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Design and Parameterization of a Coral Reef Ecosystem Model for Guam

Design and Parameterization of a Coral Reef Ecosystem Model for Guam

Management on an ecosystem scale has proven to be a useful strategy to conserve, manage, and restore marine systems. Implementing ecosystem-based management requires an understanding of the complex and often synergistic dynamics of coral reefs, including the role of humans in the ecosystem. The Atlantis modeling framework integrates physical, chemical, ecological, and anthropogenic processes in a three dimensional, spatially explicit domain and can serve as a useful decision-support tool for ecosystem-based coral reef management. The Atlantis ecosystem model has successfully been applied to investigate ecosystem-based fisheries management scenario evaluations and ecological questions in Australia and North America. In this report we describe the construction of the Guam Atlantis Coral Reef Ecosystem Model. Atlantis incorporates various submodels that each have their own set of parameters and variables. Here we describe the details of each model component and present the parameterizations of the spatial and ecological submodels. The ultimate goal of the fully developed model is to provide a tool to evaluate management strategy scenarios against a backdrop of climate and ocean change.

Citation: Weijerman, M., Kaplan, I., Fulton, E., Gordon, B., Grafeld, S., Brainard, R. 2014. Design and parameterization of a coral reef ecosystem model for Guam. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-PIFSC-43, 113 p. + Appendices.

Design and Parameterization of a Coral Reef Ecosystem Model for Guam (pdf, 6.5 MB)