[Coral-List] Coral-List Digest, Vol 34, Issue 20
Curtis Kruer
kruer at 3rivers.net
Sun Apr 30 22:33:18 EDT 2006
Well put Dr. Goreau. Various adverse impacts to coral reefs and neighboring marine habitats have
been well known for decades - yet they continue.
C. Kruer
Thomas Goreau wrote:
> A brief note in clarification of Todd Barber's comment below. While I
> am delighted to see his use of ecologically-sound water quality
> standards for coral reef protection from eutrophication, these values
> should not be attributed to me, but to Brian Lapointe, Peter Bell,
> Mark Littler, and Diane Littler.
>
> In addition, their pioneering work on the nutrient levels marking the
> transition between coral-dominated and algae-dominated systems was
> not cited in our paper on Corals and Coral Reefs, which Todd Barber
> refers to below, as that paper was written several decades BEFORE
> quantitative work was done to establish the eutrophication limits of
> coral reefs. I have cited their original work in several later papers
> on watershed and coastal zone management. stating that for our corals
> to thrive we need to keep our waters clear of sewage and agricultural
> nutrients by insisting that land-based human sources of nutrients be
> recycled on land.
>
> it is very important to credit the original literature, something
> that has become extremely rare since so many nowadays cite only
> second, third, or fourth hand references. In these the original work
> is usually ignored or distorted beyond recognition. No wonder
> students reading recent reviews are confused, and don't seem to
> recognize that we have always known that coral reefs are extremely
> fragile and increasingly vulnerable ecosystems, because the history
> of the field has been falsified by pouring old wine into new bottles,
> and peddling them as the latest fad vintage!
>
> Thomas J. Goreau, PhD
> President
> Global Coral Reef Alliance
> 37 Pleasant Street, Cambridge MA 02139
> 617-864-4226
> goreau at bestweb.net
> http://www.globalcoral.org
>
>
>>Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 08:58:40 -0400
>>From: "Todd Barber" <reefball at reefball.com>
>>Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Placencia, Belize: effect of proposed
>> development on corals in southern Belize
>>To: <mtoy at destinationsbelize.com>, <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
>>Message-ID: <017501c662e7$d0a96e50$6901a8c0 at reef8c359cb049>
>>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>>
>>Mary Troy of Destinations Belize sent an appeal to the coral list
>>last week to assist her with an EIA reveiw for a proposed
>>development on the Placencia Peninsula in Southern Belize. The
>>Reef Ball Foundation assisted her and has written a draft report
>>and there is a link to the report which is in PDF format at http://
>>www.reefball.org/album/belize/placenciapeninsula/eiareview/
>>index.html. We would appreciate any additional reviews or comments
>>on this report before we go final with the document. Additionally,
>>Rachel Graham, who is researching Goliath grouper, rays and sharks
>>in southern Belize is going to be in the area for the next couple
>>of days and she is going to do some monitoring photos of the coral
>>reefs in the area to strengthen the report. Therefore, if anyone
>>needs any additional on-site information to make comments we have
>>this opportunity.
>>
>>We would especially appreciate any comments on nutrient limits to
>>coral reefs. The report already references Dr. Thomas Goreau's
>>suggested levels as well as references to closed systems but
>>addtional practical limits or legislated limits would be useful
>>too. Please make sure to convert whatever limits you suggest to
>>PPM to be comparable to the EIA units of measure. We are most
>>interested in Total Nitrogen and Total Phosphate limts for coral
>>reefs and for Total Nitrogen, Phospahte & Dissolved Oxygen limits
>>for estuary systems health.
>>
>>We would also appreciate any comments on the heath of the reef in
>>this area if anyone on the list has done any work there.
>>
>>Mary provides a link in her earlier message (below) to the original
>>EIA if you would like to dive deeper into this issue. The Annex
>>file is the most comprehensive. You will also find the graphics
>>from our report at the link I posted above.
>>
>>Note: This development will have almost 13,000 people at full
>>occupancy. And it will be located on a barrier island between an
>>estuary and the Caribbean sea were they has not been significant
>>human population before. All comments are appreciated.
>>
>>-Todd Barber
>>Chairman
>>Reef Ball Foundation
>
>
>
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>
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