coral reef restoration research project

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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

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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

STUDY SITES

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