Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) Data Portal
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS), a Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System (RCOOS) nested in a National Backbone of coastal observations, recently received a one-year grant from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Services Center (NOAA/CSC) to design and build a centralized GCOOS Data Portal to aggregate and disseminate the region’s near real-time oceanographic data. This effort is part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), which is the U.S contribution to the international Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Moreover, this effort is consistent with the GCOOS vision to share data, model output and related products for the benefit of all stakeholders to support policy-making, natural resource management, scientific research and the demand for more data to resolve issues related to global climate change and public health. The grant period is calendar year 2008.
The GCOOS Data Portal will be an automated computerized network-accessible data collection and delivery system. The Portal will aggregate near real-time oceanographic data from geographically-distributed data systems located around the Gulf of Mexico. These data sources are maintained under a variety of data standards and archival schemas, and the Portal will serve as the interface to these data, model output and products via automated standards-based machine-to-machine (M2M) service interfaces, and through web-based human-accessible graphical user interfaces (i.e., web pages). Transparent to the users, the Portal will provide features to facilitate exchange of information at the machine level with the region’s data provider nodes. Also, it will provide features to facilitate interoperability with other regional data systems, as well as with the federal backbone comprised of systems typified by, but not limited to, that of the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC).
STATUS: Work in progress (see http://gcoos.rsmas.miami.edu).
END DATE: February 2009
Data Navigators (GIS)
A series of GIS-data navigators were developed to simplify the access of geographical data that are scattered in different servers and data formats. This includes the:
(1) Data Navigator: South Florida (see NCORE website)
(2) Bahamas Online Digital Map Atlas
(3) Data Navigator: St. Croix and Buck Island
(4) Antigua Map Collections
(5) Hawaii VRML
STATUS: The GUIs have all been published and links to these pages are also available from NOAA and KSLOF websites. Updated GUI versions is being planned.
END DATE: Indefinite
Reef Ranger 3D Game Software
The Reef Ranger (Series 1: Save the Yellow Tangs) is an educational game software that immerses the player in the complex world of coral reef management. The effects on coral reefs of human activities in the mountains all the way to the open ocean are simulated. The game illustrates how one entity in the ecosystem can have a large effect on the health of another, and how not only inaction but also inadequate management actions can lead to ineffectiveness and ultimately degradation of resources like the yellow tang.
Yellow Tangs are the most popular aquarium fish in Hawaii and can be found in almost all coastal areas in the region. It is a very valuable biological and economic resource. The player becomes a Reef Ranger encountering various real-world scenarios that require the Ranger to decide on what actions to take to ensure that the population of the yellow tangs is sustained. Armed with 3D maps of the reef and important areas, ecological information, and expert advice, the Ranger delves into the challenge of keeping the yellow tangs from going extinct.
An agreement was entered in 1st day of November, 2004 by and between the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii, a governmental agency of the State of Hawaii for the benefit of the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative Research Program (HCRI-RP), and the National Center for Coral Reef Research (NCORE) to develop an educational game software to supplement the ongoing activity of HCRI-RP on public awareness. This two-year activity will create a game that will instill to players a thorough understanding of the complexities of human-environment interactions, the ecological processes in the management of coral reefs and adjacent watersheds, and complexities involved in deriving management strategies.
STATUS: Version 1 was released in September 2006.
END DATE: 31 December 2006
Buck Island Agent-based Ecological Simulation (BIAES)
The development of the ecological simulation of the The Buck Island in the US Virgin Islands is to serve as the framework that will be used for succeeding ABM projects in the Center. A new add-in module was developed to read ESRI Shapefiles to incorporate environmental factors that often play major external stimulus. The same routine is also used to initialize the distribution of agents in the workspace(s). A second add-in was developed to read ecological data to facilitate the initialization of internal stimuli (e.g. growth, predation, cannibalism, respiration, recruitment, senescence).
STATUS: A beta version will soon be made available and can be downloaded from this website.
END DATE: 31 December 2006
Analysis of Coral Reef Decline
Expected to start in the last quarter of 2006, this 2-year project was designed to identify the proximal causes and potential corrective steps to remedy the deteriorating health of the coral reefs in the vicinity of <study area withheld>. This is a collaborative research between the University of Miami and a non-governmental group <partner's name withheld>.
This will include, among others, mapping of the ecological habitats, assessment and identification of coral diseases, spatial patterns of nutrients, ecological impact of fishing and associated perceptions of stakeholder groups. Also, an assessment will be made on the policy instruments and management institutions relevant to the <study area withheld> reef ecosystem.
This study will results in a document that will set thye direction of future research in the area.
STATUS: The project proposal was accepted for funding but the agreements have yet to be signed by all parties.
END DATE: NTP 2 years (expected, September 2008)
Impacts of Global Change on the Coastal and Marine Ecosystem
This is, perhaps, the most extensive coastal and marine ecosystem study in the region <study area withheld>. The Program consists of three overarching components: (1) coastal and marine ecosystem management plan development ; (2) research and environmental observations to provide scientific support for this plan; and (3) education, outreach and capacity building to provide the country with the critically-needed human resources required to implement and sustain such environmental management. The program is divided into a first phase focusing upon <study area withheld> (Years 1-6) that includes an initiation period, a second, overlapping phase (Years 3-6) expanding the scope to national level, and a future third phase beyond Year 6.
The objectives of each of the Program components are outlined as follows.
Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Management: Develop an ecosystem-based, publicly acceptable coastal and marine management program that supports government efforts to establish a national program of integrated adaptive coastal management that includes marine protected areas. Texas A&M University and the University of Miami will develop plans reflecting the oceanographic context that address, (a) marine reserves, (b) ecosystem health and functioning, (c) hydrology and water quality, (d) land use and coastal development, (e) marine-based livelihood systems (i.e. fisheries and tourism) and (f) natural disaster preparedness. Phase I will focus on a sub-national marine area and Phase 2 will expand the scope to national coverage and assist the government with respect to national programs on biodiversity conservation and protected area management.
Research and Environmental Observations: Support resource management with an integrated interdisciplinary research and observation program. This will include an environmental coastal ocean observing system, an online database and data management system, and a series of essential short and long-term research projects, initially focusing on <study area withheld> during Phase 1, and in Phase 2 addressing the larger region of the nation.
Education, Outreach and Capacity Building: Develop a strong national capacity to appreciate, maintain and build upon the environmental management and scientific components and activities developed during this program. Nationals will be trained who are capable of leading the long term management and protection of the country’s environmental heritage.. The target audiences will be at all relevant levels including: school children grades 6-12, fisherman, tour guides and other direct resource users, the general public, tourists, university students and government personnel. Residents will be trained in undergraduate and graduate degree-granting programs at TAMU and UM to fill roles vital to the sustainable development of the country.
STATUS: The project proposal was accepted for funding but the agreements have yet to be signed by all parties.
END DATE: N/A