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| = Welcome to the Coral Digest = | | = Welcome to the Coral Digest = |
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| This is a project of the [http://ie.unc.edu/enec259 ENEC 259 Coral Reef Ecology and Management at UNC - Chapel Hill (ENEC259)] class. It is meant to be a semi-comprehensive resource for learning about corals, coral reefs, the threats corals face, the role and importance reefs play in the world, and management of reefs and reef-related environments. In time, this Wiki will become the class "textbook", and we hope that other classes interested in learning about coral reefs might also find it useful and informative.
| | Coral [[Reefs|reefs]] are the proverbial "canary in a coal mine" of the oceans. In the face of climate change, there is no doubt that coral reefs are declining worldwide. Increased concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere have led to [[SSTs|warming oceans]], [[Acidification|ocean acidification]], [[Disease|coral disease]], and global [[Bleaching|bleaching]] events that occur too frequently for [[Coral|coral]] to recover. Localized threats from [[Overfishing|overfishing]], [[Pollution|pollution]] (including [[Plastics|marine plastics]]), [[InvasiveSpecies|invasive species]], and even the [[Sunscreen|sunscreen]] that we all wear all but ensure that coral reefs, and the amazing assortment of [[Fish|fish]] and [[Creatures|creatures]] that depend on them, will continue to decline, despite our best [[Management|efforts to preserve and manage]] the reefs. |
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| Each year's ENEC259 class will build upon the material from previous years. Students will select topics of interest from a list of topics provided by previous years' students that require more research, or students can introduce new topics. After a semester of research, current students will synthesize their research and add that content to this wiki.
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| === Main Topics ===
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| *[[reefs|Reef Structure and Formation]]
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| *[[reefInhabitants|Reef and Near-reef Inhabitants]]
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| * [[reefecology| Reef Ecology]]
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| *[[threats|Threats to Corals and Coral Reefs]]
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| *[[management|Protecting and Managing Coral Reefs]]
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| === Tips for Using This Site ===
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| *If you are looking for something specific, like information on coral bleaching, use the Search box at the top and type in "bleaching"
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| *If you want to learn more about a given topic, then start with the Main Topics, and work your way down towards more specific topics
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| === About Our Images ===
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| Unless otherwise indicated, photos shown on this site are pulled from our class photo album located at https://picasaweb.google.com/ENST259, and image credits are attributed in the photo album. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos are from the US Virgin Islands (the vast majority from St. John) or the British Virgin Islands (the Caves of Normal Island or the Indians).
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| === Contact ===
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| If you have any questions about this wiki or topics you'd like to see added, please email Brian Naess at naess@unc.edu.
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| === Topics for 2015 Students === | | This site is a collection of student research. |
| These are the existing pages on the Wiki that have no content or need additional content. You may choose one of these topics, or you may choose a topic of your own. If your topic is already covered by the Wiki, please make sure that you can contribute significantly to the existing article.
| | == Recent Updates == |
| * [[ReefHistory|Ancient Coral Reefs/Reefs in the Fossil Record]] (David Mills & Brian Guthrie)
| | * New content: [[Biosphere2|Biosphere 2]] |
| * Descriptions/Discussion of [[PatchReefs|Patch Reefs]] and [[BankReefs|Bank Reefs]] (Mitchell N & Derek C)
| | * Updates to the [[ArtificialReefs|Artificial Reefs]] page |
| * Topics for Students interested in Biology/Ecology/Marine Science:
| | * Updates to the [[CoralTransplantation|Coral Transplantation]] page |
| ** Descriptions/Discussion/Biology of [[Octocorals|Soft Corals]](Alaina L and Gloria L)
| | * Updates and new content on the [[Pharmaceuticals|Reefs and Pharmaceuticals]] page |
| ** In-depth discussion of [[CoralReproduction|Coral Reproduction]] (Rachel K and Hannah K and Anne Maxwell E)
| | * Updates to the [[Moon|Effects of the Moon on Reef Organisms]] page |
| ** Descriptions/Discussion/Biology of [[Deepwater|Deepwater Corals]] (Abbey V and Olivia)
| | [[File:Magnificent-feather-duster.JPG|thumb|left|600px|alt=Magnificent Feather Duster|Magnificent Feather Duster]] |
| ** Interesting Fish Behaviors like [[FishFeeding|Feeding Techniques]], etc. (there are others, so you may come up with your own topic) | |
| ***[[FishPredation|Fish Predation]] - This page needs to be filled in. It's mostly an outline. (Caleb S, Noah H)
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| *** [[FishFeeding|Feeding Techniques]] - Predation and Herbivory are listed, but are there others? (Taylor J and Coker H)
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| ** [[FishReproduction|Fish Reproduction]], which would include a discussion of [[FishHermaphroditism|Hermaphroditism]] (Lauren G. and Brian G)
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| ** Descriptions/Discussion/Biology of any reef creature that might interest you from our [[Creatures]] page (Squids and Octopuses (Christy K and Charlotte H))
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| ** Descriptions/Discussion/Biology of [[OtherBuilders|Other Reef Builders]] like [[Hydrozoans]] and [[CorallineAlgae|Coralline Algae]] - Hydrozoans needs to be filled in more | |
| ** Different Reef Relationships like [[Mutualism]], [[Commensalism]], and [[Parasitism]] (Maria B. and Sky C.)
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| ** Describe and illustrate the different [[FeedingGuilds|Feeding Guilds and Trophic Levels]] on the reefs - Needs to be filled in more. (Taylor J and Coker H)
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| * [[Bioerosion|Talk about the role of Bioerosion on reefs]] (Jenny D. and Steffan) | |
| * In-depth discussions of one or more of the other ecosystems associated with reefs, like [[MacroalgalBeds|Macroalgal Beds]], and [[Lagoons]] (Jeremy R and Andrew C)
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| * Perhaps combined with the above topic, a discussion of the importance of [[NurseryAreas|Nursery Areas]] (Tristan J and Travis B) | |
| * One of the major threats to coral reefs is [[Pollution]], which can take many forms, including [[NutrientLoading|Nutrient Loading]], and [[Plastics|Plastics and other Litter]] (John and jacob)
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| * The Caribbean sees at least one tropical cyclone per year. Beef up the [[Cyclones]] page with some specific case studies from around the Caribbean. (Dashel N. and Garrett C.)
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| * The [[AirPollution]] entry has a single bullet point about the effects of dust from Africa on Caribbean reefs. This section can be expanded greatly. (Jenny L. & Lucy L.)
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| * Perhaps the greatest threat to coral reefs is [[Overfishing]]. Although the entry has some content, a lot more can be said about the topic. The [[FisheriesManagement]] page also needs work. (Rob G., Rebecca C.)
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| * Do warmer [[SSTs]] play a role in [[SSTFlooding|increased flooding]]?
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| * Talk about devastating biotic [[Outbreaks]], like the crown-of-thorns starfish outbreak on the Great Barrier Reef (Nikki Santiago and Summer Lawrence)
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| * For someone interested in laws and regulations, there are many [[GovernmentalUnits|Governmental Units]] dedicated to working with coral reefs. List as many as you can, along with their role, missions, and accomplishments - particularly for the US. (Jennifer C and Deanna M)
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| * The [[Management]] section could use a new section about [[Monitoring]]. Talk about how reefs are monitored, the benefits of monitoring, and give some examples of US monitoring projects in the Caribbean, especially in the US Virgin Islands. (Katherine N. and Erica S.)
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