RUI: Long-Term Coral Reef Dynamics in the US Virgin Islands: 1987-2008

美属维尔京群岛的长期珊瑚礁动态：1987- 2008 PI- Peter J. EdmundsInstitution --加州州立大学Northridge联系人-- peter.edmunds@csun. edu该提案侧重于美属维尔京群岛（USVI）的珊瑚礁，特别是延长现有的长期-长期研究珊瑚礁群落结构进入其第22年，并解决四个假设解决机制负责最近和正在进行的这些制度的变化。 对群落结构的分析需要记录海底活珊瑚和藻类的相对丰度，并量化具有重要生态意义的物种的单个群落的出生、死亡和生长率。 为了深入了解变化的根本原因，将进行实验并分析现有数据，以便：（i）确定珊瑚成功与其繁殖和自我替代潜力之间的机制，（ii）确定高温在杀死珊瑚新兵方面的重要性，（iii）测量生态上重要尺寸的珊瑚群体的相对丰度-即大（即，（iv）发展预测珊瑚礁未来会是什么样子的能力，以及哪些物种将在群落中占主导地位。 该项目与VI国家公园的紧密结合提供了明确的沟通渠道，通过该渠道可以指导结果，以便成为有关珊瑚礁资源管理的决策过程的有效组成部分。NSF通过LTREB计划提供的支持将用于完成对圣约翰（USVI）珊瑚礁的五年分析自1987年以来一直由这位研究者进行研究。 这个地方的珊瑚礁对美国来说是一种非常重要的资源，因为它们位于一个受国家公园和国际生物圈保护区系统保护的原始位置。 由于这种保护，这些珊瑚礁的变化更有可能反映该区域内海洋群落的“自然”动态，而不是城市化和其他人为影响造成的局部影响。 换句话说，圣约翰的珊瑚礁提供了一个独特的参照点，可以根据这个参照点来衡量人类影响在更受干扰的地区（例如，佛罗里达群岛和夏威夷）的影响。 该项目的优点在于现有研究的背景、寿命和生产力，为继续研究提供了经验依据，以及可以开发有意义的假设的框架。 完成这一阶段的工作将创造一个最长的定量历史与加勒比珊瑚礁的年度分辨率，并通过解决机械问题，将取得重大进展，了解珊瑚礁群落结构最近的变化的原因和后果。

Long-term coral reef dynamics in the USVI: 1987-2008PI - Peter J. EdmundsInstitution -- California State University NorthridgeContact -- peter.edmunds@csun.eduThis proposal focuses on coral reefs in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), specifically extending an existing long-term study of coral reef community structure into its 22nd year and addressing four hypotheses addressing the mechanisms responsible for recent and ongoing changes in these systems. The analysis of the community structure entails documenting the relative abundance of live coral and algae on the sea floor, and quantifying the birth, death and growth rates of individual colonies of ecologically important species. To gain insight into the underlying causes of change, experiments will be conducted and existing data analyzed in order to: (i) identify the mechanisms relating coral success to their potential to reproduce and replace themselves, (ii) determine the importance of high temperature in killing coral recruits, (iii) gauge how the relative abundance of coral colonies of ecologically important sizes - namely large (i.e., old) colonies - has been changed by recent disturbances, and (iv) develop the capacity to forecast what the reefs of tomorrow will look like, and which species will dominate the communities. Close integration of this project with the VI National Park provides clear channels of communication through which the results can be directed in order to be effective components of the decision making process concerning the management of coral reef resources.To achieve the goals of this study, NSF support through the LTREB program will be used to complete a five-year analysis of coral reefs in St. John (USVI) that have been studied continuously by this investigator since 1987. Reefs in this location represent a resource of profound importance to the United States because they occur in a pristine location that is protected within a National Park and the international system of Biosphere Reserves. Because of this protection, changes on these reefs are more likely to reflect the "natural" dynamics of marine communities within this region rather than local effects attributed to urbanization and other human-induced effects. In other words, the reefs of St. John provide a unique reference site against which the effects of human impacts in more disturbed locations (for example, the Florida Keys and Hawaii) can be gauged. The merits of this project lie in the context, longevity and productivity of the existing study that provides an empirical justification to continue the research, as well as a framework within which meaningful hypotheses can be developed. Completion of this phase of the work will create one of the longest quantitative histories with annual resolution of a Caribbean reef, and by addressing mechanistic questions substantial advances will be made in understanding the causes and consequences of recent changes in coral reef community structure.