CORAL REEF FUTURES 07

The Shine Dome, Canberra, 18–19 October 2007

Forum welcome
Kurt Lambeck

Key themes in the forum:

1. The importance of coral reefs from a global perspective
2. New paradigms for ecosystem-based management of coral reefs – lessons from the past, fisheries management, conservation planning, managing resilience in coral reefs
3. Climate change and its affect on coral reefs – ocean acidification, coral bleaching, coral diseases, and biodiversity.
4. Protection and management of reef resources – the future for reef fishes and predators, and the effectiveness of marine protected areas
5. Reef catchment planning, management and governance – protection of sea water quality from activities on land

Speech notes:

I welcome you to the Coral Reef Futures Forum at the Australian Academy of Science.  Over the next two days, this forum will showcase the latest science to support the sustainable management of coral reefs in Australia and globally.

The coral reefs of Australia provide the country with great economic, social and aesthetic value. Therefore, science-based management of our coral reefs is a national priority. There are a number of threats to coral reefs, from direct human activities to climate change. These issues can only be tackled through strong links between basic science research and its practical applications in sustainable reef management.

We are fortunate that Australia is in a unique position among tropical and sub-tropical nations. Australia has extensive coral reefs, a small but relatively wealthy and well-educated population, and well-developed infrastructure. Our leadership in coral reef research is reflected in our national research centres, many of whom rank in the top research centres in the world for coral reef science.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, created in 2005, is a shining example of Australia's future leadership role in coral reef research. It fosters strong collaboration between its four major partners and 24 other leading institutions in nine countries. Collectively, the centre creates the world's largest concentration of coral reef scientists. At today's Forum, we welcome the Centre's Director, Professor Terry Hughes, and its Associate Directors, Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and Professor Malcolm McCulloch.

I would like to take to this opportunity to mention that Terry, a Fellow of the Academy, received the Sherman Eureka Prize for Environmental Research in August this year. This fact speaks for itself in terms of what Terry has achieved through his research and his large input in the successful creation of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.

Australia has a long history in coral reef research. The Australian Coral Reef Society for example, founded in 1922 to promote research and conservation on the Great Barrier Reef, is the oldest organisation of its kind in the world. However, while the history of active coral reef research stretches back over 100 years, global concern for the declining status of coral reefs is relatively recent, only around 25 years.

In view of the increasing awareness and interest in the future of our coral reefs, it is timely that this forum, in particular this evening's public discussion, is designed for a diverse audience. We have natural resource managers, conservationists and policy makers attending, as well as members of the general public, teachers and school students. These are all people who will shape the future of coral reefs, and I hope that the presentations over the next two days will stimulate lively debate across the groups represented.

The key themes discussed during this forum are well-timed and in many cases require urgent and comprehensive attention. Coral reef degradation is a global issue - there are virtually no pristine reefs remaining in the world today.[1]

Coral reefs are facing destruction from a large and diverse range of sources. Climate change will bring about ocean acidification, coral bleaching, and loss of biodiversity. Already, the frequency of coral diseases on the Great Barrier Reef has increased substantially over the last five years, particularly on the outer Great Barrier Reef and following periods when water temperature was anomalously high.[2] Even when coral reefs do recover from external impacts, often this does not mean a return to original coral species composition, because the recovery of slow-growing species can take centuries. This can greatly affect resilience to future disturbances.

Interestingly, a recent survey looking at scientists' perceptions of threats to Coral Reefs, found that those threats associated with human population growth, coastal development, and overfishing, were seen as the most crucial threats to coral reef ecosystems, even more so than threats associated with global climate change.[3]

Overfishing and fishing with destructive methods, and poor land management practices that result in the release of sediments, nutrients and other pollutants have a major impact on coral reefs.[4] Over 70% of terrestrial sediments and nutrients deposited in the Great Barrier Reef lagoon originate from the extensive grazing lands of Queensland's interior.[5] Research indicates that the quantity of sediments and nutrients is strongly dependent upon grazing management practices. The inter-linkage between terrestrial systems and marine systems means that what happens on the land, for example farming and forestry practices, urbanisation, fire and storm can have a profound effect on the health of marine ecosystems.

Many of these problems, and a good number of solutions, we will hear about over the next two days. Looking at the key themes of the Coral Reef Futures forum, it becomes clear that progress will depend upon strong cooperation between governments, research bodies, and management organisations. Scientific research is the key to understanding the complexity of coral reef systems and to providing vital knowledge for practical management applications. Coral reefs are of great economic, social and cultural value to countries such as Australia, and it is through scientific research that the world's coral reefs will have a chance to survive.

[1] Bruno JF, Selig ER (2007) 'Regional Decline of Coral Cover in the Indo-Pacific: Timing, Extent, and Subregional Comparisons'. PLoS ONE 2(8): e711. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000711