1. Global Change Research Team National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory Gulf Ecology Division

2. EPA Global Change Research Goal Goal “Build capacity to assess and respond to global change impacts on fresh water and coastal ecosystems” --- ORD Multi-Year Plan GED Focus Coral reef ecosystems

3. Value of Coral Reef Ecosystems Services Tourism; diving, snorkeling, fishing Fishing (subsistence) Shoreline protection Bio-mining (natural products) Functions Biodiversity Primary and secondary productivity

4. Value of Coral Reef Ecosystems Services Tourism; diving, snorkeling, fishing Fishing (subsistence) Shoreline protection Bio-mining (natural products) Functions Biodiversity Primary and secondary productivity All stem from stony (reef-building) corals All stem from stony (reef-building) corals

5. Sentinel ecosystem - Worldwide bleaching during El Nino events - Linked to high sea temperatures - Local variability linked to UV exposure and water quality Corals Highly Sensitive to GC Environmental problem of global proportions - 27% world reefs lost since 1970 - 16% world reefs lost in 1998 El Nino - 80% Caribbean reefs lost in last 30 yrs

6. Coral Bleaching – Disruption of Symbiosis = Loss of energy for coral growth and survival Loss of symbiotic algae

7. GED Global Change Research Team Task 1 Task 1 Field bioassessment tools to characterize coral condition Task 2 Task 2 Dose-response relationships for intact corals and algal symbionts with global change stressors Task 3 Task 3 Geospatial comparison of stressors, coral condition, and dose-response patterns

8. GED Global Change Research Team Field Assessment Tools William Fisher Symbiont UV x Temp John Rogers Geospatial Analysis Mace Barron Chemical Analyses Dragoslav Marcovich Disease and Bleaching Debbie Santavy Coral UV x Temp Leah Oliver Coral Culture Will Davis Photogrammetry Lee Courtney

9. Bioassessment tools to characterize coral condition

10. GED Dive Team uniquely qualified to develop and validate field methods for coral assessment

11. EPA Protocol Existing methods are insufficient  Either colony-based or surface area-based; but not both  2D surface area rather than 3D EPA protocol  Colony-based AND provides surface area  Based in 3D units  Useful metrics for coral condition  Simple, rapid survey

12. EPA Coral Condition Protocol: Three Underwater Observations Colony Identification Colony Size (3-D) Percent Live Coral

13. EPA Coral Condition Protocol: Three Underwater Observations Colony Identification Colony Size (3-D) Percent Live Coral Metrics applicable to reef value and sustainability Provides data for forecast models

14. Coral Condition Metrics Species Richness Species Frequency Unique Species Colony Abundance Colony Density Species Abundance Species Density Species Diversity Tolerant:Intolerant Species Reef Abundance Colony Surface Area Species SA Reef SA Reef Complexity Colony %LC Species %LC Reef %LC Coral Community Structure Population Structure Size-Related Health Colony Live SA Species Live SA Reef Live SA 3D Live Coral Cover Species Dead SA Reef Dead SA Species Live:Dead SA Reef Live:Dead SA Colony Identification Colony Size % Live Coral

15. Coral Condition Metrics Species Richness Species Frequency Unique Species Colony Abundance Colony Density Species Abundance Species Density Species Diversity Tolerant:Intolerant Species Reef Abundance Colony Surface Area Species SA Reef SA Reef Complexity Colony %LC Species %LC Reef %LC Coral Community Structure Population Structure Size-Related Health Colony Live SA Species Live SA Reef Live SA 3D Live Coral Cover Species Dead SA Reef Dead SA Species Live:Dead SA Reef Live:Dead SA Colony Identification Colony Size % Live Coral

16. Measuring 3D Surface Area Photogrammetry validates use of coral geometry to estimate 3D surface area from simple field measurements (height, diameter)

17. 3D SA from Field Measurements SA calculated from average of height, maximum radius and orthogonal radius

18. Coral Research Laboratory: A Unique ORD Facility http://www.epa.gov/facilities_network/coralresearch.html Coral culture Symbiotic algae culture Solar exposure system

19. Coral Research Laboratory: A Unique ORD Facility http://www.epa.gov/facilities_network/coralresearch.html Coral culture Symbiotic algae culture Solar exposure system Unique capacity to determine dose-response relationships and biological weighting functions

20. Importance of Symbiotic Algae Energy for growth and survival of corals Coral recovery requires recolonization Susceptible to GC stressors Research attributes: culturable, rapid responses, limited number of clades Coral Polyps Algae = Zooxanthellae

21. 28oC UV radiation and temperature are interactive stressors Coral and Symbiont Stress-Response Profiles UV Radiation 33 o C 28 o C

22. Algae Clade Variability Different algal clades exhibit different sensitivity to GC stressors (T x UV)

23. Algae Clade Variability Clade sensitivity, once modeled, becomes an important GC assessment and management tool

24. Geospatial Analysis GC stressors - Sea surface temperatures - UV exposures - Land-based nutrients, contaminants Coral disease Multiple surveys in Florida Keys with focus on DT and KW Coral condition 2004 Survey in Florida Keys Spatial and temporal comparisons of

25. Spatial Trends in Coral Disease

27. Temporal Trends in Coral Abundance

28. Spatial distribution of coral quantity disease and condition metrics Allows comparisons with spatially variable GC stressors and dose- response thresholds A method to distinguish GC stressors from other anthropogenic factors Spatial Mapping

29. Research Outcomes EPA disease and bleaching protocol for FKNMS EPA Coral Assessment Guidance for Biocriteria Development (OW) based on field assessment methodology Biocriteria development in USVI (R2) EPA Protocol adopted by FRRP Biological weighting functions to improve existing forecast models for coral bleaching Region-wide (FL) geospatial analysis for State and Sanctuary managers (focus on vulnerability and sustainability)

30. Thank you, GED Global Change Research Team Fisher.william@epa.gov

31. Single measurement Two measurements Three measurements Field options to estimate 3D SA of Diploria

32. Research Products Assessment tools for coral condition monitoring Photogrammatic methods for 3D SA and growth Culture and exposure methods for corals and algae Dose-response and biological weighting functions for UV x T exposure of algal clades PCR methods to distinguish clades Assessments of disease and condition in Florida Keys GIS map layers for exposure and condition GPRA 2006 to address 2010 APM for ‘tools in the hands of managers’