PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Saving Fiji's coral reefs linked to forest conservation upstream

2013-12-18
(Press-News.org) Contact information: John Delaney
jdelaney@wcs.org
718-220-3275
Wildlife Conservation Society
Saving Fiji's coral reefs linked to forest conservation upstream

The health of coral reefs offshore depend on the protection of forests near the sea, according to a new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society that outlines the importance of terrestrial protected areas to coastal biodiversity.

In a study conducted by WCS and the University of Queensland evaluating the effects of terrestrial protected area designs on Fiji's coral reefs, it turns out that what's best for land ecosystems is also best for coastal corals.

The study appears in the online edition of Marine Policy. The authors are: Carissa Klein of the University of Queensland; Stacy Jupiter of the Wildlife Conservation Society; and Matthew Watts and Hugh Possingham of the University of Queensland.

"When designing terrestrial protected areas, the key is to consider not only how much they benefit terrestrial biodiversity but also how much they benefit coral reef ecosystems," said lead author Dr. Carissa Klein. "Thinking about the connections between the land and sea is rarely done when designing protected areas – Fiji is leading the way globally."

Most managers realize how downstream ecosystems such as coral reefs can be negatively affected by land-based activities that cause increases in runoff and associated sediments, nutrients, and chemicals. Yet, there have been very few on-the-ground cases where protected area networks have been designed using truly integrated planning to minimize such external threats.

This matters in small island developing states like Fiji, where selection of the locations of terrestrial protected areas have been mostly ad hoc, and based more on the cultural or timber value of forests than on any desire to protect biodiversity. Fiji's current terrestrial protected areas, which cover less than 3 percent of land area in the country, neither adequately protect Fiji's sensitive island habitats and species nor contribute much to minimize runoff to adjacent coral reefs.

In 2008, a national Protected Area Committee was created by the Fiji government, in part to achieve the goals of protecting 20 percent of the country's land and 30 percent of its coastal waters by the year 2020. Looking to support the committee's efforts to land-sea planning initiative, the study authors systematically analyzed six scenarios for expanding Fiji's network of terrestrial protected area networks, with the aim to uncover how well each approach did to protect different forest types and minimize land-based runoff to downstream coral reefs. One scenario evaluated included all of the priority forests for conservation identified by the committee based on field data and rules of thumb.

"We're pleased that the results of our study confirm that the forests that the committee was considering for protection can offer significant downstream benefits to coral reefs," said Dr. Stacy Jupiter, Fiji Country Program Director and co-author on the study. "However, we were surprised to find that these priority places for management actually did not include a lot of the key threatened forest vegetation types. We therefore recommended to the committee to add some additional forests to their national register of priority places for protection."

This advice was taken by the committee, and additional forest areas were added to the final register of priority places for management endorsed by the Fiji government National Environment Council in October 2013.

"Fiji is to be commended for their constructive response to the findings of this important scientific research," said Dr. Caleb McClennen, Director of the WCS Marine Program. "Their decision to take action and link land to sea conservation helps to ensure the long term security of their globally important coral reef ecosystems while supporting the livelihoods and resilience of coastal communities."



INFORMATION:

This study was made possible by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and other generous supporters.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New research on diverticular disease in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology

2013-12-18
New research on diverticular disease in the December issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Diverticulosis, a condition that develops when pouches form in the wall of the colon, is increasing in frequency. It affects the majority of ...

Water in cells behaves in complex and intricate ways

2013-12-18
Water in cells behaves in complex and intricate ways ANN ARBOR—In a sort of biological "spooky action at a distance," water in a cell slows down in the tightest confines between proteins and develops the ability to affect other proteins much farther away, University ...

Silencing synapses

2013-12-18
Silencing synapses Hope for a pharmacological solution to cocaine addiction PITTSBURGH—Imagine kicking a cocaine addiction by simply popping a pill that alters the way your brain processes chemical addiction. New research from the University of Pittsburgh suggests ...

Hack the planet? Geoengineering research, ethics, governance explored

2013-12-18
Hack the planet? Geoengineering research, ethics, governance explored Hacking the Earth's climate to counteract global warming – a subject that elicits strong reactions from both sides – is the topic of a December special issue of the journal Climatic Change. A dozen ...

TV ads nutritionally unhealthy for kids, study finds

2013-12-18
TV ads nutritionally unhealthy for kids, study finds The nutritional value of food and drinks advertised on children's television programs is worse than food shown in ads during general air time, according to University of Illinois at Chicago ...

Supercomputers help ORNL researchers identify key molecular switch that controls cell behavior

2013-12-18
Supercomputers help ORNL researchers identify key molecular switch that controls cell behavior VIDEO: Watch the flipping conformations in a pair of phenylalanine ...

DNA motor 'walks' along nanotube, transports tiny particle

2013-12-18
DNA motor 'walks' along nanotube, transports tiny particle WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Researchers have created a new type of molecular motor made of DNA and demonstrated its potential by using it to transport a nanoparticle along the length of a carbon nanotube. The design ...

CHOC researchers identify technique to reduce childrens' post-op pain after high-risk surgery

2013-12-18
CHOC researchers identify technique to reduce childrens' post-op pain after high-risk surgery Study shows encouraging results for improving postoperative pain management and reducing the need for pain medicine after major pediatric urology procedures Orange, Calif. ...

EGF receptor ecto-domain mutations: When to screen and when not to screen

2013-12-18
EGF receptor ecto-domain mutations: When to screen and when not to screen The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is expressed in normal colonic cells and is activated by specific peptide growth factors that regulate cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. ...

Hubble watches super star create holiday light show

2013-12-18
Hubble watches super star create holiday light show This festive NASA Hubble Space Telescope image resembles a holiday wreath made of sparkling lights. The bright southern hemisphere star RS Puppis, at the center of the image, is swaddled in a gossamer ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

A gene mutation found in East Asian people increases liver disease risk by an ‘aldehyde storm’

Artificial intelligence‑assisted conductive hydrogel dressings for refractory wounds monitoring

Scalable fabrication of methylammonium‑free wide‑bandgap perovskite solar cells by blade coating in ambient air

Wearable devices could revolutionize pregnancy monitoring and detect abnormalities

Efficient cation recognition strategies for cationic compounds

US COVID-19 school closures were not cost-effective, but other non-pharmaceutical interventions were, new study finds

Human activities linked to declines of big seeds

North-south autism assessment divide leaves children waiting three years longer 

Want to publish in Nature? Webinar with Prof. Willie Peijnenburg shares insider tips

Cataract surgery on both eyes can be carried out safely and effectively in one go

Personalized brain stimulation shows benefit for depression

AI uncovers hidden rules of some of nature’s toughest protein bonds

Innovative approach helps new mothers get hepatitis C treatment

Identifying the Interactions That Drive Cell Migration in Brain Cancer

ORNL receives 2025 SAMPE Organizational Excellence Award

University of Oklahoma researchers aim to reduce indigenous cancer disparities

Study reveals new evidence, cost savings for common treatments for opioid use disorder in mothers and infants

Research alert: Frequent cannabis users show no driving impairment after two-day break

Turbulence with a twist

Volcanic emissions of reactive sulfur gases may have shaped early mars climate, making it more hospitable to life

C-Path concludes 2025 Global Impact Conference with progress across rare diseases, neurology and pediatrics

Research exposes far-reaching toll of financial hardship on patients with cancer

The percentage of women who went without a Pap smear for cervical cancer screening increased following the COVID-19 pandemic, from 19% in 2019 to 26% in 2022

AI tools fall short in predicting suicide, study finds

Island ant communities show signs of ‘insect apocalypse’

Revealed: The long legacy of human-driven ant decline in Fiji

Analyzing impact of heat from western wildfires on air pollution in the eastern US

Inadequate regulatory protections for consumer genetic data privacy in US

Pinning down protons in water — a basic science success story

Scientists reveal how the brain uses objects to find direction

[Press-News.org] Saving Fiji's coral reefs linked to forest conservation upstream