TY - JOUR
T1 - Critical research needs for identifying future changes in Gulf coral reef ecosystems
AU - Feary, David A.
AU - Burt, John A.
AU - Bauman, Andrew G.
AU - Al Hazeem, Shaker
AU - Abdel-Moati, Mohamed A.
AU - Al-Khalifa, Khalifa A.
AU - Anderson, Donald M.
AU - Amos, Carl
AU - Baker, Andrew
AU - Bartholomew, Aaron
AU - Bento, Rita
AU - Cavalcante, Geórgenes H.
AU - Chen, Chaolun Allen
AU - Coles, Steve L.
AU - Dab, Koosha
AU - Fowler, Ashley M.
AU - George, David
AU - Grandcourt, Edwin
AU - Hill, Ross
AU - John, David M.
AU - Jones, David A.
AU - Keshavmurthy, Shashank
AU - Mahmoud, Huda
AU - Moradi Och Tapeh, Mahdi
AU - Mostafavi, Pargol Ghavam
AU - Naser, Humood
AU - Pichon, Michel
AU - Purkis, Sam
AU - Riegl, Bernhard
AU - Samimi-Namin, Kaveh
AU - Sheppard, Charles
AU - Vajed Samiei, Jahangir
AU - Voolstra, Christian R.
AU - Wiedenmann, Joerg
N1 - Funding Information:
Overall there is a need to create a research society within the Gulf that includes various stakeholders concerned with the science and conservation of coral reefs in the Gulf and adjacent regions. In this respect, the Mideast Coral Reef Society (MCRS) Initiative has been launched recently (http://www.mideastcrs.org/). The MCRS initiative is jointly hosted by the New York University Abu Dhabi and the University of Southampton and is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, UK. This society will be an association of researchers and members of governmental, non-governmental, academic, industry and private sector organizations with an interest in a broad range of aspects of Middle Eastern reefs. The MCRS Initiative is already supported by more than 50 representatives of high profile, international academic and non-academic organizations, and will promote collaboration among researchers and knowledge exchange with stakeholders outside academia with the aim to generate a deep understanding of the functioning of these unique ecosystems, and to promote their conservation and sustainable use.
Funding Information:
This manuscript is a direct result of the ‘Coral Reefs of the Gulf’ conference, hosted and sponsored by the New York University – Abu Dhabi Institute in Abu Dhabi, February 2012. In addition, D.A. Feary was supported by a Chancellors Postdoctoral Fellowship within the University of Technology, Sydney, D.M. Anderson was provided support from the Ministry of Environment and Water, United Arab Emirates, and the Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health (NSF/NIEHS), E. Grandcourt was supported by Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, H. Mahmood was supported by Kuwait University, C.R. Voolstra was supported by a KAUST AEA 3 Joint Collaborative Research award ‘the Natural History Museum, London and the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO) are thanked by D.M. John and J.D. George for supporting their research in the UAE’ research at Naturalis Biodiversity Center and partial field work for K. Samimi-Namin was supported by Schure-Beijerinck-Poppingfonds (KNAW), Alida Buitendijkfonds, Jan Joost ter Pelkwijkfonds, and Martin-Fellowship. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Census of Marine Life are gratefully acknowledged for the research grant provided to K. Samimi-Namin; in this regard N. D’Adamo (UNESCO, ICO, Perth), M. Claereboudt (Sultan Qaboos University), J.H. Ausubel (Rockefeller University), and P. Miloslavich (Universidad Simón Bolı́var) are appreciated for their continuous support and encouragement. The Mideast Coral Reef Society Initiative is funded by the NERC (NE/K00641X/1 to J. Wiedenmann).
PY - 2013/7/30
Y1 - 2013/7/30
N2 - Expert opinion was assessed to identify current knowledge gaps in determining future changes in Arabian/Persian Gulf (thereafter 'Gulf') coral reefs. Thirty-one participants submitted 71 research questions that were peer-assessed in terms of scientific importance (i.e., filled a knowledge gap and was a research priority) and efficiency in resource use (i.e., was highly feasible and ecologically broad). Ten research questions, in six major research areas, were highly important for both understanding Gulf coral reef ecosystems and also an efficient use of limited research resources. These questions mirrored global evaluations of the importance of understanding and evaluating biodiversity, determining the potential impacts of climate change, the role of anthropogenic impacts in structuring coral reef communities, and economically evaluating coral reef communities. These questions provide guidance for future research on coral reef ecosystems within the Gulf, and enhance the potential for assessment and management of future changes in this globally significant region.
AB - Expert opinion was assessed to identify current knowledge gaps in determining future changes in Arabian/Persian Gulf (thereafter 'Gulf') coral reefs. Thirty-one participants submitted 71 research questions that were peer-assessed in terms of scientific importance (i.e., filled a knowledge gap and was a research priority) and efficiency in resource use (i.e., was highly feasible and ecologically broad). Ten research questions, in six major research areas, were highly important for both understanding Gulf coral reef ecosystems and also an efficient use of limited research resources. These questions mirrored global evaluations of the importance of understanding and evaluating biodiversity, determining the potential impacts of climate change, the role of anthropogenic impacts in structuring coral reef communities, and economically evaluating coral reef communities. These questions provide guidance for future research on coral reef ecosystems within the Gulf, and enhance the potential for assessment and management of future changes in this globally significant region.
KW - Arabian Gulf
KW - Assessment
KW - Coral Reefs
KW - Expert
KW - Persian Gulf
KW - Research Gap
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84880328172&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84880328172&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.02.038
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.02.038
M3 - Article
C2 - 23643407
AN - SCOPUS:84880328172
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 72
SP - 406
EP - 416
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
IS - 2
ER -