Location Location Location - Some coral reefs less vulnerable to rising sea temperatures
New research highlighting coastal locations where coral can better withstand rising sea temperatures, a leading cause of stress to coral reefs, may guide efforts to conserve the largest living structures on Earth.
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September 2010 Experts urge new approach to reef protection
Reef areas that support the well-being of over 400 million people are compromised by management practices that fail to recognize ecosystem interconnections, according to renowned experts who today published a practical guide for improving marine protection.
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Climate talks warned to focus on health of world's oceans, 23 October 2009
With coral reefs providing eco-system services worth at least $170 billion worldwide, the world's oceans must be high on the agenda at the Copenhagen meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December, leading international marine scientists warned today.
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Fish diversity fighting disease, October 2009
New research linking coral disease to overfishing promises to help combat alarming levels of coral reef degradation worldwide.
Focussing on 14 sites in the central Philippines, researchers from the CRTR Program's Coral Disease Working Group found that well-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) tended to have higher fish diversity and lower disease prevalence.
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Reef Restoration Concepts & Guidelines translated into Spanish, 23 July 2009
The CRTR Program’s ‘Reef Restoration Concepts & Guidelines’ has now been translated and published into Spanish. The Guidelines provide coastal managers, decision-makers, technical advisors and others with an overview of research exploring successful and unsuccessful coral reef restoration approaches from around the world...... [ Publications ]
Changing of the guard in Zanzibar, June 2009
Congratulations to Dr Margareth Kyewalyanga. The CRTR's East Africa CoE has a new Chair, following the appointment of Margareth as Director of UDSM's Institute for Marine Science, Zanzibar...... [ Read more ]
Coral tumours and bleaching closely linked, June 2009
Coral tumours and bleaching are closely linked and associated with unusually warm seawater temperatures, according to a scientific paper published in Global Change Biology...... [ Read more ]
High Accolade for Bleaching Co-Chair, June 2009
Professor Yossi Loya, Co-Chair of the CRTR Bleaching Working Group, is the first ecologist in his nation's history to be named as a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities...... [ Read more ]
Calculate Thermal Stress, Predict Bleaching, June 2009
NOAA's Coral Reef Watch program has released a training module that teaches users how to predict coral bleaching from satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data...... [ Read more ]
Time Running Out for Coral Triangle, June 2009
If the world's climate continues on its current trajectory, and nothing is done to check local environmental pressures, we will see the ecological collapse of the Coral Triangle, according to a study led by Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, Chair of the CRTR's Bleaching Working Group and released by the World Wide Fund for Nature and The University of Queensland...... [ Read more ]
Coral Spawning Work Goes Ahead, June 2009
For the past three years, members of the Restoration & Remediation Working Group (RRWG) in Bolinao have been carrying out experiments to see if corals reared from larvae can be used effectively for the restoration of degraded reefs...... [ Read more ]
Bolinao CoE toughs out typhoon, June 2009
A valiant effort by CRTR Working Group and Centre of Excellence members has averted disaster in the wake of a "once in 25-years" typhoon which last month struck the Bolinao Marine Laboratory in the Philippines...... [ Read more ]
New frontiers of remote sensing for reef management, June 2009
Remote sensing provides valuable tools that resource managers can use at all stages of coral reef conservation. The Remote Sensing Working Group of the Coral Reef Targeted Research & Capacity Building for Management (CRTR) Program, has been working to enhance remote sensing tools to better enable coral reef management, and as part of their work, have recently released a Research Update on how to measure stress on coral reefs and mapping reefs and spatial-decision making, along with the available tools to assist managers. The Research Update can be downloaded here ...... [ Read more ]
Impact of Fish Aquaculture Effluent on Reef-Associated Microbial Communities & Coral Health, April 2009
While demand for aquaculture continues to increase, little attention has been given to its potential effects on coral reefs and other nearshore habitats. ...... [ Read more ]
Learn to calculate thermal stress, predict bleaching, April 2009
NOAA's Coral Reef Watch program has released a free online training module that teaches users how to predict coral bleaching from satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data. ...... [ Read more ]
Reef Restoration Concepts & Guidelines translated into Bahasa, 15 January 2009
The CRTR Program’s ‘Reef Restoration Concepts & Guidelines’ has now been translated and published into Bahasa Indonesia. The Guidelines were translated by Terangi Foundation and will provide coastal managers, decision-makers, technical advisors and others with an overview of research exploring successful and unsuccessful coral reef restoration approaches from around the world...... [ Publications ]
Citizen scientists asked to check coral health, 15 January 2009
Tourists, holidaymakers, divers and tour operators have been invited to become ‘citizen scientists’ and help with a major health check-up for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Underwater tools are now available to help identify and monitor coral disease..... [ Read more]
New study details ocean acidification in Caribbean, 21 November 2008
A new study, which confirms significant ocean acidification across much of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, reports strong natural variations in ocean chemistry in some parts of the Caribbean that could affect the way reefs respond to future ocean acidification. [Read more]
Light and Photosynthesis on Coral Reefs, 19 January - 7 February 2009
An intensive postgraduate course on coral reef photobiology which includes a strong theoretical background coupled with hands-on experience in practical classes. Puerto Morelos, Mexico. [Read more]
Four new species of coral found in Southeast Asia, 24 October 2008
Marine scientists cite the discovery of at least four new coral species in the Philippines [Read article]
NOAA bolsters satellite warning network, 10 October 2008
A satellite alert system that warns reef managers when there is an elevated risk of coral bleaching has been expanded by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. NOAA's Coral Reef Watch has expanded its network of 'virtual stations' monitoring ocean temperatures from 24 to 190 locations worldwide. [Read media release]
Moving to better climes, 23 July 2008
In the latest edition of the scientific journal Science, University of Queensland researchers, including the Chair of the CRTR Program's Centre of Excellence in Australasia, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, argue we need to consider the radical step of moving plants and animals, including marine life, to help them survive the impact of climate change. [Read summary]
Ultimate guide to managing coral disease, 8 July 2008
The definitive management guide - to identifying, assessing and managing coral reef diseases was launched at the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) and can be ordered online now - handbook plus underwater id cards for Caribbean and Indo-Pacific regions
[Read media release] [Download samples] [Order online]
Top award for CRTR researcher, 21 May 2008
CRTR Program researcher, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, has been awarded the Queensland Government’s top science award. Chair of the CRTR Bleaching Working Group, and also of its Australasian Centre of Excellence, Professor Hoegh-Guldberg was one of the world's first scientists to show how projected changes in global climate threaten coral reefs including Australia's Great Barrier Reef. [Read UQ News]
Indian Ocean coral shows partial recovery, 15 May 2008
An unusual spike in sea temperatures a decade ago killed coral throughout the Indian Ocean, dropping the average healthy, hard coral cover to 15 percent of reefs from 40 percent before. CRTR researcher, Dr Tim McClanahan, said hard coral cover had recovered to 30 percent by 2005, although the data masked big variations. [Read Reuters Africa article]
Strange days on planet earth, 5 May 2008
The award winning National Geographic program Strange Days on Planet Earth recently premiered Episode 6 (Dirty Secrets). This features the CRTR Program’s Roberto Iglesias-Prieto and his colleagues in the Caribbean who are “studying how CO2, one of our largest industrial waste products, is impacting coral reefs”. [Read article]