The Restoration Of Coral Reefs

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The Restoration Of Coral Reefs

• Brett Crawford

2
What are Coral Reefs?

• Represent one of the most diverse ecosystems on
  planet Rainforest of the ocean.
• Tropical and Semi-tropical waters. Temps range
  from 61-86 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Three types of Coral Reefs.

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What are Coral Reefs?

• Barrier Reef
• Occur offshore, separated from mainland by water.
• Great Barrier Reef
• Largest reef system, 2,900 individual reefs, 900
  islands, stretches 1,600 miles.
• Can be seen from space.

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What are Coral Reefs?

• Fringing Reef
• Has shallow back reef zone, reef grows directly
  from shoreline.
• Most common reef type in Caribbean and Red Sea.

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What are Coral Reefs?

• Atolls
• An island of coral that encircles a lagoon
  partially or entirely.
• Most are in Pacific Ocean.

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What are Coral Reefs?

• Corals are very small animals.
• Sessile
• Eat small fish and plank-tonic animals using
  tentacles.
• Corals grouped into colonies, individual parts
  are Polyps.

• Polyps secrete Calcium Carbonate skeleton from
  base.
• Substrate for Corals.
• Coral grows as more Calcium Carbonate skeleton
  deposited.
• Living Coral on surface.
• Average growth 0.3-10 cm/per year.

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What are Coral Reefs?
Coral Polyp
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What are Coral Reefs?

• Zooxanthellae Algae
• Live in Polyps.
• Symbiotic
• Algae-photosynthesizes and creates food for
  coral.
• Coral-provides protection and gives access to
  light.

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What are Coral Reefs?

• Provide food and habitat for Sponges, Crabs,
  Shrimp, Sea Slugs, Sea Stars, Oysters, Sea
  Turtles and Fish.
• Good indicators for water quality in ocean.
• Protect coastlines from erosion.

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Coral Reef Values

• Natural goods for fisheries industry.
• High value as fish sanctuary and nurseries.
• Tourism
• 483 million in annual net benefits to U.S.
  economy from tourism and recreational activities
  related to U.S. coral reefs.
• 1.1 billion in annual net benefits to U.S.
  economy from overall goods and services related
  to U.S. coral reefs.

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Threats to Coral Reefs

• Pollution
• Agricultural and Industrial runoff.
• Sewage and toxic waste discharge.
• Erosion and sedimentation.

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Threats to Coral Reefs

• Fishing
• Over-fishing can drastically decrease certain
  fish species, disrupt multiple Trophic levels.
• Fishing techniques
• Fishing gear
• Anchoring of fishing vessels

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Threats to Coral Reefs

• Global Climate Change
• Biggest threat to coral reefs.
• Bleaching and spread of infectious diseases.
• CO2 in atmosphere causing ocean acidification.
• Rising water level, harder for light to get to
  corals.

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Solutions to Coral Reef Threats

• NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and other
  agencies.
• Fishing
• No Take Zones-Florida Keys
• Fish Replenishment Areas-West Hawaii

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Solutions to Coral Reef Threats

• Pollution
• Control land based pollution sources.
• Focus on protection of watershed quality
• Easements, Trusts or Reserves from stakeholders
  party (local, state, federal, etc.)

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Global Climate Change

• Too big for NOAA
• Reduce the emissions of Green House Gases.
• Too much excess CO2 already in atmosphere, coral
  reefs will be affected throughout this century.
• Ocean absorbs 1/3 of additional CO2 from humans,
  causes further ocean acidification.

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Restoration Ecology Coral Reefs

• Many coral reefs have passed their Abiotic
  threshold.
• Assisting recovery of freak landscapes.
• Increase ecological integrity and historical
  fidelity.
• Goals must be dynamic, b/c ecosystems are dynamic.

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Restoration Ecology Coral Reefs

• Coral Farming or Gardening
• Fragment poorly spaced Corals.
• Attach to grate in nursery area.
• Transplant when mature.

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Restoration Ecology Coral Reefs

• Collection of gametes during coral spawning.
• Rear juvenile coral communities in lab from
  fertilized eggs.
• Once mature, transplanted back into reef.

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Restoration Ecology Coral Reefs

• Education
• Adopt-A-Coral program.
• Increase public awareness
• No social constraint

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Restoration Ecology Coral Reefs

• Coral Farming
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?featureplayer_embedd
  edvI69isSS1TvI

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References

• Coral Reef-http//www.google.com/imgres?imgurlhtt
  p//images.sciencedaily.com/2008/04/080401200446-l
  arge.jpgimgrefurlhttp//www.sciencedaily.com/rel
  eases/2008/04/080401200446.htmusg__OfeYb3DVdB119
  mxWw3u7GKcCq0ch398w600sz64hlenstart93s
  ig2C48b32QlA1EtXazfawCRqwzoom1tbnidls3a2X-frU
  ifwMtbnh175tbnw233eiiGKsTc_bB8rkiAKw7a3vDA
  prev/search3Fq3DCoral2Breef26hl3Den26client
  3Dsafari26rls3Den26biw3D128026bih3D68026tb
  m3Disch02C3453itbs1iacthcvpx760vpy158du
  r2158hovh183hovw276tx154ty80oeicWKsTfb0
  H-Tm0QGqyb3-BQpage7ndsp16ved1t429,r9,s93
  biw1280bih680
• Barrier Reef-http//www.google.com/imgres?imgurlh
  ttp//www.treehugger.com/great-barrier-reef.jpgim
  grefurlhttp//www.treehugger.com/files/2009/06/oc
  eans-of-change-protecting-the-planets-life-support
  -system.phpusg__dJhOHd-VKHyMQonREyaG5skqXu4h3
  51w468sz36hlenstart57sig2jTGYuRZOicd7vPj
  OcHHGSgzoom1tbnidrv_vPRGrszDiWMtbnh152tbnw
  205eiBmOsTcjGA-HiiAKWucnvDAprev/search3Fq3D
  barrier2Breef26um3D126hl3Den26client3Dsafar
  i26sa3DN26rls3Den26biw3D128026bih3D68026t
  bm3Disch02C1711um1itbs1iacthcvpx792vpy
  282dur295hovh194hovw259tx168ty136oei_m
  KsTfveL9KP0QHJtsT5CApage4ndsp15ved1t429,r8
  ,s57biw1280bih680
• Fringing Reef-http//www.google.com/imgres?imgurl
  http//coralreef.capiz.biz/images/fringing.jpgimg
  refurlhttp//coralreef.capiz.biz/fringing.htmlus
  g__yxNGO3mcOQA-mrDfxNQq9_w5vaUh285w380sz39
  hlenstart0sig2L8eDdYLIJC73J6alqhafkgzoom1
  tbnid97AoOHm_GQS-MMtbnh156tbnw208eid2OsTeL
  rI8OP0QH2pYX5CAprev/images3Fq3Dfringing2Breef
  26um3D126hl3Den26client3Dsafari26rls3Den2
  6biw3D128026bih3D68026tbm3Dischum1itbs1i
  acthcvpx143vpy139dur777hovh194hovw259t
  x219ty128oeid2OsTeLrI8OP0QH2pYX5CApage1nds
  p15ved1t429,r0,s0
• Atolls- http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FileAtafutri
  m.jpg

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References

• Coral Polyp-http//gc.kuty.cz/redsea/coralpolyp.jp
  g
• Zooxanthelae Algae-http//agsci.oregonstate.edu/aq
  uatic-bt/sites/default/files/zooxanthellae_SANTOS.
  jpg
• Sedimentation-http//coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/
  strategy/reprioritization/wgroups/resources/lbsp/r
  esources/kanakakai_20wharf_kc.JPG
• Blast Fishing-http//w3.shorecrest.org/Lisa_Peck/
  MarineBio/syllabus/ch11_ecosystems/ecosystem_wp/co
  ralreefs_johnathan_alexj/dynamite_reef_1.jpg
• Bleaching-http//africanalchemy.files.wordpress.co
  m/2010/07/coral-bleaching.jpg
• Coral Farming-http//www.ramadianbachtiar.com/asse
  ts/20060512_Indonesia_VoicesFromTheSea_RB_010.jpg
• Coral Spawning-http//img-ak.verticalresponse.com/
  media/d/5/1/d51c21facf/be324c6740/63b08ae701/libra
  ry/CORAL20NL20Aug202010/Coral-spawning.jpg
• Adopt-A-Coral-http//2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Mp5QFpdLm
  E/Sq832mSGT2I/AAAAAAAAEd4/1vzCk8aA3q8/s400/sidebar
  .jpg
• Adopt-A-Coral-http//www.floridakeysdivectr.com/im
  ages/adopt-a-coral-program-key-largo.jpg

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References

• EPA, . "Coral Reef Protection What Are Coral
  Reefs?." United States Environmental Protection
  Agency 04/06/2011 n. pag. Web. 18 Apr 2011.
  lthttp//water.epa.gov/type/oceb/habitat/coral_inde
  x.cfmproblemsgt.
• NOAA, . "NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program."
  U.S. Department of CommerceNational Oceanic
  Atmospheric Administration . NOAA, 02/02/2010.
  Web. 18 Apr 2011. lthttp//coralreef.noaa.gov/about
  corals/gt.
• Linden, B., and B. Rinkevich. "Creating Stocks Of
  Young Colonies From Brooding Coral Larvae,
  Amenable To Active Reef Restoration." Journal of
  Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 398.1-2
  (2011) 40-46. Web. 18 Apr 2011.
  lthttp//www.sciencedirect.com/science?_obArticleU
  RL_udiB6T8F-51Y4500-1_user10_coverDate022F2
  82F2011_rdoc1_fmthigh_origgateway_origing
  ateway_sortd_docanchorviewc_acctC000050221
  _version1_urlVersion0_userid10md5975b5f37c
  85c2ce41be64b08e1b27d90searchtypeagt.
• Waddell, , and Clark. "The State of Coral Reef
  Ecosystems Of The United States And Pacific
  Freely Associated States." NOAA's State Of The
  Coast 2008 n. pag. Web. 18 Apr 2011.
  lthttp//stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/coral/welcome.htm
  lgt.