Critical research needs for identifying future changes in Gulf coral reef ecosystems

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 406 - 416
• Main Authors: Feary, David A., Burt, John A., Bauman, Andrew G., Al Hazeem, Shaker, Abdel-Moati, Mohamed A., Al-Khalifa, Khalifa A., Anderson, Donald M., Amos, Carl, Baker, Andrew, Bartholomew, Aaron, Bento, Rita, Cavalcante, Geórgenes H., Chen, Chaolun Allen, Coles, Steve L., Dab, Koosha, Fowler, Ashley M., George, David, Grandcourt, Edwin, Hill, Ross, John, David M., Jones, David A., Keshavmurthy, Shashank, Mahmoud, Huda, Moradi Och Tapeh, Mahdi, Mostafavi, Pargol Ghavam, Naser, Humood, Pichon, Michel, Purkis, Sam, Riegl, Bernhard, Samimi-Namin, Kaveh, Sheppard, Charles, Vajed Samiei, Jahangir, Voolstra, Christian R., Wiedenmann, Joerg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 30.07.2013
• Subjects: Animals; Anthozoa - growth & development; anthropogenic activities; Arabian Gulf; Assessment; Biodiversity; Climate Change; Conservation of Natural Resources; Coral Reefs; ecosystems; Expert; expert opinion; Forecasting; Indian Ocean; Persian Gulf; Research Gap; water pollution; Indian Ocean; Research Gap; Persian Gulf; Coral Reefs; Arabian Gulf; Expert; Assessment
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.02.038

•Current knowledge gaps in Gulf coral reef ecosystem assessed by expert opinion.•Biodiversity, climate change, anthropogenic impacts and economic evaluations dominated questions.•Provides guidance for future research on coral reef ecosystems within the Gulf. 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.