The Micronesia Challenge: Assessing the Relative Contribution of Stressors on Coral Reefs to Facilitate Science-to-Management Feedback

PLOS ONE, Dec 2019

Fishing and pollution are chronic stressors that can prolong recovery of coral reefs and contribute to ecosystem decline. While this premise is generally accepted, management interventions are complicated because the contributions from individual stressors are difficult to distinguish. The present study examined the extent to which fishing pressure and pollution predicted progress towards the Micronesia Challenge, an international conservation strategy initiated by the political leaders of 6 nations to conserve at least 30% of marine resources by 2020. The analyses were rooted in a defined measure of coral-reef-ecosystem condition, comprised of biological metrics that described functional processes on coral reefs. We report that only 42% of the major reef habitats exceeded the ecosystem-condition threshold established by the Micronesia Challenge. Fishing pressure acting alone on outer reefs, or in combination with pollution in some lagoons, best predicted both the decline and variance in ecosystem condition. High variances among ecosystem-condition scores reflected the large gaps between the best and worst reefs, and suggested that the current scores were unlikely to remain stable through time because of low redundancy. Accounting for the presence of marine protected area (MPA) networks in statistical models did little to improve the models’ predictive capabilities, suggesting limited efficacy of MPAs when grouped together across the region. Yet, localized benefits of MPAs existed and are expected to increase over time. Sensitivity analyses suggested that (i) grazing by large herbivores, (ii) high functional diversity of herbivores, and (iii) high predator biomass were most sensitive to fishing pressure, and were required for high ecosystem-condition scores. Linking comprehensive fisheries management policies with these sensitive metrics, and targeting the management of pollution, will strengthen the Micronesia Challenge and preserve ecosystem services that coral reefs provide to societies in the face of climate change.

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The Micronesia Challenge: Assessing the Relative Contribution of Stressors on Coral Reefs to Facilitate Science-to-Management Feedback

June The Micronesia Challenge: Assessing the Relative Contribution of Stressors on Coral Reefs to Facilitate Science-to-Management Feedback Peter Houk 0 1 Rodney Camacho 0 1 Steven Johnson 0 1 Matthew McLean 0 1 Selino Maxin 0 1 Jorg Anson 0 1 Eugene Joseph 0 1 Osamu Nedlic 0 1 Marston Luckymis 0 1 Katrina Adams 0 1 Don Hess 0 1 Emma Kabua 0 1 Anthony Yalon 0 1 Eva Buthung 0 1 Curtis Graham 0 1 Trina Leberer 0 1 Brett Taylor 0 1 Robert van Woesik 0 1 0 1 University of Guam Marine Laboratory, UOG Station , Mangilao, Guam , 2 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality, Saipan, Marianas Protectorate, 3 Conservation Society of Pohnpei, Kolonia, Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia, 4 Kosrae Conservation and Safety Organization, Lelu, Kosrae State, Federated States of Micronesia , 5 Kosrae Village Resort, Malem , Kosrae State, Federated States of Micronesia, 6 College of the Marshall Islands, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands , 7 Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority, Majuro , Republic of the Marshall Islands, 8 Yap Community Action Program, Colonia, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia, 9 Chuuk Marine Resources Department, Weno, Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia, 10 The Nature Conservancy Micronesia Program , Guam Field Office, Hagatna, Guam , 11 James Cook University , Townsville , Australia , 12 Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology , Melbourne, Florida , United States of America 1 Academic Editor: Giacomo Bernardi, University of California Santa Cruz, UNITED STATES Fishing and pollution are chronic stressors that can prolong recovery of coral reefs and contribute to ecosystem decline. While this premise is generally accepted, management inter- - Funding: This study was funded by coral-reef monitoring and management grants administered to the Micronesian jurisdictions by the the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) coral conservation program (NA11NOS482001), the David and Lucile Packard Foundation monitoring for decision support grant, and the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation small grants program administered by the Micronesia Conservation Trust. Kosrae Village Resort ventions are complicated because the contributions from individual stressors are difficult to distinguish. The present study examined the extent to which fishing pressure and pollution predicted progress towards the Micronesia Challenge, an international conservation strategy initiated by the political leaders of 6 nations to conserve at least 30% of marine resources by 2020. The analyses were rooted in a defined measure of coral-reef-ecosystem condition, comprised of biological metrics that described functional processes on coral reefs. We report that only 42% of the major reef habitats exceeded the ecosystem-condition threshold established by the Micronesia Challenge. Fishing pressure acting alone on outer reefs, or in combination with pollution in some lagoons, best predicted both the decline and variance in ecosystem condition. High variances among ecosystem-condition scores reflected the large gaps between the best and worst reefs, and suggested that the current scores were unlikely to remain stable through time because of low redundancy. Accounting for the presence of marine protected area (MPA) networks in statistical models did little to improve the models’ predictive capabilities, suggesting limited efficacy of MPAs when grouped together across the region. Yet, localized benefits of MPAs existed and are expected to increase over time. Sensitivity analyses suggested that (i) grazing by large herbivores, (ii) high functional diversity of herbivores, and (iii) high predator biomass were most sensitive to fishing pressure, and were required for high ecosystem-condition scores. Linking comprehensive fisheries management policies with these sensitive metrics, and targeting the management of pollution, will strengthen the Micronesia Challenge and preserve ecosystem services that coral reefs provide to societies in the face of climate change. Micronesia is comprised of a suite of tropical island nations that together amount to more than 3,000,000 km2 of the north Pacific Ocean, with over 6,000 km2 of coral reefs [1]. This region is home to island societies that have coexisted with marine resources for generations under traditional-tenure systems [2,3]. Yet growing influences of human-population expansion and cashbased economies have begun to erode the traditional forms of sustainable reef management. These changes have increased pressure upon marine resources [4,5]. In addition, recent climate-change-related increases in sea-surface temperatures, ocean acidification, and extreme weather patterns, which are largely attributable to carbon dioxide emissions from developed nations, have begun to shorten the timeframe between disturbances on reefs [6–8]. Some examples of influential disturbances include: (i) increase (...truncated)


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Peter Houk, Rodney Camacho, Steven Johnson, Matthew McLean, Selino Maxin, Jorg Anson, Eugene Joseph, Osamu Nedlic, Marston Luckymis, Katrina Adams, Don Hess, Emma Kabua, Anthony Yalon, Eva Buthung, Curtis Graham, Trina Leberer, Brett Taylor, Robert van Woesik. The Micronesia Challenge: Assessing the Relative Contribution of Stressors on Coral Reefs to Facilitate Science-to-Management Feedback, PLOS ONE, 2015, Volume 10, Issue 6, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130823