My background is in computer programming, physical oceanography and numerical ocean modelling, and I work on a variety of computer-related projects with other Center faculty and researchers. In addition, I oversee the computer operations of the Oceanographic Center and am the webmaster of the Oceanographic Center website. Lately my work has focused on programming in the areas of coral reef fractal analysis, coral reef assessment and monitoring, coral densitometry, and habitat equivalency analysis.

My work has led to the development of four programs that are available for public use. More information can be found by clicking the link titles below:

• CPCe: Coral Point count software

  The CPCe (Coral Point Count with Excel extensions) program is Windows-based software (PC use only) that provides a tool for the determination of benthic habitat cover using transect photographs. A specified number of spatially random points are distributed on a transect image and the features underlying the points are user-identified. Coverage statistics are then calculated and the results sent to Excel spreadsheets automatically. Additionally, CPCe can be used for image calibration and area analysis of benthic features. Excel sheets are automatically generated to summarize the area calculations for each image. In conjunction with M.S. student Shaun Gill, I developed CPCe, and began its distribution in 2004 at the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium in Okinawa Japan. There are an estimated 3000 users of CPCe, which has become the de facto standard for benthic cover estimation software.

• Visual_HEA: Habitat Equivalency Analysis software

  Visual_HEA is a program which allows users to calculate the degree of restoration required to compensate for injury to natural resources. Scenarios using various input parameters regarding recovery rates and extents can be quickly made and compared.

• CoralXDS: Coral X-radiograph Densitometry System

  The Coral X-radiograph Densitometry System (CoralXDS) is a Windows-based program which provides a tool for measurement of linear extension, density, and calcification from coral X-radiographs. These quantities are determined for high-density, low-density, and annual bands. CoralXDS operates in two "modes": full mode and extension/luminance mode. Full mode measures linear extension, density, and calcification, while extension/luminance mode measures only linear extension. Extension/luminance mode requires only a coral image with scaling information. CoralXDS allows user specification of transect location and orientation on the coral image, and provides several options for automated and manual band selection. The output measurements are provided as plots and datasets.

• PSPLOT: A Fortran-callable PostScript plotting library

  PSPLOT is a library of Fortran-callable subroutines that allow the creation of publication-quality graphics for use in technical journals. It supports the standard 35 PostScript fonts and color, and is largely platform independent. To date, there have been over 12,000 requests for the PSPLOT software.

Selected Publications (Complete publication list)

Riegl, B., R.P. Moyer, B.K. Walker, K. Kohler, D. Gilliam, and R.E. Dodge. 2008. A Tale of Germs, Storms, and Bombs: Geomorphology and Coral Assemblage Structure at Vieques (Puerto Rico) Compared to St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands).Journal of Coastal Research, Vol. 24, No. 4,1008-1021.
Click here to view the paper (2.0Mb).

Purkis, S.J., K.E. Kohler, B.M. Riegl, S.O. Rohmann. 2007. The Statistics of Natural Shapes in Modern Coral Reef Landscapes. Journal of Geology 115:493-508.
Click here to view the paper (9.7Mb).

Kohler, K.E. and S.M. Gill, 2006. Coral Point Count with Excel extensions (CPCe): A Visual Basic program for the determination of coral and substrate coverage using random point count methodology. Computers and Geosciences, Vol. 32, No. 9, pp. 1259-1269, DOI:10.1016/j.cageo.2005.11.009.
Click here to view the paper (5.2Mb).

Kohler, K.E. and R.E. Dodge, 2006. Visual_HEA: Habitat Equivalency Analysis software to calculate compensatory restoration following natural resource injury. Proceedings of the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium. Okinawa, Japan. pp. 1611-1616.
Click here to view the paper (612Kb).

Riegl B.M., S.J. Purkis, K.E. Kohler, and R.E. Dodge, 2006. Spatial patterns in Arabian Gulf coral assemblages (Jebel Ali, Dubai, U.A.E.) in response to temperature-forcing. Proceedings of the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium. Okinawa Japan. pp. 683-687
Click here to view the paper (1.0Mb).

Vinayachandran, P. N., J. P. McCreary, Jr., R. R. Hood, and K. E. Kohler. 2005. A numerical investigation of the phytoplankton bloom in the Bay of Bengal during Northeast Monsoon. Journal of Geophysical Research, 110, C12001, doi:10.1029/2005JC002966.
Click here to view the paper (1.4Mb).

Hood, R.R., K.E. Kohler, J.P. McCreary, and S. Smith, 2003. A four-dimensional validation of a coupled physical-biological model of the Arabian Sea. Deep Sea Research II, 50, p. 2917-2945.
Click here to view the paper (989Kb).

McCreary, J.P., K.E. Kohler, R.R. Hood, S. Smith, J. Kindle, A.S. Fischer, and R.A. Weller, 2001. Influences of diurnal and intraseasonal forcing on mixed-layer and biological variability in the central Arabian Sea. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106, C4, p. 7139-7155.
Click here to view the paper (3.1Mb).

Han, W., J.P. McCreary, and K.E. Kohler, 2001. Influence of precipitation minus evaporation and Bay of Bengal rivers on dynamics, thermodynamics, and mixed layer physics in the upper Indian Ocean. Journal of Geophysical Research, 106, C4, p.6985-6916.
Click here to view the paper (6.9Mb).

McCreary, J.P., K.E. Kohler, R.R. Hood and D.B. Olson, 1996. A four-component ecosystem model of biological activity in the Arabian Sea. Prog. Oceanogr. , 117-165.
Click here to view the paper (2.9Mb).

Kohler, Kevin E., 1993. PSPLOT - Postscript for technical drawings: A Fortran-callable PostScript plotting library: User's manual. www.nova.edu/ocean/psplot.html (also: Nova Univ. Oceanogr. Ctr. Tech. Rep. NOVA-93-2. 82 pp.)
Click here to view the manual (322Kb).