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Expedition Into the Parks |
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Excerpts
from the Annual Report
May - December 1999
Coral reefs in the Caribbean, including those in our national parks, have sustained damage from natural events (hurricanes, coral predators and diseases) and human activities (boat groundings, improper anchoring, overfishing, sedimentation from development, elevated nutrients, careless SCUBA diving and snorkeling). Recent studies have found little to no recovery of damaged reefs. Some scientists believe reintroduction of coral colonies to damaged reefs may initiate and speed up recovery. Little, however, is known regarding the feasibility of ranching naturally occurring fragments of fast-growing corals that could later be transplanted to a damaged site.
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Naturally occurring fragments of elkhorn (Acropora palmata), staghorn (A. cervicornis), and finger (Porites porites) corals, three of the fastest growing Caribbean species, were taken from marginal environments and attached to stable substrate on Virgin Islands National Park reefs. Transplanted fragments were tagged, measured and photographed as were similar sized colonies/fragments in natural communities. Every month, trained volunteers monitor the survival of the transplanted and natural community small colonies and fragments, document the presence of disease and coral predators, and photograph each colony. Scientists photograph and measure all colonies every six months. |
| Elkhorn coral |
The results will provide vital information on the natural processes affecting survival of young coral colonies and fragments. Also, the findings will allow us to assess whether survival rates of transplanted colonies warrant the cost and time required to transplant "at-risk" fragments to damaged reefs. If corals have a low likelihood of survival in a marginal environment, can be easily transplanted to a more stable reef site, have a high probability of surviving the transplantation process, and grow, they may be good candidates for transplantation to a damaged reef, to accelerate recovery. If successful, this resource management technique would be suitable for use in cases of severe damage (as in large vessel groundings), but not as a panacea for restoring all degraded reefs.
Results to date:
 | One hundred thirty-five colonies have been tagged, monitored, measured, photographed, and positions mapped: transplanted fragments include 30 elkhorn, 15 staghorn and 15 finger corals; tagged natural community colonies include 45 elkhorn, 15 staghorn, and 15 finger corals. |
| The densities of elkhorn and staghorn coral colonies in one bay have been documented. |
| Seven months of data have been recorded in the field and entered in a computer database. Findings to date show: |
| Survival of transplanted fragments and naturally occurring colonies is similar. |
| Most transplanted elkhorn colonies have overgrown the inert cable ties attaching them to the substrate and have cemented to the substrate and/or grown new "rosettes" - the starts of new branches. |
| Fragments of all species that were pale or "unhealthy" when transplanted have died. |
| Little disease has been observed, but predation by snails
and bristle worms has occurred. Bristleworms are pictured
here. |
| Storm waves from Hurricane Lenny (17 November 1999) removed five naturally occurring colonies (four at Leinster and one at Hawksnest) but no transplanted colonies and stripped algae from colonies previously damaged by snails, bristle worms, or sand abrasion. |
| Northerly ground swells from the first cold front of the season (December 1999) removed sixteen colonies: eight transplanted fragments and eight naturally occurring colonies/fragments. |
Program Challenges:
Challenges have been two-fold:
| How to successfully attach small fragments and colonies to the reef, and |
| How to keep identifying tags clean of fouling organisms and attached near the colony, so that volunteers can find the colonies. |
Underwater two-part epoxy did not bond the fragments and
substrate, or substrate and nylon tags, despite the use of a
variety of techniques to prepare the surfaces. The small fragment
size ruled out drilling holes, use of pins and epoxy. Eventually
cable ties were found to be very successful at attaching the
fragments to the reef. Cable ties have the added advantage of
being inert, introducing no toxic chemicals into the reef
environment.
Colonies are identified by uniquely numbered red nylon tags attached to barren substrate nearby. Fouling by crustose coralline algae, macroalgae (seaweeds), and encrusting organisms obscures the tags, making location of the colonies much more difficult, particularly for volunteers. Monthly scraping of the tags, when the colonies are monitored, is not frequent enough to keep the tags clean. Tags are now marked with orange flagging tape to assist in location of colonies (and tags). Bays with more nutrient and sediment input appear to have faster fouling rates.
We had intended to include Buck Island Reef National Monument in the project, and proposed monitoring 15 transplanted fragments of elkhorn coral and 15 naturally occurring elkhorn colonies in the underwater trail. Logistical and other problems have prevented our work at Buck Island.
General Statistics:
Number of volunteers and hours logged:
Forty-one volunteers logged 570 hours while carrying out a number of activities. Primarily, volunteers snorkeled at a site, recorded field observations of each of the 15 colonies they were assigned to follow, and photographed the colonies. A few volunteers entered field observations into the computer database or mapped colonies, and two volunteers documented natural densities of the three species in one bay. One volunteer snorkeled on the surface, as we were transplanting corals, and explained to visitors what we were doing and why.
Visitation: over 1.2 million visitors per year
Size of area and presence of endangered species:
| Four reefs, totaling two hectares in area, are involved in the study. |
| Endangered or threatened species: the endangered Hawksbill turtle forages on the reefs and nests on adjacent beaches. There are a few documented cases of the endangered Leatherback sea turtle nesting on adjacent beaches. |
Education/Interpretive Products:
| To interpret the project and explain the causes of damage to reefs, underwater signs have been designed and ordered. They will be placed on the underwater trail at Trunk Bay and at a popular snorkeling site where colonies are tagged at Hawknest Bay. National Park Interpretive Rangers discuss the project and damage to reefs during snorkel tours. |
| Wayside bulletins describing the project have been placed at the most heavily visited beaches and at the Visitor Contact Station. |
| Underwater and surface video footage has been taken of volunteers and scientists during training sessions, transplanting, measuring, tagging, and mapping field work. This footage forms the basis for the 5-10 minute video on the project; the estimated completion date for the video is 30 January 2000. |
| A website has been designed, a draft of the text completed, and images scanned. Estimated completion date to have both websites running is 30 January 2000. |
Media/Press Releases
Newspaper articles:
- The Daily News: 25 June 1999
Nautical Scene: July 1999
Friends Tidings: Summer 1999
Kapok Chronicle: Summer 1999
St. Thomas This Week: 15-22 November 1999
The Daily News: 15 December 1999
- Newspaper - cartoon:
Daily News: (Max the Mongoose): 7 June 1999
Publication
A paper will be submitted and an oral presentation made at the International Coral Reef Symposium in Bali, Indonesia in October 2000. The paper will be published in the Proceedings of the Symposium. Upon completion of the project in May 2001 (two years), a final paper on the findings of the project will be submitted to Coral Reefs, a peer-reviewed journal. Canon U.S.A, Inc. and National Park Foundation support of the project will be prominently mentioned in all publications and oral presentations.
Canon Equipment
The digital cameras (in underwater housings) are used by volunteers and scientists to photograph the coral colonies every month. Digital cameras have also been used to document anchor damage to reefs, for the Protection Division. The color printer is used by Interpretation and Friends of Virgin Islands National Park to create wayside bulletins and other educational/interpretive exhibits.
Additional Information:
| The project is well on its way to accomplishing its objectives. Public response to the project has been extremely enthusiastic, far beyond our expectations. Many individuals want to help reverse the decline of the coral reefs but don't know how to translate that desire into action. This project provides a means for interested individuals to become involved, do something concrete and become well-informed educators of the community. |
| Completion of the web sites and video and placement of the underwater signs will significantly increase the audience reached. |
| The proposed project included Buck Island Reef National Monument, but due to insurmountable logistical and personnel problems, we have amended the project to be carried out only in VINP. |
This page updated January 2000
