BIODIVERSITY & REEF RESILIENCY

RESEARCH MISSION
In most locations, it is impossible to disentangle the effects of over-fishing, declining coral health, climate change, and local pollution. Little Cayman offers a unique opportunity to explore the dynamics of a changing coral reef ecosystem in a remote location with minimal anthropogenic impact. A 40% relative reduction in mean live coral coverage was recorded from reefs surrounding Little Cayman between 1999 and 2004, but little change since 2004.

The DWAR Biodiversity & Reef Resiliency project will address the following questions: Is the loss of corals resulting in detrimental effects on other components of the reef system? Are there changes in how the reef functions? Are marine reserves capable of protecting our coral reef biodiversity?

This project will document the abundance of the major organisms that are competing with (and possibly out-competing) corals, such as tunicates, sponges, anemones, and fleshy algae using visual surveys and underwater photography techniques.

Advanced SCUBA divers will have the opportunity to (i) assist with surveys of bottom dwelling organisms using transects to detect long term changes in community structure and the effects of no-take Marine Parks, and (ii) surveys to document the diversity, abundance and habitat preferences of benthic species.

THE RESEARCHER(S)
Mr. Jim Burkitt will lead the field experience for the DWAR participants. Mr. Valentino Lee will assist him and support the DWAR participants while Dr. Carrie Manfrino will provide oversight for this research project.

Jim Burkitt
Jim Burkitt, M.Sc. joins CCMI again this winter to be the research assistant on the "Biodiversity & Reef Resiliency" project. He has led numerous trips to the Florida Keys to conduct coral reef and coastal marine research. His passion has always been in marine and coastal ecosystem research coupled with marine and environmental education. Burkitt worked on the Atlantic Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment in the Cayman Islands with Dr. Carrie Manfrino and will continue this research through the CCMI DWAR program. Burkitt is also a volunteer fish counter and has logged over 100 REEF fish surveys throughout New Jersey, Florida, Bonaire, and the Cayman Islands. He teaches the college laboratory components for courses in Oceanography, Marine Biology, Coastal Zone Management and Physical Geology, and also serves as a part-time lecturer in Environmental Studies, Marine Biology, Geographical Information Systems, and Tropical Marine Science.

Valentino Lee
Valentino Lee holds three Masters’ degrees in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Biology from London, Columbia and Oxford Universities. He works primarily as a software developer and technical project leader, and has designed and developed more than 40 computer applications over a 20 year period. He is also a New York Aquarium Volunteer Diver and serves as the Dive Team Education Coordinator. His responsibilities include teaching a large group of divers and docents and speaking to the public about marine animals, cleaning the exhibits, and managing the dive team’s internal web site. He has published articles on biology and technology, and a book on mobile application development.

Carrie Manfrino
Oceanographer Carrie Manfrino is president and founder of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. Her Ph.D. was granted by the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in Marine Geology and Geophysics. She is an associate professor of oceanography and brings a lifetime of experience diving and researching both modern and ancient coral reefs. For fun, she teaches college courses in tropical ecology and conservation at the Little Cayman Research Center. Manfrino and her team of marine scientists completed the first and largest regional expedition to understand the distribution and structure of the reef communities around all three Cayman Islands. This study continues to provide a reference for current and future research.

DIVING ACTIVITIES
Each research dive will involve several activities. Specific activities may vary depending on the previous experience of divers. Divers will be shown the methods used to survey the community of benthic organisms including sponges, corals, algae, and to classify substrate types that are available for recruitment. Divers will learn to accurately record percentages of each type of organism, will work on identification of key groups of the benthic community, and will conduct counts of these important keystone functional groups. Avid photographers are also welcome to help with a photographic catalog of the benthic reef community in Little Cayman.