FromFrom SkepticismSkepticism toto TakingTaking Action:Action: ClimateClimate ChangeChange andand CoralCoral BleachingBleaching

CoralCoral Reefs,Reefs, ClimateClimate andand CoralCoral BleachingBleaching WorkshopWorkshop

Billy D. Causey, NOAA / FKNMS Paul Marshall, PhD. GBRMPA Heidi Schuttenberg, PhD. NOAA June 18-20, 2003 O’ahu, Hawaii PresentationPresentation OutlineOutline

•• ReviewReview ofof 2424 YearYear historyhistory ofof coralcoral bleachingbleaching

•• EvidenceEvidence ofof intensificationintensification ofof bleachingbleaching

•• ScientificScientific dialoguedialogue regardingregarding bleachingbleaching

•• ManagementManagement issuesissues relatedrelated toto bleachingbleaching

•• ManagementManagement solutionssolutions “Coral“Coral bleachingbleaching andand mortalitymortality rankrank asas probablyprobably thethe majormajor threatthreat toto thethe reefsreefs inin thethe Pacific.”Pacific.”

CliveClive WilkinsonWilkinson -- 20022002 ClimateClimate TrendsTrends StatusStatus •• 1010 warmestwarmest yearsyears onon recordrecord havehave occurredoccurred sincesince 19831983

•• 77 ofof thesethese sincesince 19901990

•• FastestFastest globalglobal warmingwarming raterate inin 10,00010,000 yearsyears CoralCoral BleachingBleaching •• IntensifiedIntensified overover thethe pastpast twotwo decadesdecades •• SeemsSeems toto bebe synchronizedsynchronized aroundaround ElEl NiñoNiño eventsevents …………(Peter Glynn, 1984) •• ElevatedElevated oceanocean temperaturestemperatures •• RelatedRelated secondarysecondary impactsimpacts CoralCoral BleachingBleaching TrendsTrends 19791979 •• MassiveMassive diedie--offoff ofof barrelbarrel spongessponges ((XestospongiaXestospongia mutamuta)) inin thethe LowerLower FloridaFlorida KeysKeys

19801980 19831983 •• 66 weeksweeks ofof doldrumdoldrum-- •• 44 weeksweeks ofof doldrumdoldrum--likelike likelike weatherweather (slick(slick-- weatherweather calmcalm sea)sea) •• FirstFirst largelarge--scalescale coralcoral •• MassiveMassive fishfish killkill bleaching on Lower alongalong reefreef tracttract bleaching on Lower FloridaFlorida KeysKeys outerouter reefsreefs •• MinorMinor bleachingbleaching •• LongLong--spinedspined seasea urchinurchin diedie--offoff • Yellow Sponge Die-off 19831983 CoralCoral bleachingbleaching LowerLower FloridaFlorida KeysKeys

“From“From aa distance,distance, spursspurs lookedlooked likelike snowsnow--drapeddraped ridges.”ridges.” ……Walt Jaap(1985)

19831983 DiademaDiadema diedie--offoff 1983 First Massive Coral Bleaching Event

Outer Reef Tract Looe Key Reef to Western Dry Rocks “The“The zooxanthellaezooxanthellae expulsionexpulsion inin thethe FloridaFlorida KeysKeys duringduring 19831983 waswas mostmost probablyprobably thethe resultresult ofof elevatedelevated temperatures.”temperatures.” ….….WaltWalt JaapJaap (1985)(1985) However,However, wewe diddid notnot learnlearn untiluntil laterlater that:that:

“Eastern“Eastern PacificPacific reefreef coralscorals beganbegan bleachingbleaching inin somesome areasareas [off[off Panama]Panama] byby JanuaryJanuary 1983,1983, andand continuedcontinued inin 22--33 boutsbouts untiluntil December.”December.”

……..…….. PeterPeter GlynnGlynn (1983,(1983, 1984)1984) CoralCoral BleachingBleaching TrendsTrends (Cont.)(Cont.) 19861986 19871987 •• LargeLarge--scalescale blackblack-- •• DoldrumDoldrum weatherweather patternspatterns bandband diseasedisease •• MassiveMassive bleachingbleaching outbreakoutbreak inin thethe throughoutthroughout thethe FloridaFlorida KeysKeys LowerLower FloridaFlorida •• RestrictedRestricted toto outerouter reefreef tracttract KeysKeys ** Local,Local, regional,regional, andand globalglobal ** AtlanticAtlantic && PacificPacific bleachingbleaching eventevent 19871987 GlobalGlobal coralcoral bleachingbleaching eventevent

19861986 BlackBlack bandband diseasedisease LooeLooe KeyKey ReefReef

LLooeooe KeyKey ReefReef 1987 First Reported Coral Bleaching Event Similtaneously occurring Keyswide, throughout Caribbean and in the Pacific

Restricted to Corals on outer reef tract “The“The 19871987 zooxanthellaezooxanthellae expulsionexpulsion eventevent waswas thethe mostmost massivemassive oneone knownknown inin Florida.”Florida.” ….…. WaltWalt JaapJaap (1988)(1988) TheThe IntensityIntensity andand GeographicalGeographical ExtentExtent OfOf thethe 19871987 CoralCoral BleachingBleaching EventEvent caughtcaught TheThe attentionattention ofof thethe USUS CongressCongress

NovemberNovember 10,10, 19871987 SenatorSenator LowellLowell P.P. WeickerWeicker •• ConvenedConvened aa hearinghearing inin WashingtonWashington •• CommitteeCommittee onon AppropriationsAppropriations •• GatherGather expertexpert testimonytestimony onon extent,extent, possiblepossible causescauses andand consequencesconsequences ofof thethe eventevent andand toto suggestsuggest aa coursecourse ofof actionaction CoralCoral BleachingBleaching WorkshopWorkshop ConvenedConvened FollowingFollowing HearingHearing St.St. Croix,Croix, USVIUSVI MayMay 19881988 “Mass“Mass BleachingBleaching ofof CoralCoral ReefsReefs inin TheThe Caribbean:Caribbean: AA ResearchResearch StrategyStrategy””

WorkshopWorkshop ProceedingsProceedings editededited by:by: JohnJohn C.C. OgdenOgden RobertRobert WicklundWicklund 19871987 WorkshopWorkshop ObjectivesObjectives

•• ExamineExamine thethe bleachingbleaching eventevent postpost--factofacto,, suggestsuggest mostmost likelylikely hypothesishypothesis explainingexplaining it,it, andand developdevelop aa protocolprotocol forfor datadata collectioncollection toto supportsupport oror rejectreject hypotheses.hypotheses.

•• DevelopDevelop aa protocolprotocol toto examineexamine thethe causescauses andand consequencesconsequences ofof bleachingbleaching onon thethe organism,organism, communitycommunity andand ecosystemecosystem levels.levels.

•• DevelopDevelop aa seriesseries ofof recommendationsrecommendations toto followfollow thethe consequencesconsequences ofof thethe bleachingbleaching eventevent overover thethe shortshort--term,term, andand suggestsuggest mechanismsmechanisms toto monitormonitor thethe CaribbeanCaribbean andand respondrespond toto similarsimilar eventsevents inin thethe future.future. EcologicalEcological EffectsEffects ofof BleachingBleaching (Identified by Workshop Participants) ShortShort--termterm EffectsEffects •• immediatelyimmediately increasesincreases thethe vulnerabilityvulnerability ofof coralcoral reefsreefs toto otherother sourcessources ofof stressstress •• reducedreduced coralcoral growthgrowth •• increasedincreased coralcoral mortalitymortality •• emigrationemigration ofof corallivorescorallivores •• predatorpredator concentrationconcentration •• increasedincreased bioerosionbioerosion •• decreaseddecreased recruitmentrecruitment •• changechange inin microbialmicrobial loadingloading inin sedimentssediments •• increasedincreased susceptibilitysusceptibility ofof coralscorals toto diseasesdiseases •• changechange inin zooplanktonzooplankton inin thethe waterwater columncolumn EcologicalEcological EffectsEffects ofof BleachingBleaching LongLong--termterm EffectsEffects •• lossloss ofof reefreef frameworkframework •• decreasedecrease inin spatialspatial heterogeneityheterogeneity •• alterationalteration ofof foodfood webswebs •• decreasedecrease inin coralcoral recruitmentrecruitment •• decreasedecrease inin fishfish recruitmentrecruitment •• lossloss ofof shorelineshoreline protectionprotection •• decreaseddecreased tourismtourism •• lossloss ofof educationaleducational benefitsbenefits •• lossloss ofof speciesspecies ---- geneticgenetic bankbank •• lossloss ofof sandsand supplysupply •• lossloss ofof seagrasses,seagrasses, mangrovesmangroves •• declinedecline inin fisheriesfisheries “While“While notablenotable changeschanges inin severalseveral environmentalenvironmental factorsfactors werewere observedobserved inin 19821982--8383 [eastern[eastern Pacific]Pacific] ….…. thethe bleachingbleaching responseresponse waswas closelyclosely correlatedcorrelated withwith seasea warmingwarming atat severalseveral localities.”localities.” ….…. PeterPeter GlynnGlynn (1988)(1988) RecommendationsRecommendations forfor ImmediateImmediate andand FutureFuture ActionAction ImmediateImmediate ActionAction •• MonitorMonitor selectedselected sitessites overover thethe nextnext yearyear (1988)(1988) toto tracktrack thethe bleachingbleaching event,event, thethe eventualeventual fatefate ofof bleachedbleached corals,corals, andand gathergather relevantrelevant environmentalenvironmental datadata atat selectedselected researchresearch sites.sites.

•• MonitoringMonitoring protocolsprotocols shouldshould bebe widelywidely distributeddistributed

•• SeekSeek cooperationcooperation fromfrom asas manymany sitessites asas possiblepossible

•• DataData gatheredgathered inin aa standardizedstandardized formatformat andand centrallycentrally processedprocessed andand mademade availableavailable toto regionalregional workersworkers

•• WorkshopWorkshop nominatednominated JudJudyy LanLangg toto developdevelop protocolprotocol FutureFuture ActionsActions

•• EstablishEstablish anan alertalert andand communicationscommunications CenterCenter thatthat wouldwould gathergather andand disseminatedisseminate informationinformation onon phenomenaphenomena suchsuch asas bleachingbleaching andand diseasesdiseases

•• AA programprogram bebe establishedestablished toto systematicallysystematically studystudy coralcoral reefsreefs andand coastalcoastal ecosystemsecosystems ofof thethe entireentire CaribbeanCaribbean andand adjacentadjacent regionsregions toto collectcollect basebase--lineline datadata andand monitormonitor thethe generalgeneral healthhealth ofof thethe coastalcoastal zonezone -- CARICOMPCARICOMP waswas inin formativeformative stagesstages ThermographThermograph LocationsLocations inin thethe FKNMSFKNMS • 32 meters to record water temperature • 7 CMAN Stations along reef tract and Florida Bay CoralCoral BleachingBleaching TrendsTrends (Cont.)(Cont.) 19901990 •• DoldrumDoldrum weatherweather patternspatterns inin JulyJuly •• MassiveMassive bleachingbleaching ** CoralCoral bleachedbleached inshoreinshore forfor thethe firstfirst timetime ** LargeLarge--scalescale coralcoral mortalitymortality forfor thethe firstfirst timetime - 65% of fire coral on some reefs •• GlobalGlobal bleachingbleaching eventevent 19901990 19901990 65%65% LossLoss ofof FireFire coralcoral

FireFire coralcoral bleachingbleaching FireFire coralcoral mortalitymortality 19951995 19961996

HealthyHealthy coralcoral DiseasedDiseased coralcoral 1990 First Keyswide Inshore to Offshore Coral Bleaching Event

First Massive Coral Die-off recorded (July-November) Coincided with Caribbean and Pacific Bleaching Event WorkshopWorkshop onon CoralCoral Bleaching,Bleaching, CoralCoral ReefReef EcosystemsEcosystems andand GlobalGlobal ClimateClimate ChangeChange -- Miami,Miami, Florida.Florida. JuneJune 1818--21,21, 19911991

OrganizingOrganizing Committee:Committee:

ChristopherChristopher F.F. D’EliaD’Elia RobertRobert W.W. BuddemeierBuddemeier StephenStephen V.V. SmithSmith WorkshopWorkshop ConclusionsConclusions

•• OnOn aa globalglobal averageaverage basis,basis, coralcoral reefsreefs areare beingbeing lostlost oror degradeddegraded atat anan alarmingalarming raterate

•• AtAt present,present, wewe lacklack thethe datadata neededneeded toto confirm,confirm, quantify,quantify, oror explainexplain thisthis trendtrend onon aa scientificscientific basisbasis

•• BleachingBleaching meritsmerits seriousserious studystudy asas anan indicatorindicator ofof coralcoral stressstress andand environmentalenvironmental qualityquality WorkshopWorkshop ConclusionsConclusions (continued)(continued) •• OnOn thethe basisbasis ofof presentpresent understanding,understanding, definitions,definitions, andand environmentalenvironmental records,records, therethere isis nono crediblecredible theoreticaltheoretical oror empiricalempirical basisbasis forfor thethe claimclaim thatthat bleachingbleaching isis oror cancan bebe usedused asas aa reliablereliable indicatorindicator ofof globalglobal climateclimate changechange

•• AnthropogenicAnthropogenic environmentalenvironmental alterationsalterations onon global,global, regional,regional, andand locallocal levelslevels areare reasonreason forfor seriousserious concernconcern aboutabout thethe healthhealth andand locallocal survivalsurvival ofof coralcoral reefreef ecosystemsecosystems WorkshopWorkshop RecommendationsRecommendations ForFor ScientificScientific ActionAction •• DevelopmentDevelopment ofof aa researchresearch--orientedoriented coralcoral reefreef monitoringmonitoring programprogram ofof globalglobal scalescale

•• AA coordinatedcoordinated programprogram ofof researchresearch atat laboratory,laboratory, microcosm,microcosm, andand fieldfield scalesscales

•• ContinuedContinued interdisciplinaryinterdisciplinary reviewreview andand coordinationcoordination ofof researchresearch needsneeds andand opportunitiesopportunities inin thethe areaarea ofof overlapoverlap betweenbetween coralcoral reefreef studiesstudies andand largerlarger environmentalenvironmental andand geosciencegeoscience issuesissues WorkshopWorkshop onon CoralCoral Bleaching,Bleaching, CoralCoral ReefReef EcosystemsEcosystems andand GlobalGlobal ClimateClimate ChangeChange -- Miami,Miami, Florida.Florida. JuneJune 1818--21,21, 19911991

TheThe GreatGreat BarrierBarrier ReefReef MarineMarine ParkPark AutAuthhorityority positionposition::

“We“We presentlypresently believebelieve thatthat thethe issueissue mostmost likelylikely toto proveprove ofof greatestgreatest consequenceconsequence toto thethe longlong termterm healthhealth ofof thethe GBRGBR inin thethe foreseeableforeseeable futurefuture isis thatthat ofof nutrientnutrient buildbuild--upup..””

“It“It isis totallytotally unnecessaryunnecessary,, andand inin factfact veryvery unwiunwissee toto focusfocus primarilyprimarily onon coralcoral bleachingbleaching oror longlong termterm climateclimate change.”change.” Dr.Dr. DonaldDonald W.W. KinseyKinsey -- GBRMPAGBRMPA CoralCoral BleachingBleaching TrendsTrends (Cont.)(Cont.) 19971997 •• DoldrumDoldrum weatherweather patternspatterns •• MassiveMassive bleachingbleaching •• InshoreInshore andand offshoreoffshore coralscorals affectedaffected •• AlertsAlerts fromfrom 3rd3rd generationgeneration FloridaFlorida KeysKeys residentsresidents •• LargeLarge lossloss ofof livingliving coralscorals •• GlobalGlobal bleachingbleaching eventevent CoralCoral BleachingBleaching TrendsTrends (Cont.)(Cont.)

19981998 •• WaterWater remainedremained warmwarm fromfrom 19971997 •• MassiveMassive bleachingbleaching continuedcontinued •• InshoreInshore andand offshoreoffshore coralscorals affectedaffected •• ContinuedContinued lossloss ofof livingliving coralscorals •• GlobalGlobal bleachingbleaching eventevent ** FirstFirst backback--toto--backback annualannual coralcoral bleachingbleaching •• HurricaneHurricane GeorgesGeorges 1997-1998 Global Coral Bleaching Event

First back to back Bleaching in the Keys Massive Coral Mortality in Keys Reports from 3rd generation “Conchs”

*Footnote: Sept to Nov 1998 - Hurricane Georges and Tropical Storm Mitch hit Florida Keys “The“The majormajor coralcoral bleachingbleaching andand mortalitymortality eventevent ofof latelate 19971997 andand 19981998 waswas byby farfar thethe worstworst onon recordrecord andand alsoalso thethe mostmost widespread.widespread.

………… “Reefs“Reefs inin thethe 33 OceansOceans werewere affectedaffected withwith severesevere bleachingbleaching ……..”……..” CliveClive WilkinsonWilkinson …… 20022002 CoralCoral BleachingBleaching TrendsTrends SummarySummary

•• LocalLocal patternspatterns ofof increasedincreased durationduration •• PatternsPatterns ofof geographicalgeographical expansionexpansion •• CoralCoral reefsreefs areare respondingresponding toto warmingwarming trendstrends ScientificScientific Monitoring:Monitoring: CoralsCorals

Percent Stony Coral Cover, CRMP

12% Bleaching Year 10% Bleaching Year 3 Non-Bleaching Years 8%

6%

4%

2%

0% 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Year

CoralCoral covercover declineddeclined betweenbetween 19961996 andand 19991999 andand leveledleveled offoff inin 2000/2001/2002.2000/2001/2002. “Coral“Coral reefsreefs throughoutthroughout thethe worldworld areare currentlycurrently experiencingexperiencing acceleratedaccelerated degradationdegradation.”.”

….Wilkinson (1992, 1999) …. Sebens (1994)

•• reducedreduced coralcoral covercover •• reducedreduced fishfish abundanceabundance •• reducedreduced speciesspecies diversitydiversity •• manymany causalcausal factorsfactors •• coralcoral bleachingbleaching isis majormajor agentagent ofof changechange “Mass“Mass coralcoral bleachingbleaching isis currentlycurrently viewedviewed asas aa majormajor threatthreat toto thethe longlong--termterm healthhealth ofof coralcoral reefreef communities.”communities.”

…. Bruno, et al (2001) ChangingChanging CommunityCommunity StructureStructure

““ReefReef--buildingbuilding coralscorals areare notnot allall equallyequally susceptiblesusceptible toto thethe influenceinfluence ofof increasedincreased temperature.”temperature.” ….…. OveOve HoeghHoegh--GuldbergGuldberg (2000)(2000)

“The“The oppositeopposite isis truetrue ofof thethe membersmembers ofof thethe genusgenus AcroporaAcropora ((staghornstaghorn coralscorals),), whichwhich showshow aa greatergreater sensitivitysensitivity toto slightslight increasesincreases inin waterwater temperaturetemperature …..…..upup toto 95%95% ofof coloniescolonies maymay bleachbleach andand diedie inin thethe subsequentsubsequent 33--66 monthsmonths followingfollowing thethe reductionreduction inin temperaturetemperature stress.”stress.” ((SalvatSalvat 1991;1991; GleasonGleason 1993;1993; HoeghHoegh--GuldbergGuldberg 19941994 CoralCoral BleachingBleaching vsvs OtherOther StressorsStressors

““ WhereasWhereas globalglobal climateclimate changechange alonealone maymay modifymodify thethe naturenature ofof coralcoral reefreef ecosystems,ecosystems, aa changechange inin seasea temperaturetemperature combinedcombined withwith thethe impactimpact ofof nutrientnutrient pollution,pollution, increasedincreased sedimentationsedimentation andand otherother stressesstresses suchsuch asas destructivedestructive fishingfishing practicespractices maymay wellwell totallytotally eliminateeliminate reefsreefs fromfrom somesome areas.”areas.”

…….Wilkinson…….Wilkinson andand BuddemeierBuddemeier (1994)(1994) STESSORSSTESSORS ONON CORALCORAL Habitat Destruction REEFSREEFS Coral Diseases Nutrients from Pollution

Overfishing Intense Coastal Development

Wastewater Nutrients Stormwater Runoff

Massive Algal Blooms

Introduction of Marine Exotics ManagementManagement IssuesIssues DueDue ToTo CoralCoral BleachingBleaching •• BleachingBleaching isis onlyonly oneone ofof thethe manymany stressorsstressors affectingaffecting coralcoral reefsreefs •• MustMust considerconsider cumulativecumulative effecteffect ofof bleachingbleaching alongalong withwith pollutionpollution andand physicalphysical destructiondestruction •• BleachingBleaching hashas aa majormajor influenceinfluence onon thethe healthhealth ofof coralcoral reefsreefs •• CoralCoral bleachingbleaching continuescontinues toto geographicallygeographically expandexpand •• UpperUpper thermalthermal thresholdsthresholds ofof coralscorals andand otherother reefreef inhabitantsinhabitants areare beingbeing exceededexceeded ManagementManagement IssuesIssues DueDue toto CoralCoral BleachingBleaching (cont.)(cont.)

•• LossLoss ofof biodiversitybiodiversity •• LossLoss ofof criticalcritical marinemarine habitathabitat •• LossLoss ofof importantimportant commercialcommercial andand recreationalrecreational fisheriesfisheries •• DeclineDecline inin ecoeco--tourismtourism willwill havehave economiceconomic impactsimpacts “The“The highhigh likelihoodlikelihood thatthat therethere willwill bebe increasesincreases inin thethe climateclimate--relatedrelated frequencyfrequency ofof seasea warmingwarming eventsevents causingcausing majormajor coralcoral bleachingbleaching andand coralcoral deathdeath inin comingcoming decadesdecades makesmakes effectiveeffective stewardshipstewardship ofof coralcoral reefsreefs andand associatedassociated habitatshabitats nownow moremore importantimportant thanthan ever.”ever.” ………… TerryTerry DoneDone (2001)(2001)