CLIMATE CHANGE AND INTERACTING STRESSORS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT IN AMERICAN SAMOA (Final Report)
Notice EPA announces the release of the final document, Climate Change and Interacting Stressors: Implications for Coral Reef Management in American Samoa, which provides a synthesis of information on the interactive effects of climate change and other stressors on the reefs of American Samoa as well as an assessment of potential management responses. This final document reflects a consideration of all comments received through an external peer review. This is a publication of the Office of Research and Development.
Abstract
The purpose of this report is to provide the coral reef managers of American Samoa, as well as other coral reef managers in the Pacific region, with some management options to help enhance the capacity of local coral reefs to resist the negative effects of climate change.
Climate variability and change can negatively impact sensitive coral reef ecosystems by altering sea surface temperatures, ocean chemistry, sea level, storm damage, precipitation patterns, stream flows to the coast, salinity, and pollution loads. This report focuses on the coral reefs of American Samoa as a case study for how managers can approach:
Climate variability and change can negatively impact sensitive coral reef ecosystems by altering sea surface temperatures, ocean chemistry, sea level, storm damage, precipitation patterns, stream flows to the coast, salinity, and pollution loads. This report focuses on the coral reefs of American Samoa as a case study for how managers can approach:
- (1) assessments of reef vulnerabilities to combined climate change and local stresses,
(2) identification of adaptive management strategies in response, and
(3) implementation of management options given existing decision processes and mandates.
Status
This is the final Document.
Citation
U.S. EPA. CLIMATE CHANGE AND INTERACTING STRESSORS: IMPLICATIONS FOR CORAL REEF MANAGEMENT IN AMERICAN SAMOA (Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-07/069.
History/Chronology
Sep 2005 | Review draft completed. |
Oct 2005 | Review comments received. |
Dec 2005 | Second revision completed and comments addressed. |
Aug 2006 | Began final revisions based on internal review. |
Jun 2007 | Completed final revisions based on internal review. |
Jul 2007 | Final report cleared. |
Aug 2007 | Report released. |
This document has been reviewed in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.