GCRMN Implementation and Governance

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Context

The primary aim of this data training course is to provide training on the standardisation and visualisation of coral reef data for the Western Indian as part of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. As the GCRMN is formed by a number of regional “nodes” and requires the periodic amalgamation of regional data for global reporting, it is important to have a basic understanding of the background of the GCRMN, its structure and operation, and the setting of variables and data standards for monitoring.

This page provides brief information on the GCRMN and links where additional resources can be found.

Background

The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) was established by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) in 1995. At its General Meeting in 2014, the GCRMN’s main purpose was revised as follows: “GCRMN supports ICRI by working through a global network to strengthen the provision of best available scientific information on, and communication of, the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems, for their conservation and management”. GCRMN produced global reports using a consistent approach between 1999 to 2008, after which a number of regional and thematic reports have been produced (Annex II).

A number of developments in the last 5-10 years call for a renewal of the GCRMN’s approach and methods for aggregating and reporting on coral reef data. These form the basis for this Implementation and Governance Plan:

• Novel techniques and methods becoming available to collect data, including automation and sensors that reduce the reliance on human observers;
• Improvements in computing power and data science, providing advances in data aggregation and expanding the capacity and efficiency of observing and data networks;
• Broadening scope of global conventions and goals prioritizing the importance of ecosystems to society requires monitoring to assess progress towards achieving these goals (e.g. the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Global Biodiversity Targets, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the World Ocean Assessment and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Main goals of the GCRMN

The “value proposition” of the GCRMN was developed by ICRI members and GCRMN stakeholders during discussions from 2015 to 2017. Four main goals were identified, relating to societal priorities and the “Driver Pressure State Impact Response” (DPSIR) model of system monitoring.

These goals include:

1. Improve understanding of coral reef status and trends, globally and regionally
2. Analyse and communicate coral reef status and trends to support policy development, environmental management and public awareness; and
3. Enable and facilitate greater use of coral reef data, including the exchange of information and knowledge of reef status, trends and responses
4. Build capacity as part of regional monitoring team networks, data contributors and stakeholders.

Structure of GCRMN and Regional Nodes

The UN Regional Seas programmes provide the primary institutional mechanism for the formation of regional networks. In some cases, these regional boundaries have been modified to facilitate administration and logistic considerations (e.g. the Eastern Tropical Pacific region straddles two UN Regional Sea conventions).

The current GCRMN regional structure includes:

• Caribbean (countries of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexicoincluding SE Atlantic)
• Western Indian Ocean (10 counties)
• Western and Central Pacific Islands (23 countries and territories)
• Eastern Tropical Pacific (10 countries and territories)
• Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (9 countries)
• ROPME Sea Area (8 member nations of ROPME)
• South East Asia (and Central Indian Ocean6 countries and the Chagos Archipelago)
• East Asia (14 countries and states)
• Brazil
• Australia

The GCRMN also accepts data from other contributors operating outside the regional node structure. For example, Reef Check provides globally consistent data based on volunteer divers, community members, and others.

Regional nodes coordinate to periodically produce regional assessment reports of coral reef status and trends. These data and reports are also used to inform the broader GCRMN global process, including periodic assessment reports as well as input into international conventions and policy development.

Video Instruction

Please review this short video with further details of the GCRMN and its implementation plan:

Variables and Data Standards

A key variable required for Goal 1 is Hard coral cover and composition, which includes different levels of data quality:

• Level 1 “Live hard coral” as a single indicator
• Level 2 “Live hard coral” disaggregated by functional group (i.e. according to morphology and growth form)
• Level 3 “Live hard coral” disaggregated by genus or by species

As part of the characterisation of reef status and trends, information on Fleshy algae cover provides a valuable indicator of coral reef health. This variable includes the data quality levels of:

• Level 1 “Fleshy, macro and turf algae cover” as a single indicator (i.e. total % cover)
• Level 2 “Fleshy, macro and turf algae cover” disaggregated by primary functional groups based on morphology (e.g. turf, cruostose)
• Level 3 “Fleshy, macro and turf algae cover” disaggregated by genus or higher resolution of functional groups, including information on canopy height and/or biomass.

Lastly, Fish abundance and diversity is an important variable that characterises the state of and processes that maintain reef health (e.g. grazing). There is a range of techniques and expertise required to monitor this variable, including a subset of key functional groups, inclusion of fish sizes, and abundance. An indicative guide of the data quality levels include:

• Level 1 “Basic” data collection of a subset of key families reported without sizes
• Level 2 “Intermediate” data with a comprehensive range of families and fish sizes
• Level 3 “Advanced” data where fish data are collected at the species level for the majority of families present, size class information, and replicate transects per site

Next Steps

As part of the GCRMN strategy for aggregating the results of local monitoring to build regional and global data sets, we can use R and reproducible research techniques to Scaling code for addressing global challenges

Additional Resources

1. Course participants interested in reading the full GCRMN Implementation and Governance Plan can find a copy here.
2. Information on the Coral cover Essential Ocean Variable Specification Sheet and other variables can be found here
3. Socio-economic aspects of coral reefs and associate habitats have been a focus for the GCRMN regional SocMon programmes, such as those in the Caribbean and Pacific. Additional information can be found here.