Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef...

Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and

ecological forecasting in coral reef environments

Christopher Moses, Frank Müller-Karger, and Serge Andréfouët

NASA Biodiversity and Ecological Forecasting MeetingWashington DC - August 29 to 31, 2005

Questions

• What needs to be done for science and conservation of coral reefs?

• What is NASA currently doing for science and conservation of coral reefs?

• How could NASA advance science and conservation applications for coral reefs?

Biodiversity of Coral Reefs

• Reefs fringe ~15% of world’s coastlines• High biodiversity

– >2,000 reef fishes– >800 species of corals– ~7% of corals and 27% of fish are endemic

• Roberts, et al., 2002

• ~58% are threatened by human activities• Ginsburg, et al., 1994

• 14-30% reef loss by 2050 due to climate variability

• Kleypas, et al., 1999

Biodiversity and Coral Research

• Biodiversity: – Inventory/cataloging of diversity– Factors controlling diversity– Influence of diversity on processes– Management, biodiversity conservation

• Ecological forecasting:– Dynamics of these fields under changing climate and

anthropogenic impacts– Planning and management for predicted changes

Organism (coral colony)

Community

Island and reef geomorphology

Global coral reef distribution

NASA’s Right Stuff (2000-2008)

• Millennium Coral Reef Map:– Landsat 7 systematic global coral reef

acquisitions • Geomorphology mapping• On-line archive at SeaWiFS Project

• Interdisciplinary study (IDS) on coral reef connectivity:– Mesoamerican barrier reef– French Polynesia– Great Barrier Reef

Coral Reef RS Priorities

• Reef mapping (Millennium Map)– Geomorphology, communities, species

• Climatology of land, ocean and atmosphere around reefs (IDS)– Forcing of local water masses (circulation, temperature,

pollution, etc…)

• Modeling and forecasting of the biodiversity dynamics (IDS)– Connectivity, climate change, anthropogenic impacts

Millennium Coral Reef Map

Previous Coral Reef Maps

UNEP-WCMCReefBase

SE New Caledonia

Ishigaki, Ryukyus, Japan

Sample Landsat-7true color composite

used in Millennium Map

35 geomorphic reef units

Monitoring design- Ideal sampling- Reference for site selection- Representative of sites

USF Millenium

UNEP-WCMC

Reef Area Estimations

Oceanic Reefs

y = 0.4052xR2 = 0.6124

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400UNEP-WCMC

Millennium

Continental Reefs

y = 0.447xR2 = 0.0902

0

200

400

600

800

0 200 400 600 800UNEP-WCMC

Millennium

NASACoral Reef Connectivity

Interdisciplinary Study (IDS)

River Plumes - SeaWiFS

SeaWiFS ag440, Feb 12, 2004 SeaWiFS ag440, Feb 24, 2004

River Plumes - MODISMODIS/Aqua, Oct. 19, 2003

Connectivity Modeling

Connectivity Modeling

• Larval transport and settlement• Spread of disease• Metapopulation dynamics• Range of anthropogenic influence• Possible regions of refugia

• Trans-boundary planning of protected areas

Conclusions

• Meeting needs for mapping, integration with environmental data, and connectivity modeling

• NASA’s impact on the management community is growing

• However:– Poor (public/management/scientist) understanding of

the possibilities and limits of the data and products– Need for the creation of an application-oriented

structure (jointly with ??) of user-friendly systems to consult and download in simple format

Acknowledgements

• NASA

• Julie Robinson (NASA), Damaris Torres-Pulizza, Alan Spraggins, Christine Kranenburg, Chuanmin Hu, Gene C. Feldman, Norman Kuring, Ed Green (WCMC), Marco Noordeloos (WorldFish/ReefBase)