Title
Integrating EBM science to assess marine protected area effectiveness clues from coral proxies of land disturbance, ecological assessments and socioeconomic surveys
Author(s)
Stacy D. Jupiter, Thomas Tui, Sofia Shah, Akuila Cakacaka, Wayne Moy, Waisea Naisilisili, Sirilo Dulunaqio, Alex Patrick, Ingrid Qauqau, Naushad Yakub, Akanisi Caginitoba
Abstract
Research for this study was carried out under a two-year project to support the implementation of Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) at two catchment-to-reef sites on Vanua Levu, Fiji, during which period a pilot study was initiated to evaluate whether longlived coral records could be used to detect land-based disturbance to Fijian reefs. Trace element ratios of barium (Ba) to calcium (Ca) were measured at high (~weekly) resolution with laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in cores collected from inshore and offshore Porites colonies. The Ba/Ca records from the inshore colony collected approximately 5 km south-east of the Yanawai River mouth and 3 km due west of the Nasue marine protected area (MPA) indicate heavy Ba/Ca enrichment between 1996- 1998, which may be related to high levels of sediment delivery to the nearshore while the Mt. Kasi gold mine was operational.

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