Degradation of coral reef ecosystems began centuries ago, but there is no global summary of the magnitude of change. We compiled records, extending back thousands of years, of the status and trends of seven major guilds of carnivores, herbivores, and architectural species from 14 regions. Large animals declined before small animals and architectural species, and Atlantic reefs declined before reefs in the Red Sea and Australia, but the trajectories of decline were markedly similar worldwide. All reefs were substantially degraded long before outbreaks of coral disease and bleaching. Regardless of these new threats, reefs will not survive without immediate protection from human exploitation over large spatial scales.

/pdf/global-trajectories-of-the-long-term-decline-of-coral-reef-14tzeq9enm.pdf

Global Trajectories of the Long-Term Decline of Coral Reef Ecosystems

Temporal variability in the life history and reproductive biology of female dugongs in Torres Strait: The likely role of sea grass dieback

The changes in a tropical demersal fish community in the southeast Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, were examined by comparing the results of a survey undertaken in 1964 before the area was fished, with two surveys in 1985 and 1986 after 20 yr of commercial trawl fishing. The numerical abundance of 52 of the 82 fish taxa had not changed significantly, but that of 18 had decreased while 12 had increased. One taxon (Paramonacanthus spp.) had decreased by more than 500 times and another (Saurida micropectoralis) had increased substantially in abundance. The changes occurred throughout the area surveyed, but the largest changes were offshore. In the pre-trawling community most taxa were caught mainly during the night, while in the post-trawling community most were caught in the same numbers during day and night. In 10 of the 30 taxa that changed in abundance, changes were within a family and could not be explained. For the remaining 20, the changes could be related to their position in the water column: benthic taxa decreased and bentho-pelagic taxa increased. The changes were assessed in relation to fishing effort, and changes in the mud content of the substrate in the study area. Although the changes did not correlate with the fishing effort among three zones in the study area, it is suggested that fishing effort and discarding of the by-catch caused the change in 18 taxa. The magnitude of the decreases of some species might be related to changes in the sediment or possibly other long-term environmental change. There was also a change in the diel behaviour in the fish community that perhaps may be related to the effects of fishing on a tropical multispecies fish community.

Changes in species composition of demersal fish fauna of Southeast Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, after 20 years of fishing

Traditional Torres Strait Islander culture, viewed at European contact, demonstrated levels of maritime resource exploitation, canoe technology and seafaring skills, inter-island trade, and use of horticulture/agriculture to a degree unparalleled elsewhere in Australia How long this maritime-focused cultural complex has existed in the island archipelago connecting Australia with Papua New Guinea, the onset dates for island occupation in the Holocene, and the cultural impact of the late Holocene 'connectedness' induced by exchange across Torres Strait on adjacent mainlands remain central questions for archaeological enquiry A retrospective overview of archaeological research and investigations in the Torres Strait region is presented, from early preliminary field investigations in the 1970s through to the emergence of divergent thematic investigations spanning historic and prehistoric periods, underway in the year 2000 Radiocarbon dates from archaeological sites confirm occupation of the islands since 2500 years ago Moreover, the regional archaeological site chronology for Torres Strait suggests most islands with good water resources supported populations, albeit in some cases seasonally transient ones, after 1,500 BPP Some aspects of the archaeological chronology, the nature of culture sites and their spatial distribution within islands accord well with recent oral histories, and some ethnographic observations However, other aspects of the emerging chronology, and in particular similarities in the range and type of sites across the Strait, and patterns between islands, strongly suggest that other facets of archaeological data either do not fit, contradict, or are simply unrecorded in, the ethnohistorical sources In particular, some ethnohistorically derived culture/language/trade groupings may have limited antiquity as seen in the archaeological record

/pdf/torres-strait-bepotaim-an-overview-of-archaeological-and-32la5mx3m7.pdf

Torres Strait 'bepotaim': An overview of archaeological and ethnoarchaeological investigations and research

Re-evaluation of the sustainability of a marine mammal harvest by indigenous people using several lines of evidence

Torres Strait Fisheries Seminar, Port Moresby, 11-14 February 1985

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Torres Strait Fisheries Seminar, Port Moresby, 11-14 February 1985