reef connect: bleachwatch vi...•recreational snorkelers/divers can submit brief surveys about reef...
TRANSCRIPT
BleachWatch Training
For Volunteers
© J
oh
n M
elen
dez
Reef Connect: BleachWatch VI
What is BleachWatch?
• A program that prepares for, monitors and
assesses bleaching and other reef
disturbances in the USVI
• BleachWatch depends on divers and
snorkelers to submit brief observations
about what they see underwater.
What is BleachWatch?
A way to report what you see happening
on the reef… especially coral bleaching
Why BleachWatch?
More eyes on the reef reporting disturbances
Bleaching monitoring to determine extent and
severity of bleaching events
Reef Resiliency
Use data to inform further conservation efforts
How can you help?
Perform BleachWatch surveys to
contribute to reef monitoring data
Be the ‘eyes on the reef ’ and report back
using the website or BleachWatch VI
app!
“Full Report”
“Quick Report”
www.reefconnect.org
Perform BleachWatch
surveys to contribute
to reef monitoring
data
Be the ‘eyes on the reef ’ and report back
using the website or BleachWatch VI
app!
“Full Report”
“Quick Report”
www.reefconnect.org
BleachWatch VI app
Perform BleachWatch
surveys to contribute
to reef monitoring
data
Be the ‘eyes on the reef ’ and report back
using the website or BleachWatch VI
app!
“Full Report”
“Quick Report”
BleachWatch VI app
Coral Bleaching 101
http://youtu.be/iW8nCALx5iA
https://youtu.be/iW8nCALx5iA
What is coral bleaching?
• Bleaching is when corals lose their
photosynthetic algae (zooxanthellae) due to
stressful conditions (such as warm waters,
high salinity, change in nutrients, etc)
• Without their zooxanthellae to provide food
and pigment, the coral turns bright white
and becomes vulnerable to disease and
starvation.
Coral Anatomy 100
Coral ID Key
Drawings courtesy of Reef Coral Identification-2003 copyright New world Publications www.fishid.com
Plate, Leaf & Sheet Includes all corals that are flattened and are usually layered.
Brain Corals: Includes all of the following:
Brain Corals Maze Corals Rose Corals
Branching & Pillar Include all of the following:
Branching Pillar
Finger-like Knobby
Flowering & Cup Includes all corals that the corallites appear independent from the rest of the colony.
Encrusting, Mound & Boulder: Includes all corals that often take the shape of what they grow over or the massive /boulder shaped excluding brain corals.
Fleshy Corals Includes all corals with a fleshy appearance.
Cactus Corals
Healthy Corals - Identification
Brain Corals
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Brain Corals
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Encrusting Mound and Boulder
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Encrusting Mound and Boulder
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Encrusting Mound and Boulder
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Branching and Pillar
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Branching and Pillar
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Branching and Pillar
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Plate, Leaf, and Sheet
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Flowering and Cup
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Fleshy Corals
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Soft Corals (Gorgonians)
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Soft Corals (Gorgonians)
©K
. Lew
is
Healthy Corals
Fire Coral (hydrocoral, not stony coral)
©K
. Lew
is
Zoanthids and tunicates:
can look like corals, but they are not (if you notice these bleaching or want to mention zoanthids or tunicates do
so in the notes section of your surveys)
Impacted Coral - Paling
Brain Corals
©M
. Bra
nd
t
Impacted Coral - Paling
Encrusting Mound and Boulder
©M
. Bra
nd
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Impacted Coral - Bleaching
Encrusting Mound and Boulder
©M
. Bra
nd
t
Impacted Coral - Bleaching
Branching and Pillar Corals
©K
. Lew
is
Impacted Coral – Bleaching, Paling
Branching and Pillar Corals
©M. Brandt
©M. Brandt
Impacted Coral – Bleaching
Branching and Pillar Corals
©M. Brandt ©M. Brandt
Impacted Coral – Bleaching, Paling
Branching and Pillar Corals
Cane Bay
September
2013
©N. Terry ©N. Terry
Impacted Coral - Bleached and Diseased
Brain Corals
©M
. Bra
nd
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Impacted Coral - Bleached and Diseased
Brain Corals
©M
. Bra
nd
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Impacted Coral - Diseased
Plate Leaf and Sheet Corals
©M
. Bra
nd
t
Distinguishing predation: (forms distinct patches, removes polyps completely… mention
predation in notes/comments section)
How can you help?
Perform BleachWatch surveys to
contribute to reef monitoring data
Be the ‘eyes on the reef ’ and report back
using the website or BleachWatch VI
app!
“Full Report”
“Quick Report”
How can you help?
Be the ‘eyes on the reef ’ and report back
using the website or BleachWatch VI
app!
“Quick Report”
BleachWatch VI app
Quick Report
Website Mobile App
If you see bleaching or another disturbance on any dive or snorkel (work, fun, rec,
tec, etc) …report what you saw with the simple quick report on the website or app!
Full Report
• Recreational snorkelers/divers can submit brief surveys
about reef health
• Provides a snapshot of local reefs to scientists and
managers which can be used to guide further surveys to
determine extent of bleaching or resilience of those
reefs.
The USVI BleachWatch Program was adopted and modified
from successful BleachWatch programs in Florida and the
Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
Survey Methods: Full Report
• Diving or snorkeling equipment
• Underwater clipboard or slate
and underwater datasheet,
pencils
• Coral Watch Bleaching cards or
coral ID cards (optional)
• Underwater digital camera or
video camera (optional)
Materials Needed:
Survey Methods: Full Report
• Conduct a 15-minute roving snorkel or dive (or portion of
your dive). Pause on each three minute interval and imagine
a 1 m2 (3x3 foot) quadrat (square) overlaid on the reef. Note:
Identifying fixed benthic habitat features for the four points of your
quadrat will increase accuracy of data collection.
© J
oh
n M
elen
dez
Survey Methods: Full Report
Start 3 min 6 min 9 min 12 min 15 min
3 ft
3 ft
Survey Methods: Full Report
• Estimate the percent coral coverage and other observations
using the BleachWatch VI Data Sheet. Record any other
findings (ex.: number and types of herbivorous fishes,
number and types of invertebrates, number and types of
diseases, etc.) using the notes section.
• Take photographs at each of your five survey station and of
any important observations or organisms.
• If you notice any paling, bleaching or disease outside your
survey area (quadrats), make a note and submit that
information using the “Quick Report” option on
www.reefconnect.org or the BleachWatch VI app.
Full Report Survey Data Sheet
Survey Data Sheet
Fringing Reef: Reef that grows seaward from shore, sometimes with
shallow lagoon, sometimes without; Examples- Long Reef, the shallow
barrier reef that runs from Green Caye to Kramers Park
Patch Reef: sections of coral not attached directly to the fringing reef or
wall
Wall: Cane Bay, Salt River includes top of the wall as well as the
vertical part
Mesophotic: any reef in the 30-100m range; some of the deeper reefs
out west
Nearshore: shallow reef at Cane Bay, Jacks/Issacs Bays, some of the
shallow reefs close to shore out west, anything connected to shore.
Survey Data Sheet 24
Estimate the amount of bleached or
paling coral coverage in the quadrat
using the percentage categories
provided. Select the types of coral
impacted.
Select any impacts observed.
Describe the severity of the
unhealthy corals. Use the notes
section if you don’t see a
description that fits.
Estimate the amount of live coral in
the quadrat using the percentage
categories provided. Select the types
of coral you see inside your quadrat
Small brain coral was pale, but not bleached; saw two damsel fish nearby. Quadrat also had some healthy soft coral (fans).
Use notes section to add more details or
other useful observations
Survey Data Sheet
Continue the swim and survey, being
sure to stop every 3 minutes at a new
survey station (quadrat).
Record any lionfish observations,
make any final notes or thoughts and
then go online or use the app to
submit your survey!
Estimating percentage
Coral ID Key
Drawings courtesy of Reef Coral Identification-2003 copyright New world Publications www.fishid.com
Plate, Leaf & Sheet Includes all corals that are flattened and are usually layered.
Brain Corals: Includes all of the following:
Brain Corals Maze Corals Rose Corals
Branching & Pillar Include all of the following:
Branching Pillar
Finger-like Knobby
Flowering & Cup Includes all corals that the corallites appear independent from the rest of the colony.
Encrusting, Mound & Boulder: Includes all corals that often take the shape of what they grow over or the massive /boulder shaped excluding brain corals.
Fleshy Corals Includes all corals with a fleshy appearance.
Cactus Corals
Methods: Survey Submission
Submit using the BleachWatch VI app
Submit online at www.reefconnect.org
Email surveys to [email protected]
Submit by mail or in person to:
BleachWatch VI
3052 Estate Little Princess
Christiansted VI 00820
Practice
3ft/1m
3ft/1m
Practice
3ft/1m
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Practice
3ft/1m
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Practice
3ft/1m
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Practice
3ft/1m
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www.reefconnect.org