Coral Reef Products to Support Management of Marine Resources Globally

Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Review 09 – 11 March 2010


Image:

MODIS Land Group,

NASA GSFC

March 2000



Coral Reef Products to Support Management of Marine

Resources Globally

Coral Reef Products to Support Management of Marine

Resources Globally

Presented by

C. Mark Eakin

Presented by

C. Mark Eakin

Center for Satellite Applications and Research (STAR) Review09 – 11 March 2010




Requirement, Science, and BenefitRequirement, Science, and Benefit

• Requirement/Objective (Ecosystems, Climate)– Develop tools for ecosystem forecasting to improve decision

making– Improve understanding of response to climate change

• Science– How can we improve the application of satellite data and

models to serve the need for climate information by coral reef resource managers?

• Benefit– Provide remotely-sensed information useful in the responses

and planning by coral reef marine resource managers / policy makers, scientists, and the public

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Drivers to ResearchDrivers to Research

Why Coral Reefs?

• Value:– up to $675 billion annually in fish, seafood, tourism,

and coastal protection worldwide

– $17 billion in U.S. tourism

– 1 billion people rely on reef fish for food

• Mass Bleaching (100s of kms)– Caused by high temperatures

• Climate Change– One of NOAA’s top 3 reef threats

– Only threat with global impact

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http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

Symbiotic algae

zooxanthellaezooxanthellae





Scientific ApproachScientific Approach

End-to-End Research to Applications– Apply accurate remotely-sensed physical variables in marine

and coastal systems from STAR Science Teams• Temperature• Winds• Irradiance• Ocean Color

– Develop coral-specific products– Tailor products to management and science needs through

ongoing interactions with end-users– Train users in data access and application of products

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Operational ProductsOperational Products

Primary Products: AVHRR SST-based

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Coral – specific


50km Nighttime Sea Surface Temperature (SST)50km Nighttime Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

Operational 2002Operational 2002

SST AnomalySST Anomaly

20022002

HotSpotHotSpot

20022002

Degree Heating WeekDegree Heating Week

20032003

Bleaching Alert AreasBleaching Alert Areas

20092009





Experimental ForecastsExperimental Forecasts

SST Data: from satellites to forecast models

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Operational Operational Bleaching Alert Bleaching Alert Areas:Areas:• From satellite-SSTFrom satellite-SST• Current conditionsCurrent conditions• 1-3 week advance 1-3 week advance notice of reef responsenotice of reef response• Currently POES Currently POES AVHRR SSTAVHRR SST


Experimental Experimental Bleaching Outlook:Bleaching Outlook:• From SST forecastFrom SST forecast• 4-month outlook4-month outlook• Currently LIM model Currently LIM model from ESRL, future from ESRL, future NCEP CFSNCEP CFS





Products in DevelopmentProducts in Development

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Light Stress Damage

Ocean

Acidification

Coral Disease

Risk

High-Resolution SST

Doldrum Winds





Product DeliveryProduct Delivery

Data Dissemination: Built to Serve User Needs

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• Various Data Delivery Modes- Google Earth- HDF / CoastWatch

Data Analysis Tool- Various image and

data formats

• Redistribution by Regional Users





Product DeliveryProduct Delivery

Virtual Stations

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Science for ManagementScience for Management

Outreach and Training

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• Six “Responding to Climate Change” workshops conducted, 120 scientists and managers trained:

– Australia, American Samoa (2007)

– Florida Keys, Hawaii (2008)

– Guam, Bonaire (2009)

• Seven “Satellite Tools for Reef Managers” workshops conducted, 180 scientists and managers trained:

– Mexico (2005, 2007)

– Philippines (2005, 2006)

– Zanzibar (2007)

– Belize (2009)

• Trained over 120 coral reef scientists and manage





Science for ManagementScience for Management

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Local managers can:

• Reduce bleaching• Reduce light stress• Cool reefs, increase mixing

• Increase survival• Improve water quality• Reduce disease prevalence

• Aid recovery

• Plan protected areas for future bleaching





Coral Reef WatchCoral Reef Watch

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Partnerships• World Bank/Global Environment Facility (WB/GEF)• Australia: Australian Research Council (ARC), Australian Inst.

of Marine Science (AIMS), Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

• NGOs: The Nature Conservancy (TNC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Project Aware

• Federal Agencies: NASA, USGS• US Universities: U South Florida, Texas A&M, U Puerto Rico,

Cornell, U Guam, U Hawaii• Foreign Universities: U Queensland, James Cook U,

U Tasmania, U Exeter, UNAM (Mexico), U Waterloo,U Philippines





Challenges and Path ForwardChallenges and Path Forward

• Science challenges– Addressing new environmental parameters

influencing coral reef management decisions– Providing higher-resolution products

• Next steps– Working with STAR Science Teams to transition

new data to address coral reef management needs

• Transition Path– End-to-end approach from science teams to

resource managers, path, extent of transition is product dependent

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14


Backup Slides






Primary Products: SST-based

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• Improved land mask– Operational land mask

excludes 60% of world’s coral reefs

– New land mask excludes only 6%

• Improved climatology– Based on 4-km Pathfinder

SST

– Improved performance compared to operational

• Now in testing phase

• Expected to become operational by FY11

Experimental Enhanced Coral Bleaching Product SuiteOperational Enhanced






Data Delivery: Virtual Stations

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===================================================================** [CRW Alert 20070711] Sombrero Reef: Bleaching Warning ===================================================================

Satellite observations: 9 July 2007 - 11 July 2007 -- Bleaching Degree Heating Weeks : 0.5 Deg C-week -- Historical Maximum Degree Heating Weeks : 9.2 Deg C-week (2005) -- Coral bleaching HotSpot : 1.0 Deg C -- Sea surface temperature : 30.3 Deg C -- Maximum Monthly Mean SST at site : 29.3 Deg C

Previous Three Alerts for Sombrero Reef: --06/25/2007 Bleaching Watch --10/07/2006 No Stress --09/11/2006 Bleaching Watch

Reef site name: Sombrero Reef SST Pixel latitude: 25.0 SST Pixel longitude: -81.5

Current Status: Bleaching Warning ===================================================================

Automatic Satellite Bleaching AlertsCurrently available for 191 sites

> 450 subscribers






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PartnershipsAustralian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project Grant• “New Tools for Managing Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change on the

Southern Great Barrier Reef” (5 years, $1.2M)

• MOA between NOAA and University of Queensland

• NOAA is industry partner (contributes $140K/yr)

• Multiple Objectives– Investigating interactions of temperature, light, and hydrodynamics

– High-resolution, three-dimensional model of coral bleaching

– Great Barrier Reef high-resolution SST

– Coral disease algorithm based on SST

• Partners:– Australian Institute of Marine Science

– University of Queensland (Australia)

– Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority






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PartnershipsWorld Bank/GEF Coral Reef Targeted Research Program• MOA between NOAA and Univ. of Queensland enabling five-year grant

bringing funds into Coral Reef Watch to fund a contractor and international travel.

• Member of the remote sensing working group (Pete Mumby, Exeter, Chair)

• Many partners:– University of the Philippines

– University of Queensland (Australia)

– UNAM (Puerto Morelos, Mexico)

– University of Waterloo (Canada)

– University of Exeter (UK)

• Improving product delivery, new product development, and

international capacity building for coral reef managers






New Products: SST-based

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• 1-km AVHRR SST for the Great Barrier Reef captured at Australia HRPT station

• Development of an experimental high-resolution (1 km) product suite for

• Great Barrier Reef region

• Caribbean

• Global– What is the optimal resolution?

– Partners: NASA, U. South Florida, World Bank CRTR, U. Queensland, AIMS, Australian BoM, The Nature Conservancy, UNEP

In Development: New Hi-Resolution SST






New Products: Doldrums from Satellite-Winds

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• Recently enhanced doldrums product with improved algorithm

• 6-hourly NCDC Blended Sea Winds and climatology

• Evaluates persistence and intensity of low wind events

• Validated to coral bleaching events during low wind and low thermal stress

In situ data, Puerto Morelos, Mexico, 2005

Severe bleaching observed

Doldrums Product, Caribbean, 08/08/2005

Units=Doldrums Days






New Products: Light Stress Damage

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• Launched a new experimental data product

• Combines POES SST and GOES insolation to pinpoint coral bleaching risk

• Algorithm based on coral physiology to improve bleaching and mortality risk

• Partners: World Bank CRTR, UNAM, U. Queensland, U. Exeter, University of Tasmania, Australian BoM






New Products: Coral Disease Risk

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• New experimental product to pinpoint risk of disease outbreaks

• Based on winter and summer SSTs that increase risk of certain coral diseases

• Currently available for the Great Barrier Reef and Hawaii

• Partners: James Cook U., AIMS, World Bank CRTR, Cornell U., U. Puerto Rico, UNAM, U. Guam, UH, NOAA






New Products: Ocean Acidification

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Partnership includes NOAA, USGS, NASA







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• Seven “Satellite Tools for Reef Managers” workshops conducted:

– Mexico (2005, 2007)

– Philippines (2005, 2006)

– Zanzibar (2007)

– Belize (2009)

• Trained over 180 coral reef scientists and managers on:

– Remote sensing of sea surface temperature

– How elevated temperature causes coral bleaching

– Coral Reef Watch data products from NOAA satellites that pinpoint areas currently at risk for bleaching






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SST

TimeWeek-0 Week-12

Bleaching threshold (MMMSST+1ºC)

Maximum Monthly Mean SSTClimatology (MMMSST)

HotSpots

Degree Heating Weeks

Σ(HotSpot value × duration)

12 weeks

≥ 1°C

≥ 4 DHWs coral bleaching is expected≥ 8 DHWs mass bleaching and mortality are expected

bb ccaa dd





ImpactsImpacts


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OutcomesOutcomes

Publication, Solid Science

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Coral Reef Products to Support Management of Marine Resources Globally

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