Planetary Coral Reef Foundation News
Spring 2005

PCRF at Sea – News from the RV Heraclitus!

The RV Heraclitus is now in the South Pacific where the crew has been making observations about the health of coral reefs in French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Samoa, Phoenix Islands, Tuvalu and now Fiji – it’s estimated that 90% of
the reefs in this region have never been assessed, so these studies are proving invaluable!  To encourage collaborative research and conservation efforts, we are posting our data on-line for anyone in the world to access for free at: http://www.pcrf.org/science/index.html.   You can meet our crew at: http://www.pcrf.org/crew.html and track their journey at: http://www.pcrf.org/expeditionlogs.html.

RV Heraclitus

RV Heraclitus Crew Discovers Coral Reef Tragedy in the Phoenix Islands

In November 2004, the RV Heraclitus crew sailed to the remote Phoenix Islands, expecting to dive on coral reefs that National Geographic had heralded just
months before as the most pristine in the world. They were shocked to discover massive coral mortality at five islands.  While completing a study at Kanton Island
in December, they observed 100% mortality of table corals in the lagoon and approximately 60% mortality of corals on the leeward side of the island. 

Global Warming Most Likely Cause

A review of sea surface water temperatures recorded by the NOAA/NESDIS satellite and posted on their web page at www.osdpd.noaa.gov, indicated there was a record high of 16 DHW (degree heating weeks) around the Phoenix Islands during the months of August 2002 through March 2003.  NOAA classifies 16 DHW as the existence of high and persistent sea surface temperatures that are above the expected summertime maximum which may result in severe bleaching of corals and possible mortality. Coral reefs  thrive in water temperatures between 78° and 82°.  If the temperature rises even a few degrees, the algae living inside the coral tissue – which give reefs their beautiful color – can leave, causing the reefs to turn white or  “bleach.” If the temperature returns to normal quickly, the algae can repopulate and the corals can survive. Sadly, this was not the case in the Phoenix Islands. 

The only possible scenario for the dramatic loss of coral reefs in the Kanton area between the time of the last survey conducted by the New England Aquarium in July 2002 and the study by the Heraclitus in 2004 is the rise of sea surface temperature during this period.  This rare catastrophic event demonstrates the widening reach of global warming, reinforces the view of coral reefs as the indicators of oceanic health and provides a test bed for the study of the resiliency and sustainability of damaged remote coral reef ecosystems.

As no one in the world knew of this tragedy, we are making every effort to share our data at www.pcrf.org/science/Canton/index.html and www.pcrf.org/explogphoenix.html. In addition, eminent coral reef scientist and PCRF’s Principle Investigator, Dr. Phil Dustan, presented our study at the February Coral Reef Task Force meeting in Washington D.C., posted an alert on the global Coral Reef List Server and has co-authored a scientific paper for publication with our Heraclitus Science Team.  Thanks to a generous donation of underwater film equipment by James Cameron and Earthship Productions, the RV Heraclitus crew also had the chance to document the tragedy in the Phoenix Islands and has produced a film which we are showing to scientists, ecologists, educators and a variety of other audiences whenever possible.

 
Catastrophic Mortality of Table Corals
Kanton Lagoon, Phoenix Islands

Tsunami Shows Coral Reefs Save Lives

Coral reefs have long been known to play a critical role in offering shoreline protection to coastal communities, but at no time in history was this more apparent than during the tsunami last December. Remarkably, in location after location, the loss of life was significantly lower where the coral reefs were healthy and protected – the intact reefs acted as a natural break against the tsunami, resulting in smaller waves hitting the shore and far less damage.  By contrast, in places such as Indonesia where the reefs were devastated, the damage and loss of life were dramatically higher. On December 31, 2004, The Wall Street Journal highlighted this discovery in the article, "Wave of Destruction" which concluded with the quote, “Coral Reefs Save Lives."  

PCRF in Space – Coral Reef Satellite Mission News

In the aftermath of the tsunami and Phoenix Islands tragedy, support is building for our Coral Reef Satellite Mission (CRSM). A consensus is emerging among NGO’s and scientists alike that the success of coral reef preservation, protection and management practices will depend on securing a scientifically accurate coral reef baseline and ongoing, real-time data about changes in their health and conditions over time.  The only way to achieve this today is through a satellite mission dedicated to coral reefs.   

How the CRSM Could Have Made a Difference After the Tsunami

In assessing tsunami damage to coral reefs, scientists have been coming to terms with the reality that they have no accurate pre-tsunami baseline against which to measure the damage and no capacity to obtain accurate post-tsunami damage assessments – the limits of present technology make this impossible.  At best, scientists can make crude estimates based on random surveys – in effect, an incomplete patchwork quilt.  If the CRSM were in orbit when the tsunami hit, we would have had a scientifically accurate baseline for coral reefs which would have been instantly and freely available on the internet for use in post-tsunami damage assessments by anyone, anywhere in the world.  In addition, immediately following the tsunami, the CRSM could have provided quick, comprehensive, scientifically accurate measurements of the damage to all of the affected reefs.  This missing information is crucial not only for assessing damage to reefs but also for strategic planning for restoration and redevelopment efforts. 

How the CRSM Could Have Made a Difference in the Phoenix Islands

Because the Phoenix Islands are so remote and almost uninhabited, no one knew that a coral reef tragedy was unfolding there.  It took years for the world to find out.  Had our Coral Reef Satellite been circling the Earth, we would have seen the death of corals due to the hot spot as it was happening (not years later) and scientists and ecologists could have commenced work immediately to study and address the problem.   

Artistic rendering of the coral reef satellite

How the CRSM Can Make a Difference in the Global Coral Reef Crisis

The Phoenix Islands tragedy is only one example of the growing planetary coral reef crisis.  Reefs are now dying at an alarming rate worldwide. An estimated 25% of coral reefs have already disappeared and an estimated two-thirds are at risk today.  If degradation continues at the present rate, we face the very real possibility of losing all the coral reefs on Earth within this century.  

For the very first time, the CRSM will show us where all the world’s coral reefs are located and provide real-time data about their conditions as they change over time.  Without this information, coral reefs don’t stand a chance.  But with this information, the people of the world can be empowered to make a difference in the future of coral reefs – indeed, the vision for the CRSM is to launch a new means of planetary stewardship whereby internet users everywhere will be offered opportunities to learn about the coral reef crisis and participate in an international Save Coral Reefs campaign.  Truly, if we are to have a chance of saving the earth's coral reefs, this satellite must be built and launched into space as soon as possible. 
 

Thank you so much for your support!  
To donate or for more information, please visit www.pcrf.org