Status Of Coral Reefs In The Southwest Pacific 2004

"Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and biologically productive ecosystems in the world. They play an integral part in the lives of the people of the South Pacific. South Pacific coastal communities depend on them for subsistence and income generation. Some of the South Pacific economies to large extent are also dependent on coral reefs, especially through the tourism sector." --Foreword.

Provides synthesis of current scientific knowledge on coral reef resilience and resistance to bleaching, and highlights resilience and resistance factors and some knowledge gaps. Discusses tools and strategies to enhance resilience, including the use of well-designed networks of marine protected areas and integrated coastal management.

Coral reefs are the 'rain forests' of the ocean, containing the highest diversity of marine organisms and facing the greatest threats from humans. As shallow-water coastal habitats, they support a wide range of economically and culturally important activities, from fishing to tourism. Their accessibility makes reefs vulnerable to local threats that include over-fishing, pollution and physical damage. Reefs also face global problems, such as climate change, which may be responsible for recent widespread coral mortality and increased frequency of hurricane damage. This book, first published in 2006, summarises the state of knowledge about the status of reefs, the problems they face, and potential solutions. The topics considered range from concerns about extinction of coral reef species to economic and social issues affecting the well-being of people who depend on reefs. The result is a multi-disciplinary perspective on problems and solutions to the coral reef crisis.

Ever-increasing interest in oceanography and marine biology and their relevance to global environmental issues create a demand for authoritative reviews summarizing the results of recent research. Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review has catered to this demand since its founding by the late Harold Barnes more than 50 years ago. Its objectives are to consider, annually, the basic areas of marine research, returning to them when appropriate in future volumes; to deal with subjects of special and topical importance; and to add new subjects as they arise. The favourable reception and complimentary reviews accorded to all the volumes shows that the series is fulfilling a very real need. Volume 55 follows closely the objectives and style of the earlier volumes, continuing to regard the marine sciences—with all their various aspects—as a unity. Physical, chemical, and biological aspects of marine science are dealt with by experts actively engaged in these fields, and every chapter is peer-reviewed by other experts working actively in the specific areas of interest. Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this book are freely available as downloadable Open Access PDFs at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

This report documents 13 coastal coral reef management initiatives, operated under the ICRAN framework. Before discussing these case studies some of the key issues of coral reef conservation are introduced as well as a description of the role of ICRAN and the UNEP Regional Seas Programme. Although the case studies raise a variety of issues, they all highlight the threats to coral reefs; management challenges and lessons learnt.

This book brings policy-making for sustainable development into the mainstream of decision-making at all levels of governance and in all sectors. It builds on the 2005 internationally agreed 'Mauritius Strategy' which aims to implement the integration of sustainable development by small island developing states. Designed as a handbook for policy-makers and planners in government, as well as business and civil society leaders, it covers seven of the twenty issues that have been outlined in the Mauritius Strategy as being important for the sustainable development of SIDS - disaster management; marine resources; freshwater resources; land resources; energy resources; tourism resources and trade. It brings together best practices, policy options and development prospects that small states can pursue in order to achieve real progress in these fields. It covers the progress and experiences of countries in the Caribbean region, the Pacific region, and the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Mediterranean region in their implementation of sustainable development in these areas. It also provides a useful point of reference and stimulus to policy-makers and their supporting colleagues from all sectors.

World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation, Second Edition, Volume Two: The Indian Ocean to the Pacific provides a comprehensive review of the environmental condition of the seas from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. Each chapter is written by experts in the field who provide historical overviews in environmental terms, current environmental status, major problems arising from human use, informed comments on major trends, problems and successes, and recommendations for the future. The book is an invaluable worldwide reference source for students and researchers who are concerned with marine environmental science, fisheries, oceanography and engineering and coastal zone development. Covers regional issues that help countries find solutions to environmental decline that may have already developed elsewhere Provides scientific reviews of regional issues, thus empowering managers and policymakers to make progress in under-resourced countries and regions Includes comprehensive maps and updated statistics in each region covered

This volume provides an accessible scientific introduction to the historical geography of Tropical Pacific Islands, assessing the environmental and cultural changes they have undergone and how they are affected currently by these shifts and alterations. The book emphasizes the roles of plants, animals, people, and the environment in shaping the tropical Pacific through a cross-disciplinary approach involving history, geography, biology, environmental science, and anthropology. With these diverse scientific perspectives, the eight chapters of the book provide a comprehensive overview of Tropical Pacific Islands from their initial colonization by native peoples to their occupation by colonial powers, and the contemporary changes that have affected the natural history and social fabric of these islands. The Tropical Pacific Islands are introduced by a description of their geological formation, development, and geography. From there, the book details the origins of the island's original peoples and the dawn of the political economy of these islands, including the domestication and trade of plants, animals, and other natural resources. Next, readers will learn about the impact of missionaries on Pacific Islands, and the affects of Wold War II and nuclear testing on natural resources and the health of its people. The final chapter discusses the islands in the context of natural resource extraction, population increases, and global climate change. Working together these factors are shown to affect rainfall and limited water resources, as well as the ability to sustain traditional crops, and the capacity of the islands to accomodate its residents.