Reefs in Space and Time: Recognizing David Stoddart's Contribution to Coral Reef Science

We humans have inadvertently triggered the emergence of a new Earth system: a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene (Crutzen 2002; Steffen et al. 2007). It is replacing the Holocene, the epoch in which civilisation evolved. Coral reefs, together with all other ecosystems on the planet, are being swept up in this change. The changes are so complex that they are overwhelming the ability of traditional science to comprehend them, and their consequences are so profound that they demand a new compact between science and society. This compact, we shall argue, is really an old one, but one, nevertheless, that is new to coral reef science. Coral reef science is doomed to irrelevance unless it embraces it. In this view, the issue is not to ‘save’ coral reef ecosystems from humans but to reshape them to survive the Anthropocene together with humans—it is not to conserve species as an end in itself but to retain useful system functions and hence fitness for their joint purpose with humans. This is not to rail against science itself. Coral reefs, like many ecosystems, face an existential crisis, and science is vital to its resolution. But, if there is to be a resolution, it will not be in the way that many reef scientists currently believe. Rather, the solution will be through new science built on an old compact with society. This optimistic compact describes the ‘how and why’ of the application of science to the human condition—engineering in its best and broadest sense. Indeed, we shall argue that the compact needs to drive the creation of a new commons for coral reefs—a closely managed commons that replaces today’s tragedy (Hardin 1968) and actively reshapes coral reefs for the Anthropocene. We suggest that such a commons will restore our science to a healthier place in society. Today, coral reef science may seem to be part of a coral reef industry that sometimes has more to do with ideology than science, and that often places people in opposition to coral reefs. A more relevant coral reef science could foster an optimistic but realistic—an almost Victorian—awareness that coral reefs can be shaped successfully for our beneficial use.

At the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) held in July in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, midway through the International Year of the Reef, more than 3500 experts from 75 countries assembled to face some hard truths: Coral reefs are teetering on the edge of survival, and it is our fault. High levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can produce a lethal combination of warmer seawater and lower pH. Pervasive overfishing, pollution, coastal development, and physical damage further undermine reef health—and consequently the health of the people and ecosystems depending upon them ([1][1]). Coral reefs feed, protect, and provide livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people around the world. They create homes for billions of fish and other animals, buffer coastlines from the ravages of storms, and provide rich economic opportunities through tourism and fishing. Their value to society has been estimated at more than $300 billion per year. Reefs are the dynamic centers of the most concentrated biodiversity on Earth. It is not too late to save coral reefs. A consensus emerged at the 11th ICRS that society has both the knowledge and the tools to bring coral reefs back from the brink. We have a real—but rapidly narrowing—window of opportunity in which to take decisive action. We must immediately: (i) Cut CO2 emissions by lowering our carbon footprint and ask our policy-makers to commit to low carbon economic growth. (ii) Eliminate open-access fisheries in coral reef ecosystems and instead establish and enforce regulations on user rights, total allowable catch, individual catch quotas, nondestructive gear, and other sustainable fisheries regulations. (iii) Protect coral reef herbivores, including parrotfish, by banning the harvesting of these species for sale and commercial consumption. (iv) Establish and strictly enforce networks of Marine Protected Areas that include No-Take Areas. (v) Effectively manage the waters in between Marine Protected Areas. (vi) Maintain connectivity between coral reefs and associated habitats; mangroves, sea grass beds, and lagoons contribute to the integrity of reef ecosystems and their continued production of ecosystem services. (vii) Report regularly and publicly on the health of local coral reefs. (viii) Recognize the links between what we do on land and how it affects the ocean. (ix) Bring local actors together—including members of industry, civil society, local government, and the scientific community—to develop a shared vision of healthy reefs and a road map for getting there. Only by taking bold and urgent steps now can we hope to ensure that reefs will survive to enrich life on Earth, as they have for millions of years before us. By failing to act, we risk bequeathing an impoverished ocean to our children and future generations ([2][2]). 1. 1.[↵][3]An overview of the 2632 papers presented can be found on [www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/outcomes.html][4]. 2. 2.[↵][5]Please add your name to sign up for this Call to Action. Go to [www.thepetitionsite.com/1/11th-international-coral-reef-symposium-call-to-action][6]. 3. 3.R.E.D. is the Chair of the 11th ICRS Local Organizing Committee (LOC); C.B., M.H., J.K., S.R.P., and O.H.-G. are Super Chairs of the 11th ICRS Mini-Symposia. R.v.W. is the Science Chair of the LOC. J.C.O. and B.D.C. are LOC organizers, R.B.A. is the President of the International Society for Reef Studies, and F.S. is Coordinator of the International Year of the Reef 2008. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1. in text [4]: http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/outcomes.html [5]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2. in text [6]: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/11th-international-coral-reef-symposium-call-to-action

ESEP Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics Contact the journal RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections ESEP 8:109-119 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00093 AS I SEE IT Crises on coral reefs and in coral reef science in the 21st century: the need for a new peer-review system Paul W. Sammarco Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON), 8124 Hwy. 56, Chauvin, Louisiana 70344, USA *Email: psammarco@lumcon.edu ABSTRACT: Coral reef biota have suffered mass mortality globally in the last 30 yr. Causes include: (1) coral disease, (2) coral bleaching, (3) coastal nutrient enrichment, (4) over-fishing, and (5) mass mortality of grazing echinoids. In this paper, I examine data from a US funding agency, a global funding agency, and abstracting indices, and demonstrate why the peer review system has become dysfunctional under these circumstances. Research funding and the number of funded projects have not kept pace with increases in environmental problems, the increased researcher population and researcher demand, resulting in a chronic support gap. This has undermined trust, mutual support, and free-flow of information, and resulted in a poorly functioning review system. I examine the advantages and disadvantages of masking and the double-blinded review system, and recommend a more transparent review system—the reverse-blind review system (RBRS), utilizing (1) Lack of identity of authors/proponents to reviewers, to promote objectivity, (2) identification of reviewers to the authors/proponents, to promote accountability, (3) utilization of expert ‘panel’ members in grant proposal review, similar to the editorial system of scientific journals, each making direct recommendations to funding agencies, (4) elimination of grant panel meetings to help eliminate input by non-experts and confounding group interactions and assign greater responsibility to funding bodies, and (5) allowing researchers to appeal decisions based on inaccurate or misleading information. Such a system would be fairer to the researchers, enhance research, and increase information exchange. KEY WORDS: Coral · Peer review · Proposals · Manuscripts · Publishing · Funding · Panel · Appeal Full text in pdf format NextCite this article as: Sammarco PW (2008) Crises on coral reefs and in coral reef science in the 21st century: the need for a new peer-review system. Ethics Sci Environ Polit 8:109-119. https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00093 Export citation Mail this link - Contents Mailing Lists - RSS Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESEP Vol. 8, No. 2. Online publication date: October 08, 2008 Print ISSN: 1863-5415; Online ISSN: 1611-8014 Copyright © 2008 Inter-Research.

Global decline in capacity of coral reefs to provide ecosystem services

22 - Coral Reefs and Reef Islands of the Amirantes Archipelago, Western Indian Ocean

Despite increasing recognition of the need for more diverse and equitable representation in the sciences, it is unclear whether measurable progress has been made. Here, we examine trends in authorship in coral reef science from 1,677 articles published over the past 16 years (2003–2018) and find that while representation of authors that are women (from 18 to 33%) and from non-OECD nations (from 4 to 13%) have increased over time, progress is slow in achieving more equitable representation. For example, at the current rate, it would take over two decades for female representation to reach 50%. Given that there are more coral reef non-OECD countries, at the current rate, truly equitable representation of non-OECD countries would take even longer. OECD nations also continue to dominate authorship contributions in coral reef science (89%), in research conducted in both OECD (63%) and non-OECD nations (68%). We identify systemic issues that remain prevalent in coral reef science (i.e., parachute science, gender bias) that likely contribute to observed trends. We provide recommendations to address systemic biases in research to foster a more inclusive global science community. Adoption of these recommendations will lead to more creative, innovative, and impactful scientific approaches urgently needed for coral reefs and contribute to environmental justice efforts.

Impacts of global climate change on coral reefs are being amplified by pulse heat stress events, including El Niño, the warm phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Despite reports of extensive coral bleaching and up to 97% coral mortality induced by El Niño events, a quantitative synthesis of the nature, intensity, and drivers of El Niño and La Niña impacts on corals is lacking. Herein, we first present a global meta-analysis of studies quantifying the effects of El Niño/La Niña-warming on corals, surveying studies from both the primary literature and International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) Proceedings. Overall, the strongest signal for El Niño/La Niña-associated coral bleaching was long-term mean temperature; bleaching decreased with decreasing long-term mean temperature (n = 20 studies). Additionally, coral cover losses during El Niño/La Niña were shaped by localized maximum heat stress and long-term mean temperature (n = 28 studies). Second, we present a method for quantifying coral heat stress which, for any coral reef location in the world, allows extraction of remotely-sensed degree heating weeks (DHW) for any date (since 1982), quantification of the maximum DHW, and the time lag since the maximum DHW. Using this method, we show that the 2015/16 El Niño event instigated unprecedented global coral heat stress across the world's oceans. With El Niño events expected to increase in frequency and severity this century, it is imperative that we gain a clear understanding of how these thermal stress anomalies impact different coral species and coral reef regions. We therefore finish with recommendations for future coral bleaching studies that will foster improved syntheses, as well as predictive and adaptive capacity to extreme warming events.

On 1 July 2005 I took over the Editorship of Coral Reefs from Dick Dodge, who is now heavily involved in the planning of the next International Coral Reef Symposium. Dick has done an excellent job for the journal over his 5-year-tenure. We all have to congratulate him for achieving such high standards through his dedicated work. Thank you. My Editorship opens with many new exciting developments for Coral Reefs. Nick Polunin (ISRS President) and Dick Dodge agreed a new page allowance with our publisher, Springer earlier this year. In the current year (2005), the journal will publish 704 pages. This rises to 800 pages next year, and 900 pages in 2007. What does this mean for the reader and the author? For authors, your accepted papers will appear in the printed journal more quickly. For readers, you will experience greater content, and more up-to-date science. Increased publication capacity is just one side of the picture. To improve our manuscript handling and review, we have introduced a new electronic process. From 1 July, authors, reviewers and the editorial team have all had direct internet access to our dedicated site at Manuscript Central: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/coral. Authors now submit their manuscripts electronically to the site, the Editorial Office co-ordinates and oversees the routing of manuscripts to the Topic Editors who handle the review process. Reviewers can then access manuscripts and either work onor off-line. Authors can track their manuscripts at all stages of the process. Using this system we can minimise delays, and reduce time in review. I encourage potential authors to visit the site where they will find helpful guidance. I also recognise that some of you may find the idea alien and impersonal. I can assure you that it is not, ‘real people‘ are working with your manuscript, you can see their names and contact them easily. The academic community has always been at the forefront in adopting new technology and tools, this is a major step forward for Coral Reefs, and a necessary one if we are to keep to the fore of publishing. We have also made changes to the format of ‘Notes’. These are short manuscripts of up to 2–4 journal pages. They are valuable contributions to the science, and are subject to the same critical review process. To enhance their status, Notes will be allowed short abstracts in future. This will enable them to be cross-referenced by the various abstracting services, and so improve their visibility to the research community. There have also been major changes at our publisher, Springer, over the last year. We have a new editorial team based in Holland following the merger between Springer and Kluwer Academic Publishing. The new company is the second largest professional publisher in the fields of science, technology and medicine worldwide. Suzanne Mekking is our Publishing Editor at Springer. The production stays in Heidelberg, Germany, and we welcome Elke Werner as the new Production Editor from 1 August. It is she who liaises with authors once their papers have been accepted and the copy editing/ publishing process is initiated. I, the Topic Editors, the Editorial Board, and the team at Springer look forward to working with you all in striving to establish our journal as the premier location for the publication of papers related to the study of corals and coral reefs.

Tropical coral reefs currently face an unprecedented restructuring since their extant form and function emerged ~24 million years ago in the early Neogene. They have entered the Anthropocene—an epoch where humans have become the dominant force of planetary change. Human impacts on and interactions with coral reefs are escalating across multiple trophic levels and scales, but we have a rudimentary understanding of what this means for their functional ecology. The overall goal of this special feature is to unpack what the Anthropocene means for the functional ecology of coral reefs, laying the foundations for new approaches and research directions in coral reef science. The collection describes the functional changes and novel dynamics that characterise Anthropocene reefs, from variations in their taxonomy and geology through to the resulting shifts in ecosystem services they provide to humanity. Common changes to coral reefs are occurring that are challenging their historical functional role. These include reductions in benthic calcifiers and declining carbonate production, and benthic assemblage shifts leading to a loss of structural complexity and flattening of reef seascapes. As reefs as we know them are lost from some locations, range extensions and the “tropicalisation” of temperate locations present novel ecosystem configurations that are challenging ecological paradigms and our historical approach to ecosystem management. Hindering our progress, however, is a “functionality crisis.” Coral reef functional ecology to date has lacked a clear and universal definition of the term “function,” and many assumed links between taxa and reef processes lack empirical evidence. Moving forward, we must establish causal links between functional traits, the species that possess them, and specific ecosystem processes if we are to successfully manage Anthropocene reefs. The functional space coral reefs occupy has arguably widened, presenting ethical challenges surrounding the increasingly interventionist management practices required to achieve particular functional endpoints. For us to steer coral reefs towards a desirable functional future will require a more mechanistic understanding between ecosystem attributes and the provision of services, acknowledging that such services are coproduced by the ecosystem and society. Ultimately, this era in coral reef ecology requires a new approach to coral reef science, one that addresses the complex socio‐ecological nature of coral reefs. These works outline a path ahead for defining and studying the functional ecology of coral reefs, drive debate as to what we want their functional future to look like and call for ecosystem function to be at the heart of managing coral reef futures during this period of rapid transition.

Protecting and restoring coral reefs demands concerted global efforts that transcend national boundaries. However, equitable participation in coral reef science remains challenging, particularly for researchers from lower-income nations. Through quantitative scientometric analyses and qualitative surveys, we examined global collaboration dynamics in coral reef research. Our findings reveal that high-income countries dominate the research landscape, often sidelining contributions from lower-income regions. While international collaborations were valued for benefits like access to funding, opportunities for professional development, enhanced publication success and improved conservation outcomes, most partnerships were short-term, with limited opportunities for evolving roles. Researchers from developing nations face significant barriers, including undervaluation of contributions, differing expectations around authorship, and ethical concerns like parachute science and tokenism, raising concerns about inclusivity and respect for local expertise. To improve collaborative practices and increase participation in coral reef science we propose actionable recommendations directed towards publishers, funders and the greater coral reef research community. We recommend fostering mutual respect, building long-term relationships, and promoting fair funding and publishing practices. These steps are essential for equitable research collaborations that support coral reefs and the communities that depend on them.

The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) is a matrix program operating across four NOAA line offices: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), and Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and is administered by NOS. The program works with other federal agencies, states, territories and commonwealths, and local governments to conserve, protect and restore coral reefs across the United States (US) and internationally. The program has been operating under the strategic guidance of the CRCP's 2010-2015 "goals and objectives" to address three main threats: fishing impacts, land-based sources of pollution, and climate change. The Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) has been a leader in coral reef conservation science since 1978. Congress passed the Coral Reef Conservation Act in 2000 and the SEFSC dovetailed its management-relevant coral reef science with the newly formed CRCP program. SEFSC maintains a strong coral reef science program and continues to deliver high-caliber, peer-reviewed science in support of coral reef conservation and management and other mandates to conserve the nation's fisheries, protect essential fish habitat, and recover protected species. Recent activities that have shaped the course of SEFSC's coral reef science program include the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (2006), which drew attention to data deficiencies for coral reef fisheries; the listing of 7 Atlantic corals (2 in 2006, 5 in 2014) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA); and the advent of the CRCP's National Coral Reef Monitoring Program (NCRMP) in 2013. NMFS plays a critical regulatory role to effect change on coral reefs, and in 2015 NMFS took a more coordinated approach to organizing its coral reef ecosystem research and management both within and external to CRCP.

International scientific conferences serve as vital platforms for networking, knowledge exchange, and collaborative responses to global challenges. To exemplify sustainable practices, it is essential to organize these events in a climate-friendly manner, particularly for topics directly tied to environmental conservation, such as coral reef research. The 15th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), held in Bremen, Germany, in July 2022, aimed to minimize its environmental impact through a comprehensive green strategy. This included reducing CO2 emissions and offsetting unavoidable emissions via investments in climate protection projects. This study presents a detailed assessment of the symposium’s carbon footprint over its five-day duration, accounting for both travel-related and local emissions. Total CO2 emissions were estimated at approximately 1,491 tons, with transportation contributing 84% and local activities 16%. Local emissions were reduced through measures such as the use of renewable energy, sustainable catering, and waste reduction. The hybrid format of the conference, which enabled online participation, significantly lowered per-capita emissions compared to full in-person attendance. The findings highlight the importance of integrating green strategies and virtual participation options to reduce the environmental impact of scientific gatherings. By offsetting all unavoidable emissions, the 15th ICRS successfully achieved carbon neutrality, setting a benchmark for future conferences to prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility.

David Stoddart <scp>OBE</scp>

Biogeography of Holocene coral species in the western Indian Ocean

BALI Unusually for a specialist research conference, last week's International Coral Reef Symposium has pushed scientists to the forefront of the public debate on the effects of climate change on coral reefs.