Rebecca Klaus - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Reports by Rebecca Klaus
• Coral reefs are generally healthy throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 30% to 50% live ... more • Coral reefs are generally healthy throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 30% to 50% live coral cover at most locations and more than 50% total on average;
• Coral reefs have been damaged near urban and industrial centres from land-filling and dredging; port activities (damage by anchors, oil and wastewater discharges); sewage and other pollution (causing localised coral disease, poor recruitment, and excessive algae); and tourism (damage from anchors and recreational scuba divers);
• Most of the coral reefs in the region severely damaged by coral bleaching in 1998 (approximately 30%) are recovering, especially in the central to northern Red Sea of Saudi Arabia (especially near Rabigh) and in Yemen (Belhaf, Hadhramaut, Socotra Archipelago);
• Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) have been reported from the Iles des Sept Freres, Ras Siyyan Marine Protected Area (Djibouti), and on Yemeni Red Sea Reefs;
• Invertebrate populations are generally healthy except for localised declines of giant clams (Egypt) and other molluscs (Sudan), lobsters (all Red Sea and Gulf of Aden reefs) and sea cucumbers (Egypt, Yemen, Sudan);
• Target fish species, especially grouper, are relatively common compared to elsewhere, although there is heavy exploitation in Sudan and Yemen;
• Fishing pressure is increasing at spawning and nursery sites, and sharks are heavily exploited; ornamental fishes are collected in Egypt (recently banned), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen but not yet assessed. The fish community structure adjacent to industry in Aqaba and Yemen has been significantly altered;
• There is some evidence of recent climate change damage on coral reefs;
• Two natural disturbance events affected reefs in 2007: extreme low tides in March caused coral bleaching and mortality on reef flats in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan; and bleaching killed corals to 20 m depth on ‘Rocky Island’ in the southern Egyptian Red Sea;
• A volcano on 30 September 2007 damaged some reefs around Jabal Al-Tair island off Yemen;
• PERSGA has issued Regional Action Plans for conservation of coral reefs, marine turtles, mangrove, and seabirds in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Region; and
• PERSGA has added climate change impacts to the regional monitoring programmes.
Papers by Rebecca Klaus
Springer Earth System Sciences, 2015
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2016
The Socotra Archipelago is situated in the Gulf of Aden where tropical and "pseudo-tempe... more The Socotra Archipelago is situated in the Gulf of Aden where tropical and "pseudo-temperate" conditions combine to create a unique marine ecosystem. The diversity, ecology, productivity and fisheries of the coastal fish assemblages are still relatively understudied and no update of the scientific knowledge existed. The islands support unique coastal and coral-associated fish assemblages in spite of the limited biogenic reef frameworks. Fish diversity is the highest among comparable Arabian eco-regions, and fish biomass productivity high too by Indian Ocean standards. The production of the once traditionally-managed small-scale fishery is severely declining and whether it is sustainable nowadays is extremely doubtful. At a time when Yemen is torn apart by a severe political and humanitarian crisis it is timely to review and update the current state of knowledge for scientists and managers, and thereby ease access to existing information, facilitating follow-on studies and evidence-based conservation and fisheries management.
Reef-building corals and coral communities of the Socotra Archipelago, a zoogeographic ‘crossroad... more Reef-building corals and coral communities of the Socotra Archipelago, a zoogeographic ‘crossroads’ in the Arabian Sea Lyndon DeVantier, Glenn De’Ath, Rebecca Klaus, Salim Al-Moghrabi, Malek Abdulaziz, Götz B. Reinicke and Catherine Cheung Ab s t r a c t : The structure, composition, diversity, zoogeographic affinities, present status, and importance as reservoirs of biodiversity and replenishment of coral communities of the Socotra Archipelago were assessed for marine protected areas planning in 1999-2000. The corals form small, more or less discrete communities, usually developed directly on non-reefal substrates or relict ‘spur-and-groove’ structures, remnants of earlier (probably Pleistocene) periods of reef growth, rather than forming large accretional reef structures. Despite the lack of reef-building, the archipelago supports a diverse stony coral fauna of some 253 scleractinian species (58 genera, 16 families), some of which were previously unknown from Arabian Seas. Diversi...
The Socotra Archipelago hosts diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 co... more The Socotra Archipelago hosts diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 coastal and pelagic species in 109 families have been recorded, and over 850 species are expected to occur. The islands are endowed with the highest diversity of marine fishes in the Arabian region. Strikingly, certain 'reef' associated families and functional groups are as diverse, or even more diverse, than their respective groups in the entire Red Sea, even though the islands' total coastline is approximately eight times less in length and supports considerably fewer biogenic reefs. The impressive fish diversity is matched by the high productivity. Inshore fish biomass estimates were started in 2007 as a proxy of coastal productivity, adding to the permanent transect-based monitoring programme and fisheries data collection system set up in 2000. Estimates of standing crop in 2007 (pre-monsoon) averaged 2.08 t/ha across eight sites and 3.04 t/ha at five deeper sites (> 6m)...
Matching an impressive biological diversity, not only in fish but also in many other marine taxa,... more Matching an impressive biological diversity, not only in fish but also in many other marine taxa, the coastal ecosystems of Socotra have long been thought of as being highly productive resting on a primary productivity which is seasonally fertilized by monsoondriven upwelling waters. Coastal productivity, however, has thus far not been actually measured but rather inferred, e.g. from landings of the small scale fisheries. The fisheries communities are usually praised for managing their stocks according to traditional regulations. It used to be common sense that the local fisheries are, by-and-large, sustainable with only a few target species such as sharks and lobster, and more recently sea cucumbers, being probably overused. Inshore fish biomass estimates were started in April 2007 (pre-monsoon) as a proxy measure of coastal productivity, adding to the existing marine biological monitoring programme and the fisheries data collection programme of the EPA. Estimates are based on visu...
The Archipelago hosts very diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 fish ... more The Archipelago hosts very diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 fish species in 109 families have been recorded from the Archipelago to date. Abundances and species diversity increase in East-West and South-North direction and the highest diversity at individual sites are found at Abd al-Kuri. Abundance-Frequency-Distributions and Occurrence-Frequency-Distributions reveal that many species have relatively small populations and occur at few sites only. Modelling of the archipelagic diversity of fish using incidence-based richness estimators such as Chao2, ICE, or Jacknife2 indicate that the actual diversity ranges between 830 and 890 species (excluding deep-dwelling species below 200 m depth). The islands are thus endowed with the highest diversity of marine fishes in the Arabian region and match up with other tropical island groups or even countries in the Indian Ocean. The diversity is especially striking in comparing Species-Area-Relationships across th...
The Socotra Archipelago is a recognized global biodiversity hotspot, situated in the north-wester... more The Socotra Archipelago is a recognized global biodiversity hotspot, situated in the north-western Indian Ocean. These islands are subject to a seasonally variable environment as a result of the reversing monsoon winds, which drive a highly productive coastal upwelling system during the south-west monsoon (May to September). The coastal ecosystems support a diverse array of communities, including non-reefal coral communities with high live hard coral cover, and the highest diversity of marine fishes in the Arabian region with 830-890 species modeled to occur (Chao2, Jacknife2). Also the inshore fish biomass is phenomenally high. Biomass estimates based on visual underwater length frequency counts were started in 2007 as a proxy of coastal productivity, adding to a permanent transect-based monitoring program operated since 2000. Sanding crop in 2007 (pre-monsoon) averaged 2.08 t/ha across eight sites and 3.04 t/ha at five deeper sites (> 6m), with maxima of 5.13 t/ha (SD +- 5.64) ...
Coral Reef Conservation, 2006
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2013
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2005
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2013
Journal of Natural History, 2004
... EMILY R. HARDMAN{, M. SABRINA MEUNIER{, JOHN R. TURNER{, TARA L. LYNCH{, MICHELLE TAYLOR{ and... more ... EMILY R. HARDMAN{, M. SABRINA MEUNIER{, JOHN R. TURNER{, TARA L. LYNCH{, MICHELLE TAYLOR{ and REBECCA KLAUS{ ... Pocillopora eydouxi, Pocillopora verrucosa and Pocillopora damicornis were white with no algal growth and some had pink and purple colour ...
Journal of Arid Environments, 2003
Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 2000
Abstract We assess the status of Cameroon's coastal and marine environment, from field s... more Abstract We assess the status of Cameroon's coastal and marine environment, from field survey results and analysis of existing environmental and bioeconomic datasets. The study was undertaken at a broad level, and at greater resolution in the area likely to be influenced by the Chad-...
• Coral reefs are generally healthy throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 30% to 50% live ... more • Coral reefs are generally healthy throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with 30% to 50% live coral cover at most locations and more than 50% total on average;
• Coral reefs have been damaged near urban and industrial centres from land-filling and dredging; port activities (damage by anchors, oil and wastewater discharges); sewage and other pollution (causing localised coral disease, poor recruitment, and excessive algae); and tourism (damage from anchors and recreational scuba divers);
• Most of the coral reefs in the region severely damaged by coral bleaching in 1998 (approximately 30%) are recovering, especially in the central to northern Red Sea of Saudi Arabia (especially near Rabigh) and in Yemen (Belhaf, Hadhramaut, Socotra Archipelago);
• Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) have been reported from the Iles des Sept Freres, Ras Siyyan Marine Protected Area (Djibouti), and on Yemeni Red Sea Reefs;
• Invertebrate populations are generally healthy except for localised declines of giant clams (Egypt) and other molluscs (Sudan), lobsters (all Red Sea and Gulf of Aden reefs) and sea cucumbers (Egypt, Yemen, Sudan);
• Target fish species, especially grouper, are relatively common compared to elsewhere, although there is heavy exploitation in Sudan and Yemen;
• Fishing pressure is increasing at spawning and nursery sites, and sharks are heavily exploited; ornamental fishes are collected in Egypt (recently banned), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen but not yet assessed. The fish community structure adjacent to industry in Aqaba and Yemen has been significantly altered;
• There is some evidence of recent climate change damage on coral reefs;
• Two natural disturbance events affected reefs in 2007: extreme low tides in March caused coral bleaching and mortality on reef flats in Egypt, Sudan, and Jordan; and bleaching killed corals to 20 m depth on ‘Rocky Island’ in the southern Egyptian Red Sea;
• A volcano on 30 September 2007 damaged some reefs around Jabal Al-Tair island off Yemen;
• PERSGA has issued Regional Action Plans for conservation of coral reefs, marine turtles, mangrove, and seabirds in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Region; and
• PERSGA has added climate change impacts to the regional monitoring programmes.
Springer Earth System Sciences, 2015
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2016
The Socotra Archipelago is situated in the Gulf of Aden where tropical and "pseudo-tempe... more The Socotra Archipelago is situated in the Gulf of Aden where tropical and "pseudo-temperate" conditions combine to create a unique marine ecosystem. The diversity, ecology, productivity and fisheries of the coastal fish assemblages are still relatively understudied and no update of the scientific knowledge existed. The islands support unique coastal and coral-associated fish assemblages in spite of the limited biogenic reef frameworks. Fish diversity is the highest among comparable Arabian eco-regions, and fish biomass productivity high too by Indian Ocean standards. The production of the once traditionally-managed small-scale fishery is severely declining and whether it is sustainable nowadays is extremely doubtful. At a time when Yemen is torn apart by a severe political and humanitarian crisis it is timely to review and update the current state of knowledge for scientists and managers, and thereby ease access to existing information, facilitating follow-on studies and evidence-based conservation and fisheries management.
Reef-building corals and coral communities of the Socotra Archipelago, a zoogeographic ‘crossroad... more Reef-building corals and coral communities of the Socotra Archipelago, a zoogeographic ‘crossroads’ in the Arabian Sea Lyndon DeVantier, Glenn De’Ath, Rebecca Klaus, Salim Al-Moghrabi, Malek Abdulaziz, Götz B. Reinicke and Catherine Cheung Ab s t r a c t : The structure, composition, diversity, zoogeographic affinities, present status, and importance as reservoirs of biodiversity and replenishment of coral communities of the Socotra Archipelago were assessed for marine protected areas planning in 1999-2000. The corals form small, more or less discrete communities, usually developed directly on non-reefal substrates or relict ‘spur-and-groove’ structures, remnants of earlier (probably Pleistocene) periods of reef growth, rather than forming large accretional reef structures. Despite the lack of reef-building, the archipelago supports a diverse stony coral fauna of some 253 scleractinian species (58 genera, 16 families), some of which were previously unknown from Arabian Seas. Diversi...
The Socotra Archipelago hosts diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 co... more The Socotra Archipelago hosts diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 coastal and pelagic species in 109 families have been recorded, and over 850 species are expected to occur. The islands are endowed with the highest diversity of marine fishes in the Arabian region. Strikingly, certain 'reef' associated families and functional groups are as diverse, or even more diverse, than their respective groups in the entire Red Sea, even though the islands' total coastline is approximately eight times less in length and supports considerably fewer biogenic reefs. The impressive fish diversity is matched by the high productivity. Inshore fish biomass estimates were started in 2007 as a proxy of coastal productivity, adding to the permanent transect-based monitoring programme and fisheries data collection system set up in 2000. Estimates of standing crop in 2007 (pre-monsoon) averaged 2.08 t/ha across eight sites and 3.04 t/ha at five deeper sites (> 6m)...
Matching an impressive biological diversity, not only in fish but also in many other marine taxa,... more Matching an impressive biological diversity, not only in fish but also in many other marine taxa, the coastal ecosystems of Socotra have long been thought of as being highly productive resting on a primary productivity which is seasonally fertilized by monsoondriven upwelling waters. Coastal productivity, however, has thus far not been actually measured but rather inferred, e.g. from landings of the small scale fisheries. The fisheries communities are usually praised for managing their stocks according to traditional regulations. It used to be common sense that the local fisheries are, by-and-large, sustainable with only a few target species such as sharks and lobster, and more recently sea cucumbers, being probably overused. Inshore fish biomass estimates were started in April 2007 (pre-monsoon) as a proxy measure of coastal productivity, adding to the existing marine biological monitoring programme and the fisheries data collection programme of the EPA. Estimates are based on visu...
The Archipelago hosts very diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 fish ... more The Archipelago hosts very diverse and biogeographically unique fish communities. About 735 fish species in 109 families have been recorded from the Archipelago to date. Abundances and species diversity increase in East-West and South-North direction and the highest diversity at individual sites are found at Abd al-Kuri. Abundance-Frequency-Distributions and Occurrence-Frequency-Distributions reveal that many species have relatively small populations and occur at few sites only. Modelling of the archipelagic diversity of fish using incidence-based richness estimators such as Chao2, ICE, or Jacknife2 indicate that the actual diversity ranges between 830 and 890 species (excluding deep-dwelling species below 200 m depth). The islands are thus endowed with the highest diversity of marine fishes in the Arabian region and match up with other tropical island groups or even countries in the Indian Ocean. The diversity is especially striking in comparing Species-Area-Relationships across th...
The Socotra Archipelago is a recognized global biodiversity hotspot, situated in the north-wester... more The Socotra Archipelago is a recognized global biodiversity hotspot, situated in the north-western Indian Ocean. These islands are subject to a seasonally variable environment as a result of the reversing monsoon winds, which drive a highly productive coastal upwelling system during the south-west monsoon (May to September). The coastal ecosystems support a diverse array of communities, including non-reefal coral communities with high live hard coral cover, and the highest diversity of marine fishes in the Arabian region with 830-890 species modeled to occur (Chao2, Jacknife2). Also the inshore fish biomass is phenomenally high. Biomass estimates based on visual underwater length frequency counts were started in 2007 as a proxy of coastal productivity, adding to a permanent transect-based monitoring program operated since 2000. Sanding crop in 2007 (pre-monsoon) averaged 2.08 t/ha across eight sites and 3.04 t/ha at five deeper sites (> 6m), with maxima of 5.13 t/ha (SD +- 5.64) ...
Coral Reef Conservation, 2006
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2013
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 2005
Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2013
Journal of Natural History, 2004
... EMILY R. HARDMAN{, M. SABRINA MEUNIER{, JOHN R. TURNER{, TARA L. LYNCH{, MICHELLE TAYLOR{ and... more ... EMILY R. HARDMAN{, M. SABRINA MEUNIER{, JOHN R. TURNER{, TARA L. LYNCH{, MICHELLE TAYLOR{ and REBECCA KLAUS{ ... Pocillopora eydouxi, Pocillopora verrucosa and Pocillopora damicornis were white with no algal growth and some had pink and purple colour ...
Journal of Arid Environments, 2003
Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management, 2000
Abstract We assess the status of Cameroon's coastal and marine environment, from field s... more Abstract We assess the status of Cameroon's coastal and marine environment, from field survey results and analysis of existing environmental and bioeconomic datasets. The study was undertaken at a broad level, and at greater resolution in the area likely to be influenced by the Chad-...
