Description:
In general, this paper aims to examine the role of human waste water on coral reefs, highlighting the potential that our waste water practices may be damaging nearshore coral reefs in ways not picked up by traditional monitoring methods or toxicology testing. Specifically, the paper will look at the sewage ocean outfalls utilized in southeast Florida, USA and whether the outfalls are in fact harming the nearshore reefs of the valuable and massive Florida Reef Tract more than previously realized.
Intro – reef basics, FRT specifics; brief FL history, including legal/policy; knowledge gaps identified
The intro has the basic and general info about reefs, going into the FRT (what, where, requirements, anatomy overview with importance of zoonxanthellae; importance of reefs ecologically and economically; and their declining global status [various natural threats, all dwarfed and exacerbated by anthropogenic threats - and in area like southeast FL, one particularly worrisome component is land-based sources of pollution (LBSP), with outfalls an easier identified and easier defined source of LBSP]; going into background and history on FL [population growth; settlement patterns along the southeast coast, where valuable reefs are found; evolution of waste water management solutions, including the creation of today’s outfalls]).
After the reef overview and brief historical framework, a review of some of the federal/state laws protecting nearshore waters and reefs (US Clean Water Act, applicable EPA regs, class III water designation in state of FL, etc). Then going into the early southeast Florida Outfall Experiments of the 1990s that studied plume behavior/movement. From these studies, the plume was understood to dilute rapidly – however, chronic toxicity of the effluent to corals was overlooked in this study and monitoring programs were not as well developed 20-30 years ago. And even today, gaps still exist in both toxicity testing for coral species as well as effective and robust monitoring techniques for reef communities.
Toxicology and monitoring considerations – typical tox testing and coral monitoring; ID current gaps; possible toxic compounds in today’s effluent
Go into review of existing tox testing/standards (showing that they traditionally don’t include coral species, or only in oil spill situation; challenges with endpoints as coral can exhibit partial mortality and still fully recover) and monitoring techniques (showing that historically we have relied on visual techniques, which only really documents losses and cannot link cause-and-effect). Given these gaps and the fact that the outfalls discharge a greater volume today (based on pop growth, volume measurements?) than in the 1990s (during the SEFLOE studies) and that there is a greater awareness today of the varied compounds present in waste water beyond just human sewage (nutrients N and P most widely studied, but also compounds in common household cleaners, sunscreens, heavy metals, pesticides and other estrogen disrupters, as well as pharmaceuticals – and potential synergies could exist among these), it stands to reason that the outfalls may in fact be damaging reefs more than previously understood. Fortunately, recent molecular developments have shown great promise for better understanding toxicity of different compounds to corals and have very real management applications.
Cellular Diagnostic Analysis – backround/general applications; review studies (Craig Downs, John Fauth, Cheryl Woodley, NOAA, Erin Lipp, etc) showing varied and cumulative damage potential
Give info on the general application of biomarkers in human medicine, and how applied in cellular diagnostic analysis for coral reefs; biomarkers and techniques applicable for reefs (intro by explaining that recent advancements on the molecular and cellular level using biomarkers to detect sublethal stress signals present in corals, similar to how biomarkers are used in human medicine to indicate the presence of a disease, often before outwardly observed, can and should be applied to the most vulnerable reef areas)….
Then segueing into studies showing how cellular diagnostics have been used thus far and the promising information that can be provided to better conserve and protect the remaining reefs. Review studies showing the deleterious effects of these compounds (sewage, nutrients, household cleaners, pesticides, sunscreens, metals, pharmaceuticals?) on stages of coral growth or development (including zooxanthellae). These studies show these components are known to damage different coral life stages and different species of coral and zooxanthellae, leading to concerns over resilience and biodiversity in the long term.
Data/stats/results – need most help in this section!
Pull some data/run stats to support this paper, make a case that corals are being damaged by LBSP and possibly the outfalls, or that molecular techniques, along with more refined and targeted coral toxicology work, can help more fully demonstrate coral stress and that LBSP and outfalls are in fact contributing to coral reef decline along the FRT, which can lead to great losses economically and ecologically to the populated and tourist-dependent region. Data/stats are where I need most help, since this isn’t an original experiment, I’m unsure what data to pull and stats to run to help support the paper.
Conclusion—biotech rapidly expanding to fill in knowledge gaps in coral toxicology and monitoring; molecular techniques allow sublethal stress signals to be detected with time to act and a target to act upon; allow effluent toxicity to be better understood; molecular profile can be integrated into existing visual monitoring techniques to provide a fuller picture of coral health; allow a triage approach to coral reef health; with future unknown for the persistence of the FRT and other vulnerable reefs like it.
Reiterate the compounds being discharged along the FRT and the known damaging effects of these compounds individually (and concern over synergies, bioaccumulation) through the use of molecular techniques. Cellular diagnostics help to elucidate toxicity signals in corals, allowing scientists and reef managers to have definitive cause and effect relationships, with clear targets to improve coral health while there is still time to act (prior to total, and even partial, mortality is detected visually). Similarly, toxicology testing should expand to include coral species and those compounds commonly found in waste water and other LBSP to identify those that are most damaging to the FRT. These findings can and should be used in both management and policy, to re-evaluate waste water standards and disposal methods, as well as to create a ‘triage plan’ for those corals found to be stressed so that those most critical, can get management action and resources while still time left to act. Also worth considering the global applications for cellular diagnostic analysis for better management of especially vulnerable reef systems, such as the Florida Reef Tract.
With the use of cellular diagnostics and more refined coral toxicity studies, it’s possible it could be shown that the corals along the FRT are being dangerously stressed and the class III water standards (maintain stable wildlife populations) are not being maintained in the state of FL (adding in whatever other applicable laws/regs). This provides additional pressure to finally close the southeast Florida outfalls. Currently, the five remaining outfalls are due to be shut down in 2025 by previous legislation, but with recent changes in the political climate, it is imperative to determine what damage is occurring to ensure the enforcement of the 2025 mandated closure.
In general, this paper aims to examine the role of human waste water on coral reefs, highlighting the potential that our waste water practices may be damaging nearshore coral reefs in ways not picked up by traditional monitoring methods or toxicology testing. Specifically, the paper will look at the sewage ocean outfalls utilized in southeast Florida, USA and whether the outfalls are in fact harming the nearshore reefs of the valuable and massive Florida Reef Tract more than previously realized.
Intro – reef basics, FRT specifics; brief FL history, including legal/policy; knowledge gaps identified
The intro has the basic and general info about reefs, going into the FRT (what, where, requirements, anatomy overview with importance of zoonxanthellae; importance of reefs ecologically and economically; and their declining global status [various natural threats, all dwarfed and exacerbated by anthropogenic threats - and in area like southeast FL, one particularly worrisome component is land-based sources of pollution (LBSP), with outfalls an easier identified and easier defined source of LBSP]; going into background and history on FL [population growth; settlement patterns along the southeast coast, where valuable reefs are found; evolution of waste water management solutions, including the creation of today’s outfalls]).
After the reef overview and brief historical framework, a review of some of the federal/state laws protecting nearshore waters and reefs (US Clean Water Act, applicable EPA regs, class III water designation in state of FL, etc). Then going into the early southeast Florida Outfall Experiments of the 1990s that studied plume behavior/movement. From these studies, the plume was understood to dilute rapidly – however, chronic toxicity of the effluent to corals was overlooked in this study and monitoring programs were not as well developed 20-30 years ago. And even today, gaps still exist in both toxicity testing for coral species as well as effective and robust monitoring techniques for reef communities.
Toxicology and monitoring considerations – typical tox testing and coral monitoring; ID current gaps; possible toxic compounds in today’s effluent
Go into review of existing tox testing/standards (showing that they traditionally don’t include coral species, or only in oil spill situation; challenges with endpoints as coral can exhibit partial mortality and still fully recover) and monitoring techniques (showing that historically we have relied on visual techniques, which only really documents losses and cannot link cause-and-effect). Given these gaps and the fact that the outfalls discharge a greater volume today (based on pop growth, volume measurements?) than in the 1990s (during the SEFLOE studies) and that there is a greater awareness today of the varied compounds present in waste water beyond just human sewage (nutrients N and P most widely studied, but also compounds in common household cleaners, sunscreens, heavy metals, pesticides and other estrogen disrupters, as well as pharmaceuticals – and potential synergies could exist among these), it stands to reason that the outfalls may in fact be damaging reefs more than previously understood. Fortunately, recent molecular developments have shown great promise for better understanding toxicity of different compounds to corals and have very real management applications.
Cellular Diagnostic Analysis – backround/general applications; review studies (Craig Downs, John Fauth, Cheryl Woodley, NOAA, Erin Lipp, etc) showing varied and cumulative damage potential
Give info on the general application of biomarkers in human medicine, and how applied in cellular diagnostic analysis for coral reefs; biomarkers and techniques applicable for reefs (intro by explaining that recent advancements on the molecular and cellular level using biomarkers to detect sublethal stress signals present in corals, similar to how biomarkers are used in human medicine to indicate the presence of a disease, often before outwardly observed, can and should be applied to the most vulnerable reef areas)….
Then segueing into studies showing how cellular diagnostics have been used thus far and the promising information that can be provided to better conserve and protect the remaining reefs. Review studies showing the deleterious effects of these compounds (sewage, nutrients, household cleaners, pesticides, sunscreens, metals, pharmaceuticals?) on stages of coral growth or development (including zooxanthellae). These studies show these components are known to damage different coral life stages and different species of coral and zooxanthellae, leading to concerns over resilience and biodiversity in the long term.
Data/stats/results – need most help in this section!
Pull some data/run stats to support this paper, make a case that corals are being damaged by LBSP and possibly the outfalls, or that molecular techniques, along with more refined and targeted coral toxicology work, can help more fully demonstrate coral stress and that LBSP and outfalls are in fact contributing to coral reef decline along the FRT, which can lead to great losses economically and ecologically to the populated and tourist-dependent region. Data/stats are where I need most help, since this isn’t an original experiment, I’m unsure what data to pull and stats to run to help support the paper.
Conclusion—biotech rapidly expanding to fill in knowledge gaps in coral toxicology and monitoring; molecular techniques allow sublethal stress signals to be detected with time to act and a target to act upon; allow effluent toxicity to be better understood; molecular profile can be integrated into existing visual monitoring techniques to provide a fuller picture of coral health; allow a triage approach to coral reef health; with future unknown for the persistence of the FRT and other vulnerable reefs like it.
Reiterate the compounds being discharged along the FRT and the known damaging effects of these compounds individually (and concern over synergies, bioaccumulation) through the use of molecular techniques. Cellular diagnostics help to elucidate toxicity signals in corals, allowing scientists and reef managers to have definitive cause and effect relationships, with clear targets to improve coral health while there is still time to act (prior to total, and even partial, mortality is detected visually). Similarly, toxicology testing should expand to include coral species and those compounds commonly found in waste water and other LBSP to identify those that are most damaging to the FRT. These findings can and should be used in both management and policy, to re-evaluate waste water standards and disposal methods, as well as to create a ‘triage plan’ for those corals found to be stressed so that those most critical, can get management action and resources while still time left to act. Also worth considering the global applications for cellular diagnostic analysis for better management of especially vulnerable reef systems, such as the Florida Reef Tract.
With the use of cellular diagnostics and more refined coral toxicity studies, it’s possible it could be shown that the corals along the FRT are being dangerously stressed and the class III water standards (maintain stable wildlife populations) are not being maintained in the state of FL (adding in whatever other applicable laws/regs). This provides additional pressure to finally close the southeast Florida outfalls. Currently, the five remaining outfalls are due to be shut down in 2025 by previous legislation, but with recent changes in the political climate, it is imperative to determine what damage is occurring to ensure the enforcement of the 2025 mandated closure.
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