1. Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Müller-Karger, and Serge Andréfouët NASA Biodiversity and Ecological Forecasting Meeting Washington DC - August 29 to 31, 2005

2. Questions What needs to be done for science and conservation of coral reefs? What is NASA currently doing for science and conservation of coral reefs? How could NASA advance science and conservation applications for coral reefs?

3. Biodiversity of Coral Reefs Reefs fringe ~15% of world’s coastlines High biodiversity –>2,000 reef fishes –>800 species of corals –~7% of corals and 27% of fish are endemic Roberts, et al., 2002 ~58% are threatened by human activities Ginsburg, et al., 1994 14-30% reef loss by 2050 due to climate variability Kleypas, et al., 1999

4. Biodiversity and Coral Research Biodiversity: –Inventory/cataloging of diversity –Factors controlling diversity –Influence of diversity on processes –Management, biodiversity conservation Ecological forecasting: –Dynamics of these fields under changing climate and anthropogenic impacts –Planning and management for predicted changes

5. Organism (coral colony) Community Island and reef geomorphology Global coral reef distribution

6. NASA’s Right Stuff (2000-2008) Millennium Coral Reef Map: –Landsat 7 systematic global coral reef acquisitions Geomorphology mapping On-line archive at SeaWiFS Project Interdisciplinary study (IDS) on coral reef connectivity: –Mesoamerican barrier reef –French Polynesia –Great Barrier Reef

7. Coral Reef RS Priorities Reef mapping (Millennium Map) –Geomorphology, communities, species Climatology of land, ocean and atmosphere around reefs (IDS) –Forcing of local water masses (circulation, temperature, pollution, etc…) Modeling and forecasting of the biodiversity dynamics (IDS) –Connectivity, climate change, anthropogenic impacts

8. Millennium Coral Reef Map

9. Previous Coral Reef Maps UNEP-WCMC ReefBase SE New Caledonia

10. Ishigaki, Ryukyus, Japan Sample Landsat-7 true color composite used in Millennium Map 35 geomorphic reef units Monitoring design - Ideal sampling - Reference for site selection - Representative of sites

11. USF Millenium UNEP-WCMC

12. Reef Area Estimations

13. NASA Coral Reef Connectivity Interdisciplinary Study (IDS)

14. River Plumes - SeaWiFS SeaWiFS ag440, Feb 12, 2004SeaWiFS ag440, Feb 24, 2004

15. River Plumes - MODIS MODIS/Aqua, Oct. 19, 2003

16. Connectivity Modeling

17. Larval transport and settlement Spread of disease Metapopulation dynamics Range of anthropogenic influence Possible regions of refugia Trans-boundary planning of protected areas

18. Conclusions Meeting needs for mapping, integration with environmental data, and connectivity modeling NASA’s impact on the management community is growing However: –Poor (public/management/scientist) understanding of the possibilities and limits of the data and products –Need for the creation of an application-oriented structure (jointly with ??) of user-friendly systems to consult and download in simple format

19. Acknowledgements NASA Julie Robinson (NASA), Damaris Torres- Pulizza, Alan Spraggins, Christine Kranenburg, Chuanmin Hu, Gene C. Feldman, Norman Kuring, Ed Green (WCMC), Marco Noordeloos (WorldFish/ReefBase)