Formation

The National Coral Reef Institute was established by Congressional mandate in 1998. NCRI's primary objective is the assessment, monitoring, and restoration of coral reefs through basic and applied research and through training and education. NCRI operates at the Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Objective

NCRI's primary objective is the Assessment, Monitoring, and Restoration of coral reefs through basic and applied research and through training and education.

Mission

NCRI's mission is to identify gaps and constraints in scientific knowledge of reef structure and function as they relate to issues of assessment, monitoring, and restoration. Through active research and collaborative funding, NCRI undertakes and facilitates hypothesis-based scientific research in emerging reef issues and technologies. NCRI provides scientific synthesis and evaluation criteria of existing programs for use by the research and management community. These include the study of minimally impacted, stressed, and imminently threatened and endangered reefs. Assessing and monitoring biodiversity is a priority, especially as it affects and interacts with ecological processes, overall reef function, reef recovery, and restoration. NCRI's primary capability is that of offering a strong scientific focus as well as innovative approaches to relevant scientific issues in all aspects of coral reef biology.

Goals

• Identify constraints in current scientific understanding of assessment, monitoring, and restoration of reefs.

• Provide scientific focus to emerging and innovative approaches of these issues.

• Assess, document, and monitor biodiversity levels of ecologically important reef organisms.

• Conduct hypothesis-based research.

• Evaluate and synthesize scientific information relevant to scientists and marine resource managers.

• Provide scientific expertise to investigate ecological processes and information on global coral reef issues.

• Identify, fund, and provide theoretical and applied programs of coral reef research.

• Coordinate expertise and resources for quick response to damage, and provide alternatives for long-term action.

• Provide assistance in resolving claims and disputes within reef protection, mitigation, and rehabilitation.

• Recommend and advise on coral reef management and public policy.

• Provide effective education (courses and training) on effective practices of reef conservation and restoration/remediation.

Message from the Directors

With levels of biodiversity rivaling those of tropical rainforests, the complex framework and structure created by reef-building corals and their calcified skeletons are a unique and irreplaceable natural resource. Globally, coral reefs provide enormous direct and indirect economic benefits - in the United States alone the direct and indirect economic value of coral reefs is valued in the billions of dollars annually. They serve as important fishery resources and physical barriers to coastal erosion, offer recreational and tourist areas, and are repositories to a myriad of described and undescribed species of great value to humankind.

Yet coral reefs are rapidly being degraded by pollution, overfishing, climate change, coastal development, ship-related injuries, recreational overuse and the introduction of exotic species. An estimated 25 percent of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed and, if no action is taken to reduce threats, costly additional losses are predicted in the coming decades.

The mission of the National Coral Reef Institute (NCRI) is to be a center of excellence for management-relevant coral reef research and is advanced through its status as part of the Oceanographic Center at Nova Southeastern University, which provides administration, facilities, and support within an academic research university setting. Knowledge, ideas, and experience in all relevant disciplines are consolidated, expanded and used to help identify and solve the challenges that beset our coral environments. NCRI seeks to provide a locus where academia, government, and commerce may communicate, plan, and act to preserve, restore, conserve, and manage these fragile ecosystems.

NCRI's research is directed at building comprehensive baseline information for scientific and management use by conducting targeted research into aspects of coral reef assessment, monitoring, and restoration. In this process, information is collected and evaluated, often in collaboration with national and international partners and funding agencies. The results of this work are already improving the nation's ability to determine the status of its coral reefs and emerging trends that might affect their future as a viable resource. NCRI will continue to strategically target areas of coral reef research that have particular relevance during these times of global climate change and an increasingly problematic human ecological footprint.

A hallmark of NCRI has also been the efficient dissemination of important scientific information and research or computational tools to members of the worldwide scientific community, resource managers and conservationists concerned with coral reefs. This evaluation, synthesis and sharing of relevant scientific information and tools are being achieved through major international scientific conferences, presentations and publications, as well as an expanded presence on the Internet which allows access to NCRI's latest research and software.

Despite being a very young organization, NCRI scientists have already produced more than 70 scientific papers, nearly 100 abstracts, and 35 technical reports. In addition to funds from the U.S. Congress, administered through the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, NCRI has secured substantial additional funding from other federal, state, county and corporate sources which complement and augment its assessment, monitoring and restoration efforts.

Coral reefs are not only beautiful but also important economic resources that provide protection from coastal erosion, make wonderful tourist destinations and offer a home to a myriad of species of marine life. By conducting management-oriented research, NCRI hopes to do its part to help conserve these invaluable assets for generations to come.

Richard E. Dodge, Ph.D., Executive Director
Bernhard M. Riegl, Ph.D., Associate Director

NCRI develops and maintains partnerships with a wide variety of organizations and researchers to fill gaps in scientific knowledge of coral reefs as they relate to issues of assessment, monitoring, and restoration. The Institute leverages funding for projects by working with local, regional, national, and international organizations on common concerns. NCRI particularly emphasizes collaboration with management authorities to ensure the optimal transfer and application of knowledge obtained through its research programs. Below is a partial listing of NCRI's valued partners.

Local and Regional Partners and Collaborators

Biscayne National Park Broward County Environmental Protection   Department College of Charleston Florida Atlantic University State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation   Commission State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Research   Institute Florida Institute of Oceanography Florida Institute of Technology Florida International University Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Florida Sea Grant Georgia Institute of Technology Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Kansas Geological Survey Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental   Resources Management

Ocean Watch Foundation Palm Beach County Department of Environmental   Resources Management Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative South Florida Water Management District Smithsonian Marine Station St. John's River Water Management District State of Florida Department of Environmental   Protection University of Boston University of Central Florida University of Florida University of Georgia University of Kansas University of Miami RSMAS University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of South Florida

U.S. Partners and Collaborators
Other States and Territories: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands   Department of Environmental Protection Commonwealth of Puerto Rico	Roatan Institute of Marine Science U.S. Virgin Islands
Federal Agencies and National Organizations: National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Science Foundation U.S. Coral Reef Task Force U.S. Department of Commerce's NOAA:    Coastal Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Science    Office of Response and Restoration (ORR)/Coral      Reef Conservation Program    Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research    Center for Coastal Monitoring and      Assessment /Biogeography Program	Center for Coastal Environmental      Health and Biomolecular Research    National Oceanographic Data Center    National Marine Fisheries Service U.S. Department of Defense:    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers    U.S. Navy U.S. Department of Interior    National Park Service    U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
International Partners and Collaborators
Bahamas Department of Fisheries Bermuda Biological Station for Research Federated States of Micronesia International Union for Conservation of   Nature and Natural Resources/   World Conservation Union Karl-Franzens University of Graz National Polytechnical Institute of Mexico Petroleum Institute of the University of the   United Arab Emirates	Qatar Supreme Council for the Environment   and Natural Reserves South Africa The Nature Conservancy United Arab Emirates Environmental   Research and Wildlife Development Agency University of Cape Town University of Qatar World Bank Global Environment Fund World Wildlife Fund

Coral reef ecosystems are among the most productive and diverse in the world. Countless species coexist because of the constant renewal of framework and structure created by reef-building organisms. Coral reefs serve as buffers from effects of storm activity on coastal features, and the natural chemical and biological breakdown of reef structures produces abundant sediments that nourish beaches. In many areas, reefs are an important economic resource, creating habitat for commercially and recreationally important species of fish and as a recreational locale for diving and tourism activities.

Coral reefs are impacted worldwide by a host of natural and human-induced factors. Natural and man-made climatic variations, including those from El Niņo, heat, stress, and hurricane forces cause substantial damage to coral reefs. Dynamite and chemical fishing, anchor damage, dredging, sediment runoff due to deforestation and eutrophication, bleaching and disease can devastate coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs in the proximity of busy shipping lanes are also susceptible to ship groundings.

Globally, coral reefs are undergoing large-scale ecological and physical changes. Scientists and marine resource managers are exploring scientifically sound approaches to restore and mitigate damaged coral reefs. Progress has been gradual because of the complexity of tropical systems, the unpredictable occurrence of human impact and the extended time needed to monitor and assess recovery. Scientific solutions and intuitive quick fixes have provided some encouraging results, but additional sustainable approaches and technologies are needed for efforts to be successful. This is where NCRI sees its role.

Oceanographic Center at
Nova Southeastern University

NCRI is located on the campus of the Oceanographic Center at Nova Southeastern University in Dania Beach, Florida. Situated on a 10-acre campus on the ocean side of Port Everglades, the Oceanographic Center has a 1-acre boat basin, and its location affords immediate access to the Gulf Stream, the open Atlantic Ocean and the Southeast Florida reef tract. Research vessels include a variety of outboards and inboards for general science diving and use. The William Springer Richardson Library located on campus contains 3,000 books and more than 100 periodicals covering the various disciplines of marine and aquatic science. A computer center operates as a resource for modeling and general scientific computing.

Besides NCRI, the Guy Harvey Research Institute for the research and conservation of fish is another integral component of the Oceanographic Center. Faculty, staff and students at the Oceanographic Center pursue research in biological and physical oceanography. Areas of interest include modeling of large-scale ocean circulation, coastal dynamics, ocean-atmosphere coupling, coral reef research, benthic ecology, marine biodiversity, calcification of invertebrates, marine fisheries, marine microbiology, and molecular ecology and evolution.

The Oceanographic Center is part of Nova Southeastern University (NSU), the largest independent non-profit university in the southeastern United States. A major doctoral research university, NSU has more than 23,000 students and awards associate's, bachelor's, master's, educational specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. The university is comprised of undergraduate, graduate and professional schools of osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, optometry, allied health and nursing, medical sciences, dental medicine, law, marine biology and oceanography, business and entrepreneurship, computer and information sciences, humanities, conflict resolution, family therapy, interdisciplinary studies, education, psychology and counseling, and family programs.