Chapter 5
INTEGRATION OF CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM PROCESS STUDIES AND
REMOTE SENSING
JOHN BROCK, KIMBERLY YATES, AND ROBERT HALLEY
U.S. Geological Survey, 600 4th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
jbrock@usgs.gov
1. Introduction
Worldwide, local-scale anthropogenic stress combined with global climate change
is driving shifts in the state of reef benthic communities from coral-rich to micro- or
macroalgal-dominated (Knowlton, 1992; Done, 1999). Such phase shifts in reef
benthic communities may be either abrupt or gradual, and case studies from diverse
ocean basins demonstrate that recovery, while uncertain (Hughes, 1994), typically
involves progression through successional stages (Done, 1992). These transitions in
benthic community structure involve changes in community metabolism, and
accordingly, the holistic evaluation of associated biogeochemical variables is of great
intrinsic value (Done, 1992).
Effective reef management requires advance prediction of coral reef alteration in
the face of anthropogenic stress and change in the global environment (Hatcher, 1997a).
In practice, this goal requires techniques that can rapidly discern, at an early stage, sublethal effects that may cause long-term increases in mortality (Brown, 1988; Grigg and
Dollar, 1990). Such methods would improve our understanding of the differences in
population, community, and ecosystem structure, as well as function, between pristine
and degraded reefs. This knowledge base could then support scientifically based
management strategies (Done, 1992).
Brown (1988) noted the general lack of rigor in the assessment of stress on coral
reefs and suggested that more quantitative approaches than currently exist are needed to
allow objective understanding of coral reef dynamics. Sensitive techniques for the
timely appraisal of pollution effects or generalized endemic stress in coral reefs are
sorely lacking (Grigg and Dollar, 1990; Wilkinson, 1992). Moreover, monitoring
methods based on population inventories, sclerochronology, or reproductive biology
tend to be myopic and may give inconsistent results. Ideally, an improved means of
evaluating reef stress would discriminate mortality due to natural causes from mortality
due to anthropogenic causes (Brown, 1988).
Models of coral reef ecosystems, parameterized by process measurements and
scaled in time-space using remote sensing, have the potential to address pressing
research questions that are central to devising valid management strategies (Grigg et al.,
1984; Hatcher, 1997b). To attain this goal, ecosystem-level models that integrate
studies of physical and chemical forcing with observed biological and geological
responses are required. This interdisciplinary approach to understanding reef
biogeochemical dynamics can allow investigations that integrate the scales of time and
space (Hatcher, 1997a), thereby enabling prediction of coral reef change (Andréfouët
and Payri, 2001). In turn, prediction of holistic ecosystem function within various
environmental forcing scenarios has substantial promise in mitigating future
disturbance. Indeed, management of coral reefs at the ecosystem level has been
111
and Management Applications, 111-131.
© 2006 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.
L.L. Richardson and E.F. LeDrew (eds.), Remote Sensing of Aquatic Coastal Ecosystem Processes: Science
INTEGRATION OF CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM PROCESS STUDIES AND
REMOTE SENSING
JOHN BROCK, KIMBERLY YATES, AND ROBERT HALLEY
U.S. Geological Survey, 600 4th Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
jbrock@usgs.gov
1. Introduction
Worldwide, local-scale anthropogenic stress combined with global climate change
is driving shifts in the state of reef benthic communities from coral-rich to micro- or
macroalgal-dominated (Knowlton, 1992; Done, 1999). Such phase shifts in reef
benthic communities may be either abrupt or gradual, and case studies from diverse
ocean basins demonstrate that recovery, while uncertain (Hughes, 1994), typically
involves progression through successional stages (Done, 1992). These transitions in
benthic community structure involve changes in community metabolism, and
accordingly, the holistic evaluation of associated biogeochemical variables is of great
intrinsic value (Done, 1992).
Effective reef management requires advance prediction of coral reef alteration in
the face of anthropogenic stress and change in the global environment (Hatcher, 1997a).
In practice, this goal requires techniques that can rapidly discern, at an early stage, sublethal effects that may cause long-term increases in mortality (Brown, 1988; Grigg and
Dollar, 1990). Such methods would improve our understanding of the differences in
population, community, and ecosystem structure, as well as function, between pristine
and degraded reefs. This knowledge base could then support scientifically based
management strategies (Done, 1992).
Brown (1988) noted the general lack of rigor in the assessment of stress on coral
reefs and suggested that more quantitative approaches than currently exist are needed to
allow objective understanding of coral reef dynamics. Sensitive techniques for the
timely appraisal of pollution effects or generalized endemic stress in coral reefs are
sorely lacking (Grigg and Dollar, 1990; Wilkinson, 1992). Moreover, monitoring
methods based on population inventories, sclerochronology, or reproductive biology
tend to be myopic and may give inconsistent results. Ideally, an improved means of
evaluating reef stress would discriminate mortality due to natural causes from mortality
due to anthropogenic causes (Brown, 1988).
Models of coral reef ecosystems, parameterized by process measurements and
scaled in time-space using remote sensing, have the potential to address pressing
research questions that are central to devising valid management strategies (Grigg et al.,
1984; Hatcher, 1997b). To attain this goal, ecosystem-level models that integrate
studies of physical and chemical forcing with observed biological and geological
responses are required. This interdisciplinary approach to understanding reef
biogeochemical dynamics can allow investigations that integrate the scales of time and
space (Hatcher, 1997a), thereby enabling prediction of coral reef change (Andréfouët
and Payri, 2001). In turn, prediction of holistic ecosystem function within various
environmental forcing scenarios has substantial promise in mitigating future
disturbance. Indeed, management of coral reefs at the ecosystem level has been
111
and Management Applications, 111-131.
© 2006 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.
L.L. Richardson and E.F. LeDrew (eds.), Remote Sensing of Aquatic Coastal Ecosystem Processes: Science