Both natural and anthropogenic forces impact coral reefs (e.g., hurricanes and pollution). Approximately 27% of the world's coral reefs already are essentially gone and will be followed by an additional 32% that currently are considered threatened. If these trends are not abated, less than half of the coral reefs globally are likely to survive the next 26 years. The ecological health of any ecosystem is dependent on the persistence of adults and successful recruitment. Coral colonies are the foundation of reefs and likely are a linchpin in the health and persistence of reef systems. Although some information is available on the ecology and population connectivity of coral reefs, a clear consensus understanding of fundamental processes has not emerged. The investigator will assess coral reefs at the micro spatial-scale and integrate physical and genetic data in a GIS format. The project supports two primary goals: 1) to genotype every individual of two species on a patch reef to assess relatedness at a micro-spatial scale and 2) to use these results as a nucleating force for a consortium of researchers interested in assessing the micro-spatial physical, environmental, and individual physiological aspects of the genetically characterized reef. By combining these data in a GIS format, the investigator hopes to begin to elucidate the underlying cause of individual-to-individual differences in bleaching, disease, and survivability.
SGER support is appropriate because the mapping and surveying of every individual of a coral species on a reef has not previously been attempted and therefore it is difficult to predict the amount of effort necessary to accomplish this task. In addition, the application of GIS to marine systems is very much in its infancy making this project clearly exploratory in nature. The data generated by this study also are likely to encourage the development of new spatial statistics allowing a greater depth of analysis than is currently available. The very novelty of this project may result in advancements in the fields of marine biology, population genetics, GIS, and conservation.
The broader impacts include training for a graduate student and opportunities for high school students from underrepresented minorities to participate in research activities.
