Johansen Fish Resilience Program

 WHERE DID ALL THE FISH GO?
Fishes on coral reefs are extremely diverse and play many roles. Some forage on algae that otherwise overgrow and kill corals, while others are critical for a productive, sustainable fisheries. However, many species are also highly sensitive to stress and will decline or disappear when conditions surpass their tolerance thresholds. In order to maintain healthy fish populations and productive coral reef ecosystems, we must know which species are likely to be winners and losers of escalating environmental disturbances. We must also know which environmental conditions, or habitat conditions, that are required to support species long-term.  Our research has two primary purposes: 1) to understand what happens to coral reef fishes when they are exposed to escalating environmental stress (e.g. from climate change and pollution); and 2) quantify the exact conditions reef fishes need (or can tolerate) and still fulfill the critical functions upon which humans rely. 

With a strong background in eco-physiology and behavioral ecology, research teams in the Fish Resilience Program use a combination of field and state-of-the-art laboratory techniques to understand impacts of disturbances on species health and resilience, and provide practical solutions such as water quality targets to policymakers, communities and industries.

Donations to support this critical research can be given here: 

Donations

Your gift to the Fish Resilience Fund will enable our team to explore fish resilience and help preserve, restore and sustain coral reefs ecosystems.  *All donations are tax deductible

LAB OVERVIEW:
The Johansen Fish Resilience Program is comprised of  the Fish Resilience Laboratory and the Fish Resilience Center, both stationed on the beautiful  Moku-o-loe (Coconut) Island (http://www.himb.hawaii.edu). The program utilizes state of the art systems at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) as well as the amazing coral reefs at our doorstep and throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago to address questions of importance to local communities, the State, and the World. Our  research focuses on how tropical coral reef organisms react and adapt to natural and human-induced environmental stressors and include work to understand species habitat selection, range-shift, habitat invasions, and the environmental requirements of species to function and thrive. All of our work is designed to increase our capacity to preserve, restore and sustain coral reef ecosystems despite growing environmental disturbance.  Our Fish Resilience Laboratory research teams are working hard on a range of global issues of concern (see examples below), while our Fish Resilience Center serves to assist with individual stakeholder needs and requests. 

WHY ARE WE LOSING FISH ?
-We have several projects aimed at answering this question: 
Sediment run-off:
Nearshore tropical coral reefs are a source of vital ecosystem services to over 600 million people worldwide, providing fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection. Yet, along with global climate change, coral reef organisms are exposed to multiple local stressors, including coastal developments and land-use practices that result in nutrient and sediment discharge to near-shore reefs. High sediment and nutrient run-off cause a loss of fish species, increased algal growth and loss of coral. Consequently, sediment and nutrient run-off is now classified as one of the primary and most damaging threats to coral reefs worldwide. Luckily, this is a localized threat that can be dealt with effectively at the local scale. To retain ecosystem health and minimize the risk of decline, there is a need for well-informed scientific information on which to base management relating to threshold limits of sediment run-off and water quality targets. We are conducting several projects to understand sediment impacts on coral reef fishes, by combining studies of field ecology, behavioral avoidance, and stress physiology of reef fishes.  Our ultimate goal is to quantify the water quality condition required to maintain healthy fish populations on inshore reefs, and assist management and local communities in reaching those water quality targets. 

Marine Heatwaves:
Herbivorous reef fishes are critical for the resilience of coral reefs by promoting and facilitating the settlement, growth and survival of corals and coral recruits. The protection of herbivorous fishes is seen as an essential management tool for the conservation and protection of coral reefs, as reductions in herbivore abundance can lead to uncontrolled algal growth and degradation of coral habitat. However, long-term ocean warming and episodic marine heatwaves (i.e. discrete periods of extremely high ocean temperatures that can persist for days to months) pose a major threat to herbivores. Recent observations during heatwaves have documented sharp declines of >50% in the abundance of coral reef fishes and a loss of herbivores. We are working to understand the effects of ocean warming on herbivorous fishes, in order to identify resilient and sensitive species and clarify the degree to which heating may compromise the delivery of herbivore services. 

Extreme heat:
Our coral reefs are in peril with ocean temperatures continuously breaking new and unprecedented records. While most coral reefs on Earth are unable to survive these "new normal" conditions and edging towards collapse, the coral reefs of the southern Persian / Arabian Gulf (PAG) have a story to tell. These reefs have been exposed to the most extreme temperatures of any coral reef ecosystem on Earth for over 5000 years, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 36C (97F). In essence, species on these reefs survive conditions that are similar to those projected for most coral reefs under unabated climate changes by 2100, and already seen today during heatwaves.  One of the big mysteries of the PAG coral reefs is the fact that many reef fish species seem to disappear from visual censuses during seasonal extremes. Prevailing theory suggests that reef fishes may be migrating away from the reefs to deeper, cooler water to survive the summer months. Alternatively, they may become dormant within the reef matrix, only to emerge again once conditions improve. We are putting this question to the test. Using the Arabian Gulf reefs as a natural laboratory for how coral reefs around the globe will fare under climate change, the outcome of this study will be informative to fisheries and environmental managers alike. For this project, the Johansen Fish Resilience Lab is working closely with Professors John Burt and Holly Shiels via New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE.