Implementation of Coral Reef Ecosystem Biological Criteria 13 SUFFICIENT NEED EXISTS TO PREPARE A GUIDANCE DOCUMENT. WHAT RESEARCH AND/OR PROJECTS ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGICAL CRITERIA GUIDANCE FOR CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS. This paper has therefore been prepared to further investigate the feasibility of writing a detailed technical guidance manual for the development of biological criteria (biocriteria) for coral reef ecosystems.
The purpose of this document is to provide advice to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the feasibility of establishing biological criteria for evaluating coral reef ecosystems. Is there a sufficient need to justify the development of a guidance document for the development of coral reef ecosystem biocriteria. Coral reef ecosystems under United States jurisdiction in the western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea are located around: Florida Reef Tract;.
Biological research of coral reef ecosystems can be implemented at different levels, ranging from a simple and inexpensive screening to detailed field sampling, analysis and. Evaluation of the data collected, as well as historical data for the area, leads to an initial classification of sites and identification of candidate reference sites. More detailed grain size measurements, plus total organic carbon, are added to the soil characteristics.
This includes multiple site visits to account for seasonal variations in the selected coral reef ecosystem biological assemblages and should include additional studies that may be necessary for diagnostic assessment of the potential causes of observed impairments. Development of biocriteria depends on the premise that population and condition parameters of coral reef biota (quantified as metrics or indices that measure characteristics of ecological structure and function) provide a sensitive screening tool for assessing the condition of a coral reef ecosystem. The establishment of formal coral reef ecosystem biocriteria warrants careful consideration of planning, management and regulatory objectives and the best achievable condition at a site.
Biological Survey
Final Classification
These measures should reflect biological properties that are shown to be sensitive to environmental damage, such as indices of richness, diversity and dominance, biomass and average individual size measures, trophic shifts, health indices, abundance proportions of taxonomic groups and the presence or the dominance of the tolerant. (opportunistic) and sensitive species. Values from different measurement scales are transformed into scores, which are usually included in an index, such as the Chesapeake Bay Estuarine Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). Biocriteria are formulated in part from metrics and index values developed by reference site populations for a given coral reef ecosystem class and adapted for aquatic life uses.
Other elements of the biocriteria are historical information, consensus opinion of objective regional experts, and in some cases, empirical model results. The biocriteria reference condition element can be based on a single aggregated index or defined for several biological metrics.
Continual Monitoring And Periodic Reviews
Degradation and Restoration of Coastal Ecosystems
Managing Fresh Water Allocation
Sustaining the Human Uses of the Coast
Preservation of Cultural and Aesthetic Resources - Preservation of Archaeological and historical Resources
Encouraging Public Awareness and involvement - Public Awareness
- coordinate With Other Government Agencies To Fund The Research Strategy EPA should work with other relevant government agencies, such as NOAA and NSF, to
- Select Coral Reef Ecosystem Bioindicators For The Research Strategy Using The Following Guidelines
- EPA - Ecological Risk Assessment
- N U - National Marine Sanctuaries Program
- NOAA - Special Projects Office - Coastal Assessment & Data Synthesis (CADS) Framework Team
- National Park Sewice
- CAMCOMP - Pnerto Rico And Florida Keys
Linking RAMP indicators with coral reef ecosystem integrity will require the development of special indices and calibration. Coral Reef Ecosystem Biocriteria Program The availability of reference sites and associated databases are also requirements for a U.S. At this time, insufficient information exists to develop biocriteria guidance for coral reef ecosystems.
The following recommendations for next steps to support the development of biological criteria for coral reef ecosystem assessment are tasks that can be carried out over the next 5 years. The Coral Reef Ecosystem Biocriteria Program should be produced that clearly defines the goals, objectives, budgets, responsible parties and timelines for implementing this important program. Coral Reef Ecosystem Biocriteria Research strategy and communicating it on the Internet Research strategy and communicating it on the Internet.
A biocriteria research strategy must be developed and supported to provide the basic indicators and indices for the coral reef ecosystem biocriteria program. The final research strategy for biocriteria for coral reef ecosystems should be widely disseminated to the research community so that interested scientists will have a clear framework to guide future research programs. The Coral Reef Ecosystem Riocriteria Program should be developed (or linked to existing coral-related websites) to disseminate information about the program.
Coral Reef Ecosystem Biocriteria Program can benefit in many ways by establishing strong relationships with the following programs. National Park sites for Termin environmental monitoring and currently do not have a coral reef component. Coral Reef Ecosystem Biocriteria Program should be valuable in supplementing and strengthening existing EPA ecological risk assessment guidance in the area of coral reef ecosystem assessment.
Coral Reef Ecosystem Biocriteria Program should make special efforts to work closely with the Dry Tortugas National Park and Virgin Islands National Park.
RECOMMENDATION: Begin Preliminary Coral Reef Habitat Classification Designing an appropriate habitat classification system for coral reef ecosystems under
The Florida Coastal Management Program - Florida Department of Community Mairs, has contracted with the Florida Center for Public Management to produce the FACT'97 and Florida Environmental Index Series. Aspects of both documents could potentially be used in other coral reef areas outside of Florida. RECOMMENDATION: Begin preliminary classification of coral reef habitats. Design an appropriate habitat classification system for coral reef ecosystems.
RECOMMENDATION: Begin Selecting Reference Sites And Developing Associated Data Bases
The importance of healthy watersheds (and airbeds) to coral reef ecosystems cannot be overstated. Clarke KR, Warwick RM, Brown BE (1993) An index showing the partitioning of succession, related to disturbance, in a coral reef assemblage. Crosby MP, Gibson GR and Potts KW (eds) (1996) A Coral Reef Symposium on Practical, Reliable, Inexpensive Monitoring Methods for Assessing Coral Reef Biota and Habitat Conditions, January.
In: Ginsburg RN (ed) Proceedings of the Colloquium on Global Aspects of Coral Reefs: Health, Threats and History, Univ Miami, p. 38-45. Eakin CM, McManus JW, Spalding MD, Jameson SC (1997) The state of coral reefs around the world: where we are and where we go from here. In: UNESCO Reports in Marine Science, Proceedings of the UNESCO Coral Reef Evaluation Workshop, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1995.
Ginsburg RN compiler (1994) Proceedings of the colloquium on global aspects of coral reefs: health, hazards and history, 1993. Hourigan TF, Tricas TC, Reese ES (1988) Coral reef fishes as indicators of environmental stress in coral reefs. Reese ES (1981) Predation on corals by fishes of the family Chaetodontidae: implications for conservation and management of coral reef ecosystems.
Richardson LL (1996) Monitoring and assessing coral reef health: coral disease incidence and cyanobacterial blooms as reef health indicators. In: Crosby MP, Gibson GR, Potts KW (eds) A coral reef symposium on practical, reliable, low-cost monitoring methods for assessing the biota and habitat conditions of coral reefs, January. Roberts CM, Ormond RF (1987) Habitat complexity and coral reef fish diversity and abundance on Red Sea fringing reefs.
Proc 6th Intl Coral Reef Symp Rogers CS (1990) Deebii koraal reef fi orgaanizimoota reef seedimentation. Workshop Madaallii Koraal Reef UNESCO, Kepulauan Seribu, Indonesia Vobis H (1973) Wal’aansa rheotactic gosoota Gammurus adda addaa tokko tokkoo, beeylada. White AT (1989) Walqabsiisni uumamuu Chaetalon fi parameetaroota bakka jireenyaa koraal reef Filippiins keessatti madaallii reef irratti dhiibbaa qaba.
Appendix 1: Scleractinian coral bioindicators. References in bold are references which specifically mention the bioindicator
The exact cause of physical injury is never completely certain. .. 40 formal interpretation framework" means that the bioindicator in question has been pro, but that a firm protocol for interpreting results has not yet been prepared. References in bold are references that specifically mention the bioindicator potential for the parameter in question, i.e. in plain text is primary literature which supports the usefulness of the bioindicator, while in italics is literature that presents conflicting evidence or shows that the proposed bioindicator is inappropriate Monitoring hypothesis: for those butterflyfish species that are obligate corals , there is a decline in the health of a reef, manifested by declining food quality of the stressed coral polyps: will result in a decrease in the abundance and diversity of these species and an increase in temporary size, feeding rate and agonistic encounters as mated pairs attempt to maintain their nutritional intake by expanding their territories to include more coral colonies.
In contrast, many freshwater biomonitoring programs have well-developed guidelines, for example the calculation of a nnmerial index, with a "formal interpretation framework" that a score of 20-25 indicates healthy river systems, 12-20 mild impacts, etc. Bold references are those that specifically state the bioindicator potential of the parameter in question; those in plain text are primary literature supporting the usefulness of the bioindicator. 90 Formal Interactive Hamework" means that the bioindicator in directions has been pro, but a formaiorotocol for intemretin results has not yet been developed.
In contrast, many aquatic biomonitoring programs have well-developed guidelines—for example, calculating a numerical index with a "formal interpretive framework" such that a score of 20-25 indicates healthy river systems, 12-20 mildly affected, etc. References in bold are references that specifically mention the bioindicator potential of the parameter in question, those in plain text are primary literature supporting the utility of the bioindicator while the potential of the parameter in question, those in plain text are primary literature supporting the utility of the bioindicator bioindicator, while those in italics are literature that presents conflicting evidence or shows that the proposed bioindicator is inadequate. In addition to acute and chronic sensitivities to pollutants and toxicants, amphipods exhibit a number of altered behavioral responses to sublethal levels of various compounds that can cause population reduction or elimination.
In contrast, many freshwater biomonitoring programs have well-developed guidelines—for example, calculating a numerical index, with a "formal interpretive framework" that a score of 20-25 indicates healthy river systems, 12-20 less influenced, etc. References in bold are references that specifically mention the bioindicator potential of the parameter in question, those in italics are literature that presents conflicting evidence or indicates that the proposed bioindicator is inappropriate. The change in indicator of coral reef community dynamics used by FACT is the bottom coral reef monitoring aspect of the FKNMS water quality monitoring program (Table 3.3).
Some of the mapped assumptions about indicators still need work, as they are substantiated by other factors or are simply invalid.
