Sedimentation of Palaus Coral Reefs

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• Sedimentation of Palaus Coral Reefs

Steven Victor Palau International Coral Reef
Center
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• Protection of Biodiversity Threats

• Protection of Biodiversity
• - laws and regulation
• - Establishment of protected areas
• Threats
• -1998 Coral Bleaching
• -Coral Disease
• -COTS
• -Over-fishing
• -Pollution
• - Land management Sedimentation

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Impacts of sedimentation

• Mangroves
• Seagrass
• Coral Reefs
• -smothering
• -block recruitment
• -enhance disease
• -enhance bioerosion
• -change community
• structure
• -collapse in fisheries

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Current Research in Palau

• Watershed Research Program
• Mangroves (30 trapping efficiency)
• Sediment movement
• Terrestrial runoff has increased in some areas
• Major source of terrestrial runoff is road
  construction
• Long term monitoring of sedimentation on
  mangroves
• Impacts of land activity on adjacent coral
  reefs

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Dynamics of sedimentation
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What can be done?

• ICRI members use available tools (i.e ICRI Forum)
  to raise international and local awareness
  regarding sedimentation.
• ICRI members encourage/assist countries to
  develop integrated management plan.
• ICRI members encourage countries to prevent
  habitat destruction/degradation.
• ICRI members to encourage International
  Organizations to provide technical/financial
  assistance
• - research
• - policy development

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Thank you

Acknowledgement National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration, USA U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Japan
International Cooperation Agency Lucille and
Packard Foundation University of Guam University
of Hawaii Australian Institute of Marine
Science Government of Palau