Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Human impacts on coral reefs of Northwestern Hawaiian islands revealed

Human impacts on coral reefs of Northwestern Hawaiian islands revealed

April 08, 2009

Results of a new study shed light on how threats to the world's endangered coral reef ecosystems can be more effectively managed.

In the current issue of the journal Coral Reefs, authors Kimberly Selkoe and Benjamin Halpern, both of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) at the University of California at Santa Barbara, explain how maps of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI)--a vast area stretching across more than 1,200 miles of Pacific Ocean--can be used to make informed decisions about protecting the world's fragile coral reefs.




"Our maps of cumulative human impacts are a powerful tool for synthesizing and visualizing the state of the oceans," said Selkoe, who is also affiliated with Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii.

"The maps can aid in zoning uses of the oceans in an informed way that maximizes commercial and societal benefits, while minimizing further cumulative impact."

President George W. Bush declared the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands a National Monument in 2006, "in part because it is one of the last places in the oceans that have not been heavily altered by human activities," said Halpern.

"Despite the islands' extreme isolation, however, humans are already significantly impacting this area," he said. "Many of the key threats, such as those associated with climate change, are not mitigated with Monument designation."

The study was designed to help natural resource managers make decisions on issues such as surveillance priorities, granting of permits for use, and selection of areas to monitor for climate change effects.

"The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument is a crown jewel in the national and international array of marine protected areas, designed to preserve the ecosystems of these isolated islands," said Phillip Taylor of the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Division of Ocean Sciences, which funded the research.

"This study is an important effort to assess and predict human effects on the oceans," Taylor said. "It shows how far-reaching human influences are, and will serve as a baseline in efforts to prevent and mitigate future harm."

The authors studied 14 threats specific to NWHI. The threats, all generated by humans, included invasive species, bottom fishing, lobster trap fishing, ship-based pollution, ship strike risks, marine debris, research diving, research equipment installation and wildlife sacrifice for research.

Human-induced climate change threats were also studied, including increased ultraviolet radiation, ocean acidification, ocean temperature anomalies relevant to disease outbreaks and coral bleaching, and sea level rise.

Increased rates of coral disease due to warming ocean temperatures were found to have the highest impact, along with other climate-related threats.

"With the scientific justification provided by our study, the managers of the Monument have an opportunity to make addressing the worst threats a top priority," said Selkoe.

"By updating the map of cumulative impacts through time, success of management plans in reducing impacts can be measured, and permits for new uses can be evaluated in the context of how they add to these impacts."

The authors note that this analysis can serve as a case study for other areas and managers interested in mapping region-specific cumulative human impacts.

National Science Foundation



Related Coral Reefs Current Events and Coral Reefs News Articles Coral Reefs Current Events and Coral Reefs News RSS Coral Reefs Current Events and Coral Reefs News RSS
TEEB report released on the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity for policy makers
Policy makers who factor the planet's multi-trillion dollar ecosystem services into their national and international investment strategies are likely to see far higher rates of return and stronger economic growth in the 21st century.

Sponges recycle carbon to give life to coral reefs
Coral reefs support some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, yet they thrive in a marine desert. So how do reefs sustain their thriving populations?

Coral reefs inspire rare consensus -- just save them
One of the first set of studies to examine what tourists and recreation enthusiasts actually think about coral reef ecosystems suggests they are a rare exception to controversies over human use versus environmental conservation - their stunning beauty is so extraordinary that almost everyone wants them protected in perpetuity.

Calm before the spawn: Climate change and coral spawning
What's the point of setting up marine reserves to protect coral reefs from pollution, ship groundings and overfishing if climate change could cause far more damage? A study published this week in London in Proceedings of the Royal Society B provides the answer.

The white stuff: Marine lab team seeks to understand coral bleaching
With technology similar to that used by physicians to perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, researchers from six institutions-including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-working at the Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML) in Charleston, S.C., are studying the metabolic activity of a pathogen shown to cause coral bleaching, a serious threat to undersea reef ecosystems worldwide.

What are coral reef services worth? $130,000 to $1.2 million per hectare, per year: experts
Experts concluding the global DIVERSITAS biodiversity conference today in Cape Town described preliminary research revealing jaw-dropping dollar values of the "ecosystem services" of biomes like forests and coral reefs - including food, pollution treatment and climate regulation.

Coral bleaching increases chances of coral disease
Mass coral bleaching has devastated coral colonies around the world for almost three decades. Now scientists have found that bleaching can make corals more susceptible to disease and, in turn, coral disease can exacerbate the negative effects of bleaching.

Combining sun, sand and science in the Bahamas
It is well known that people from all over the world come to the Bahamas to enjoy the pristine waters, spectacular coral reefs and great fishing.

Man-made crises 'outrunning our ability to deal with them,' scientists warn
The world faces a compounding series of crises driven by human activity, which existing governments and institutions are increasingly powerless to cope with, a group of eminent environmental scientists and economists has warned.

Time to tap climate-change-combating potential of the world's ecosystems
Investing in restoration and maintenance of the Earth's multi-trillion dollar ecosystems - from forests and mangroves to wetlands and river basins - can have a key role in countering climate change and climate-proofing vulnerable economies.
More Coral Reefs Current Events and Coral Reefs News Articles
Coral Reefs (World Life Library)

Coral Reefs (World Life Library)
by Charles Sheppard (Author)

"Coral Reefs" is a must-have for nature enthusiasts, environmentalists and ocean lovers. This book is an excellent general introduction to coral reefs and is full of fascinating facts and fabulous four-color photographs. It presents scientific insights and information in a way that is not only readable but highly enjoyable to a popular audience.

This book explores the major regions where coral reefs live, which include the Bahamas Bank in the greater Caribbean region, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Great Barrier Reef, the largest reef structure in the world. Readers will become familiar with the interlocking web of life that the reefs support, as well as how the reefs form and grow.

About one third of the world's reefs have been killed or nearly so by abuse and...

World Atlas of Coral Reefs

World Atlas of Coral Reefs
by Mark D. Spalding (Author), Edmund P. Green (Author), Corinna Ravilious (Author)

Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse habitats in the world, host to an extraordinary variety of marine plants and animals. They are also one of the world's most fragile and endangered ecosystems. The growth of mass tourism, combined with the boom in popularity of scuba diving, has brought these spectacular ecosystems to public attention across the planet. Coral reefs provide essential fish habitat, support endangered and threatened species, and harbor protected marine mammals and turtles. They are a significant source of food, provide income and employment through tourism and marine recreation, and offer countless other benefits to humans, including supplying compounds for pharmaceuticals. Yet coral reefs around the world are rapidly being degraded by a...

IMAX Coral Reef Adventure

IMAX Coral Reef Adventure
Starring: Liam Neeson, Howard Hall, Michele Hall, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Rusi Vulakoro
Directed By: Greg MacGillivray

Take a once in a lifetime journey across the South Pacific for a spectacular IMAX adventure. Joy; ecstasy; a spiritual high: these words describe the exhilaration of diving a pristine coral reef, and ocean explorers Howard and Michele Hall bring their love of the ocean into action. With Jean-Michael Cousteau, deep reef scientist Richard Pyle and Fijian diver Rusi Vulakoro, they explore and capture on film the dazzling underwater world of coral reefs, magical places here on Earth. This tropical excursion through the South Pacific will surprise and delight you as you fall in love with the reefs, and your heart will ache at the tragic, irretrievable loss of these fragile worlds.

Artificial Coral Reef Aquarium Insert for Saltwater Fish, Marine Fish Only with Live Rock Aquarium, Coral Reef Tank, Freshwater Aquarium. Gorgeous Corals, Non-Toxic, Easy to Clean. Reef Aquarium at Saltwater Fish Only Tank costs. INSTANT REEF R035

Artificial Coral Reef Aquarium Insert for Saltwater Fish, Marine Fish Only with Live Rock Aquarium, Coral Reef Tank, Freshwater Aquarium. Gorgeous Corals, Non-Toxic, Easy to Clean. Reef Aquarium at Saltwater Fish Only Tank costs. INSTANT REEF R035
by Instant Reef by Archer USA

Artificial Coral Reef Aquarium Inserts for Saltwater Fish Aquarium, Marine Fish Only with Live Rock Setup (FOWLR), Coral Reef Aquarium or Tropical Freshwater Fish Tank. Realistic Looking Artificial Coral Reef Aquarium. All Saltwater Fish / Marine Fish are Reef Safe to Artificial Coral Reef Aquarium Inserts. Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Lionfish,Tang / Surgeon Fish, Trigger Fish, Wrasses, Foxface / Rabbitfish, Even Shark! FOWLR (Fish Only with Live Rock) is Perfect for people who like a beautiful saltwater fish tank without worrying about delicate corals in a coral reef aquarium setup. Live rock can be placed behind artificial coral reef aquarium inserts or in sump / refugium for biological filtration. Artificial coral reef inserts also have Porous / Rough surfaces for beneficial bacteria to...

  Coral Reefs
by Gail Gibbons (Author), Gail Gibbons (Illustrator)

Marine biologists believe coral reefs existed 400 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Today this active environment is home to about 20,000 kinds of brilliantly coloured corals, plants, and animals-more sea creatures than are found anywhere else in the world. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is so large that astronauts can see it from outer space! But what is life like in a coral reef? What do corals eat? Why are corals more colourful at nighttime? Children will enjoy Gibbon's informative text and clear, detailed illustrations on this journey into the unique lives of coral reefs.

A Field Guide to Coral Reefs: Caribbean and Florida (Peterson Field Guide Series)

A Field Guide to Coral Reefs: Caribbean and Florida (Peterson Field Guide Series)
by Eugene H. Kaplan (Author), Roger Tory Peterson (Editor), Susan L. Kaplan (Editor)

With more than 500 species described and more than 400 illustrations, this guide provides quick and easy visual identification of fishes, mollusks, sponges, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, and much more of the fauna found on the coral reefs of the Caribbean and Florida.

Aquavista 500 Wall Mounted Aquarium with Coral Reef Background, Black Frame

Aquavista 500 Wall Mounted Aquarium with Coral Reef Background, Black Frame
by Aquavista

Aquavista 500 is a wall mounted aquarium that hangs like a painting. Extremely low maintenance and easy to set up, the 6.6 gallon Aquavista 500 only requires 10 minutes of maintenance per month. The unit can be further customized with different picture frames and customizable backgrounds that are all interchangeable. The AV500 comes pre-assembled with advanced filtration, heater, air pump, lighting, and an embedded control panel that allows you to program the temperature and light. As seen in HGTV, USA Today, and the New York Times.

Coral Reef Adventure (IMAX) [Blu-ray]

Coral Reef Adventure (IMAX) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Liam Neeson, Howard Hall, Michele Hall, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Rusi Vulakoro
Directed By: Greg MacGillivray

Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey across the South Pacific for a spectacular IMAX adventure. Joy, ecstasy, a spiritual high: these words describe the exhilaration of diving a pristine coral reef, and ocean explorers Howard and Michele Hall bring their love of the ocean into action. With Jean-Michael Cousteau, deep reef scientist Richard Pyle and Fijian diver Rusi Vulakoro, they explore and capture on film the dazzling underwater world of coral reefs, magical places here on Earth. This tropical excursion through the South Pacific will surprise and delight you as you fall in love with the reefs, and your heart will ache at the tragic, irretrievable loss of these fragile worlds.

Life on a Coral Reef (Undersea Encounters)

Life on a Coral Reef (Undersea Encounters)
by Mary Jo Rhodes (Author), David Hall (Author)

"UNDERSEA ENCOUNTERS, a series of 10 age-appropriate books about the underwater world, teaches through motivation and delight. The young elementary school reader (grades 2-4) will be grabbed 'hook, line, and sinker' by the colorful cover photograph on each book. Inside, the text and abundance of pictures support readers with features like bolded vocabulary defined in the glossary. There is a section of additional resources, which includes lists of books and websites, and an index with both text and picture pages.

LIFE ON A CORAL REEF describes an entire ecosystem that shelters thousands of organisms, protects coastlines, and provides food for people. The skeletons of the coral animals are the most beautiful homes in the world; millions of designers cooperate. Day or night, coral...

2003 PACIFIC CORAL REEF (#3831) Souvenir Sheet of 10 x 37cent US Postage Stamps

2003 PACIFIC CORAL REEF (#3831) Souvenir Sheet of 10 x 37cent US Postage Stamps

In 2003 the USPS issued Pacific Coral Reef, the sixth pane in the A series. This stamp pane depicts a coral reef near Guam, a United States territory in the western Pacific Ocean. In this scene, a large humphead wrasse eyes its neighbors as a blacktip shark prowls in the distance. Meanwhile, a spectacular lionfish one of many reef dwellers characterized by elaborate patterns and bright colors forages among the coral for shrimps, crabs, and small fish.

© 2009 BrightSurf.com