Download or read book Impact of Snorkelers on Shallow Coral Reef Communities in Palau written by Evelyn I. Otto and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "With the increasing numbers of visitors arriving in Palau, most of whom come to dive and snorkel on the reefs, there are concerns about the impact of the increased number of visitors on the shallow coral reef communities. Because of the importance of our coral reefs to both the people of Palau and the visitors that come to enjoy them, it is important to determine if the increased usage of these resources is negatively affecting them. In this study, we examined the effects of the high number of snorkelers on five popular snorkeling sites. The crowded snorkeling sites were compared to reference sites, which were similar in exposure to wind and currents, and benthic communities, but had little or no tourist activity. At each site, benthic and fish surveys were conducted, as well as observations of snorkelers’ behavior. Our findings demonstrate that the snorkeling sites had significantly higher rubble cover and coral fragments. In contrast to corals, fish sizes were significantly larger at the snorkeling sites compared to the reference sites."--Page 2.
Download or read book Challenges in Tropical Coastal Zone Management written by Matthias Wolff and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-01-16 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focuses on tropical coasts, which are highly vulnerable due to a multitude of stressors. Population growth is substantial, habitats are lost and biodiversity is reduced at an alarming rate, severely affecting many ecosystem services. This situation calls for sound coastal management and the effective engagement of all relevant stakeholders. About two decades ago the M.Sc. program ISATEC (International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology) was created at Bremen University (Germany) to train young scientists for a professional engagement in the complex field of tropical coastal and resource management. This book provides a platform for those Alumni to report on their work experiences and findings in their home countries and covers all regions of the tropical belt. Part I of the book provides a short review of the state of the tropical ocean and its resources and of international attempts towards sustainable ocean management starting with the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development in 1992. Part II deals with country case studies, and part III focuses on an evaluation & synopsis of those contributions. Emerging key issues for management and conservation of the tropical coastal environments are presented and critical challenges on the path towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are discussed, as are the needs for enhancing research and capacity development.
Download or read book Predicting Future Oceans written by William Cheung and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2019-08-17 with total page 584 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Predicting Future Oceans: Sustainability of Ocean and Human Systems Amidst Global Environmental Change provides a synthesis of our knowledge of the future state of the oceans. The editors undertake the challenge of integrating diverse perspectives—from oceanography to anthropology—to exhibit the changes in ecological conditions and their socioeconomic implications. Each contributing author provides a novel perspective, with the book as a whole collating scholarly understandings of future oceans and coastal communities across the world. The diverse perspectives, syntheses and state-of-the-art natural and social sciences contributions are led by past and current research fellows and principal investigators of the Nereus Program network. This includes members at 17 leading research institutes, addressing themes such as oceanography, biodiversity, fisheries, mariculture production, economics, pollution, public health and marine policy. This book is a comprehensive resource for senior undergraduate and postgraduate readers studying social and natural science, as well as practitioners working in the field of natural resources management and marine conservation. - Provides a synthesis of our knowledge on the future state of the oceans - Includes recommendations on how to move forwards - Highlights key social aspects linked to ocean ecosystems, including health, equity and sovereignty
Download or read book Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems written by Yossi Loya and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-05-22 with total page 1003 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes what is known about mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) geographically and by major taxa. MCEs are characterized by light-dependent corals and associated communities typically found at depths ranging from 30-40 m. and extending to over 150 m. in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. They are populated with organisms typically associated with shallow coral reefs, such as macroalgae, corals, sponges, and fishes, as well as specialist species unique to mesophotic depths. During the past decade, there has been an increasing scientific and management interest in MCEs expressed by the exponential increase in the number of publications studying this unique environment. Despite their close proximity to well-studied shallow reefs, and the growing evidence of their importance, our scientific knowledge of MCEs is still in its early stages. The topics covered in the book include: regional variation in MCEs; similarities and differences between mesophotic and shallow reef taxa, biotic and abiotic conditions, biodiversity, ecology, geomorphology, and geology; potential connectivity between MCEs and shallow reefs; MCE disturbances, conservation, and management challenges; and new technologies, key research questions/knowledge gaps, priorities, and future directions in MCE research.
Download or read book Words of the Lagoon written by R. E. Johannes and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-11-10 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Palau Diving and Snorkeling Guide written by Tova Harel-Bornovski and published by Jeremy Devillier. This book was released on 2024-01-05 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Palau diving and snorkeling guide to Palau's sites. A comprehensive description of each sites with drawings and explanations.
Download or read book Understanding the Environmental and Social Impacts of Coral Reef Use written by Karen N. Topelko and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 792 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Koh Chang Marine National Park is a popular tourist destination located off the east coast of Thailand. Coral reefs are one of the park's main attractions, and thousands of visitors from around the globe enjoy the opportunity to snorkel or dive in the park's clear, warm waters. Rapid growth in Koh Chang's marine tourism industry over the last decade raises concerns about the ability of some reefs to sustain a healthy and attractive environment. Ecological and social impacts associated with increased levels of marine recreation can transform and even permanently destroy both the character of coral reef ecosystems and the quality of the recreation experience, ultimately resulting in declines in tourism demand. The broad objective of this study was to establish a baseline understanding of the social dimensions of the snorkeling industry in Koh Chang, Thailand, and to recommend a suite of management actions that will sustain economic benefits while still yielding the benefits of protecting aesthetic and biological values. The recreation carrying capacity, Recreation Opportunity Spectrum, and Limits of Acceptable Change concepts were used to guide and inform the research. Data were collected using three primary methods: participant observation, unstructured interviews, and structured questionnaires. Personal observations and unstructured interviews allowed for an assessment of the park's environmental, social, and managerial settings. The tour operator questionnaire was designed to measure the size and characteristics of the snorkeling industry, awareness of environmental impacts, and support for visitor management strategies. The questionnaire was completed by eight tour operators. The visitor survey was designed to gain an understanding of the demographics of snorkelers, satisfactions, knowledge and awareness, and crowding. The survey was completed by 716 snorkelers. Results of the visitor survey suggest that snorkelers have a similar demographic profile compared with reef visitors in other parts of the world. Features of the snorkeling trip that had the greatest potential to add to, or detract from visitor experiences were related to the quality of the natural environment, a finding that is consistent with other studies of snorkelers and divers in coral reef settings. The social conditions were rated among the least important influences on visitors' experiences, a somewhat surprising finding as the number of other people is an important indicator of quality of the visitor experience in terrestrial environments. Overall, visitors were generally satisfied with the physical, natural, and social conditions, but the degree of satisfaction varied among individual snorkeling trip features. The lowest levels of satisfaction were expressed for the social conditions and several features related to the quality and condition of the natural environment. Low levels of satisfaction were also expressed for a number of service features. Results from personal observations, unstructured interviews, and questionnaires suggest that the environmental impacts of use may be significant. On a daily basis, reefs were touched, abraded, kicked, and stepped on by snorkelers, and these inappropriate behaviours can cause considerable damage to benthic organisms and the aesthetic appeal of the reefs ...
Download or read book The Future of Coral Reefs Subject to Rapid Climate Change Lessons from Natural Extreme Environments written by Emma F. Camp and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examination of corals and reef-associated organisms which endure in extreme coral reef environments is challenging our understanding of the conditions that organisms can survive under. By studying individuals naturally adapted to unfavorable conditions, we begin to better understand the important traits required to survive rapid environmental and climate change. This Research Topic, comprising reviews, and original research articles, demonstrates the current state of knowledge regarding the diversity of extreme coral habitats, the species that have been studied, and the knowledge to-date on the mechanisms, traits and trade-offs that have facilitated survival.
Download or read book YOUMARES 9 the Oceans Our Research Our Future written by Simon Jungblut and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-01-01 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book summarizes peer-reviewed articles and the abstracts of oral and poster presentations given during the YOUMARES 9 conference which took place in Oldenburg, Germany, in September 2018. The aims of this book are to summarize state-of-the-art knowledge in marine sciences and to inspire scientists of all career stages in the development of further research. These conferences are organized by and for young marine researchers. Qualified early-career researchers, who moderated topical sessions during the conference, contributed literature reviews on specific topics within their research field. .
Download or read book Pacific in Peril written by and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Reef Manager s Guide to Coral Bleaching written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores emerging monitoring strategies and presents adaptive management techniques to anticipate and mitigate coral bleaching, with emphasis upon identification and promotion of resilience in coral reef ecosystems. Includes coverage of strategic use of marine protected areas.
Download or read book Carrying Capacity Assessment of Palau Payar Marine Park Malaysia written by Ching Lim Li and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Refuge in the Deep Assessing the Potential of Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems to Act as Refugia for Shallow Coral Reef Fishes in the Hawaiian Islands written by Corinne Nicole Kane and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coral reefs are increasingly under threat, necessitating an emphasis to identify coral reefs with reduced susceptibilities to local and/or global anthropogenic impacts. Mesophotic coral reefs (MCEs; >30m) are proposed as potential refugia and/or propagule sources, yet little information is known about deep reefs' abilities to harbor, replenish, or conserve shallow species. In this dissertation, I examine the plausibility of MCEs to act as refugia for shallow reef fishes in the Hawaiian Islands. Chapter One explores reef fish community structure and habitat composition along a 3-50m gradient in West Hawai'i. Reef fish communities change gradually with depth, with >78% of species observed at mesophotic depths (>30m) found at shallow depths. Changes in community structure are linked closely with feeding behavior, with shallow reefs dominated by herbivores, while mesophotic reefs are dominated by invertivore and planktivore trophic assemblages. Changes in fish assemblages are tied to indirect effects of depth and available coral habitat, as deeper reefs contain more patchily-distributed habitat. Chapter Two examines mechanisms underlying herbivorous fish distributions using a suite of observational and experimental field and laboratory techniques. Herbivorous fishes are not limited by food resources at MCE depths, as MCE algae had similar nutritional content, species assemblages, and appears to be highly palatable from algal choice experiments. Instead, changes with depth are likely the result of top-down, non-consumptive predation effects and behavioral choices. Chapter Three undertakes a critical analysis of the deep refugia hypothesis for coral reef fishes across the Main Hawaiian Islands. Upper MCEs (30-60m) may act as refugia for shallow reef fishes, as we found they are more thermally stable and >70% of reef fishes encountered were shallow species. Conversely, MCEs contain reduced densities of reef fishes and communities are comprised almost solely of invertivore and planktivore trophic groups. The near-absence of herbivorous fishes below 30m indicate MCEs will have a limited capacity to re-seed shallow reefs with species of ecological or economic importance. Overall, MCEs may act as refugia for biodiversity conservation but their ability to restock shallow reef fish communities will result in fundamentally different community compositions that shift towards smaller-bodied and less economically/ecologically valuable species.
Download or read book The Great Barrier Reef written by Pat Hutchings and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2008-11-07 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is 344 400 square kilometres in size and is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. This comprehensive guide describes the organisms and ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the biological, chemical and physical processes that influence them. Contemporary pressing issues such as climate change, coral bleaching, coral disease and the challenges of coral reef fisheries are also discussed. In addition,the book includes a field guide that will help people to identify the common animals and plants on the reef, then to delve into the book to learn more about the roles the biota play. Beautifully illustrated and with contributions from 33 international experts, The Great Barrier Reef is a must-read for the interested reef tourist, student, researcher and environmental manager. While it has an Australian focus, it can equally be used as a baseline text for most Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Winner of a Whitley Certificate of Commendation for 2009.
Download or read book Human Impacts on Coral Reefs written by Bernard Salvat and published by . This book was released on 1987 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Beitr ge zur wissenschaftlichen Veranstaltung aus Anla des zehnj hrigen Bestehens des Instituts f r Planung und Organisation des Gesundheitswesens Bezirk Magdeburg written by and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Effects of Multiple Stresses on Coral Reef Communities written by Maggy Nugues and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
