9704616 Erdmann The International Research Fellow Awards Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twenty four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a twenty-four-month postdoctoral research visit by Dr. Mark V. Erdmann to work with Dr. Mohammad Kasim Moosa at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI OSEANOLOGI) in Jakarta, Indonesia. The goal of this project is to develop a method to quickly and effectively assess coral reef health using a multimeric, benthic invertebrate-based index of coral reef integrity. The PI will use benthic reef invertebrates with proven bioindicator potential and which are easily monitored using a consistent, quantitative sampling protocol. An initial sampling period in the Spermonde Archipelago (Sulawesi), an area with well-characterized pollution and environmental gradients, will facilitate calibration of these various bioindicators with known pollution impacts and comparison with the bioindicator response of stomatopod communities, which have been very well-studied in this area. Using this data as a baseline, the monitoring program will be expanded to include four additional reef-rich regions of Indonesia, selected with regard to the varying nature and extent of anthropogenic impacts, estimated biodiversity value, and future development and management plans in the regions. The final results will be analyzed and refined into an Indonesian benthic index of coral reef integrity (BICRI) which can be adapted for use in reef management programs throughout Southeast Asia. Coral reef degradation is a problem world-wide, thus the results of this project will benefit other countries (including the U.S.) as well. ***
