Enhancing Coral Reef Resilience and Restoration Success: Lessons Learned from Laolao Bay, Saipan and Maunalua Bay, Oahu.
Enhancing Coral Reef Resilience and Restoration Success: Lessons Learned from Laolao Bay, Saipan and Maunalua Bay, Oahu.
Date
2018-08
Authors
Macduff, Sean D. G.
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Zoology
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Coral reefs worldwide are suffering from multiple local and global stressors such as
land-based sources of pollution, invasive species, overfishing, ocean warming, and ocean
acidification. With local and global threats on the rise, coral reef managers are turning to
ecosystem-level restoration projects for greater ecological impact. These projects usually
require supplemental funding, strong partnerships, and take years to complete. Groups
working in Laolao Bay, Saipan and Maunalua Bay, Oahu obtained funding to conduct such
ecosystem-level restoration work. Both projects aimed to restore marine resources and
ecosystems by improving water and habitat quality by addressing land-based sources of
pollution and invasive alien algae issues. Specifically, practitioners in Laolao Bay Saipan
attempted to address land-based erosion by restoring the Laolao watershed through
revegetation, improving the Laolao Bay road infrastructure, and through outreach. Personnel
working in Maunalua Bay Oahu, attempted to address the invasive species problem by
manually removing 11 hectares of the invasive alga, Avrainvillea amadelpha, at Paiko reef
flat and through successful community engagement. I measured the effectiveness of both
ecosystem restoration projects by quantifying coral physiological response to land-based
restoration activities in Laolao Bay, and by quantifying the amount of resuspendible sediment
present during and after algae removal in Maunalua Bay. Both projects were successful and
achieved initial results. In Laolao Bay, watershed restoration activities resulted in reduction
in erosion and in improved coral health at deeper sites. In Maunalua Bay, removal of A.
amadelpha, resulted in fine sediment mobilization and flushing. Both projects incorporated
communities at different levels and underwent the conservation action plan (CAP) process.
Those supporting efforts to insure the future of coral reefs need to incorporate and
address the complex social issues surrounding such an important resource. Science and
management will always play an important role, but to implement successful, sustained conservation actions, human compliance is often required. Humans are often viewed as the
problem (rightfully so in numerous examples), but should also be viewed as the solution. It is
possible to use science and management and instill conservation beliefs in communities and
achieve sustained conservation success. The future of coral reefs requires resilient ecological
AND social systems.
Description
Coral reefs worldwide are suffering from multiple local and global stressors such as
land-based sources of pollution, invasive species, overfishing, ocean warming, and ocean
acidification. With local and global threats on the rise, coral reef managers are turning to
ecosystem-level restoration projects for greater ecological impact. These projects usually
require supplemental funding, strong partnerships, and take years to complete. Groups
working in Laolao Bay, Saipan and Maunalua Bay, Oahu obtained funding to conduct such
ecosystem-level restoration work. Both projects aimed to restore marine resources and
ecosystems by improving water and habitat quality by addressing land-based sources of
pollution and invasive alien algae issues. Specifically, practitioners in Laolao Bay Saipan
attempted to address land-based erosion by restoring the Laolao watershed through
revegetation, improving the Laolao Bay road infrastructure, and through outreach. Personnel
working in Maunalua Bay Oahu, attempted to address the invasive species problem by
manually removing 11 hectares of the invasive alga, Avrainvillea amadelpha, at Paiko reef
flat and through successful community engagement. I measured the effectiveness of both
ecosystem restoration projects by quantifying coral physiological response to land-based
restoration activities in Laolao Bay, and by quantifying the amount of resuspendible sediment
present during and after algae removal in Maunalua Bay. Both projects were successful and
achieved initial results. In Laolao Bay, watershed restoration activities resulted in reduction
in erosion and in improved coral health at deeper sites. In Maunalua Bay, removal of A.
amadelpha, resulted in fine sediment mobilization and flushing. Both projects incorporated
communities at different levels and underwent the conservation action plan (CAP) process.
Those supporting efforts to insure the future of coral reefs need to incorporate and
address the complex social issues surrounding such an important resource. Science and
management will always play an important role, but to implement successful, sustained conservation actions, human compliance is often required. Humans are often viewed as the
problem (rightfully so in numerous examples), but should also be viewed as the solution. It is
possible to use science and management and instill conservation beliefs in communities and
achieve sustained conservation success. The future of coral reefs requires resilient ecological
AND social systems.
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