heads of century-old ground of constancy and growth, we to track the effects of a gradient of corals and not from recent recovered must recognize that the combined ef- human activities across a large spatial populations. Otherwise, the benthic fect of anthropogenic change over the scale. In this space-as-time approach, community in all sites was dominated past few hundred years has driven the the gradient of human disturbance by macroalgae. While corals showed no entire region to an extremely deterio- due to geographical differences in hu- relationship with the abundance of fi sh, rated state. The future of Caribbean man activities serve as a proxy for the macroalgal biomass was negatively cor- coral reefs and the services they pro-

24 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 CURRENTS vide are compromised. Management reef sites over the past few years ac- Gustavo A. Paredes via marine reserves must be applied tually persist and extend to other Ca- Center for Marine Conservation and in conjunction with other conserva- r ibbean reefs. We believe that only a Biodiversity tion actions such as the improvement multinational Caribbean-wide conser- Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the water quality and run-off con- vation strategy will ensure the survival University of California San Diego trol. We must ensure that the sporadic of these ecosystems. 9500 Gilman Dr. events of recovery revealed in some La Jolla, CA 92093-0208 Impact of the December 24, 2004 Tsunami on coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands man and Nicobar islands. As per the tsunami-victims have been in 207 relief are a low mountainous chain of is- year 2001 census, 25 islands in Anda- camps. lands, which rise from a submerged man group and 13 islands in Nicobar The Indian Ocean tsunami caused north-south trending ridge separat- group are inhabited with a total pop- extensive damage to coral reefs of the ing the Andaman Sea from the Bay ulation of 356,265 people. Recently Andaman and Nicobar islands. Most of Bengal between 6°45ʹ13ʹʹ.41 N and there was an undersea earthquake in of the islands’ coastline was eroded 92°12ʹ93ʹʹ.57 E. This island group in- the Indian Ocean. A rupture occurred by the tsunami surge and sediments cludes 306 islands and 226 rocks, with off Banda Aceh in northern Sumatra were dumped on adjacent reefs. a coastline of about 1962 kilometers. (3°09’ N, 940 26’ E) at 00:58:49 GMT These island reefs were not affected The islands located north of 10° N Lati- (06:28:51hrs IST) on Sunday Decem- by the bleaching event in 1998. It has tude are known as Andamans (Figure ber 26, 2004, with a magnitude of been found that the area has moved 1) while those located south of 10° N Mw = 9.3. The rupture spread north- southwestward about 4-5 meters at Latitude are called Nicobars with a total ward at roughly 2.8 km s-1 for approxi- North Andaman (Diglipur), about 4.5 area of 8249 square kilometers. These mately 8 minutes over a 1300 km-long meters at Middle Andaman and about islands are supposed to have arisen aftershock zone. Comparisons with 3 - 4.5 meters at South Andaman. In from the ocean bed in the Mesozoic the aftershock areas of other great addition to this the North Andaman period about 110 million years ago and earthquakes indicate that the Suma- landmass was lifted up by 0.60-0.90 have since then undergone several tra-Andaman earthquake did indeed cm resulting in a fall in the water level. periods of partial submergence and have a moment magnitude of ~9.3. Due to this, almost all reef fl ats on elevation. Fringing, Patch and Barrier Its rupture, in both reefs are present here, covering about duration and ex- 948.8 square kilometers. The total tent, is the longest mangrove area is approximately 762 ever recorded.1 The km2. There are 106 Protected Areas, earthquake gen- 96 designated as wildlife sanctuaries, erated a tsunami 9 National Parks and one Biosphere surge that was reserve. Among the 9 National Parks, among the dead- 2 are Marine National Parks (Mahatma liest disasters in Gandhi Marine National Park and Rani modern history. Ac- Jhansi Marine National Park). cording to offi cial 6000 species were recorded from data, the tsunami Andaman & Nicobar Islands, amount- took a toll of 3513 ing to 7.5% of the total Indian fauna lives, including 1177 (3% of the Terrestrial Fauna and 4.6% children. About 350 of Marine Fauna). So far 235 species children were or- of scleractinian corals, 111 species of phaned and 85 of soft corals, 112 species of sponges, the 322 government 411 species of crustaceans, 1422 schools on the is- species of mollusks, 425 species of lands were washed echinoderms, 750 species of fi shes, away, another 34 14 species of reptiles, 50 species of were left com- marine birds and 64 species of al- pletely dilapidated. gae have been reported from Anda- As many as 46,000 Figure 1. Map of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 25 CURRENTS

Figure 4. Incredible coral damage around North Reef.

Figures 2&3. Mass mortality of corals on reef fl at at Anderson Island. Figure 5. Mass mortality of corals at reef fl ats of Interview Is- land. the western side of northern group by 1-2 m, and seawater inundated Bay reefs, overturning of large corals of islands (i.e west coast of Interview the agriculture fi elds and coastal especially Porites lutea colonies was Island, North Reef Island, Latouche mangroves. The western coast of the observed. There was more damage Island, South Reef Island, West Is- North Sentinel Island, which is further on the northeastern side of Jolly Buoy land, Landfall Island, East Island and south in South Andaman, was uplifted Island where nearly 10m2 of reef area Anderson Island) were exposed and by half a meter. was covered by sand. The Jolly Buoy dried up (Fig 2-5). Almost all corals Extensive coral reef surveys were Island lies in a northeast/southwest di- in the reef fl ats and other associated made at Mahatma Gandhi Marine rection. On the northeastern side, the fauna seemed dead beyond regener- National Park at South Andaman dur- beaches and near shore land areas ation, appearing like a graveyards of ing the month of January 2005 using were around 6-10 m wide and were corals. The corals in reef slope were SCUBA diving and . It con- devastated by the tsunami. At one not as affected by the tsunami and sists of 15 islands of different sizes, site, nearly 20m2 area of coral reef was the live coral percentage is 55-60%. scattered over a total area of 281.50 buried under the sediment and no cor- In contrast, South Andaman subsided km2. In Jolly Buoy, Redskin and North als were visible. Most of the branching

26 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 CURRENTS

Figure 6. Overturned massive coral Porites lutea. Figure 9. Sand deposited over on coral beds in MG National Park.

Figure 10. Sand deposition on Porites colonies in MG National Park.

corals belonging to the genera Acro- pora, Hydnophora and Montipora were broken into small pieces and some washed away. Large size boul- der corals, Porites spp., (more than 1m wide), were overturned and most of the colonies were uprooted (Fig 6- 8). Some colonies were completely buried under sediment excepting the top portion (Fig 9&10). The island reef was remarkable for its richness of mushroom coral species belonging to the family Fungiidae. Most of these

Figure 7&8. Uprooted massive coral Porites lutea. Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 27 CURRENTS

Figure11. Massive Porites coral washed to the Land of Car Nicobar Island. specimens were washed away by the The corals around the Nicobar fected by tsunami and 20,000 coco- tsunami and existing live mushroom group of islands were extensively nut trees were uprooted. The corals corals were suffocated by sedimenta- damaged due to heavy sand and silt were washed away onto the land at tion and likely result in death. The sur- deposits brought by tsunami waves. Car Nicobar island(Fig 11&12). The vey showed 50% mortality in north- The Nicobar Islands include serpen- tsunami caused the worst damage eastern reef of Jolly Buoy Island. The tine gabbros, marine deposits of the to this island and the wave reached reef at the southwestern side was not late Tertiary including sandstones, almost more than 7 meters in height. much affected by the tsunami, and slates, clay marls and plastic clays The area between 7°45ʹ–8°15ʹN and the reef slope corals were in pristine and coral reefs of recent origin. About 93°25ʹ–93°40ʹE consists of Camorta, condition. 6000 ha of coconut gardens were af- Trinkat, Nancowry, and the Katchall

28 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 CURRENTS

Figure 12. Uprooted coconut trees along with coral fossils in Car Nicobar Island. islands. Extensive coral reef fl ats of groves and 94% of mangroves were 3 meters affected the Great Nicobar about 2.5 km2 occur at the northeast- submerged. On Katchall Island alone Island and a maximum down throw ern and northwestern side of the Cam- 1550 ha, or 38% of mangroves were at Indira Point (Southern most land orta Island. These reefs were severely submerged. The coral reefs of these part of India). The lighthouse on Indira damaged by the earthquake and tsu- islands somehow played an important point and the adjacent land are still un- nami. On the northeastern side about role in attenuating the tsunami wave der the sea. Large amount of mud and 2.0 km2 of landmass was eroded and height, thus lessening its destruc- trees settled down over the reef fl ats all sediments were dumped onto the tive effects. Similar phenomena were smothering the corals. The corals in reef. The reef fl ats around the Trinkat observed in the Philippines during the reef fl ats of Great Nicobar Islands, Island extend up to 2.5-3.0 km2 from 1992.2 particularly on the western side, were shore. Due to the earthquake and Detailed coral reef survey in Great in pristine condition before the tsu- tsunami the island was divided into Nicobar Island showed the live coral nami. These reefs are now covered by two parts. A heavy load of sediments coverage of the island was 55%.3 The sediment. were deposited over the reef and led coral reefs here were not affected by Coral reefs of Andaman and to mass mortality of corals. The wind- the bleaching event in 1998. Unlike Nicobar islands are the biodiversity ward reef on the northeastern side of the Andaman Island reefs, the domi- hotspots of India. The post tsunami Nancowry Island was the worst af- nant reef building corals in Nicobar Is- survey results showed the reduction fected by the tsunami, resulting in a land was Acropora sp. Of the 55% live of moray eels, sharks, triggerfi shes, mass mortality of corals. The tsunami coral coverage, Acropora was 26% boxfi shes, puffer fi shes and angel- in the Nancowry group of islands and the boulder coral Porites was re- fi shes. The coral associated fauna i.e. caused extensive damage to man- stricted to 6%. The subsidence of 2- polychaetes, nudibranchs, fl at worms,

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 29 CURRENTS alpheid shrimps, Mantis shrimps, her- strike-slip, Sumatra fault.5 The predic- tion; published online 22 May 2005 A| mit crabs and brachyuran crabs be- tion came true on 28 March 2005, the doi: 0.1038/ nature 03675 longing to the genera Trapezia, Phy- Sunda megathrust in Indonesia rup- 2 Besana, M.G. and Masataka, A. 2004. modius, Cymo and Chlorodiella were tured again, producing another great The May 17, 1992 event: Tsunami and not found during the survey. Eight earthquake three months after the coastal effects in Eastern Mindanao, Philippines. Science of Tsunami Haz- species of birds in the Andaman group previous one. An earthquake in the ards, 22(2): 61-68 and fi ve species of birds in the Nico- Sumatra fault might be expected in 3Jeyabaskaran, R. 1999. Report on Rapid bar group of islands were reported as the near future. The Andaman & Nico- assessment of coral reefs of Andaman endemic. A small Megapode island on bar Islands are in earthquake prone & Nicobar Islands. GOI/UNDP/GEF the western side of Great Nicobar Is- zone 5, part of the Sumatra fault. Project on Management of Coral Reef land was completely sunk under sea. The proposed coral reef survey in the Ecosystem of Andaman & Nicobar Is- This island was the habitat of the en- Nicobar group of Islands by the Zoo- lands. Project executed by Zoological demic bird Megapodius nicobariensis. logical Survey of India after the mon- Survey of India, Port Blair.110pp. It builds mounds in coastal areas and, soon will reveal more details. 4Mc Closkey, J., Suleyman, S. and Nalbat, therefore, suffered from habitat de- S. S. 2005. Earthquake risk from co- struction and degradation before the seismic stress: Last year Indonesian’s Acknowledgements earthquake has increased seismic tsunami. A mud volcano erupted on The Authors are thankful to Dr. J.R.B. in the region. Nature, 434: 291- Narcondam, on June 7 2005, which 230. published online 17 March 2005. Alfred, Director of the Zoological Sur- had been lying dormant for nearly a 5Nalbant, S.S., Steacy, S., Sieh, K., Nata- century. The Barren Island, which is vey of India, Kolkata for constant en- widjaja, D., and McCloskey, J. 2005. the only active volcano in the country, couragement and excellent facilities. Seismology: earthquake risk on the erupted once again on May 28 2005, Thanks are also due to Chief Wildlife Sunda trench. Nature, 435: 756-757 after remaining silent for a decade. Warden and other staff of the Depart- published on line Jun 9, 2005. Hence, these bird species may have ment of Environment & Forests for R. Jeyabaskaran* been severely affected by the tsunami several courtesies. D.V. Rao and other subsequent changes. Zoological Survey of India References Research has indicated a real National Coral Reef danger of another earthquake in the 1Ishii, M., Shearer, P. M., Houston, H. and Research Institute region.4 The prediction was based on Vidale, J. E. 2005. Extent, duration Andaman & Nicobar Regional Station the increase of co-seismic stress on and speed of the 2004 Sumatra-Anda- Haddo P.O, Port Blair – 744 102 the contiguous Sunda trench subduc- man earthquake imaged by the Hi-Net INDIA tion zone and neighboring vertical array. Nature advance online publica- *Email: [email protected]

Unusual lesions and growth anomalies encountered in Acropora palmata from two sites in the tropical western Atlantic

Phenotypic plasticity in scleractinian manifestation of disease and ulti- only identifi ed true neoplasm of corals corals is common and is generally a mately cause the death of an organ- and were described as calicoblastic consequence of environmental vari- ism. These physical anomalies are epitheliomas2 because the authors ob- ability. These variations in skeletal caused by unnatural cellular prolifera- served the proliferation of immature, morphology are normally not detri- tion, which can be the result of the metabolically active calicoblasts, the mental to the organism’s normal func- disruption of normal genetic control, cells that produce the exoskeleton. A tioning, and in some cases are the either due to environmental degrada- neoplasm is “an abnormal tissue that mechanism by which the animal is tion or genetic predisposition. Tumors grows by cellular proliferation more able to better exploit the resources of in corals were identifi ed as early as rapidly than normal, and continues to its environment (e.g., light exposure, the 1960s1 and have been described grow after the stimuli that initiated the wave energy). Additionally, altered in at least 10 different families2. Little new growth cease” (Stedman’s Medi- patterns of skeletal deposition may is known about whether these tumors cal Dictionary, 26th Edition, 2000). be caused by physical injury or boring result in a disease where the function- Similar lesions have been reported organisms, but overall are not harmful ing of the coral is depressed. How- in other coral species.3 Coral growth to the coral colony. ever, neoplastic lesions have been anomalies that appear to result from The development of tumors or described on corals belonging to the proliferation of the gastrodermal cells neoplasia, however, can lead to the genus Acropora. These lesions are the to form porous protuberant masses

30 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 CURRENTS with abnormal polyps as gas- trovascular canals increase have been found.4 The calico- blastic epitheliomas have thus been reported from the Nether- lands Antilles, Florida Keys, the Pacifi c Ocean, and the Indian Ocean.2,5,6 In August 2003, 13 sites on the reefs of Punta Cana, located on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic, were sur- veyed in an attempt to collect basic information on the state of the reef. Living colonies of the branching coral Acropora palmata were noted at all sites and represented approximately 10% of colonies surveyed. At three shallow (backreef, 0.5 to 4.0 m depth) and three deep sites (forereef, 5 to 10 m depth), colonies of A. palmata were identifi ed exhibiting skel- etal (growth) anomalies consis- Figure 1. Possible neoplasia, Dominican Republic (stick is 1m). tent with those described as calicoblastic epitheliomas (Fig. 1). No other species of coral were observed with these le- sions. Signs of the condition were consistent for all colonies observed. Raised, white, ir- regular areas of skeleton, cov- ered by translucent tissue that displayed no corallite structure and varied in size from approx- imately 1 to 10 cm in diameter, were present either on the sur- face or underside of colony branches. Live tissue next to these raised areas exhibited normal corallite and polyp structure and tissue color. In general, only 10 to 20% of the coral colony displayed these lesions, although in the most dramatic case, every branch of the colony exhibited lesions. The Dominican Republic lesions recorded here would constitute the third report of calicoblastic epitheliomas in the Figure 2. Unknown growth anomaly, Bahamas. tropical western Atlantic Ocean; however, histopathological ex- aminations are required to con- fi rm the nature of these lesions.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 31 CURRENTS

In July 2004, an unusual growth coral growth anomalies and evaluate References pattern was observed on an isolated their pathology and etiology, and is 1Squires, D.F. (1965) Neoplasia in a coral? A. palmata colony on a shallow coral interested in receiving other reports Science 148: 503-505. reef near Noname in the Abaco of such lesions. Please contact Dr. 2Peters, EC, Halas, JC, and HB McCarty islands of the Bahamas (Fig. 2). This Esther Peters for more information (1986) Calicoblastic neoplasms in colony is located at a depth of less (administrator@pathology-registry. Acropora palmata, with a review of than 2 meters and was the only colony org). reports on anomalies of growth and observed with an abnormal growth Marilyn E. Brandt form in corals. J Natl Cancer Inst 76 pattern within a 10-mile stretch of National Center for Caribbean Coral (5): 895-912. shallow coral reef that was photo- Reef Research, Rosenstiel School 3Yamashiro, H, Yamamoto, M and R van graphically surveyed in the summer of of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Woesik (2000) Tumor formation on the 2004. 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami Fl, coral Montipora informis. Dis. Aquat. Org. 41:211-217. Efforts made to investigate these 33145, [email protected] 4Work, TM, SL Coles, and RA Rameyer unusual growth patterns and lesions, (2001) Johnston Reef Health Sur- using biochemical and molecular ge- Esther C. Peters vey. Report to U.S. Fish and Wildlife netic techniques, and to culture abnor- Tetra Tech, Inc., 10306 Eaton Place, Service, Interagency Agreement No. mal tissues, have been hampered by Suite 340, Fairfax, VA 22003 122000N004. loss of specimens. For example, the Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals, 5Bak, RPM (1983) Neoplasia, regeneration Grecian Rocks (Florida) and Gulf of 22900 Shaw Road, Suite 107, and growth in the reef-building coral Oman affected acroporid populations Sterling, VA 20166-4311 Acropora palmata. Mar. Biol. 77:221- are known to have died before sam- 227. 6 pling was possible. The Registry of Craig Quirolo Coles, SL and DG Seapy (1998) Ultravio- Tumors in Lower Animals is conduct- Reef Relief, P.O. Box 430, let absorbing compounds and tumor- ous growths on acroporid corals from ing a collaborative study to examine Key West, Florida 33041 Bandar Khavran, Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean. Coral Reefs 17(2):195-198.

Highlights of the Coral Reef Restoration Conference

Oct, 18-19, Coral Reef projects could have a shorter learning Equivalency Analysis (HEA), a tool in- Restoration Conference curve. He also challenged attendees creasingly used by local governments Miami, Florida to think about whether one is doing in the United States during environ- Keven Reed (ISRS ‘restoration’ or ‘rehabilitation’, the for- mental impact claims and litigation. Dr. member since 1996) mer being a subset of the latter, and Walt Jaap gave his last formal presen- Several excellent presentations were whether society should be spending tation before retiring from Florida Fish given at the Coral Reef Restora- taxpayer dollars on restoration before & Wildlife Conversation Commission tion conference, which was held in removal of the root causes; which in- (FFWCC). On a fi nal note, he men- the Hyatt Hotel’s adjoining James L. clude boaters without captains licens- tioned that an additive called Force Knight International Center of the Uni- es, sewage outfalls along the coasts, 10,000, could be combined with Port- versity of Miami. There were about broken septic systems, overpopula- land Type 2 Cement , that seemed to 100 attendees according to Mr. Wil- tion, ecologically unfriendly farming buffer pH and decrease ‘burning’ at liam F. Precht, Ecological Sciences practices, and global climate change. the edge of coral transplants. Other Program Manager for PBS&J and During Mr. Precht’s second presenta- topics discussed were the use of funds Chair of the conference. Precht’s im- tion, he vetted a new tool, Functional for restoration projects v. traditional pressive style and moderation skills Reef Assessment Method (FRAM), a research projects. The Allee Effect, elicited many lively discussions. Dur- structural metric for permitting proj- or underpopulation effect also came ing his fi rst presentation he noted ects with agency representatives. He up in discussion with regards to the the many mistakes made with wet- said FRAM & AGRRA (Atlantic & Gulf Florida Keys. The Allee Effect, origi- land restoration projects over the last Rapid Reef Assessment) methods nally described by W.C. Allee in 1931 30 years, since the American Clean had high positive correlations on mul- in a sociological context occurs when Water Act was passed, but added tiple Caribbean reef sites, without be- successful reproduction and survival that ecologists and preserve manag- ing coral centric. does not outpace the death rate in a ers are now fairly skilled at freshwa- Dr. Richard Dodge, Dean of NOVA population, and the population as a ter habitat restoration. He asked the Southeastern University’s Oceano- whole declines. Currently, the Florida audience whether marine restoration graphic Center, overviewed Habitat Keys coral cover is at best 10%,and

32 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 CURRENTS because of the lack of successful National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), entifi c knowledge has a reliable capa- reproduction due to mortality in the and Dr. Steve Gittings, 1992-1998 bility to restore a living coral reef. The last 30 years, the coral population as Manager of the Flower Garden Banks term “coral reef restoration” might be a whole may not be able to recover. NMS and currently Science Manager more accurately phrased, ”coral reef In contrast, the Flower Garden Banks for NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary mitigation”. However, there seemed located in the Gulf of Mexico still sup- Program, both had excellent presen- to be strong consensus that scientists port ~50% or higher coral coverage, tations. The audience heard repeat- can learn from failed attempts, though despite regional stressors. edly that there are still over 500 boats authors may sometimes be timid to It was obvious that there is a much running aground per year in the Flor- publish lessons learned. different situation with available coral ida Keys (used to average over 600 An unexpected presenter was Dr. larvae and subsequent recruitment per year before the 1990 law allowed Rebecca Vidra from Duke University rates in the Western Pacifi c versus government/taxpayers to collect from who made attendees examine their the Florida Keys, when one sees how the owners/insurance companies of ethics in ecological restorations via an many more coral recruits attach to the vessels for restoration/mitiga- audience case study exercise. She is structures like those deployed in the tion of the damaged corals). One a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow and a Pacifi c by Dr. Michael Moore’s Eco positive effect of the national (U.S.A.) terrestrial ecologist. The “shock and Reefs company. The reefs sure do not 1990 law, according to Billy Causey, awe” seminar, the fi nal talk of the day, seem recruitment limited in that part is that there was only one ground- was given by Dr. from of the world. Eco Reefs’ artifi cial reefs ing of a large vessel (greater than 50 Boston. He made some outstand- are ceramic (better for recruitment meters length) from 1990-1996 in the ing points about misleading gener- than most cements), diver deployed, FKNMS. He also believed that there alizations; i.e., those ‘damn dam- may be anchored on a slope, and re- has been a subtle change in attitude selfi shes’ -- showing that ecological semble acroporid architecture (remi- such that people are starting to view interactions with the corals depend niscent of a 58 pound ‘snowfl ake’). ship groundings more as ‘ecological on which species of damselfi sh and Dr. Moore showed results from two disasters’ and less as ‘maritime dis- where on the reef one is studying the large projects in Northern Sulawesi asters’. The audience was presented interaction. During the fi nal discus- ( Island) and some amazing with many detailed case studies on sion session, led again by Mr. Precht, video of 18 months of growth on an large and small groundings and the a distinguished gentleman in the audi- artifi cial Eco Reef deployed at a site efforts to restore coral reefs in the ence made several astute comments, that had been dynamited to resemble Florida Keys. Usually large gouges in challenging 1) why don’t biologists an underwater desert in the 1960’s. the reef crest get fi lled with limestone set aside ten percent of the ground- Dr. Margaret Miller, a colleague of boulders; lift bags are deployed by ing site in a restoration project as a Dr. Alina Szmant’s, gave a detailed divers to right massive coral heads control for future monitoring and bet- presentation of her team’s frustrat- so that they are ‘jelly side up’. The ter science; (2) why don’t researchers ing efforts to collect gametes from attorney for NOAA’s Offi ce of Gener- harvest some of the ‘precious genetic scleractinians in the Florida Keys and al Counsel in Washington DC, Sharon few’ colonies who survive a coral pan- get them to successfully fertilize. She Shutler, gave a very interesting talk demic that kills over 90% of a spe- credited rainfall as a culprit; destroy- on her approach and coordination cies, and (3) he warned the group that ing gamete viability through osmotic with other Washington DC govern- some of the negative points in Inter- shock. In contrast, Steve Gittings, in ment agencies -- they try to incen- national Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)’s a Question and Answer session com- tivize with escalating penalties over 2005 resolution, formulated at their mented that they hardly had to do time, so that the responsible party will general meeting in the Seychelles, anything at Flower Garden Banks to choose quick intervention by divers against reef restoration efforts, could get high fertilization rates, except put and biologists to start collecting and effect funding of future restoration ef- the gametes in a bucket of sea water righting broken corals. An intriguing forts and Non-Government Organiza- with some antibiotics. aspect of putting a dollar value on tions (NGOs), although that may not It was exciting to learn of the ef- coral reef damage is that one cannot have been their intent. This resolution forts of Dr. David Gilliam’s students have the claim extended into perpetu- is on the ICRI homepage (http://www. near Southeastern Florida’s coast ity. Although the coral head that the icriforum.org/ ) under ICRI News. with coral nurseries, type 2 Port- errant ship killed may have taken fi ve Overall, the science presented at land cement, gorgonian and barrel centuries to grow, the government the meeting was sound, we all ben- sponge transplantation techniques. may amortize damage over an artifi - efi ted by the lateral views to terrestrial They had high survivorship with 350 cial 37 year schedule. The other ar- windows and mistakes made there, transplanted corals of opportunity tifi cial aspect of computing monetary but also by the brief sense of history, representing 17 species of coral.! Billy restitution for ecological damage is and how new the science of coral reef Causey, Manager of the Florida Keys the tenuous premise that current sci- restoration is and where it is heading.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 33 CURRENTS

Pacifi c Islandersʼ Awareness of Responsibility

The globalization of the economy, the understanding of the interaction of Population Implementation Commit- cosmopolitan mixing of cultures, the human and environmental processes. tee that assessed population impacts depletion of fi sh and other resources, At the 8th USCRTF meeting in Puerto in the Territory and developed actions and the ability to make transactions Rico, October 2002, the delegates to deal with future effects. The rate of globally over the internet rather than from various jurisdictions were asked consumption of water and other ne- face-to-face all contribute to great- to prioritize the problem areas for coral cessities per capita were calculated er anonymity and loss of a sense of reefs in order to most effectively im- in consideration of the rate of popu- responsibility for the citizens of the plement the National Action Plan and lation growth and the limits to the is- world. The factors that are caus- National Action Strategy to conserve land ecosystem. Islanders can see the ing the accelerating deterioration of coral reefs. The American Samoan top of the mountain and the ocean in coral reef systems are ecological, delegation recognized human popula- one view, and they can feel the dis- economic, technological, cultural and tion growth as the ultimate cause for tance across the sea for the supply conceptual feedback mechanisms the proximate factors or signs (“symp- of resources if they mismanage. They (2004, BioScience 54: 1021-1027) toms”), such as overfi shing, sedi- are more aware of the root causes of that cannot be damped without a res- mentation, coastal development and degradation of their ecosystem pro- toration of responsibility and political land-clearing, pollution, recreational cesses. will. In small villages, or in families, overuse, and probably the ultimate In our offi ces in Honolulu, Silver each person recognizes responsi- cause for the increase in disease, cli- Springs, and Washington DC, we are bilities to the group in resource man- mate change and coral bleaching. As buffered from the immediate sever- agement. As populations grow, the Peter Craig (National Park Service at ity of the problem. We can earn our sense of personal responsibility is American Samoa) wrote, “We can talk daily living by analyses of data from lost. Each individual, anonymous in about environmental issues until we’re monitoring and mapping by satellite the crowd, focuses on getting his or blue in the face, but unless we ad- imagery, and we can go to the grocery her share (Garret Hardin’s Tragedy of dress the underlying causes of these store when we are out of fi sh or other the Commons). Malcolm Gladwell, in problems [human population growth], food. The grocery stores are part of a “The Tipping Point” 2002, provides we will continue to face environmental global system and if the resources are anecdotes from anthropological stud- problems of increasing severity.” Un- depleted in one area, we can buy from ies of hunter-gatherer societies, and fortunately, the groups that compiled other less-developed areas. When we from military, industrial, and religious the resolutions and priorities in the give it any thought, we sometimes organizations, that indicate people National Action Strategy dismissed consider that we might eventually perceive responsibility when part of a the input from American Samoa and run out of new places to deplete. But group of less than about 150 people, focused on the previously established since we go to the grocery store, and but tend to become anonymous and program of ameliorating the signs it is the job of the wholesaler to fi nd more concerned for their share than (“symptoms”). new sources, we can focus on our their responsibilities when in crowds Lelei Peau, Chair of CRAG (Coral studies of proximal factors and leave of over 150. An infamous example of Reef Advisory Group to the Govern- it to the grocery stores to fi nd the fi sh this concept is the stabbing death of ment of American Samoa) did not ac- to purchase. We propose large-scale a young lady on the streets of densely cept this dismissal. CRAG has been long-term plans such as NEON or populated New York City. At least 38 very active in bringing the problem to GOOS which will monitor environ- citizens observed the attack which the attention of the people of American mental changes for decades. These took place over a period of half an Samoa, in order to stimulate positive programs have large-scale, long-term hour, but none would call the police action. I read an article in the Samoa value, but they should not detract fo- by telephone (A.M. Rosenthal, “Thir- News of 8 July 2005 entitled “Over- cus from immediate problems requir- ty-Eight Witnesses” 1964). population cited as our most pressing ing immediate action. When reviewing Citizens of many Pacifi c islands problem by CRAG”. Peter Craig has nearly all of the same proximal causes have felt the infl uence of globalization written a number of articles, (at least of coral-reef degradation 30 years and the power of the world economy. 5), in the local newspaper, and devel- ago, Bob Johannes (1975, E.J. Fergu- But some have been close enough to oped a booklet for American Samoan son Wood and R.E. Johannes (eds.) their cultural roots to recognize the public schools. Tropical Marine Pollution. Elsevier, deterioration of individual responsibil- As former Lieutenant Governor of page 51) wrote “They measure and ity with population growth. Due to the American Samoa, the present Gov- we weep.” size of their islands, they perceive the ernor Togiola Tulafono focused on In a recent large-scale 5-year re- entire ecosystem with a more holistic the population issue. He chaired a search plan for a government agency,

34 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 CURRENTS it was encouraging to see a list of Mr. Tommy Remengesau, Jr., advised control of reef resources dampens the “key socioeconomic research ques- the citizens on practices that might fa- overwhelming infl uence of the global tions for coral ecosystems”. But then cilitate the recovery of corals. He pub- economic demand. these questions were approached in a lished this advice in an article in the The Pacifi c island governments are superfi cial manner “The role of social local newspaper. He asked the people often established in a traditional cul- science in coral ecosystem manage- to avoid taking herbivorous reef fi shes ture in which the chief has the power ment is to: (1) determine how society for food because the herbivores are to accomplish things effi ciently. This is currently choosing to use coral reef important for survival by keeping the encourages political will. Following ecosystems, and (2) estimate the so- algae controlled and thereby facilitat- two afternoons of public hearings in cial and economic costs and benefi ts ing recruitment of juvenile corals. He which the local Samoan population of those uses from and ecosystem also asked people not to step on the protested the depletion of their fi sh- perspective…” Just as with monitor- few remaining nearshore living coral eries resources by a small group of ing effects of climate change over the colonies, because in doing so they commercial fi shermen using modern next few decades, these are perfunc- will damage the broodstock for recov- technology, the Governor of American tory approaches to documenting and ery of coral populations. Like marine Samoa created on Friday afternoon an measuring the problem rather than reserves, these small-scale actions Executive Order to stop fi shing with investigating the causes. More im- will not stop global warming, but they modern technology (scuba and night- portant questions are how this use of might at least facilitate replenishment lights) the following Monday morning. coral-reef resources is changing with of coral populations and they could The temporary ban would be in place the rapid growth in human popula- focus and secure a perception of until the issue is decided with public tions, how uses of coral reef resources community and responsibility among hearings and legislative debates. This are affected by global movements of the stakeholders. The renovation of is the opposite procedure to that in in humans, mixing of cultures and loss traditional community awareness of the more cosmopolitan and western- of traditional cultural integrity, global- responsibility may be the most effec- ized Guam where the concern with ization of economics and advances in tive path to coral reef management. overfi shing needed to be addressed in technology. The globalization of the A byproduct of human popula- public hearings before any action was economy and the mixing of cultures tion growth and technology is the taken to establish marine reserves. are undermining the local control of global economic demands that can The public hearings continued for 14 resources and thereby undermining overwhelm local control of marine re- years, during which time the catch per responsibility. These are as profound source harvest. If a village community unit effort decreased by 78% (0.69 to and immediate global issues as global controls local harvests, the villagers 0.15 kg h-1). climate change for coral-reef eco- are likely to protect breeding stocks To restore individual responsibil- systems (although climate change is in consideration of future harvests. ity in times of globalization, and the probably the more immediate and se- If they cannot control extraction by buffering effects of modern society, vere problem in polar regions). outsiders, then they are more likely is a daunting goal. Is there any hope? Pacifi c Islanders often have a good to feel they may as well harvest them Over the past few years on some Pa- understanding of their ecosystem and anyway. If they do not take them, cifi c Islands there has been a resto- attempt to manage global problems someone else will (the “tragedy of the ration of community-based resource by local action. In 1997/98 seawater commons” of Garrett Hardin). management and resistance to global warming severely affected coral reefs Pacifi c Islanders such as Palau- economic domination. Vanuatu rec- in Palau. Citizens of Palau observed ans, Yapese, and Hawaiians tradition- ognizes customary marine tenure of that many of the corals, especially ally have local control over marine villages in its constitution and Inde- Acropora, turned white and died dur- resources. The Palauan Marine Pro- pendent Samoa recognizes village ing the seawater warming. Algae were tection Act of 1994 prohibits export regulations concerning its nearshore replacing the living coral. It may be of any marine invertebrates from coral fi shing grounds as legal bylaws. When that some citizens of Palau felt that reefs unless grown by aquaculture. the local community is given authority the problem of global warming was All reef invertebrates and most reef to make management decisions, po- beyond their capabilities to handle. fi shes during their breeding seasons litical will and motivation for respon- But the Vice President of the Repub- must be consumed locally for sub- sible management might be restored. lic of Palau, who is now the President, sistence or in local restaurants. Local

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 35 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Nitrogen isotopic analysis of coral skeleton: Reconstructing Historical Great Barrier Reef Water Quality

Guy S. Marion on modeled estimates with varying nitrogen isotopic analysis was pro- Centre for Marine Studies degrees of uncertainty. posed as a way to pinpoint historical The University of Queensland This project establishes a geo- variability of oceanic δ15N 5, 11. In Bali, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia chemical proxy technique for empiri- Indonesia, Marion et al. found that [email protected] cally identifying annual to centennial the introduction of isotopically light variability of nitrogen sources in tropi- chemical fertilizers during the Green cal coastal oceans. The technique is Revolution of the early 1970s pro- Collaborating Authors applied in the agricultural Mackay re- duced a signifi cant, 30 year decline Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Centre for gion of the central GBR, and involves in coral skeletal δ15N. The authors at- Marine Studies, The University of analysis of the nitrogen isotopic tributed the decline to rapid increases Queensland composition (δ15N) of organic matter in isotopically depleted fertilizer use, Stacy D. Jupiter, Earth and Marine (OM) preserved within the reef-build- from 0 tons/yr in the late 1960s to Sciences, The University of Califor- ing Porites coral skeleton. Compris- >58,000 tons in 20005. The technique nia- Santa Cruz ing less than 0.01% of coral skeleton demonstrated that near-shore coral Malcolm T. McCulloch, Research by , crystalline-bound OM ac- reef skeletons in Bali record isotopic School of Earth Sciences, The Aus- cumulates continuously in long-lived signals of fertilizer and sewage-rich tralian National University Porites, refl ecting the ambient δ15N runoff dating back to 1970. David Mucciarone, Dept. of Geo- regime and providing a context for logical and Environmental Sciences, identifying end-member pollution in- Coral δ15N technique development Stanford University puts5. Robert Dunbar, Dept. of Geo- The current project further develops logical and Environmental Sciences, methodologies for analyzing nitrogen Nitrogen isotopes in coral skeleton Stanford University isotopes in coral skeleton and applies The natural abundance ratio of stable the technique using Porites cores nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) is a useful collected from the GBR. To compare Background tool for tracing isotopically distinctive isotopic variability caused by differ- Since Europeans fi rst settled the nitrogen sources and biogeochemical ent OM extraction methods, fi ve pow- Queensland coast that lines the cycling in the marine environment6. dered, homogenized P. lutea standard 2,300km-long Great Barrier Reef δ15N refers to the relative abundance specimens were subsampled repeat- (GBR), land use has been transformed of 15N to 14N in a biochemical sample edly (n=226). In all, a total of 42 unique for agricultural expansion, urban and and is reported as the per mil deviation combinations of oxidizing reagents, port development, and wetland recla- (‰) relative to the isotopic ratio of N acid types, and separation tech- mation. Using a variety of approach- in air (δ15N=0‰). Generally, biological niques were tested. A 220-year old es, recent studies estimate that the processes alter δ15N via a kinetic af- Porites skeletal sample was included resultant total nutrient delivery into fi nity for transformations involving the in the study to assess preservation the GBR Lagoon has increased 2 to lighter isotope. This is manifested by of nitrogen isotopes over centennial 4 fold since European arrival (1860)1, 2, a stepwise δ15N enrichment (+3.5‰) timescales. Based on these results, and sediment export has jumped by between adjacent trophic levels due optimum techniques were selected a factor of 4 to 103, 4. The annual ni- to excretion of depleted (low δ15N) de- that allow rapid sample preparation at trogenous pollution fl ux into the GBR trital matter 7. relatively high precision (1SE = 0.3‰- Lagoon is an estimated 43,000 tons, Symbiotic corals are reliable in- 0.5‰; Marion et al. in prep). The fi del- with sediment fl ux totaling 14 mil- dicators of the ambient chemical ity with which coral δ15N refl ects per- lion tons1. Yet our knowledge of how environment, and numerous studies turbation in the ambient environment pre-impacted, “pristine” water quality related enriched δ15N values of coral was tested using small GBR Porites compares with present day condi- tissues to gauge human-derived pol- colonies that had previously been tions, at least with regards to nutrient lution stress in the tropical marine en- subjected to a daily ammonium addi- and sources, is based vironment8, 9, 10. More recently, skeletal tion (36 uM) regime during the Enrich-

36 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Figure 1. Nitrogen isotopic (δ15N) profi les (A) of Porites lobata colonies that were stained with Alizarin Red (B) in Jan. 1995 and de- ployed into incubation units as part of the Enrichment of a Coral Reef Experiment (ENCORE). The elevated δ15N values (A) visible in colonies 11-1 (red) and 11-2 (black) refl ect assimilation of isotopically enriched DIN from the ambient micro-atoll pool water. ment of a Coral Reef Experiment (EN- consumption increased 10-fold (to position of particulate nitrogenous CORE)12. Skeleton deposited during 5490 tones N) in the Pioneer catch- phases that enter Mackay coastal enrichment phases (1995-96) of the ment13. The area of sugar cane har- waters is distinct (>8‰) relative to experiment (identifi ed by the Alizarin vested is 117,000 hectares, represent- the background oceanic N regime. Red stain, Figure 1b) is highly δ15N en- ing one third of the total Queensland We hypothesize that: 1) decreasing riched (Fig. 1a), suggesting that rapid harvest. inshore to offshore coral δ15N values biological assimilation of 14N following To distinguish terrestrially-derived will refl ect reduced exposure to ter-

NH4Cl addition to the micro- re- nitrogen inputs from the measured restrially-derived nitrogen inputs, 2) sulted in enriched remnant water DIN range of oceanic δ15N in the Mackay time-resolved coral core δ15N data will δ15N. The high δ15N was assimilated by region (5‰-6‰), particulate nitrogen correlate temporally with instrumen- the corals and refl ected in the skeletal was analyzed in water samples col- tal Pioneer River discharge data, and record. Taken together, these stud- lected from representative end-mem- 3) coral δ15N will exhibit a long-term ies support that organic δ15N refl ects ber sites (n = 17) located throughout enrichment refl ective of the onset of the ambient ocean chemistry, and is the Pioneer catchment (Fig. 2a). In land-clearing and increased N fl ux in well-preserved in coral for at least 220 the upstream tributaries, and in ir- terrestrial run-off. years (Marion et al, in-prep). rigation and river waters adjacent to Coral δ15N records of coastal cane lands, particulate δ15N values water quality are low (1-4‰). Generally, synthetic Land-based river runoff contrib- The Pioneer River Catchment of nitrogenous fertilizers, as well as cya- utes ~30% of all new N inputs into Mackay, QLD nobacterial N-fi xation, introduce iso- the central GBR Lagoon each year, In order to assess how topsoil ero- topically low DIN and particulate N dominating the coastal nitrogen re- sion, sediment effl ux, and the leach- (~0‰) into waterways, refl ecting their gime17. To explore the spatial and ing of fertilizer-derived nitrogen (ni- atmospheric source of nitrogen 14, 15. temporal infl uence of terrestrial N in- trate and particulate N) have altered Concentrations and δ15N values are puts into near shore Mackay waters, N-related water quality in coastal progressively higher downstream Porites sp. replicate coral cores (50 to GBR waters off Mackay, an integrated (6‰-12‰), and refl ect a combination 170cm long) were drilled from shal- catchment to coral reef isotopic study of: 1) biogeochemical cycling of fl uvial low (<5m) reefs and coral communi- was conducted. The Mackay region is nitrogen species during passage to ties found between 5km and 50km centered at 21°7’S, 149°14’ E, with a the rivermouth, and 2) accumulation offshore of the Pioneer river mouth mean annual rainfall of 1665mm, falls of enriched end-member inputs from (Fig. 3a). High-resolution measure- within the “dry tropics” band of cen- the densely populated coastal lands. ments of coral skeletal luminescence tral Queensland (Fig. 2a-b). The re- For example, DIN and particulate δ15N (δ = 490nm), which refl ects freshwa- gion’s largest catchment, the Pioneer in wastewater from septic systems ter river discharge into the GBR (Fig. River, drains an area of 1570 km2 and and primary-treated sewage typically 3b), indicate that inshore (Round Top is characterized by highly variable an- exceed 10‰ due to rapid microbial I.) reefs are regularly exposed to Pio- nual fl ows (807,917 ± 725,829ML) that transformations including nitrifi cation, neer River discharge. Flood plumes peak between the summer months of ammonia volatilization and denitrifi ca- can extend at least 33km offshore October and March. Between 1910 tion16. Collectively, these results indi- into the mid-shelf GBR (Keswick I.) and 1990, nitrogen-based fertilizer cate that the nitrogen isotopic com- in all but drought-bearing years, and

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 37 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Figure 2. The Mackay Whitsunday region of the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Biogeochemical cycling of fl uvial particulate δ15N (red circles) in the Pioneer Catchment (A) produces a distinct (enriched) isotopic signal in fl ood waters. This signal is traced in long-lived Great Barrier Reef corals collected along a distance gradient from the Pioneer River mouth (B). Inshore and midshelf coral reefs (C) exposed to terrestrial runoff are sediment laden and algal overgrown while non-exposed, outer-midshelf reefs are healthy and support diverse marine communities.

Figure 3. Pneumatic core drilling from a massive Porites sp. coral, whose carbonate skeleton records change in the coastal chemical environment (A). High resolution records of seasonally-dependent skeletal density (purple) overlaid on an x-ray image (top slab- B) and coral luminescence intensity (yellow) overlaid on a photograph taken under black light (bottom slab- B). Annually occurring den- sity bands are used to assign dates to chronological time series data, and luminescent banding is used to identify fl oods and periods of low-salinity stress.

38 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Figure 4. Coral core data from the inshore GBR (Round Top I.) provides a 59 history of δ15N variability in Mackay coastal waters. Coral δ15N is positively related to Pioneer River discharge, refl ecting the fl ood-associated effl ux of anthropogenic waste nutrients into the GBR Lagoon. The cyclonic fl oods of 1989 and 1991 resulted in the highest observed δ15N values since 1945. extend up to 50km offshore (Scawfell tween 1945 and 2004, inshore coral magnitude of the fl ood. Of the three I.) every three to fi ve years following δ15N is positively correlated with river sites sampled, Scawfell Island fring- major fl oods. Not surprisingly, the dis- discharge (Fig. 4), with maximum re- ing reefs have the highest coral cover tribution and abundance of coral reef corded values occurring during the and diversity. species vary dramatically across the major fl oods triggered by Cyclones Mackay transect (Fig. 2c). The inshore “Aivu” (1989) and “Joy” (1991). One Preliminary Conclusions reefs are characterized by highly tur- inshore coral δ15N record (RTH) that bid waters (visibility frequently ranges predates European-style land use The recent discovery that organic from 0 to 5m), widespread macroalgal change (~1860) indicates that the matter preserved in long-lived Porites and sediment blanketing, low fi sh bio- expansion of coastal agriculture and coral skeleton refl ects past pollutant mass, and encrusting / massive hard fertilizer use in Mackay has dramati- sources offers tantalizing new op- coral species. In contrast, the reefs cally increased river-borne nitrogen portunities to explore relationships fringing Scawfell Island, located 50km effl ux into the GBR Lagoon relative to between long-term land use change offshore, have clear waters (typically “pristine” baseline conditions (Marion and coastal coral reef ecosystems. yielding 10 to 25m of visibility) and et al. in prep). The Keswick I. coral In the Mackay region, multi-decadal intact, healthy hard and soft coral (33 km offshore) recorded enrich- coral δ15N records (1945-2005) col- communities that exhibit high species ments of land-derived nitrogen, par- lected from a lateral transect of reefs diversity typical of an oligotrophic, ticularly during major fl ood years (e.g. extending from 5km to 50km offshore offshore GBR environment. the cyclones-driven fl oods of 1974 show clear fl ood-associated signals Nitrogen isotopic records recon- and 1991), that probably contribute of anthropogenically-enriched nitro- structed from three inshore (RTC, RTF, to the high proportion of macroalgal gen inputs. While freshwater fl ood RTH) and two midshelf (KIC, SCC) cover evident at this site. By contrast, plumes reach reefs located 50km off- coral cores reveal consistent spatial Scawfell I. (50 km offshore) coral δ15N shore (Scawfell I.) every three to fi ve and temporal trends. Average coral is unresponsive to river discharge, years, coral δ15N values from this site skeletal δ15N values decrease with in- even during years when major fl ood are consistently low and isotopically creasing distance from land, ranging plumes reach the reef (inferred from unrelated to Pioneer River discharge, from elevated values (8.0±0.2‰) in coral luminescence). This suggests indicating that terrestrially-derived in- the three inshore (Round Top I.) cor- that phytoplankton blooms deplete organic and particulate nitrogen spe- als, to oceanic values (3.6±0.5‰) by all biologically-available nitrogen by cies are fully depleted by <50km off the outer mid-shelf (Scawfell I.). Be- >50km offshore, regardless of the the coast. A coral record dating back

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 39 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS to the late-1800s indicates that the Marine and Freshwater Research 56: and 15N in symbiotic dinofl agellates onset of signifi cant N-loading in the 279-302 and their coral hosts. Marine Ecology- coastal environment initiated post- 3Neil DT, Orpin AR, Ridd EV, Yu BF (2002) Progress Series 280: 105-114 12 1950. Various endogenous (technique Sediment yield and impacts from river Koop K, Booth D, Broadbent A, Bro- related) and exogenous (riverine and catchments to the Great Barrier Reef die J, D. Bucher, D. Capone, J. Collf, lagoon. Marine and Freshwater Re- Dennison W, Erdmann M, Harrison coastal biogeochemical cycling) pro- search 53: 733-752 P, Hoegh-Guldberg O, Hutchings P, cesses can cause non-source related 4McCulloch M, Fallon S, Wyndham T, Jones G, Larkum W, O’Neil J, Stevens fractionation of the terrestrial source Hendy E, Lough J, Barnes D (2003) A, E. Tentori, Ward S, Williamson J, 15 δ N and must be accounted for when Coral record of increased sediment Yellowlees D (2001) ENCORE: The Ef- interpreting coral isotopic results fl ux to the inner Great Barrier Reef fect of Nutrient Enrichment on Coral (Marion et al. in-prep). A synthesis re- since European settlement. Nature Reefs. Synthesis of Results and Con- port will explore the impact of post- 421: 727-730 clusions. Marine Pollution Bulletin 42: European land use on Great Barrier 5Marion GS, Dunbar RB, Mucciarone DA, 91-120 Reef health (assessed by photo tran- Kremer JN, Lansing JS, Arthawiguna 13Pulsford J (1996) Historical Nutrient sect data) in the Mackay Region by A (2005) Coral skeletal delta N-15 re- Usage in Coastal Queensland River comparing coralline tracers of nitro- veals isotopic traces of an agricultural Catchments Adjacent to the Great revolution. Marine Pollution Bulletin Barrier Reef Marine Park. Great Barrier gen provenance (δ15N) and sediment 50: 931-944 Reef marine Park Authority, Townsville discharge (trace metals) with remote 6Owens N (1987) Natural variations in 15N (68) sensing-derived records of riparian in the marine environment. Advances 14Kendall C (1998) Tracing nitrogen sources vegetation and mangrove loss in the in Marine Biology 24: 389-451 and cycling in catchments. In: Kendall Pioneer Catchment, which has suf- 7Minagawa M, Wada E (1986) Stepwise C, McDonnell JJ (eds.) Isotope Tracers fered a 32% net loss of riparian area enrichment of 15N along food chains: in Catchment Hydrology. Elsevier Sci- since 1972 and a 22% net loss of tidal further evidence and the relation be- ence, USA (pp 519-576) mangroves since 194818. tween 15N and animal age. Geochim 15Udy JW, Dennison WC, Long WJL, McK- Cosmochim Acta 48: 1135-1340 enzie LJ (1999) Responses of sea- 8Sammarco PW, Risk MJ, Schwarcz HP, grass to nutrients in the Great Barrier Acknowledgements Heikoop JM (1999) Cross-continental Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology-Prog- shelf trends in coral d15N on the Great ress Series 185: 257-271 The author would like to thank ISRS/ Barrier Reef: further consideration of 16Heaton T (1986) Isotopic studies of nitro- TOC for the Graduate Research Fel- the reef nutrient paradox. Marine Ecol- gen pollution in the hydrosphere and lowship that enabled the start of this ogy-Progress Series 180: 131-138 atmosphere: a review. Chemical Geol- project. Joint sources of funding in- 9Heikoop JM, Risk M, A. V. Lazierb, E. N. ogy 59: 87-102 clude the PADI Foundation, GBRMPA, Edingerb, J. Jompad, V. Limmonb, 17Furnas MJ, Mitchell A, Skuza M (1997) The Richard & Rhoda Goldman Foun- Dunnb JJ, Browne DR, Schwarcz HP Shelf scale nitrogen and phosphorus dation, the University of Queensland, (2000) Nitrogen-15 Signals of Anthro- budgets for the Central Great Barrier and the Australian Research Council pogenic Nutrient Loading in Reef Cor- Reef (16–19 S). Proceedings of the 8th (Linkage Grant # LP0560896 to OHG als. Marine Pollution Bulletin 40: 628- International Coral Reef Symposium: for Mackay research). 636 809-814. 10Swart PK, Saied A, Lamb K (2005) Tem- 18Jupiter S, Potts DC, Phinn S, Duke N poral and spatial variation in the delta (in-press) Natural and anthropogenic References N-15 and delta C-13 of coral tissue changes to mangrove distributions in and zooxanthellae in Montastraea fa- the Pioneer River Estuary (QLD, Aus- 1 Furnas M (2003) Catchments and Corals. veolata collected from the tralia). Wetlands Ecology and Manage- Australian Institute of Marine Scienc- tract. Limnology and Oceanography ment es, Townsville (334) 50: 1049-1058 2 Brodie JE, Mitchell AW (2005) Nutrients 11Hoegh-Guldberg O, Muscatine L, Goi- Elizabeth H. Tyler in Australian tropical rivers: changes ran C, Siggaard D, Marion GS (2004) with agricultural development and im- Nutrient induced perturbations to 13C plications for receiving environments.

40 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Report on the results of the study and use of the funding awarded Surface Microbial Communities Of Reef-Building Corals

Reia Guppy This differential microbial diversity dent molecular techniques were used PhD Candidate between healthy and diseased corals to analyze samples to obtain DNA September 2006 suggests that there is a change in the fi ngerprints of the bacterial commu- Since the 1970’s, there has been an ability of corals to physically and/or nities from Tobago, as well as those explosion in not only the number of chemically defend themselves against samples collected from Puerto Rico diseased corals, but also the num- potential pathogen(s). Reasons for and Mexico. ber of different diseases observed on this change may be: (1) the physical Following a biogeographical ap- corals on a global scale. Coral reef mucus barrier being compromised, proach, the coral SML microbial com- ecosystems are undergoing unprec- such as in fi sh bites, creating a point munities were examined both spa- edented rates of change which may of access for invasion; (2) changes in tially and temporally. Comparisons be linked to global climate change ef- the mucus composition, leading to of the SML bacterial communities fects,1,2 as well as local and regional the variation of the nutritional value, between host species offered some environmental impacts.3 At the organ- and so too the survivorship of the indication if these communities were ismal level these diseases are created microbes on the SML; or (3) changes randomly formed, biologically (host) by shifts in microbial communities. in the effectiveness of antimicrobial controlled, environmentally controlled Since ecosystem function is depen- chemicals produced by the corals or a combination of biologically and dent on microbial processes, and the against potential pathogens. Regard- environmentally controlled. Results effects of even small environmental less, it is fi rst necessary to understand suggested that the microbial commu- changes may be refl ected and mag- the dynamics of the SML microbial nities developed following determin- nifi ed within the microbial community community on healthy corals before istic processes more than stochasti- over a relatively short time span,4,5 there can be a clear understanding of cally (passive settlement). Concurrent the use of microbes as possible in- the mechanisms leading to the initia- examination of the SML microbial dicators for environmental change or tion and progression of disease and communities both in the water column pollution is promising. In order to de- the associated impacts on coral pop- and also in a settler community (bio- termine if microbial changes in a coral ulations. fi lm) allowed for additional information reef environment could be used as This is the fi rst study to explore on the settlement dynamics. Although potential indicators for pollution/en- how the bacterial communities on the biofi lm and SML communities vironmental change, this study exam- coral SML change over multiple spa- showed greater overlap to each other ined the surface layer mucus (SLM), tial scales, time, and (indirectly) with compared to the water column com- bacterial community on two important varying environmental (water quality) munities, multiple culture-indepen- Caribbean reef-building corals (the conditions. The overlying goal was to dent methods indicated that the SML common Diploria strigosa characterize the structure of the SML not only supports a distinct commu- Dana 1848 and the star coral Mon- communities and to determine the nity, but also that the SML provides a tastraea faveolata Ellis and Solander extent to which they are affected by unique niche for settlement. 1786). The monitoring of these SML environmental stress. The coral SML As in all biogeographical studies, microbes may represent a non-de- bacterial communities on Diploria stri- spatial scale is an important consid- structive means of determining coral gosa and Montastrea faveolata were eration, particularly when concerned response to environmental change. examined, then compared to biofi lm about potential infl uencing factors. Thus far, the study of microbial di- and water column bacterial communi- Therefore, four spatial scales were versity on coral reefs has concentrated ties, and analyzed against water qual- examined in the study following a largely on changes associated with ity conditions. With the receipt of an hierarchical sampling regime: intra- coral diseases.6 It has been found that ISRS Fellowship in 2003, I was able colonial, inter-colonial (intra-reef), in- a more diverse microbial community to successfully conduct my research ter-reef, and inter-country (Tobago, exists in the SML of diseased versus on the Caribbean island of Tobago. Puerto Rico, and Mexico). Changes healthy corals;7,8 but it is not known There I was able to collect coral mu- in SML microbes over time offers in- to what extent this increased diversity cus swabs, water fi lters and nutrient direct information on microbial com- refl ects a cause and/or an effect of data at eight reef sites of varying an- munity and SML turnover, thus spa- the disease process, or why coral dis- thropogenic impact over a 6-month tial sampling of the coral SML also eases have become more prevalent. sampling period. Culture-indepen- extended across six months covering

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 41 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS two seasons (the wet and dry). Varia- considered as the primary source of References tions between host at each spatial stress, especially since seawater tem- 1Hoegh-Guldberg O (1999). Climate level, month and season sampled perature and salinity varied little over change, coral bleaching and the future were observed, where the driving or the months that sampling occurred. of the world’s coral reefs. Marine and controlling factors appeared to be a Besides these anthropogenic infl u- Freshwater Research, 50: 839-866. combination of host and environment. ences, Tobago is highly infl uenced 2Harvell CD, Mitchell CE, Ward JR, Altizer It was found that the apparent mag- by the discharges from the Orinoco S, Dobson AP, Ostfeld RS, and Sam- nitude of their contribution differed at River in Venezuela. As a result, strong uel MD (2002). Climate warming and each spatial level. seasonal differences in water quality disease risks for terrestrial and marine Coral mucus dynamics are not well were correctly predicted, as well as biota. Science, 296: 2158-2162. 3 understood.10 It is likely that changes nearshore/offshore gradients. How- Jordán-Dahlgren E, Maldonado MA, and in the production/sloughing dynamics ever, correlations between the water Rodríguez-Martínez R (2005). Dis- eases and partial mortality in Mon- due to changing environmentalcondi- quality and the SML microbial diver- tastraea annularis species complex tions, the coral host physiology would sity were diffi cult to determine, possi- in reefs with differing environmental result in a subsequent change in bac- bly complicated by the relatively small conditions (NW Caribbean and Gulf of terial community. Under this assump- spatial scales investigated and the México). Diseases of Aquatic Organ- tion, to facilitate the understanding of overall well-mixing of waters around isms, 63: 3-12. how the coral SML microbial commu- Tobago. 4Paerl HW, Dyble J, Moisander PH, Noble nities develop over time, the changes The support from ISRS/TOC (£ RT, Piehler MF, Pinckney JL, Steppe in the microbial diversity on a devel- 5,500) came directly before I started TF, Twomey L, and LM Valdes (2003). oping biofi lm was followed over fi ve my fi eld sampling, 9 months after I Microbial indicators of aquatic eco- days, and comparisons were drawn had started my PhD. It covered all of system change: current applications from the diversity levels of the SML my fi eldwork expenses, including two to eutrophication studies. FEMS Mi- crobiology Ecology, 46: 233-246. microbial communities found in both international return fl ights between 5Manini E, Luna EM, and Danovaro R host species. Results were evaluated Newcastle (UK) and Trinidad, and local (2004). Benthic bacterial response to against three possible modes of de- travel between Trinidad and Tobago. variable estuarine water inputs. FEMS velopment of these communities in the Customs costs for importing chemi- Microbiology Ecology, 50: 185-194. SML. For D. strigosa and M. faveolata, cals, boat and diving costs, hiring of 6Rosenberg E and Ben-Haim Y (2002). Mi- the associated microbial communities a local dive assistant, lodging, as well crobial diseases of corals and global suggested that the rate of SML loss as food expenses were covered by warming. Environmental Microbiology, was less than that of bacterial com- support from ISRS. Without this in- 4: 318-326. munity development, therefore SML valuable support, I would have been 7Cooney R, Pantos O, Le Tissier MDA, loss was most likely a gradual process unable to conduct such an extensive Barer MR, O’Donnell AG, and Bythell with only the loss of the outermost research project. Thus this award has JC (2002). Characterization of the bacterial consortium associated with surface allowing the bacteria trapped played a tremendous role towards in corals using in the mucus to continually develop. the completion of my degree, and in molecular microbiological techniques. Continual seeding from the water col- preparing me for what the future may Environmental Microbiology, 4: 401- umn and other sources could possibly bring. I have recently fi nished my PhD, 413. account for the temporal differences. and have already secured a position 8Frias-Lopez J, Zerkle AI, Bonheyo GT, Examining corals under varying as a research associate at Newcastle Fouke BW (2002). Partitioning of bac- conditions of stress is also important University, working in an area that is terial communities between seawater in looking at the SML microbial com- an extension of my PhD research, and healthy, black band diseased, and munities, as it is under these condi- looking more closely at the coral SML dead coral surfaces. Applied and En- tions that coral mucus properties can under specifi c stress conditions. After vironmental Microbiology, 68: 2214- change thereby allowing invasion of this, I hope to continue working on 2228. 9Pantos O, Cooney RP, Le Tissier MDA, more potent diseases into the SML fi nding an alternate bioindicator(s) of Barer MR, O’Donnell AG, and Bythell or decreased resistance to existing pollution that will be useful in small JC (2003). The Bacterial Ecology of a pathogens. Stress to corals can re- island states, such as Tobago. I also Plague-Like Disease Affecting the Ca- sult from a number of sources, such intend to become involved in tertiary ribbean coral Montastrea annularis. as changes in seawater , education, which will allow me the op- Environmental Microbiology, 5 (5): 370- salinity, , and water quality. In portunity to impart my knowledge and 382. the Caribbean, particularly the south- experience to others, in the hopes of 10Brown B and Bythell JC (2005). Perspec- ern island of Tobago, ‘pollution’ is encouraging the youth of our country tives on mucus secretion in reef cor- mainly from runoff and ill-treated sew- towards a greener pasture. als. Marine Ecology Progress Series, age, and therefore water quality was 296: 291-309.

42 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Rare Insights into Evolution

T. Richards - Marine Biology PhD The evolu- Student – ISRS Recipient 2005 tionary history (phylogeny) Speciation and extinction occur cryp- of the genus tically in corals. Rare species (those Acropora has with a restricted distribution), are ex- been estab- pected to be at the forefront of these lished using evolutionary changes. While rare spe- morphologi- cies are often in the spotlight in the cal characters context of conservation and biodiver- (skeletal form sity, the factors that limit their distribu- and structure). tion are unknown. Focus on rare coral This is supple- species using recently developed mented by a genetic tools promises to provide molecular phy- answers to many basic evolutionary logeny, which questions. is based on Corals are considered to display only a small a widespread distribution, due to the subset of the Figure 1. The most recently described new species of Acropora - A. open water environment; yet up to entire genus. rongelapensis (described in 2004 from the Marshall Islands by the 35% of Acropora corals have a re- There are a author) is at the heart of an evolutionary debate. stricted distribution. Corals with a re- number of dis- stricted distribution initiate a series of crepancies between the two phylog- morphologies may have independently perplexing evolutionary questions: Are enies. Species currently hypothesized evolved more than once in Acropora they young and in the process of ex- to be closely related to ancient spe- evolution has lessened the integrity of panding their range? Are they old and cies in the morphological phylogeny morphological phylogenies. at the end of their taxon cycle? Are may be more recent in origin accord- It is now clear that baseline popu- they remnants of ancestral popula- ing to the molecular phylogeny. Spe- lation genetic studies are fundamental tions that were formerly widespread? cies restricted to the Western Indian to advancing the evolutionary debate Are they hybrids? Are they genetically Ocean and Red Sea are considered for corals. Using genotyping tech- eroded and vulnerable to extinction? the most ancestral within the mor- nology the extent of genetic varia- Are isolated populations connected? phological phylogeny (this is also sup- tion can be determined for a species Can they persist? Our research aims ported by fossil records), while spe- across its entire range. By using the to use new advances in coral genetics cies restricted to the Caribbean are extent of variation within a common to bring these questions together into suggested to be the most ancestral in and widespread species as a bench- the most comprehensive investigation the nuclear tree of the molecular phy- mark, coral species can be defi ned in of rarity ever performed in the marine logeny. Rare species are suggested genetic terms. Applying this strategy environment. to be the most recently derived in the to investigating the genetic variation This investigation into rare coral morphological phylogeny however in rare species will enable an interpre- species was stimulated by recent sur- the position of rare Acropora species tation of rare species integrity to be veys of the remote Rongelap Atoll in remains unresolved within the molec- made for the fi rst time. This research the Northern Marshall Islands (Pacifi c ular phylogeny. will be the fi rst global-scale applica- Ocean). Fieldwork in this isolated lo- One outstanding challenge to un- tion of genotyping technology in coral cation revealed one new species of derstanding the evolution of new spe- science; and will provide information Acropora coral and many rare species cies within the Genus Acropora has valuable information at to the threat- were recorded in the Pacifi c Ocean been that in genetic terms, we have ened status of corals. for the fi rst time. Along with other rar- no real idea of what a coral species is. Molecular phylogenies offer a ity hotspots around the globe (such Cryptic species, syngameons (groups robust portrayal of a species evo- as Indonesia and Papua New Guinea of species that exchange genes) and lutionary history. Single-copy Mito- and the Red Sea), the coral popula- morphological plasticity within and be- chondrial and Nuclear gene markers tion of Rongelap Atoll provides the tween species have provided a major have been found to provide useful ideal opportunity to test hypotheses challenge to coral taxonomists. The data for reconstructing species-level about the age, origin and threatened apparent complexity in Acropora struc- phylogenetic relationships in cor- status of rare species. ture and the suggestion that the same als. The mitochondrial control region

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 43 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS rns-cox3 and the highly polymorphic tudes. Morphological Pax-C 46/47 Intron are the most valu- phylogenies suggest able. Populations of rare and closely these species are related corals will be screened in this closely related to project using sequences from these ancient lineages. In regions and placed into the existing this case, rare popu- molecular phylogeny to investigate lations in peripheral divergence patterns relating to rarity locations may rep- or commonness. If rare species are resent relict popula- recently derived they are expected to tions and may harbor occur within a terminal position on the the original source cladogram. If rare species are derived of genetic diversity. from ancient lineages they are ex- “Taxon Cycles” have pected to occur in a near-basal posi- been used to explain tion in the cladogram. the process whereby The amount of sequence diver- older taxa are ex- Figure 2. The author collecting molecular samples of Acro- gence within and between species cluded from their pora jacquelineae, a rare species that is restricted to the reveals a lot about species ancestry. preferred habitat, be- Central Indo-Pacifi c. Low amounts of sequence divergence ing forced to survive between morphologically distinct in marginal, less de- species may represent a recent com- sirable habitats, and fi nally becoming microsatellite loci have recently been mon ancestry. Alternately, species peripheral endemics and ultimately characterized that promise to advance that diverged from each other a long extinct. However, this theory remains this debate greatly. time ago are expected to exhibit high untested within the molecular phylog- Population genetic studies have levels of sequence variation. Different eny for Acropora corals. previously focused on limited geo- morphs within a single species may Rather than being excluded from graphic ranges and little latitudinal represent local adaptation with oc- the preferred habitats, an alternate genetic differentiation was detected in casional hybridization and backcross- theory suggests that rare species corals along the GBR in earlier stud- ing. Generally however, as a species may be remnants of ancestral spe- ies. However, recent work shows un- expands its range- the newly colo- cies whose range was fragmented by expected genetic structuring in sev- nized area carries only a subset of the vicariance events such as sea-level eral species. If genetic connectivity is alleles from the parent population (i.e. changes. As a result of isolation, in- low, rare species may be particularly signifi cantly lower genetic diversity); cipient speciation leads to rapid di- susceptible to local or global extinc- hence the ancestry of a species can versifi cation. Some evidence of this tion, and widely distributed species be traced. remains in modern-day species distri- will effectively consist of heteroge- Information from rare corals also butions as some rare Acropora spe- neous assemblies of locally-adapted offers insights into the origin of bio- cies specialize in deep, protected genotypes and suffer cryptic genetic diversity. The classic view of marine habitats (e.g. A. elegans on deep ver- erosion. Conversely, if connectivity is evolution is that a large proportion of tical faces; A. russeli on deep sandy high, locally adaptive effects will be recently evolved genera occur within slopes). The apparent habitat signa- unimportant on the broader scale, and high diversity regions of the Central ture of rare Acropora corals may re- damaged areas may be effectively re- Indo-Pacifi c. The consensus view fl ect the persistence of these habitats colonised via long-range dispersal. amongst coral biologists seems to during glacial sea level falls however However, the amount of connectivity have been that new species are likely their age and origin have not been between isolated populations of rare to have arisen within this “Centre of established within the molecular phy- species is unknown. Origin” through different types of logeny. Overall, there are a number of speciation. According to this view, The question of whether rare cor- important evolutionary insights con- relatively advanced species are char- als can persist is dependant upon the tained within rare species that may acteristic of the centre of diversity ability of coral species to respond to help to explain observed distribution and their more primitive relatives are change, and this is determined by lev- patterns. Funded by the International characteristically found towards the els of genetic variation and also the Society of Reef Studies Fellowship periphery of coral reef ranges. extent of genetic connectivity. Until Program, this research will substan- Many rare species within the ge- recently, the genetic tools required to tially advance our scientifi c knowl- nus Acropora, are completely absent estimate genetic structuring and long- edge of critically important issues from the Indo-Pacifi c Centre of Di- range gene fl ow were not available for such as genetic variability, structure versity and occur only at higher lati- corals. A large number of polymorphic and connectivity which are central

44 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS to the conservation of coral reefs. It and conservation of coral reefs both this research will give us rare insights will provide a molecular basis for the locally and globally. Given the threats into evolution. evolution of biodiversity and provide currently facing coral reefs, and the a scientifi c basis for the management novelty of the proposed approaches,

Flexibility under environmental disturbance: Will coral reefs be able to recover? Eugenia Sampayo crease in severity and frequency over and anemones) 7,8,9,10. Studies on the Centre for Marine Studies (CMS), the next 30 years1. algal component have mainly focused University of Queensland, The response of corals to bleach- on geographical and community level St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia. ing has been found to vary among diversity, phylogeny and evolution with- coral genera and geographic location, in the genus . Now, the indicating that both the host and sym- focus is slowly changing to assess- Coral reefs and stress biont determine the stress-response2. ments of fl exibility and persistence The persistence of reef building corals is The algal symbionts have been shown of the symbiosis. Here, the use of the determined by the symbiosis between to have variable physiologies, and highly variable ITS2-region was tested the coral host and symbiotic algae “same host-different symbiont” com- to detect variability in host-symbiont (Symbiodinium spp.), where each com- binations may have a variety of toler- combinations on a local scale. Given ponent determines the success of the ance limits3,4,5. Additionally, bleach- that symbiont availability and host- complex. Environmental disturbances, ing tolerant hosts are found in areas specifi city determine what combina- such as global climate change, can where the majority of the population tions of host and symbiont will be disturb the fi nely regulated balance be- is highly affected6. Unfortunately, very successful, three major objectives tween coral and algae, and as a result little information is available as to how were to determine (a) if multiple host- the symbionts may be expelled from or why these individuals resist or cope symbiont combinations exist within a the host tissue (becoming white or with environmental stress as opposed single host; (b) if these are infl uenced bleached) and the entire coral colony to those that die. by local environmental gradients; and may die. Large scale bleaching events (c) if these associations are fl exible over in addition to other factors, such as time and under altered conditions. Genetic variability pollution, nutrient run-off and over- fi shing, have lead to a serious decline Since the advent of molecular tech- Host-symbiont associations in the health of coral reefs. Many be- niques a variety of genetic markers lieve that coral reefs now face serious have been used to uncover an enor- Three ubiquitous species of corals, decline as mass bleaching events and mous diversity of algal symbionts with- viz. Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora other stresses are predicted to in- in coral and non-coral hosts (i.e. clams damicornis and Seriatopora hystrix

Figure 1. From left to right: Stylophora pistillata, Pocillopora damicornis, Seriatopora hystrix.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 45 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

inheritance. In this instance, the par- ent colony is thought to faithfully pass on its symbionts to their offspring, in this manner ensuring continuance of a successfully established symbiotic relationship.

Flexibility of the symbiosis It has been suggested that corals may be able to change their symbi- Figure 2. Host-Symbiont combinations with depth at Heron Island (GBR). Note that ont communities over time, and this S.pistillata and P.damicornis symbionts are not equal even though depicted in similar theory has especially gained interest colours. with the increase of stress related degradation of coral reefs. If corals are able to form multiple associations (Figure 1), were subjected to a broad and two in shallow reef areas (2-7m). with a variety of symbionts, this would sampling regime at multiple depths Pocillopora damicornis displayed the enable them to have a certain level of on two locations around Heron Island same pattern with one deep (Pd1) and fl exibility in response to environmen- (Great Barrier Reef, GBR). Pocillopo- two shallow symbionts (Pd2 and Pd3). tal disturbances. As shown above rid corals at this particular geographic Each host species therefore appears Pocilloporid corals can associate location are generally reported to host to associate with its own symbiont with a multitude of symbionts within Clade C symbionts. Each examined community, where each occupies a a single host population and a large- species of coral harbored a group of specifi c niche within the distribution scale transplantation experiment was symbionts specifi c to the host and of the host. undertaken to test whether the pres- there was no ‘cross-over’ of symbi- S. hystrix, even though it belongs ence of multiple established asso- onts between species of coral. Both to the same family of corals, was re- ciations would facilitate the ability of S. pistillata and P. damicornis colonies markably faithful to a single symbiont corals to change their symbiont com- associated with respectively 4 and 3 type that occurred at all depths and munities under altered environmental different symbiont types, but were re- locations, indicating that this symbi- conditions. Fragments from multiple stricted to a single symbiont type per ont type may have a wide tolerance colonies were moved from shallow colony. Within these two host species within the distribution range of the to deep environments and vice versa there was a strong relation of symbi- host. Alternatively, associations could (Figure 3), and have been monitored ont types with depth (Figure 2). Sty- be a factor of initial uptake of the sym- for a period of two years. Symbiont lophora pistillata had one symbiont bionts, a process that for these cor- communities before initiation of the type (Sp2) dominant in deep (>15m) als species occurs through maternal experiment were signifi cantly different

Figure 3. Transplant experiment with (a) seedling trays attached to a metal frame and (b) coral fragments securely attached with underwater cement.

46 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS between depths (as in fi gure 2) and combinations of host and symbiont competence will enable management light levels in the deep are generally may be formed in early life stages or programs to evaluate which regions 8-10% of that in the shallow. arise from rare associations within are most valuable in terms of sus- Preliminary results indicate that the population, each of which have taining reef health and the capacity even though ‘shallow’ symbionts are not been studied but may result in a to act a sources of resistant recruits generally not found in deep reef zones symbiosis with different tolerance lim- to recolonize damaged zones. These (and vice versa), adult colonies did not its. The conclusions from this study strategies will become increasingly change their symbiont compositions must therefore remain limited to the important to model and manage the over a period of two years. Small scale species studied, and other species resilience of coral reefs as we move fl uctuations were observed shortly af- of corals may not be able to associ- into a period of rapidly changing cli- ter transplantation but each individual ate with multiple symbionts. Some matic conditions. colony retained its original symbiont, species associate with a multitude of regardless of the fact that this symbi- symbionts suited to cover particular Acknowledgements ont appeared to be sub-optimal to the environments over the full range of new environment. Transplants are still their distribution, whereas other spe- This project has been jointly funded in the fi eld for continued collections cies may associate with a single sym- by the ISRS, PADI foundation, Proj- and the effect of symbiont type on biont that has a wider tolerance range. ect Aware to Eugenia Sampayo and growth, bleaching sensitivity and tis- There are many possibilities, all infl u- Australian Research Grants to Ove sue thickness are still to be analyzed. enced by a huge variety of both exter- Hoegh-Guldberg. nal and internal factors, and this indi- cates the importance to study these Conclusions References associations in depth so we can more To date most studies have focused on accurately understand the intricacies 1Hoegh-Guldberg, O (1999). Mar. Freshw. biogeography and phylogeny within involved in the persistence of a suc- Res. 50: 839-866. the genus Symbiodinium 7,8,9,11,12. From cessful symbiosis. 2Marshall, PA and Baird, AH (2000). Coral these, some ecological relevance can As coral reefs are critically endan- Reefs 19; 155-163. 3 be inferred about the function of par- gered by both local and global factors, Baker, AC (2003). Annu. Rev. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 34: 661–668. ticular symbiont types, but without a it is imperative that management shifts 4Iglesias-Prieto, R and Trench, RK (1997a). thorough understanding of the level in response to focus on ecosystem Proc. 8th Int. Coral Reef Sym. 2: 1319- of fl exibility in the coral symbiosis, we and global processes rather than indi- 1324. cannot accurately predict how corals vidual species10. Management should 5Iglesias-Prieto, R and Trench, RK (1997b). will react to certain stressors and lev- therefore not only focus on sustain- Mar. Biol. 130: 23-33. els thereof. Here, it was demonstrated able use of coral resources, but also 6Edmunds, PJ (1994). Mar. Biol. 121: 137- that each host studied from the fam- the protection of areas that are impor- 142. ily Pocilloporidae have multiple op- tant for the persistence and recovery 7LaJeunesse, TC (2002). Mar. Biol. 141: tions in their symbiotic partnership of damaged zones. This study aims 387-400. 8 and that these are optimized to local to develop an understanding of the LaJeunesse, TC (2001). J. Phycol. 37: environmental conditions. This sug- level of fl exibility in the coral symbio- 866-880. 9Baker AC, Rowan R, Knowlton N (1997). gests that corals may have the poten- sis, and the fi nding of multiple options Proc. Int. Coral Reef Symp., 8th, Pan- tial to optimize their performance to a in the symbiotic partnership suggests , 2:1295–300. wider environmental range than pre- that corals may have the potential to 10Rowan, R and Powers, DA (1991). Mar. viously thought. However, transplan- optimize their performance to a wider Ecol. Prog. Ser. 71: 65-73. tation experiments for these species environmental range than previously 11Rodriguez-Lanetty, M, Hoegh-Guldberg, showed that associations are fi xed thought. A greater understanding of O (2003). Mar. Biol. 143: 501–509. and new combinations of host-sym- the symbiotic options, coupled with 12Loh WKW, Loi T, Carter D, Hoegh-Guld- bionts may not easily be established large scale monitoring efforts, reef berg O (2001). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. for adult colonies. Alternatively, novel connectivity, and assessment of larval 222:97–107.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 47 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

An Interdisciplinary Appraisal of Community-based Marine Resource Management of a Traditional Fijian Fishing Ground (qoliqoli )

Annette Mühlig-Hofmann ties sharing the same qoliqoli on Gau, Management measures have PhD candidate an undeveloped and un-investigated been implemented on Gau (e.g., tabu March 2006 offshore island in the Lomaiviti Group areas), and perceptions of people of Islands, around 80 km’s east of the towards them were generally posi- Attempts have been made to com- capital Suva. tive. However, the qoliqoli and the prehensively highlight successes and This interdisciplinary approach resources within remain under heavy failures of community-based marine proved especially valuable as each usage, and it is unclear whether the resource management (CBMRM), method disclosed different infor- present management efforts will have but with little rigorous assessment of mation and perceptions crucial for a sustainable effect towards conser- what the conditions of long-term suc- CBMRM to work in the long run. An vation and restoration of reefs and cess are. Fiji represents a unique case inclusion of participant and non-par- the related fi shery. More knowledge because its customary fi shing-rights ticipant observation into CBMRM re- on the local resources is needed; areas (qoliqoli) constitute a form of search in the region is suggested. the fi shing logbooks should be one dual ownership, establishing a theo- In addition to the methodological way to provide this. Improving local retical connection between indige- approach, this research provided use- biological surveying in quality and nous owners and central government ful detailed insights into a case-study quantity would improve monitoring for management purposes, often fa- community setting with specifi c man- data. CBMRM structures still remain cilitated by local non-governmental agement needs and circumstances. It too fragile at this point, depending organizations (NGOs). However, this underlined that the country never had wholly on very few people involved, so-called cooperative co-manage- a formal co-management arrange- and varying strongly between com- ment approach has not been uniform ment with uniform national guidelines. munities and islands. For more sus- across Fiji; different levels of govern- The present decentralized responsi- tainability and success, the manage- ment, NGO and community involve- bility in Fiji in terms of coastal marine ment efforts have to reach deeper into ment are present, creating a source of resource management cannot (yet?) the community. CBMR managers and confusion and disputes. One issue of be classifi ed as co-management. researchers have to look more to the a revision of the present constitution Rather, it is a parallel arrangement be- everyday life of people. Focusing on a is whether indigenous qoliqoli owner- tween government and rural commu- specifi cally developed research meth- ship should include both the marine nities, the latter carrying the biggest odology (e.g., including various social resources and the seafl oor, the latter responsibility for their resources. The groups); specifi c environmental condi- being currently owned by the state. government relies on the local gover- tions (e.g., deforestation activities; so- To predict what consequences nance and self-regulation skills of the cial and natural history of the island); a planned devolution of full qoliqoli coastal fi shing communities, mainly specifi c combinations and character- ownership and thus management due to lack of funds and personnel ca- istics of people involved (e.g., com- rights to local authorities might have pacity; their struggles and challenges munity structures and hierarchies), on the communities and their qoliqoli, would otherwise be much greater. and on their specifi c perceptions. this study took a critical look at cus- However, the communities cannot This study thus also emphasizes tomary tenure and CBMRM initiatives, from their present structure and skills the importance of social interaction perceptions of them by the people deal with the increasing pressure on and information exchange between primarily concerned, the driv- their resources by themselves. Knowl- offi cial agents and local communities ing their evolution and their impact on edge of the different possibilities, prac- for CBMRM. For many factors cru- marine resource use. tices and sustainable management cial for a CBMRM and conservation Besides fi shing logbooks, the use- regulations remain scarce. Resource regime to be successful, improved fulness of basic social scientifi c meth- owners, like government offi cials, transport and communication are the ods (incl. semi-directed interviews, often still do not have the means to keys. These factors include the need focus groups, life history interviews quantify the impacts and on to: and participant and non-participant the fi shery. Hence, they require (and - discover and explore ways for observation) was tested for a specifi c ask for) input from outside agencies in input from outside agencies community setting and assessed for a the form of biological, environmental in the form of biological, en- more integrated and interdisciplinary and conservation education, as well vironmental and conservation approach to CBMRM. Research was as help in planning, monitoring, evalu- education as well as help in conducted mainly in four communi- ation and enforcement. planning, monitoring, evalua-

48 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

tion and enforcement (such as end up in a situation where the gov- fi eld research period of the thesis. ‘local marine advisers’); ernment and other institutions use the The award, which I received in spring - fi nd ways to (re-)establish situation as an excuse for not provid- 2003, has thus played a key role in and maintain a strong bond ing any more extension work, help or my research course and career. When between communities and assistance to the ‘independent’ rural I applied for the ISRS/TOC award, I offi cial agents, based on con- island communities. Hence, how high had already started the degree, but tinuity, community consensus the risks following a devolution will be so far had only secured funding for and trust; for the marine resources, the subsis- my living costs for two years (which - improve ways to monitor proj- tence lifestyles and the livelihood of later got extended by a third year) by ects, grant their continuity and the people concerned, will depend a German foundation. The funds for make marine conservation and on these conditions and regulations. doing any fi eld research were hence education matters of everyday Under the present situation, a nation- very limited. The news on the positive life for the communities; wide devolution of ownership would decision of ISRS/TOC on my applica- - fi nd ways to sustainably im- therefore not be recommendable - not tion were therefore the true beginning prove the connections be- without any established and continu- of my PhD; with this secured, a longer tween communities of the ous strong correspondence between period of fi eld work in Fiji in the South same islands, amongst islands government and NGO offi cials, and Pacifi c could be planned, essential for and between urban and rural the (especially rural island) communi- the objectives of my thesis. areas. ties. Being in this way able to conduct Whether devolution will come In conclusion, it can be said that my fi eldwork in Fiji, I collected data in sooner or later – connections to the for a complex, de-centralised, multi- local island communities, mainly on main island Viti Levu and the capital stakeholder management system to the offshore island of Gau in the East Suva with its organizations and insti- work, such as that planned in Fiji, of the Republic. From April 2003 to tutions will have to be improved fi rst. the communities perceptions are of November 2004, I spent 18 months in The communities generally need and increasing importance. A more ho- Fiji, based in Suva at the University of want a closer collaboration with these listic ecosystem-based approach the South Pacifi c, from where the trips offi cial counterparts – and the planned to CBMRM in Fiji becomes vital, in- to Gau were planned. return of ownership has to be used for cluding an increased focus on core The support from ISRS/TOC (US$ good co-management and not only to individuals, their respective infl uence 8,600) covered the largest part of this release pressure from already over- (e.g., community leaders), knowledge fi eldwork. This included one interna- whelmed government departments. and character. Long-term research tional return fl ight from England, my Only then, under such an improved and assistance, based in the commu- research permit application fee for two system, a decentralization of owning nities, is recommended to detect the years, two Fijian language classes in rights would be recommendable, as specifi c concerns and integrate them Suva, all inter-island fl ights and boat the possible benefi ts could be fully into the CBMRM process. More infor- travels between the villages and is- put into use. Above all, the island mation for decision-making and more lands visited for my study, lodging in communities would be closer linked support for empowering the communi- the communities, and the interpret- to their government, ministries and ties in terms of ecological understand- ers’ salary. In addition, the necessary NGOs, and thus have better chances ing and enforcement of measures are tools for the preparation and conduct to have access to the much-needed required – and wanted by the com- of my research could be provided sources of information. munities – for strengthening the pres- for, encompassing printing, copying Consequently, to estimate the ent local management regime. Only and laminating, buying maps and a magnitude of effects of the proposed if these could be guaranteed while voice recorder (for interviews). This devolution of owning rights (and thus handing back the full owning rights to support has been invaluable – with- responsibility) it will be crucial to rig- the traditional authorities under a new out it, the thesis could not have been orously defi ne the conditions, regula- constitution, could a real step forward completed. I therefore feel honoured tions, rights and responsibilities that towards CBMRM be taken. Without to have received this award and am will be attached to the full qoliqoli organising these forces, however, Fiji tremendously grateful for this oppor- ownership, and decide whether le- will not be able to maintain its natural tunity. After fi nishing my PhD, I hope gal protection (such as that existing marine resources. to continue working in the interdisci- for the native lands) is a realistic aim At this point, I am approaching the plinary fi eld of protection, conserva- for Fiji’s coastal marine areas. Fiji will completion of my degree for PhD at tion and management of living coastal have to think very carefully about a the University of Newcastle upon Tyne marine resources, for the environment return of full qoliqoli ownership under (UK). The ISRS/TOC Fellowship was and the people using and/or depend- the new constitution in order not to the principal source of funding for the ing on them.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 49 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Allowing macroalgae growth forms to emerge: use of an agent- based model to understand the growth and spread of macroalgae in Florida coral reefs

Aletta T. Yñiguez tentially forecasting the amount of ogy and evolution2, 3. However, apart National Center for Coral Reef space taken up by certain organisms from a few studies4, 5 this approach Research (NCORE)/ is important. However, instead of just has not been adapted in the marine Marine Biology and Fisheries asking how much space is occupied realm. Rosenstiel School of Marine and by which organisms, we can also ask This project used a combined mod- Atmospheric Science how is space occupied by these or- eling and experimental approach in University of Miami ganisms? Getting at the how allows order to investigate the three-dimen- us to explore structural properties that sional growth of dominant macroal- can have consequences for biotic and gae in the Florida Reef Tract. Through Introduction abiotic interactions and provides the my model SPREAD (SPatially-explicit Macroalgae are important yet largely potential for distinguishing character- REef Algae Dynamics), the infl uence overlooked components of the coral istics of the organism that can help of light, temperature, nutrients and reef ecosystem. They play their own forecast its space utilization, and then disturbance on how macroalgae grow roles in coral reefs, ranging from pro- scale up to the spatio-temporal distri- and occupy space are being investi- viding the base in the trophic food bution of how much it can occupy. gated, while preserving their key char- chain, to giving settlement cues to Investigating how macroalgae oc- acteristics of clonality and morphologi- coral larvae, and even helping cement cupy space is relevant because of a cal plasticity and allowing their growth the reef framework. Currently, the in- key characteristic that most of them patterns to emerge. The growth and creasing abundance of fl eshy mac- (and many reef benthos) possess: morphology of these macroalgae can roalgae on reefs has been a cause of morphological plasticity. A large num- give important insights into the envi- much concern. This has been termed ber of macroalgae exhibit non-deter- ronmental conditions affecting them if a “phase-shift” wherein coral abun- ministic phenotypically plastic growth we know more about their responses, dance has declined and given way to that enable them to have different as well as allow us to forecast poten- macroalgae. This can have large im- morphologies under different condi- tial space occupation patterns6, 7. pacts on ecosystem health and func- tions. Knowledge on the variety of tion as well as the socio-economics forms macroalgae have under varying The Model: SPREAD of coral reefs. However, there is sur- conditions, can give us information prisingly little known about the basic about the environment they are expe- population and community biology riencing, the potential effect on other Conceptual framework: capturing the of these coral reef macroalgae. Yet organisms and environment itself, as biology of macroalgae such information is important in un- well as a trajectory of growth. SPREAD is intended to understand the derstanding the mechanisms of their The clonality and plasticity of link between the growth and plasticity spread on coral reefs. To investigate growth in many macroalgae and plants of macroalgae to their spatio-temporal these mechanisms, it is potentially have important implications for their dynamics. This means that the model instructive to borrow a page from ability to occupy and spread along needed to capture the main factors macroalgal invasive species studies the substrate. Lovett-Doust1 coined affecting how macroalgae grow and and focus on how these indigenous the terms “guerilla” and “phalanx” die in response to relevant environ- macroalgae grow and occupy space growth strategies to describe the two mental factors. Figure 1 shows a sim- explicitly on the reef and the factors extremes in the continuum of clonal ple conceptual diagram of the model. affecting these processes. plant growth and space exploration. The main features of this model are 1) Species with a guerilla growth form as forcing functions composed of light, Morphological plasticity and the use the name implies, have widely spaced temperature, nutrients, space and the of space and scattered ramets. On the other “internal state” of the algae modules; Space to grow, live and feed is of pri- hand, the ramets of phalanx species 2)the algae modules responding to, mary importance to organisms, and grow closely together and advance or based upon these functions, and for sessile species such as macroal- through space like a front. There ex- building up an “individual” algae; and, gae and many benthic invertebrates ists a rich literature on the relation of 3) the interactions of these modules in reefs, this is especially true. From plant/invertebrate clonal morphology through resource competition for light our perspective, quantifying and po- and growth with respect to their ecol- and space. In keeping with their mod-

50 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Figure 1. Conceptual diagram of the agent-based model for reef macroalgae dynamics. Pictures of Halimeda tuna and Dictyota menstrualis illustrate their respective thallus module. ular and clonal characteristics, and The body of these two genera is species lean towards the more subtle the questions being addressed in this composed of two primary structures: a end of the spectrum rather than dra- study, it was important to model at rhizoidal cluster, or attachment struc- matic differences in form. The most the level of the algae modules. From ture, and the thallus. Both also exhibit plastic of these species is Halimeda these local interactions, the popula- modular and clonal growth. Their rhi- opuntia which has two recognized tion and community level properties zoids and thalli grow through the it- forms. One form is composed of will emerge which allows us to explore eration of fundamental units hence oval segments that grow into a highly the mechanisms involved in forming their modularity. The iterating units of compact shape. The second form (f. these patterns. the thalli are the calcifi ed segments triloba) has trilobed segments and for Halimeda and linear segments for longer inter-segment distances which Model species Dictyota. Halimeda tuna and Halim- result in loose clumps. Dictyota spp. Species belonging to the genera Halim- eda opuntia, two commonly found can grow both in an upright and pros- eda and Dictyota are two of the domi- species in the Florida Reef Tract, both trate manner with growth forms rang- nant macroalgae found in the Florida grow on hard substrate. Dictyota spp. ing from upright compact to horizon- Reef Tract8, 9 as well as many reefs can use pavement, coarse sand and tal sparse ones. These Halimeda and around the Caribbean. They can repre- other living organisms (epiphytism) as Dictyota species also produce frag- sent 77-99% of the macroalgal biomass substrate. The morphological plas- ments which survive and reattach to in the Northern Florida Reef Tract9. ticity in these Halimeda and Dictyota produce ramets (potentially indepen-

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 51 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Figure 2. Visual output of SPREAD showing representations of Halimeda tuna (Base: Thallus: ), Halimeda opuntia (Base: Thallus: ), Dictyota sp. (Base: Thallus: ) growing in a 3D grid.

dent units). This clonality is an impor- Evolutionary Computation Laboratory Factors and processes tant part of their life histories, allowing and Center for Social Complexity at The light regime was modeled using them to persist and disperse. George Mason University. Java and the Lambert-Beer equation Idepth = I0 Mason allowed for easy translation e-k(depth) (I = irradiance at depth, I of concepts into a 3-dimensional grid depth 0 Model Implementation = surface irradiance, k = attenuation agent-based model. coeffi cient) wherein cells at the same level (equivalent to depth) experience Software platform Space the same light values expressed as The model was implemented using The stage upon where the algal mod- Photosynthetically Active Radiation the object-oriented programming lan- ules interact was modeled as a three- (PAR). Light data from fi eld sampling guage Java. Rather than starting from dimensional grid space (Figure 2). and the SEAKEYS program (http:// scratch, I extended Mason (http:// The bottom of this space represents www.keysmarinelab.org/seakeys. cs.gmu.edu/~eclab/projects/mason/), the reef substrate and the length and htm) were used. An algal module can a discrete-event multiagent simula- width of one cell is equivalent to one shade another below it based on the tion library core developed by the centimeter. species’ transparency coeffi cient.

52 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Figure 3. Mean total number of segments per Halimeda tuna individual and mean new segments per individual per day (growth rate) at the four study sites where the two graphs on the left are from the summer 2005 fi eld sampling and the two graphs on the right are data from the model SPREAD. CG: Coral Gardens, CH: Cheeca, FR: French Reef, LG: Little Grecian.

The temperature is equal at all P(growth) = P(growth light) x Following the growth of Halimeda depths and cells in the modeled space P(growth temperature) x P(growthnutrients) tuna and only varies with season (tempo- I tagged about 20 individuals of Halim- rally). Temperature data came from Mortality of the modules can oc- eda tuna in each of four sites in the my own fi eld sampling and the Flor- cur as fragments wherein a number Florida Keys: Cheeca and Coral Gar- ida International University’s South- of modules are removed from the in- dens (inshore patch reefs), and Little east Environmental Research Center dividual algae, or as the whole indi- Grecian and French Reef (offshore (http://serc.fi u.edu/wqmnetwork/). vidual algae. spur and groove reefs). I followed The nutrient regime is only coarsely them for 4-5 weeks using digital pho- represented as low, ambient and en- tos which I later analyzed for the fol- riched. This is again equal at all depths SPREAD VS. Reality lowing growth metrics: total number of and cells in the modeled space and segments, new segments, segments can be varied temporally. One of the means to test and validate lost, epiphyte load, height, width, The growth of each algal module agent-based models such as SPREAD number of axes, maximum branch is a central process that is iterated is to compare the emergent patterns order. at each time step of the model. This from the model to those found in the The results showed that French is governed by the probability of the real world10. One of the patterns that and Cheeca tended to have greater module producing another module I have initially looked at is the growth number of segments per individual as and is dependent on availability of a of Halimeda tuna in four reefs in the well as greater segment production cell to grow into the light, temperature Florida Keys during the summer of rates (termed as growth rate) while and nutrient conditions of the cells 2005 and I compared these with the Coral Gardens and Little Grecian had surrounding it: model outcome. lower values.

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 53 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Comparing fi eld data to model emergence of macroalgal growth cal Transactions of the Royal Society outcome forms that have important implica- of London. Series B, Biological Sci- ences 313:7-22. I ran SPREAD for each site using tions in terms of spatial occupation 4Collado-Vides, L., G. Gómez-Alcaraz, G. site-specifi c depth, light values (sur- and spread in the coral reef substrate. The model SPREAD allows for the Rivas-Lechuga and V. Gómez-Guti- face irradiance and attenuation co- errez. 1997. Simulation of the clonal modularity, clonality and morphologi- effi cient) and summer . growth of Bostrychia radicans (Cerami- Nutrient levels were set at ambient cal plasticity of Halimeda and Dictyota ales-Rhodophyta) using Lindenmayer and together with mortality levels spp., the dominant macroalgae in the systems. BioSystems 42:19-27. were the same in all sites. Surface ir- Florida Keys. It revolves around the it- 5Collado-Vides, L. 2002. Clonal architec- radiance and temperature were varied eration of macroalgal module produc- ture in marine macroalgae: ecological randomly each time step (day) using tion in response to light, temperature, and evolutionary perspectives. Evolu- a normal distribution. Each scenario nutrients, and space availability, and tionary Ecology 15: 531-545. 6 was allowed to run for 100 days and this process builds the individual al- Cain, M. L., S. W. Pacala, J. A. Silander Jr., and M.-J. Fortin. 1995. Neighbor- repeated 20 times. Similar measure- gae, then the population, in a patch of hood models of clonal growth in the ments as those from fi eld sampling reef substrate. Preliminary results from the model white clover Trifolium repens. The were obtained. American Naturalist 145:888-917. show that SPREAD can closely re- Comparing the main Halimeda tuna 7Sintes, T., N. Marba, C. M. Duarte, and G. morphometrics from SPREAD to the produce growth patterns of Halimeda A. Kendrick. 2005. Nonlinear process- summer 2005 fi eld data showed that tuna in Florida reefs. Initial explora- es in seagrass colonisation explained they were similar (Figure 3). Little Gre- tions also illustrate its use in poten- by simple clonal growth rules. Oikos cian, a shallow (3.2m) reef experiencing tially teasing out mechanisms and 108:165-175. relatively higher light intensities, had the factors responsible for the growth pat- 8Chiappone, M. and K.M. Sullivan. 1997. lowest growth rates compared to the terns observed. Further simulations Rapid assessment of reefs in the other sites while the deepest reef (7m), will be run and compared to more Florida Keys: results from a synoptic survey. Proceedings of the 8th Interna- French (with accompanying lower light fi eld data to investigate the relative ef- tional Coral Reef Symposium 2: 1509- intensities), had the highest growth fects of combinations of factors, the dynamics of the two other macroal- 1514. rates and individuals with more seg- 9Lirman, D. and P. Biber. 2000. Seasonal gae (Halimeda opuntia and Dictyota ments. The H. tuna growth rates and dynamics of macroalgal communities number of segments in the two shal- sp.), and the translation of individual of the Northern Florida Reef Tract. Bo- low but turbid patch reefs were in growth to horizontal spread. tanica Marina 43:305-314. the middle of the two offshore sites. 10Grimm, V., and S. F. Railsback. 2005. In- These patch reefs experienced light Acknowledgments dividual-based Modeling and Ecology. intensities that were also in between Princeton University Press, New Jer- the two offshore sites. Funding for this study came from sey, 480 pp. 11 Past studies on H. tuna populations NCORE-EPA, ISRS/OC Fellowship, Vroom, P. S., C. M. Smith, J. A. Coyer, L. J. Walters, C. L. Hunter, and K. S. at Conch Reef, Florida Keys have hy- and Project Aware. Fulbright-Philip- pines DA and UM Maytag Fellowship Beach. 2003. Field biology of Halim- pothesized that light and photo-inhibi- eda tuna (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) 11, 12 13 provided my fi nances to pursue my tion , and/or nutrients could be driv- across a depth gradient: compara- Ph.D. ing morphological differences between tive growth, survivorship, recruitment, populations. These initial results from and reproduction. Hydrobiologia 501: SPREAD indicate that the variation in References 149. light regime seemed to be enough to 12Beach, K., L. Walters, P. Vroom, C. Smith, 1 simulate the growth patterns found in Lovett Doust, L. 1981. Population dy- J. Coyer, and C. Hunter. 2003. Varial- these reefs sites. H. tuna in the rela- namics and local specialization in a bility in the ecophysiology of Halimeda clonal perennial (Ranunculus repens): tively shallow and clear waters of Little spp. (Chlorophyta, Bryopsidales) on I. the dynamics of ramets in contrast- Grecian may be experiencing the ef- Conch Reef, Florida Keys, USA. Jour- ing habitats. The Journal of Ecology nal of Phycology 39:633-643. fects of photo-inhibition while French 69:743-755. 13Smith, J.E., C.M. Smith, P.S. Vroom, experiences better light conditions for 2Cook, R.E. 1985. Growth and development K.L. Beach and S. Miller. 2004. Nutri- growth while the inshore patch reefs, in clonal plant populations. In: Jack- ent and growth dynamics of Halimeda though shallow are experiencing inter- son, J.B.C., L.W. Buss and R.E. Cook tuna on Conch Reef, Florida Keys: mediate conditions due to turbidity. (eds) Population Biology and Evolution Possible infl uence of internal on of Clonal Organisms, New Haven, Yale nutrient status and physiology. Limnol. Conclusions and Future Work University Press, pp. 259-296. Oceanogr. 49(6): 1923-1936. 3Jackson, J. B. C., and A. G. Coates. Using an agent-based model ap- 1986. Life cycles and evolution of proach enables the capture and clonal (modular) animals. Philosophi-

54 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Symbiont stability following a coral bleaching event

Michael Stat Table 1. Coral species, number of time and lends support to other stud- I received the student ISRS/Ocean colonies sampled, and the number of ies that demonstrate a stable coral- Conservancy graduate fellowship observed colonies to have bleached. symbiont relationship. in 2003. These funds were used to purchase molecular supplies for my Number of Number of bleached References research. The experiments that I per- Coral species colonies colonies formed required the use of expensive 1Stat M, Carter D, Hoegh-Guldberg O (molecular biology) resources that al- Pocillopora 12 2 (2006) The evolutionary history of lowed me to complete my research Porites cylindrica 16 Symbiodinium and scleractinian hosts Montipora digitata 6 investigating whether changes in the - Symbiosis, diversity, and the effect Seriatopora hystrix 14 4 population of the coral endosymbiont, of climate change. Perspectives in Stylophora pistillata 16 4 Plant Ecology, Evolution and System- Symbiodinium, occurs in coral follow- Lobophyllia corymbosa 13 atics 8:23-43. ing a bleaching event. This question Favites abdita 16 2 2Muscatine L, Porter J (1977) Reef corals: has direct relevance to the adaptive Goniastrea favulus 15 3 Mutualistic symbioses adapted to nu- potential of coral in light of current Acropora millepora 13 5 trient-poor environments. Bioscience and future changes in climate. Acropora palifera 15 2 27:454-460. Coral endosymbionts are unicellu- 3Hoegh-Guldberg O, Smith G (1989) The lar photosynthetic dinofl agellates that effect of sudden changes in tempera- belong to the genus Symbiodinium. eral studies that have shown that the ture, light and salinity on the popula- There are eight (A-H) divergent evolu- symbiotic interaction between antho- tion density and export of zooxanthel- tionary lineages within the genus each zoans and Symbiodinium is stable.7,8 lae from the reef corals Stylophora of which contains multiple sub-clade To determine whether the symbiont pistillata Esper and Seriatopora hystrix Dana. Journal of Experimental Marine genetic varieties.1 The mutualistic population in coral changes following Biology and Ecology 129:279-303. symbiosis between coral and Sym- a bleaching event, colonies represent- 4Buddemeier R, Fautin D (1993) Coral biodinium is what enables the growth ing ten species were monitored before bleaching as an adaptive mechanism. and formation of coral reefs.2 A loss of and after the coral bleaching event in Bioscience 43:320-325. the endosymbionts and/or their pig- 2002 in the Great Barrier Reef. Sam- 5Chen C, Wang J-T, Fang L-S, Yang Y- ment results in a whitening of the coral ples were taken from the same colo- W (2005) Fluctuating algal symbiont colony, described as coral bleaching.3 nies during July 2001, January 2002 communities in Acropora palifera Coral bleaching can lead to reduced and August 2002. The coral species, (: Acroporidae) from Tai- growth rate of the animal host and number of colonies monitored, and wan. Marine Ecology Progress Series mortality. However, this biological trait those that had been observed to have 295:113-121. 6 may also present an opportunity for bleached are presented in Table 1. Little A, van Oppen M, Willis B (2004) Flexibility in algal endosymbionts the coral hosts to change their comple- To monitor whether changes in the shapes growth in reef corals. Science ment of endosymbionts to ones more population of Symbiodinium in each 304:1492-1494. suited to the environmental condition colony occurred, single strand confor- 7Goulet T, Coffroth M (2003) Stability of an that caused bleaching to occur.4 This mational polymorphism (SSCP) was octocoral-algal symbiosis over time process of “adaptation” may occur used to visualize the endosymbiont and space. Marine Ecology Progress by shifts in the abundance of existing “fi ngerprint” at each time point based Series 250:117-124. endosymbionts, or the expulsion of on the large subunit rDNA. 8Rodriguez-Lanetty M, Chang S-J, Song existing types and acquisition of new None of the populations of Sym- J-I (2003) Specifi city of two temperate ones from the ocean environment. biodinium in the corals monitored dinofl agellate-anthozoan associations Shifts in the abundance of coral sym- changed following the bleaching from the north-western Pacifi c Ocean. bionts due to seasonal variation and event in 2002. This points to a stable Marine Biology 143:1193-1199. ontogeny of the coral host has been relationship between coral hosts and shown.5,6 However, there are also sev- their symbiotic dinofl agellates over

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 55 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

Partially protected marine reserves appear to support greater fi sh diversity

The literature assessing the effect of marine reserves has concentrated on No-Take Areas (NTAs), where all resource extraction is banned. How- ever, marine reserves that allow some resource extraction are becoming common. I refer to this type of marine reserve as a Partially Protected Area (PPA), because it clearly defi nes their restrictions in comparison to No-Take Areas, but allows for a wide range of methods for managing resource ex- traction. PPAs can regulate gears (e.g. by banning destructive gears) and/or reduce fi shing effort (by allowing ac- cess only to certain user groups or only at specifi c times). In Tanzania, E. Africa, PPAs are the dominant form of marine reserve. All reserves designated before 1995 are under IUCN category II, which exclude exploitation. However all those des- ignated since 1995 are under IUCN category VI (Managed Resource Pro- tected Area; http://www.mpaglobal. org). The recent proliferation of PPAs in Tanzania has been prompted by the trend for community-based manage- ment, the failure of seven NTAs ga- zetted there in 19751 and historical and political factors.2 During my fi rst fi eld season in Zan- zibar, Tanzania, I recognized this trend and wanted to assess whether PPAs had the ability to deliver conservation and fi sheries benefi ts, particularly im- portant because there had been little work assessing their impact. In 2003, I received a ISRS/TOC fellowship grant to assess the effect of a PPA on coral reef fi sh communities. I assessed the impacts of a PPA on the total density, biomass, mean length and species Figure 1. Map showing the location of Unguja Island, Zan- richness of commercially important zibar, Tanzania (East Africa), the location of the 10 reefs sur- fi sh and the total density, biomass veyed and Menai Bay Conservation Area. Partially protected and mean length of different fi sh tro- reefs are triangles and unprotected reefs are circles. Line in- phic groups. dicates boundary of Menai Bay Conservation Area. Reefs: 1, Menai Bay Conservation Area Changuu; 2, Bawe; 3, Pange; 4, Chawacha; 5, Tele; 6, Kwale; (MBCA) is one of six PPAs in Tanza- 7, Pungume; 8, Vundwe; 9, Kizimkazi; 10, Paje.

56 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS

the spatial proximity of sites, which would have been likely to infl uence community composition and the quality of reef habitat, using Mantel’s tests. I found no effect of the PPA on the density, biomass or mean size of commercial fi sh (Fig. 2), or on any of the individual trophic groups. However I did fi nd evidence for 60% greater fi sh species richness inside MBCA (Fig. 2). This substantial dif- ference was signifi cant even after correcting for spatial proximity and reef habitat. Although not unequivocal, this is highly suggestive of a management effect. It is likely that a reduction in the use of destructive fi shing gears inside the Bay has allowed retention of a greater number of fi sh species. Previous studies assessing different forms of PPA have only found effects on commercial fi sh populations, if at all. This has implications for the use of PPAs in conserving biodiversity, particularly in areas where destruc- tive fi shing gears are common.

Acknowledgements

Figure 2. Means and standard errors of commercial fi sh (a) density, (b) biomass (c) mean I am very grateful to the ISRS and length and (d) species richness, between unprotected (white) and partially protected TOC for my fellowship, which paid (grey) reefs (** P < 0.01). for a whole fi eld season (nearly fi ve months) for myself and a research assistant, covering our fl ights, visas, research permits, boat hire, accom- nia. It was gazetted in 1997,3 and cov- studies fi nding greater commercial modation and subsistence. Thank ers 470 km2, comprising the southern fi sh biomass, density, length and you to the ISRS and TOC for setting end of Unguja island, which lies 35 km species richness in No-Take Ar- up this fellowship and the donor who from the coast of Tanzania (Fig. 1). It eas.4,5,6,7,8,9,10 I used standard Under- supported it. Funding for fi eldwork is contains no NTAs. Destructive fi shing water Visual Census techniques (100 not often provided by studentships. techniques (e.g. beach seines (juya m x 10 m transects) to measure reef The ISRS/TOC fellowship represents in Kiswahili), dynamite, spear-guns fi sh communities and habitat at fi ve a critical source of fi eldwork fund- and poisons) are prohibited follow- sites inside and fi ve outside the PPA. ing for Ph.D. students studying coral ing Fisheries Principal Regulations, Some of these sites were located in reefs. which declared these gears illegal in relatively remote parts of Zanzibar, Dr. Elizabeth Tyler Zanzibar in 1993.3 However, due to and involved staying in small coastal Visiting Researcher, Zoology limited fi nances and infrastructure, villages and hiring local fi shing boats. Department, Cambridge University enforcement of these regulations out- At each village, we turned up as a sort Downing Street, side managed areas is virtually non- of travelling circus in a local Zanzibari Cambridge CB1 3EJ existent (Jiddawi, pers. comm. 2006). bus, a ‘dala dala’, piled with buckets, [email protected] Camping by visiting fi shermen on rope, fuel cans, dive tanks and com- islands in the Bay is also seasonally pressor. restricted.3 As comparisons of marine re- I used a study design and method serves with unprotected sites need similar to those used by previous to be made cautiously, I corrected for

Reef Encounter 34, May 2007 57 FELLOWSHIP REPORTS / DIARY

References and status of reef fi sh communities. 8Roberts, C.M. (1995) Rapid build-up of Biological Conservation, 75, 201-09. fi sh biomass in a Caribbean Marine 1 McClanahan, T.R. (1999) Is there a future 5Letourneur, Y. (1996) Infl uence of estab- Reserve. Conservation Biology, 9(4), for coral reef parks in poor tropical lishing marine reserves on fi sh popu- 815-26. countries? Coral Reefs, 18(4), 321-25. lations: The case of Mayotte Island 9Wantiez, L., Thollot, P. & Kulbicki, M. 2 McClanahan, T., Verheij, E. & Maina, J. (western Indian Ocean). Ecoscience, (1997) Effects of marine reserves on (2006) Comparing the management 3(4), 442-50. coral reef fi sh communities from fi ve effectiveness of a marine park and 6McClanahan, T.R. & Arthur, R. (2001) The islands in New Caledonia. Coral Reefs, a multiple-use collaborative fi sher- effect of marine reserves and habitat 16(4), 215-24. ies management area in East Africa. on populations of East African coral 10Watson, M. & Ormond, R.F.G. (1994) Ef- Aquatic Conservation: Marine and reef fi shes. Ecological Applications, fect of an artisanal fi shery on the fi sh Freshwater Ecosystems, 16, 147-65. 11(2), 559-69. and urchin populations of a Kenyan 3 Sichone, W.A. (2000). Menai Bay Conser- 7McClanahan, T.R., Muthiga, N.A., Kamuk- coral reef. Marine Ecology Progress vation Area: WWF-UK Annual Project uru, A.T., Machano, H. & Kiambo, R.W. Series, 109(2-3), 115-29. Report. In, p 19. Commission of Natu- (1999) The effects of marine parks and ral Resources, Zanzibar, Tanzania. fi shing on coral reefs of northern Tan- 4 Jennings, S., Marshall, S.S. & Polunin, zania. Biological Conservation, 89(2), N.V.C. (1996) Seychelles’ marine pro- 161-82. tected areas: comparative structure

DIARY First Sclerochronology Conference

July 17–21, 2007, Hilton St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

Sclerochronology is used to recon- entrained by a host of environmental communication and feature recent struct records of environmental and cli- and astronomical pacemakers. Famil- advances in sclerochronology. matic change through space and time iar examples include daily banding in For more information and regis- - it is the study of physical and chemi- reef coral skeletons or annual growth tration: cal variations in the accretionary hard rings in mollusk shells. http://conference.ifas.ufl .edu/ tissues of organisms, and the tempo- This conference is important be- sclerochronology/index.html ral context in which they formed. cause sclerochronology is such a Sclerochronology focuses pri- multi-disciplinary pursuit, and yet lines DEADLINE to register at reduced fee marily upon growth patterns refl ecting of communication amongst research- for NCER 2007 is Friday, March 31, annual, monthly, fortnightly, tidal, dai- ers in this fi eld are not very well-es- 2007. ly, and sub-daily increments of time tablished so their goal is to promote

58 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 Reef Encounter No. 34, May 2007 Magazine of the International Society for Reef Studies

Editor William F Precht Associate Editors Martha L Robbart and Beth Zimmer [email protected]

President CONTENTS Richard Aronson, Dauphin Island Sea Lab., P.O. Box 369 370 Dauphin 3 Editorial Island, AL 36528, USA, Tel +1 334 861 7567, Fax +1 334 861 7540, Email: [email protected] 3 ISRS News Vice President Tim McClanahan, Wildlife Conservation Society, Kibaki Flats No. 12, 12 News Bamburi, Kenyatta Beach, P.O. Box 99470, Mombasa, 80107 Kenya, Email: [email protected], phone: 254 41 5486549 17 Obituaries Corresponding Secretary Isabelle Cote, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser 23 Currents University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1SA, Canada, Tel + 1-604-291-37051, Email: [email protected] 36 Fellowship Reports Recording Secretary Robert van Woesik, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Institute 58 Diary of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL 32901 32901, USA, Tel +1 321 674 7475, Email: rvw@fi t.edu Treasurer John Ware, SeaServices, Inc., 19572 Club House Road, Montgomery Village, MD 20886, USA, Tel +1 301 987 8531, Email: [email protected] Magazine Editors Sue Wells, Email: [email protected] Coral Reefs Editor in Chief B Brown, Geological Editor PK Swart, Ecological Editor P Mumby, Biological Editors HR Lasker, M McCormick and M van Oppen, Environmental Editors K Fabricius and R van Woesik Council AH Baird, S Coles, M Hidaka, D Hubbard, M McField, C Rogers ISRS Sustaining Members H Arnold, JS Ault, BE Brown & R Dunne, DG Fautin & RW Buddemeier, RN Ginsburg, AJ Hooten, LL Jackson, B Keller, M Keyes, WE Kiene, T McClanahan & N Muthiga, S Miller, J Pringle, J Ruitenbeek, DR Stoddart, KA Teleki, JR Ware & W Ware ISRS Honorary Members J Connell, S Kawaguti, DW Kinsey, JE Randall, G Scheer, DR Stoddart, JI Tracey Jr. The International Society for Reef Studies was founded at a meeting in Churchill College, Cambridge, UK in December 1980. Its aim under the constitution is to promote for the benefi t of the public, the production and dissemination of scientifi c knowledge and un der stand ing concerning coral reefs, both living and fossil. In order to achieve its aim, the Society has the following powers: Reef Encounter is printed on recycled paper by Allen Press Inc., i. To hold meetings, symposia, conferences and other gatherings to disseminate this scientifi c 810 East Tenth, Lawrence, KS 66044, USA. knowledge and understanding of coral reefs, both living and fossil. ii. To print, publish and sell, lend and distribute any papers, treatise or communications relating to coral reefs, living and fossil, and any Reports of the Proceedings or the Accounts of the Society iii. To raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation or otherwise providing that the Society shall not undertake any per ma nent Cover image: A hawksbill turtle named “Curious trading activities in raising funds for its primary objects. George” at Windmill Beach in Guantanamo Bay, The Society collaborates with Springer-Verlag in producing the quarterly journal Coral Reefs. This large-format journal is issued free of charge to all members of the Society, and con cen - Cuba. Photo by Martha Robbart. trates on quantitative and theoretical reef studies, including experimental and laboratory work and modelling.

COPY DEADLINE FOR REEF EN COUN TER 35 (due November 2007) is 15 September 2007

2 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 Reef Encoun ter 34, May 2007 59