Berkelmans, Ray, Hendee, Jim C., Marshall, Paul A., Ridd, Peter V., Orpin, Alan R., and Irivine, Duncan (2002) Automatic weather stations: tools for managing and monitoring potential impacts to coral reefs. Marine Technology Society Journal, 36 (1). pp. 29-38.

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Abstract

With recent technological advances and a reduction in the cost of automatic weather stations and data buoys, the potential exists for significant advancement in science and environmental management using near real-time, high-resolution data to predict biological and/or physical events.

However, real-world examples of how this potential wealth of data has been used in environmental management are few and far between. We describe in detail two examples where near real-time data are being used for the benefit of science and management. These include a prediction of coral bleaching events using temperature, light and wind as primary predictor variables, and the management of a coastal development where dynamic discharge quality limits are maintained with the aid of wind data as a proxy for turbidity in receiving waters.

We argue that the limiting factors for the use of near real-time environmental data in management is frequently not the availability of the data, but the lack of knowledge of the quantitative relationships between biological/physical processes or events and environmental variables.

We advocate renewed research into this area and an integrated approach to the use of a wide range of data types to deal with management issues in an innovative, cost-effective manner.

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