to create an exposure map indicating the relative threats to various marine habitats,
including coral reefs (Devlin and Schaffelke 2009). Change detection methods can
be employed to assess shallow reef community response along a distance gradient
from river mouths. Integrated results can then be used to evaluate the effectiveness
of catchment management strategies identified within the Reef Water Quality
Protection Plan (Queensland 2009).
Crown-of-thorns starfish. Periodic outbreaks of the coral-eating crown-ofthorns (COTS) starfish have caused extensive damage to reefs across the Pacific
and Indian Oceans. While some authors have suggested that nutrient enriched river
runoff contributes to enhanced A. planci survival (Birkeland 1982; Brodie et al.
2005), frequent outbreaks occurring nearly simultaneously on small, distant Pacific
islands suggest that alternative mechanisms may also contribute. Recent research
has shown successful hindcasting of COTS outbreaks across the Pacific using a
combination of SeaWiFs and MODIS surface chlorophyll-a data and QuickSCAT
Ekman transport (upwelling) and wind stress data (Houk et al. 2007; Houk and
Raubani 2010). All of the data are freely available through the NOAA Oceanwatch
Central Pacific program (oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov) and can potentially be
incorporated into the NOAA Coral Reef Watch program to provide early warning
outbreak forecasts, which could be of aid to local managers.
Oil spills. The catastrophic leak in 2010 from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the
U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico highlighted the urgency for real-time monitoring
of the spreading oil plume as a threat to marine habitats and species. To regularly
update managers and the general public of the plume’s path, NOAA and the University of New Hampshire’s Coastal Response Research Center established the
Emergency Response Management Application (ERMA) web-based platform
(gomex.erma.noaa.gov/erma.html), containing interactive maps incorporating data
and products from NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information
Service (NESDIS; www.nesdis.noaa.gov). These data layers included radar, MODIS, and aerial images that defined the extent of the spill, plus forecasted environmental conditions for winds, waves, currents, and precipitation. Together, the
data gave managers an opportunity to assess in advance whether their habitats were
going to be affected by the spill and prepare for any necessary management action.
Ship groundings. Ship groundings typically impact reefs on a relatively smaller
scale than large oils spills, as described above; nevertheless, they can damage the
reef significantly. The damage can be direct, through the ship contact with the
bottom, or indirect, through leaks of fuel or other contaminants. For example, in
April 2010, the 230 m long bulk coal carrier Shen Neng 1 ran aground in a
minimum of 10 m water depth on Douglas Shoal, which is located in the Capricorn Bunker Group of the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Weighted with
approximately 68,000 tonnes of coal and 950 m
3 of fuel, the ship caused extensive
damage while traversing the reef, resulting in a 3 km 9 250 m scar. Fifty percent
of this area was directly damaged, which included the deposition of antifouling
paint. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority monitored the site remotely using
thermal and infrared sensors on planes to check for spills, while the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority conducted acoustic surveys and in-water photo and
15 Science and Management
419
including coral reefs (Devlin and Schaffelke 2009). Change detection methods can
be employed to assess shallow reef community response along a distance gradient
from river mouths. Integrated results can then be used to evaluate the effectiveness
of catchment management strategies identified within the Reef Water Quality
Protection Plan (Queensland 2009).
Crown-of-thorns starfish. Periodic outbreaks of the coral-eating crown-ofthorns (COTS) starfish have caused extensive damage to reefs across the Pacific
and Indian Oceans. While some authors have suggested that nutrient enriched river
runoff contributes to enhanced A. planci survival (Birkeland 1982; Brodie et al.
2005), frequent outbreaks occurring nearly simultaneously on small, distant Pacific
islands suggest that alternative mechanisms may also contribute. Recent research
has shown successful hindcasting of COTS outbreaks across the Pacific using a
combination of SeaWiFs and MODIS surface chlorophyll-a data and QuickSCAT
Ekman transport (upwelling) and wind stress data (Houk et al. 2007; Houk and
Raubani 2010). All of the data are freely available through the NOAA Oceanwatch
Central Pacific program (oceanwatch.pifsc.noaa.gov) and can potentially be
incorporated into the NOAA Coral Reef Watch program to provide early warning
outbreak forecasts, which could be of aid to local managers.
Oil spills. The catastrophic leak in 2010 from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the
U.S. waters of the Gulf of Mexico highlighted the urgency for real-time monitoring
of the spreading oil plume as a threat to marine habitats and species. To regularly
update managers and the general public of the plume’s path, NOAA and the University of New Hampshire’s Coastal Response Research Center established the
Emergency Response Management Application (ERMA) web-based platform
(gomex.erma.noaa.gov/erma.html), containing interactive maps incorporating data
and products from NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information
Service (NESDIS; www.nesdis.noaa.gov). These data layers included radar, MODIS, and aerial images that defined the extent of the spill, plus forecasted environmental conditions for winds, waves, currents, and precipitation. Together, the
data gave managers an opportunity to assess in advance whether their habitats were
going to be affected by the spill and prepare for any necessary management action.
Ship groundings. Ship groundings typically impact reefs on a relatively smaller
scale than large oils spills, as described above; nevertheless, they can damage the
reef significantly. The damage can be direct, through the ship contact with the
bottom, or indirect, through leaks of fuel or other contaminants. For example, in
April 2010, the 230 m long bulk coal carrier Shen Neng 1 ran aground in a
minimum of 10 m water depth on Douglas Shoal, which is located in the Capricorn Bunker Group of the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Weighted with
approximately 68,000 tonnes of coal and 950 m
3 of fuel, the ship caused extensive
damage while traversing the reef, resulting in a 3 km 9 250 m scar. Fifty percent
of this area was directly damaged, which included the deposition of antifouling
paint. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority monitored the site remotely using
thermal and infrared sensors on planes to check for spills, while the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority conducted acoustic surveys and in-water photo and
15 Science and Management
419