Eakin, M., Brainard, R., Hendee, J., Hamilton, D., Lamkin, J., Monaco, M., Meckley, K., Skirving, W.,Strong, A. E.

CREIOS: NOAA's Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System

2006

EOS, Transactions, American Geophysical Union

EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Ocean Sci. Meet. Suppl.

87

36

Coral reefs are complex ecosystems with high biodiversity and significant economic importance. Unfortunately, global assessments have revealed rapid declines in coral reef health around the world. With U.S. coral reef resources stretching across 13 time zones, NOAA has responsibility for observing and managing coral reefs over a wide area. To carry out this task, NOAA is developing an integrated coral reef observing system to map and monitor coral reefs, their biota, and their environments. The Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System (CREIOS) has been initiated using components of NOAA's existing reef mapping and monitoring activities funded under NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program and providing a NOAA contribution to the Integrated Ocean Observing System. NOAA is now evaluating the spatial, temporal, and topical coverage of this suite of activities to determine coverage and gaps and will use this to build the most comprehensive system possible within fiscal constraints. The current configuration of CREIOS includes a wide variety of observing systems providing coverage of U.S. coral reef resources in the waters of states, territories, U.S. flag islands and Freely Associated States in both the Pacific and the Atlantic. Key components include: (1) the physical environment is being monitored using satellite, in situ, and paleoclimatic observations; (2) reef mapping and habitat characterization uses satellite, airborne, ship-based, and diver observations; (3) monitoring of benthos, mobile invertebrates, and fishes by divers and instruments; (4) monitoring for coral bleaching and disease outbreaks, primarily by divers, but also using high-resolution satellite imagery; and (5) use of biophysical modeling for data assimilation and to understand the interactions between reef organisms and their environment. NOAA will make data from these observations accessible through the Coral Reef Information System (CoRIS) and provide integrated information products to satisfy scientific and management needs.

Coral reefs/ Palaeoenvironments/ Airborne sensing/ Information systems/ Bleaching/ Nature conservation/ Biodiversity/ Palaeoclimate/ Navigational charts