Using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and over 25 input data layers, the
analysis estimated pressure on coral reefs due to threats from coastal development,
marine-based pollution, sedimentation from inland sources, overfishing, and destructive
fishing (Figure 3). Data sets that served as input to the threat models included: land
cover type, elevation and slope, precipitation, and soil type (for the analysis of
sedimentation); population density and coral reef area (for the analysis of overfishing
pressure); cities, settlements, population growth, mines, and tourist centers (for the
analysis of coastal development); and ports, oil wells and rigs, and shipping lanes (for
the analysis of marine-based pollution).
During the project, collaborators expanded and improved the data sets on coral reef
locations, coral condition, coral bleaching, marine protected areas, management
effectiveness of protected areas, tourism pressures, and destructive fishing. To
assemble the needed data, collaborators included eleven national research institutions
and universities, three non-governmental organizations in Southeast Asia, and eleven
international collaborators.
World Resources Institute has also just completed a Reefs at Risk regional analysis
for the Caribbean (Burke and Maidens, 2004; see Figure 1B for a sample product).
Although this project built on the foundation of previous datasets and collaborations,
several new challenges had to be addressed, including accessing higher spatial
resolution data for islands in the Lesser Antilles, and acquiring copies of updated coral
reef maps prior to their release by the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping project. New
partners working in each region were sought out to verify and validate mapping data
and derived products. For example, the Reefs at Risk team held a threat assessment
workshop to engage researchers, regional non-governmental organizations, and
resource managers in the effort, and to incorporate their recommendations into the
product.
By assembling a variety of data sets together and acting as a catalyst to draw
information from numerous partners, the Reefs at Risk project is able to synthesize
disparate data and produce assessments of the risk of human activities to coral reefs.
These assessments are useful to managers at scales from local to global, and are
unavailable through any other process. Specific actions are recommended in the final
reports. For example, for the Caribbean recommendations were made for ways to
create public interest in protecting reefs, for improving local and national expertise for
managing coral reef ecosystems, for improving management approaches, and for
appropriate international conservation action (Burke and Maidens, 2004).
Through collaboration with the ReefBase project (McManus and Noordeloos,
1998; Robinson et al., 2000) the Reefs at Risk products are available in an online GIS
(Figure 1; http://www.reefbase.org) and can be integrated with a variety of other coral
reef datasets previously discussed. Some of these include NOAA coral hotspots maps
and the UNEP-WCMC data on protected areas, mangroves, and coral reefs, SeaWiFS
shallow water bathymetry, and global coastline data. In addition to remote sensing and
cartographic data, ReefBase also hosts in situ data collected by the Global Coral Reef
Monitoring Network (http://www.gcrmn.org/index.html ). ReefBase will also serve as
a repository for the Millennium Global Coral Reef Maps when they are complete, and
will link to sources of download of remote sensing imagery from Landsat, human
spaceflight photography, and other shared data. Thus the ReefBase project provides
interactive access to a variety of data products, as well as a guide for accessing source
data when needed.
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Data Synthesis for Management
analysis estimated pressure on coral reefs due to threats from coastal development,
marine-based pollution, sedimentation from inland sources, overfishing, and destructive
fishing (Figure 3). Data sets that served as input to the threat models included: land
cover type, elevation and slope, precipitation, and soil type (for the analysis of
sedimentation); population density and coral reef area (for the analysis of overfishing
pressure); cities, settlements, population growth, mines, and tourist centers (for the
analysis of coastal development); and ports, oil wells and rigs, and shipping lanes (for
the analysis of marine-based pollution).
During the project, collaborators expanded and improved the data sets on coral reef
locations, coral condition, coral bleaching, marine protected areas, management
effectiveness of protected areas, tourism pressures, and destructive fishing. To
assemble the needed data, collaborators included eleven national research institutions
and universities, three non-governmental organizations in Southeast Asia, and eleven
international collaborators.
World Resources Institute has also just completed a Reefs at Risk regional analysis
for the Caribbean (Burke and Maidens, 2004; see Figure 1B for a sample product).
Although this project built on the foundation of previous datasets and collaborations,
several new challenges had to be addressed, including accessing higher spatial
resolution data for islands in the Lesser Antilles, and acquiring copies of updated coral
reef maps prior to their release by the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping project. New
partners working in each region were sought out to verify and validate mapping data
and derived products. For example, the Reefs at Risk team held a threat assessment
workshop to engage researchers, regional non-governmental organizations, and
resource managers in the effort, and to incorporate their recommendations into the
product.
By assembling a variety of data sets together and acting as a catalyst to draw
information from numerous partners, the Reefs at Risk project is able to synthesize
disparate data and produce assessments of the risk of human activities to coral reefs.
These assessments are useful to managers at scales from local to global, and are
unavailable through any other process. Specific actions are recommended in the final
reports. For example, for the Caribbean recommendations were made for ways to
create public interest in protecting reefs, for improving local and national expertise for
managing coral reef ecosystems, for improving management approaches, and for
appropriate international conservation action (Burke and Maidens, 2004).
Through collaboration with the ReefBase project (McManus and Noordeloos,
1998; Robinson et al., 2000) the Reefs at Risk products are available in an online GIS
(Figure 1; http://www.reefbase.org) and can be integrated with a variety of other coral
reef datasets previously discussed. Some of these include NOAA coral hotspots maps
and the UNEP-WCMC data on protected areas, mangroves, and coral reefs, SeaWiFS
shallow water bathymetry, and global coastline data. In addition to remote sensing and
cartographic data, ReefBase also hosts in situ data collected by the Global Coral Reef
Monitoring Network (http://www.gcrmn.org/index.html ). ReefBase will also serve as
a repository for the Millennium Global Coral Reef Maps when they are complete, and
will link to sources of download of remote sensing imagery from Landsat, human
spaceflight photography, and other shared data. Thus the ReefBase project provides
interactive access to a variety of data products, as well as a guide for accessing source
data when needed.
299
Data Synthesis for Management