coral reef restoration research project
TRANSCRIPT
OPTIMAL SITES FOR CORAL TRANSPLANTATION
By Melissa Olson and Julia-Ann Reyes
FINAL REPORT
McGill University, Bellairs Research Institute Barbados Field Study Semester Folkestone, St. James, Barbados
David G. Elkhorn Coral. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://oceandoctor.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_1032.jpg
The Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) is currently operating a coral cultivation facility at the Bellairs Research Institute under a loan agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This project will soon be taken over by the Coral Reef Restoration Alliance (CORALL)
BACKGROUND
Carlee M. (2014). Folkestone Marine Park. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://www.carleemcdot.com/2014/04/huntes-gardens-barbados.html
BELLAIRS CORAL RESEARCH LAB
Ø Coral was fragmented off the reef and placed in the lab
Ø Three different species of coral
are growing currently Ø The corals are monitored daily
Ø The goal is to transplant the corals this December
What is happening in the Bellairs Coral Research Lab?
Barbados Today (2016). Reviving Barbados’ Coral Reefs. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from https://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/08/05/reviving-barbados-coral-reefs/
Amy Cox. Bellairs Research Institute Coral Lab. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/CORALLBarbados/photos
QUESTION: Where is the best place for corals to be transplanted? Ø What parameters do we test for? Ø How does the in situ environment compare to the in vitro
environment?
The Nature Conservancy. Elkhorn Coral. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from https://global.nature.org/content/natures-premium-the-insurance-industry-and-climate-risk
WHAT PRESSURES ARE AFFECTING MODERN CORAL REEFS? • Ocean Acidification (OA) due to high concentrations of Carbon Dioxide • Eutrophication due to high nutrient run off (Phosphorous and Nitrogen) • Over fishing • Destructive fishing practices • Sunscreens • Dredging for ports and harbors • Onshore development
MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency. Sargassum bloom are ruining Caribbean beaches and tourism season. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://en.mercopress.com/2015/08/12/sargassum-bloom-are-ruining-caribbean-beaches-and-tourism-season
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION The process of OA explained…
2
Melissa O. (2016) Process of Ocean Acidification. [drawing]
pH ê Acidity é
pH é Acidity ê
Ø Changes in pH are difficult to measure. Instead, we can look at how the corals are growing Ø Net Ecosystem Calcification (NEC) rate
Ø How do we measure NEC rates? Ø Measure the Total Alkalinity (TA)
Ø Total Alkalinity = the basicity of sea water
HOW DO WE MEASURE OA?
Ethan D. (2015). A field of staghorn corals (Acropora sp.). [digital image] Retrieved December, 2016, from https://www.carbonbrief.org/new-satellite-reveals-places-on-earth-most-at-risk-from-ocean-acidification
EUTROPHICATION Nutrient lab tests and their explanations
TEST SOURCE OF CHEMICAL EFFECT ON CORAL
Phosphorous Ø Sewage Ø Agricultural runoff Ø Fertilizers Ø Detergents, cleaning fluids Ø Grey water
Ø Can reduce skeletal density Ø Bleaching
Nitrogen Ø Terrestrial runoff Ø Mixing, advection and diffusion from
deep ocean water Ø Atmosphere Ø Black water (waste water from toilets)
Ø Bleaching
Silica Ø Siliceous rocks Ø Atmospheric deposition of particles Ø Preserved ocean sediments
Ø Controls phytoplankton communities
FIELDWORK Site evaluations
Mullins Inside Reserve Outside Reserve
Coral Species Ø Acropora Palmata
Land/Area Use Ø Tourist destination Ø Beachfront
development Ø Mainly small villas
Marine Life Ø Few fish species
Coral Species Ø Brain, Porites, Fan
(More diverse)
Land/Area Use Ø Bellairs Research
Institute Ø Folkestone public
park
Marine Life Ø Many species of fish
Coral Species Ø Similar to inside
reserve (but less) Ø More algae growth
Land/Area Use Ø Colony Club, Coral
Reef Club Ø Tourist activity Ø Sewage/runoff stream
Marine Life Ø Fewer fish than inside
reserve
FIELDWORK Methodology for sample collection
YSI probe
readings
Water sample
collection
prepare samples
for testing
Ø Kayak (Bellairs) or Floaty (Mullins) Ø Drop probe ~1m down Ø Record values for temp, salinity, D.O.
Ø Collect while snorkeling Ø Rinse sample bottle x3 Ø Fill sample bottle at half depth
Ø Separate sample: Nutrient, TA/DIC Ø Nutrient: rinse, add HNO3, pH test Ø TA/DIC: rinse, filter, add HgCl2
Melissa O. (2016). Fieldwork: Sample Collection. [digital image]
LAB WORK Test performed in the lab on our water samples…
Phosphate Nitrate-Nitrogen Silica
Total Alkalinity
Nutrient Tests:
TA Tests:
Melissa O. (2016). Lab work: Tests. [digital image]
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
(ppb
)
Nitrogen (ppb)
RESULTS
= Inside Reserve = Outside Reserve = Mullins
Average amount of nutrients found at each site between September 30th and October 26th
Ø Error bars represent standard deviation Ø No significant differences among three sites
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
(ppb
)
Silica (ppb)
0
50
100
150
200
250
(ppb
)
Phosphorous (ppb)
RESULTS
= Inside Reserve = Outside Reserve = Mullins
Nutrient levels at each site over time
Ø Nutrient levels vary greatly over time which explains large errors Ø Nutrient levels vary among sites as well
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Phosph
orou
s (pp
b)
Date
Phosphorous Values in All Sites vs. Time
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Nitrogen
(ppb
) Date
Nitrogen Values in All Sites vs. Time
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450
Nitrogen
(ppb
)
Date
Nitrogen Values in All Sites vs. Time
DISCUSSION
= Inside Reserve = Outside Reserve = Mullins =Standard
9.80 0
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
225
250
275
300
325
350
Phosph
orou
s (pp
b)
Date
Phosphorous Values in All Sites vs. Time
2.48
How does our nutrient data compare to optimal levels?
DISCUSSION
= Rainfall = Phosphorous = Nitrogen
Why do we see such variability among nutrient data?
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
Rainfall (m
m)
Inside Reserve: Rainfall vs. Time
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
Rainfall (m
m)
Outside Reserve : Rainfall vs. Time
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
1.2 1.4
Rainfall (m
m)
Mullins Bay: Rainfall vs. Time
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Nutrie
nt Value
(ppb
)
Inside Reserve: Nutrient Levels vs. Time
0
50
100
150
200
250
Nutrie
nt Value
(ppb
)
Outside Reserve: Nutrient Levels vs. Time
0
100
200
300
400
500
Nutrie
nt Value
(ppb
)
Mullins: Nutrient Levels vs. Time
RESULTS nTA at all sites
Ø TA is normalized to a reference salinity value so we can compare across all sites as nTA Ø Error bars represent standard deviation Ø No significant differences among three sites
= Inside Reserve = Outside Reserve = Mullins
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000 nT
A
Average nTA for All Sites
DISCUSSION ∆nTA and NEC rates among all sites
-‐140
-‐120
-‐100
-‐80
-‐60
-‐40
-‐20
0
∆nTA
∆nTA Between Offshore & Reefs for All Sites
= Inside Reserve = Outside Reserve = Mullins
Ø ∆nTA = nTA (offshore) – nTA (reef) Ø All reefs have a negative ∆nTA meaning Net Dissolution and a negative NEC rate
CONCLUSIONS Nutrient Data: Ø Differences in nutrient levels are
negligible across sites Ø Phosphorous and Nitrogen are above
standard levels Ø There is a correlation between rainfall
and Phosphorous/Nitrogen levels Ø Future transplantation sites need
to consider drainage
Ø We cannot determine the best site based on this nutrient data
Jennifer H. (2016). Elkhorn Coral, Na?onal Geographic. [digital image]. Retrieved December 2016, from hMps://socialmediafeed.me/ig/photo/BMgkQUsDa8r
CONCLUSIONS TA Data: Ø No significant differences for nTA among
all reefs Ø Negative NEC rates (Net Dissolution) at
all sites suggest that no site is optimal for transplantation
Ø Further research will have to be conducted in order to decide the ideal location for coral transplantation
Carrier. Coral Reef Club. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://www.carrier.co.uk/destinations/caribbean-bermuda-mexico/barbados/coral-reef-club/
FUTURE WORK: RECOMMENDATIONS
Ø Longer study period (include seasonality)
Ø Examine future land use Ø Measure Dissolved Inorganic Carbon Ø Measure TA and DIC at more varied
times Ø Test in situ data within the Bellairs
mesocosm
David J. (2015). Great Barrier Reef Australia. [digital image]. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://www.2012un-nouveau-paradigme.com/2015/03/decouverte-le-corail-mange-nos-plastiques-et-ne-peut-le-digerer.html
NOAA. What Can I do to Protect the Coral Reefs?. [infographic]. Retrieved December, 2016, from hMp://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/thingsyoucando.html
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mentors:
Dr. Alyson M. Allen Dr. Emma Smith
Coral Reef Restoration Alliance (CORALL)
Susan Mahon Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU)
Ramon Roach
Inter American Development Bank’s Multi-Lateral Investment Fund
Ruth Houliston
Lab Assistant Zoe Lisk
Bellairs Coral Research Wet Lab Amy Cox
Shakira Sealy Dr. Craig Downs
Program Director, BFSS
Susan Mahon
McGill Professors Dr. Inteaz Ali
UWI Researcher Dr. Hazel Oxenford
Staff at Bellairs Research Institute,
McGill University