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Coral Reef under Climate and Anthropogenic Perturbations (WESTPAC-CorReCAP)

Project Leader: Prof.Zhang Jing, State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

Objectives:

  1. To understand the biogeochemical and ecological nature of coral reefs in WESTPAC in different geographic, physical and environmental settings, as well as different types of human interventions;
  2. To evaluate the consequence of impact of climate change and other human activities on the health of coral reefs and their sustainable use, and
  3. To promote capacity building in areas related to research on coral reefs through sharing scientific knowledge and training activities, as well as collaboration within research networks in WESTPAC.

Proposed Activities:

  1. To review the actual status/conditions of major coral reef ecosystems in WESTPAC and identify critical issues of action that is required for its Sub-Commission;
  2. To provide recommendations related to sustainability of coral reef ecosystems and undertake cost-effective implementation of these recommendations, within the frame of IOC Medium-Term Strategy (i.e. 2008-2013);
  3. To ensure effective interaction and communications with other regional inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations in research on coral reef systems;
  4. To  promote capacity building within WESTPAC on coral reef research and education and establish the coordination with other sub-commissions of IOC.

The proposed activities will be carried out through three workshops and training courses, as well as activities between meetings in 2009-2011.

Expected Products:

  1. Establishment of a net-work for research on coral reefs and collaborative coordination with other projects in the region;
  2. Increase in the ability of capacity building in WESTPAC through exchange of experts, transferring of techniques and training through research;
  3. Issue of an assessment report on status of coral reefs in WESTPAC in accordance to IOC Medium-Term Strategy;
  4. Joint publication of research results as monograph and/or special issue in international media.

Collaboration with Other Existing Studies in WESTPAC:

The project leader will explore the various possibilities to establish the collaborations with other activities that have components related to coral reefs research, for example, UNEP–South China Sea, LMEs–Sulu Sea Conservation and others, in this region with identity of IOC/WESTPAC. The collaboration with other projects will be carried out and maintained by the joint membership and through joint workshops and training courses in due time.