scholarly journals Improving long-term coral reef monitoring in the Wider Caribbean region: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network - Caribbean accomplishments

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Labbouz ◽  
Maria Pena
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Dynamic Network ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Steering Committee ◽  
Human Dimensions ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Reef Monitoring

Long-term, robust coral reef monitoring coupled with strategic reporting are essential drivers for ecosystem-based management and regional policy processes. Since the restructuring of the Caribbean component of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) in August 2014, the GCRMN-Caribbean has been bolstering its presence and regional acknowledgement as a dynamic network. An expert steering committee and members-at-large have enabled the network to achieve substantial progress. GCRMN-Caribbean bio-physical guidelines have been improved and tested at several sites; communication and experience sharing have increased considerably; capacity building actions have been implemented for coral reef practitioners with a special focus on MPA managers; and there has been collaboration with major Caribbean programmes. This paper reports on the progress of the GCRMN-Caribbean in 2017: the development of socio-economic guidelines for an integrated monitoring approach, the implementation of building capacity projects “for coral reef and human dimensions monitoring within the Wider Caribbean", within a workshop-based training program to increase regional capacity for integrated bio-physical and socio-economic monitoring. Besides its achievements for the year, this paper also reports on GCRMN-Caribbean network challenges and next steps, including development of a standardized data analysis and reporting in 2018 and participation in the International Year of the Reef.

scholarly journals Improving long-term coral reef monitoring in the Wider Caribbean region: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network - Caribbean accomplishments

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Labbouz ◽  
Maria Pena
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Dynamic Network ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Steering Committee ◽  
Human Dimensions ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Reef Monitoring

Long-term, robust coral reef monitoring coupled with strategic reporting are essential drivers for ecosystem-based management and regional policy processes. Since the restructuring of the Caribbean component of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) in August 2014, the GCRMN-Caribbean has been bolstering its presence and regional acknowledgement as a dynamic network. An expert steering committee and members-at-large have enabled the network to achieve substantial progress. GCRMN-Caribbean bio-physical guidelines have been improved and tested at several sites; communication and experience sharing have increased considerably; capacity building actions have been implemented for coral reef practitioners with a special focus on MPA managers; and there has been collaboration with major Caribbean programmes. This paper reports on the progress of the GCRMN-Caribbean in 2017: the development of socio-economic guidelines for an integrated monitoring approach, the implementation of building capacity projects “for coral reef and human dimensions monitoring within the Wider Caribbean", within a workshop-based training program to increase regional capacity for integrated bio-physical and socio-economic monitoring. Besides its achievements for the year, this paper also reports on GCRMN-Caribbean network challenges and next steps, including development of a standardized data analysis and reporting in 2018 and participation in the International Year of the Reef.

scholarly journals Switching between standard coral reef benthic monitoring protocols is complicated: proof of concept

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e8167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henri Vallès ◽  
Hazel A. Oxenford ◽  
Alex Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Complex Pattern ◽  
Coralline Algae ◽  
Reef Type ◽  
Monitoring Protocols ◽  
Reef Monitoring

Monitoring the state of coral reefs is necessary to identify drivers of change and assess effectiveness of management actions. There are several widely-used survey methods, each of which is likely to exhibit different biases that should be quantified if the purpose is to combine datasets obtained via different survey methods. The latter is a particularly important consideration when switching methodologies in long-term monitoring programs and is highly relevant to the Caribbean today. This is because of the continuing need for regionally comparable coral reef monitoring datasets and the fact that the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN)-Caribbean node is now recommending a photoquadrat (PQ) method over the chain intercept transect method widely adopted by the members of the first truly regional monitoring network, Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity Program (CARICOMP), in the early-1990s. Barbados, a member of the CARICOMP network, has been using a variation of the chain intercept method in its long-term coral reef monitoring program for more than two decades. Now a member of GCRMN-Caribbean, Barbados is considering switching to the PQ method in conformity with other regional members. Since we expect differences between methods, this study seeks to quantify the nature of those differences to inform Barbados and others considering switching methods. In 2017, both methods were concurrently implemented at 21 permanent monitoring plots across three major reef types in Barbados. Differences in % cover estimates for the six major benthic components, that is, hard corals, sponges, gorgonians, macroalgae, turf algae and crustose coralline algae, were examined within and among reef types. Overall, we found a complex pattern of differences between methods that depended on the benthic component, its relative abundance, and the reef type. We conclude that most benthic components would require a different conversion procedure depending on the reef type, and we provide an example of these procedures for Barbados. The factors that likely contribute to the complex pattern of between-method differences are discussed. Overall, our findings highlight that switching methods will be complicated, but not impossible. Finally, our study fills an important gap by underscoring a promising analytical framework to guide the comparison of ecological survey methods on coral reefs.

scholarly journals What can two years of monitoring tell us about Venezuelan coral reefs? The Southern Tropical America node of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (STA-GCRMN)

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldo Cróquer ◽  
Denise Debrot ◽  
Eduardo Klein ◽  
Martina Kurten ◽  
Sebastian Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Tropical America ◽  
Reef Monitoring

<span>En este estudio se describe la condición de las comunidades bentónicas e ictícolas en cuatro arrecifes que fueron monitorizados durante 2003 y 2004 en Venezuela: Dos Mosquises Sur y Madrizquí en el Parque Nacional Archpiélago Los Roques y Caimán y Cayo Norte en el Parque Nacional Morrocoy. Para ello, empleamos los protocolos de CARICOMP y AGRRA para describir la comunidad bentónica e ictícola, respectivamente. La cobertura de los cinco principales grupos bentónicos difirió entre arrecifes (ANOVA anidado, p &lt; 0.05) más no entre parques. A pesar de pertenecer a diferentes parques la estructura de la comunidad bentónica entre Dos Mosquises Sur y Cayo Norte mostró un índice de similitud (Bray-Curtis) de 76%, mientras que Caiman difirió entre 57 y 68% con respecto a todos los arrecifes. Como se esperaba, la cobertura coralina, algas esponjas y octocorales no cambió entre 2003 y 2004. De forma similar, la comunidad de peces tampoco cambió en el tiempo y estuvo dominada por especies de herbívoros (Pomacentridae, Scaridae and Labridae). Sin embargo, en Los Roques los carnívoros de importancia comercial (e.g. lutjanidos y serranidos) fueron más abundantes que en Morrocoy. Aunque se esperaba encontrar diferencias en la comunidad bentónica e ictícola de Los Roques y Morrocoy, solo la de peces reflejó las diferencias, encontrándose en mejor estado de salud en Los Roques, mientras que CNOR, localizado en Morrocoy, presentó una cobertura similar o ligeramente mayor que los arrecifes localizados en Los Roques. Por lo tanto, los resultados de este estudio muestran que los arrecifes oceánicos no necesariamente se encuentran en mejor estado que los costeros. La inclusión de 3 nuevos sitios y la reincorporación de Caimán ha expandido y mejorado las capacidades de monitoreo de Venezuela y representa el primer paso hacia la creación de un sistema de monitoreo de arrecifes en el país.</span>

scholarly journals SIMAC: Development and implementation of a coral reef monitoring network in Colombia

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Garzón-Ferreira ◽  
Alberto Rodríguez-Ramírez
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
El Sistema ◽  
Reef Monitoring

En respuesta al proceso de deterioro de los arrecifes coralinos colombianos en las últimas tres décadas, y con el propósito de establecer un sistema de vigilancia para el manejo apropiado de estos valiosos ecosistemas, el Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR) desde 1998 ha impulsando y puesto en marcha el Sistema Nacional de Monitoreo de Arrecies Coralinos en Colombia (SIMAC), con el apoyo de varias instituciones colombianas. El SIMAC ha operado sin interrupción por más de ocho años, periodo durante el cual se han establecido 63 parcelas permanentes de observación y 267 transectos fijos de evaluación, en diez de las principales áreas geográficas con arrecifes de Colombia (siete en le Caribe y tres en el Pacífico). Los procedimientos metodológicos del SIMAC se hallan descritos detalladamente en el manual de métodos e incluyen: cobertura del bentos arrecifal, densidad de gorgonáceos, prevalencia de enfermedades coralinas, abundancia de invertebrados móviles selectos, riqueza ictiológica y densidad de familias selectas de peces, así como algunas variables indicadoras de la calidad del agua. Los resultados del SIMAC han sido circulados a través de reportes resumen para las agencias del gobierno y público en general y han apoyado iniciativas regionales y globales de monitoreo (i.e. CARICOMP, GCRMN, ReefBase). En este artículo se describe el desarrollo de este sistema y en otros artículos dentro de este número especial se presentan los principales resultados del monitoreo.

DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MONITORING NETWORK FOR MEASURING SALINITY OF SEA WATER

2018 ◽  
pp. 18-26
Author(s):  
Sima Ajdar qizi Askerova
Keyword(s):  
Surface Waters ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Monitoring Network ◽  
Monitoring Networks ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Integrated Monitoring ◽  
Ecological Control ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Optimal Construction

Monitoring of sea water condition is one of major requirements for carrying out the reliable ecological control of water environment. Monitoring networks contain such elements as sea buoys, beacons, etc. and are designated for measuringvarious hydrophysical parameters, including salinity of sea water. Development of specialized network and a separate buoy system for measuring thesea water salinity at different depths makes it possible to determine major regularities of processes of pollution and self-recovery of the sea waters. The article describes the scientific and methodological basics for development of this specialized network and questions of its optimal construction. It is well-known that at a depth of 30-45 m of the Caspian Sea salinity decreases and then at a depth of 45-60 m salinity is fully recovered. The mentioned changes of salinity at the relatively upper layer of sea waters is of special interest for studying the effect of ocean-going processes on the climate forming in the Caspian area. In terms of informativeness of measurements of surface waters salinity, the most informative is a layer ata 30-60 m depth, where inversion and recovery of salinity take place. It is shown that in most informative subrange of measurements, i. e. at a depth of 30-60 m optimization of regime of measurements complex should be carried out in order to increase the effectiveness of held researches. It is shown that at a depth of 35-50 m choice of the optimum regime of measurements makes it possible to obtain the maximum amount of information.

Impacts of human activities on coral reef ecosystems of southern Taiwan: A long-term study

2012 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 1129-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pi-Jen Liu ◽  
Pei-Jie Meng ◽  
Li-Lian Liu ◽  
Jih-Terng Wang ◽  
Ming-Yih Leu
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Southern Taiwan
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