Management Science and Socioeconomics

    Ongoing research in ocean management and coastal socioeconomics is highly inter-disciplinary. It involves the integration of fieldwork, remote sensing, modeling and decision-tool development, among its facets. This work is often conducted as a component of integrated coastal management initiatives, helping to identify realistic solutions, while taking into account various socioeconomic and cultural variables that may exist.

    NCORE projects look to provide relevant information and scenario-testing models to resource decision-makers, including managers, educators, and the general public. A strong emphasis has been placed on providing information for adaptive management using different climate change scenarios, in response to growth trends in coastal zone population, and water quality changes. The scenarios and tools developed integrate biological and oceanographic characteristics that drive connectivity and affect overall coral reef recruitment.

    Areas of past and current study at the University of Miami include the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, Panama, the Dominican Republic, areas in Southeast Asia and other sites where scientists are working alongside coastal community organizations to help build both immediate and long-term management and educational opportunities in an effort to improve each community’s unique relationship to their ocean environment, while empowering local residents to protect their precious coral resources.

Key Questions

 

What measures can be taken to ensure sustainable coastal development?

How do we manage and mitigate existing impacts in already disturbed areas and can reefs be restored once impacts have been mitigated?

What lessons can be drawn from management successes in other regions and from the past?

How should marine reserves be designed to maximize the recovery potential of reefs?

 

Projects

 

Project PI(s) Sponsor Dates
Conduct Followup Coral Bleaching In Water Rapid Assessment Surveys For The Florida Reef Resilience Program  Lirman, Diego (MBF) Nature Conservancy 9/1/2007 to 12/31/2007
Biscayne Bay Nearshore Model  Wang, John D (AMP) NPS 7/27/2007 to 5/1/2008
Coral Reef Habitat Modeling To Support Ecosystem-Based Management Ault, Jerald S (MBF) NOAA 7/1/2007 to 6/30/2008
Climatic, Economic, and Regulatory Induced Changes In Expected Catch Rates Letson, David (MAF) NOAA 6/1/2007 to 5/31/2008
Integrated Ecological Assessment of Antigua and Barbuda  Kourafalou, Vassiliki (MPO), Lirman, Diego (MBF), McManus, John (MBF), McManus, Liana (MAF), Reid, R. P (MGG), Shay, Lynn K (MPO), Zika, Rod (MAC) Stanford Foundation 6/1/2007 to 8/31/2008
Development of an Integrated Coastal Management Plan for Bocas Del Toro Province (Panama)  Suman, Daniel O (MAF) Government of Panama Min of Econ & Fin. 3/15/2007 to 9/1/2008
Development of Stock Assessment Methods Appropriate to Queen Conch, Strombus Gigas, Population Dynamics and Fisheries   Ehrhardt, Nelson M (MBF) Center for Marine Conservation 2/1/2007 to 12/31/2007
Antigua and Barbuda Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Management Program  McManus, John W (MBF) R Allen Stanford/Stanford Financial Group 11/1/2006 to 5/31/2012
Linkages between larvae and recruitment of coral reef fishes along the Florida Keys shelf: an integrated field and modeling analysis of population connectivity in a complex system Cowen, Robert (MBF) NSF 11/1/2006 to 10/31/2010
Analysis of Coral Reef Decline in Punta Cana: Identification of Proximal Causes and Potential Corrective Steps   Brand, Larry (MBF), McManus, John (MBF), McManus, Liana (MAF) Grupo Punta Cana 10/1/2006 to 8/31/2007
Reefs of Hope: Identifying the coral reefs most likely to survive global warming over the next 30-50 years  Baker, Andrew (MBF) Pew Charitable Trusts 10/1/2006 to 9/30/2009
A Model for Cyanobacterial Toxins Schmale, Michael C (MBF) FIU 8/16/2006 to 5/31/2007
Statistical Analysis of Existing Bottomfish Data Towards the Application of Stock Assessments Models in the Pacific Island Region Ault, Jerald S (MBF)  University of Hawaii 6/15/2006 to 4/15/2007
Climate Change Detection, Risk Perception and Behavior in Florida Broad, Kenneth (MAF) Decision Research/NSF 6/1/2006 to 12/31/2007
Connectivity in Marine Seascapes, Predicting Ecological & Socioeconomic Costs of Climate Change Broad, Kenneth (MAF) Resources for the Future/EPA 3/1/2005 to 2/28/2008
Effects of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services Provided by Coral Reefs and Tidal Marshes Broad, Kenneth (MAF) EPA 11/1/2004 to 9/30/2007
Science Fellowship In Everglades Water-Quality Research Swart, Peter K (MGG) NPS 8/21/2004 to 12/31/2007
Center for the Study of Individual and Group Decision Making Under Climate Uncertainty  Broad, Kenneth (MAF), Podesta, Guillermo (MPO) NSF 6/15/2004 to 8/31/2009
Conservation and Restoration Through Knowledge: Assessing the Status of Fisheries in Biscayne National Park  Ault, Jerald S (MBF) National Park Service 8/10/2003 to 1/31/2007
Coupled natural and human dynamics in coral reef ecosystems: the effect of marine reserve network design and implementation on fisheries, biodiversity and human communities Olson, Don (MPO), Broad, Kenneth (MAF), McManus, Liana (MAF), McManus, John (MBF), Cowen, Robert (MBF) AMNH/NSF 10/15/2001 to 9/30/2007