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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

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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., % reef loss by 2050 due to climate variability Kleypas, et al., 1999

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Page 1: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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 MeetingWashington DC - August 29 to 31, 2005

Page 2: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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?

Page 3: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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

Page 4: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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

Page 5: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Organism (coral colony)

Community

Island and reef geomorphology

Global coral reef distribution

Page 6: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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

Page 7: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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

Page 8: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Millennium Coral Reef Map

Page 9: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Previous Coral Reef Maps

UNEP-WCMCReefBase

SE New Caledonia

Page 10: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Ishigaki, Ryukyus, Japan

Sample Landsat-7true color composite

used in Millennium Map

35 geomorphic reef units

Monitoring design- Ideal sampling- Reference for site selection- Representative of sites

Page 11: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

USF Millenium

UNEP-WCMC

Page 12: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Reef Area Estimations

Oceanic Reefs

y = 0.4052xR2 = 0.6124

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400UNEP-WCMC

Millennium

Continental Reefs

y = 0.447xR2 = 0.0902

0

200

400

600

800

0 200 400 600 800UNEP-WCMC

Millennium

Page 13: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

NASACoral Reef Connectivity

Interdisciplinary Study (IDS)

Page 14: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

River Plumes - SeaWiFS

SeaWiFS ag440, Feb 12, 2004 SeaWiFS ag440, Feb 24, 2004

Page 15: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

River Plumes - MODISMODIS/Aqua, Oct. 19, 2003

Page 16: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Connectivity Modeling

Page 17: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

Connectivity Modeling

• Larval transport and settlement• Spread of disease• Metapopulation dynamics• Range of anthropogenic influence• Possible regions of refugia

• Trans-boundary planning of protected areas

Page 18: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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

Page 19: Using NASA capabilities for biodiversity assessment and ecological forecasting in coral reef environments Christopher Moses, Frank Mller-Karger, and Serge

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)