12th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, 8-12 July 2013
University of the South Pacific, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji
Quantifying the linkage between coral reefs
and human well-being in Pacific Island nations
John M. Pandolfi1,2; Tom Brewer1,3; John N. Kittinger4,5,*;
Jennifer K. Schultz6,*; Rebecca Prescott6,*; Chris Bird6;
Durrell Kaplan7,8; Nancy Lewis9, Alan M. Friedlander10;
Marimar Berzunza-Sanchez1,2, Joshua E. Cinner1,3; Robert J.
Toonen6; Ellen K. Pikitch11; Angela I. Fa‘anunu12,*; & Bruce A.
Wilcox13,*
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
2 School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072,
Australia
3 School of Marine & Tropical Biology Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville,
QLD 4011, Australia
4 Department of Geography, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 445 Saunders, 2424
Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822
5 Stanford University, Center for Ocean Solutions, Woods Institute for the
Environment, 99 Pacific Street, Suite 155A, Monterey, CA 93940
6 Department of Zoology, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2538 McCarthy Mall,
Edmondson 152, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
7 Center for Conservation and Research Training, Pacific Biosciences Research Center,
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 3050 Maile Way, Gilmore 406, Honolulu, HI 96822,
USA
8 Entomology and Genomics, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse
Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118
9 East-West Center, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848-1601 USA
10 Hawai‘i Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of
Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822
12th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, 8-12 July 2013
University of the South Pacific, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji
1 School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook,
NY 11794, USA
12 Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 107
Saunders Hall, 2424 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822 USA
3 Division of Ecology and Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of
Hawai‘i, 651 Ilalo Street, BSB 320, Honolulu, HI 96826, USA
* National Science Foundation, Integrative Graduate Education, Research & Training
(IGERT) Program in Ecology, Conservation & Pathogen Biology, University of Hawaii
at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, BSB 320 Honolulu, HI 96813 USA
One of the critical concerns facing global societies is how
degradation of marine ecosystems might affect the long-term
health and wellbeing of human populations. Such challenges
are particularly relevant for vulnerable populations and
economies of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs)
that depend upon coral reefs for goods, services and cultural
values. Here, we deconstruct the linkage between coral reef
ecosystem condition and human well being in 19 PICTS. We
drew on a diversity of social and ecological datasets to
examine this relationship, using established metrics for coral
reef ecosystem condition and socioeconomic develoment
status, and a novel health transition index that estimates the
health status of PICTS along a gradient from conditions of the
developed to the developing world. Our regional analysis
uncovers important social-ecological linkages and trends in
the Pacific, where socioeconomic development is resulting in
shifting lifestyles with consequent impacts on reefs and
human health. Economic development status is strongly
associated with health status in PICTs, but their relationship
to coral conditions are mediated by governance systems. The
degree to which countries are politically independent, selfgoverning in free association with other states, or dependent
12th Pacific Science Inter-Congress, 8-12 July 2013
University of the South Pacific, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji
on an external colonial state influences both the status of
human health and reef condition and their interrelationships. Specifically, we found no direct relationship
between human health and reef status in dependent and
self-governing states, but a negative relationship among
independent states which on average exhibit lower levels of
economic development, better coral reef conditions, and
health conditions of the developing world. Governance
dependency among PICTs plays a key role in wellbeing and
ecological outcomes, likely influenced by external
socioeconomic aid that affect development trajectories,
health services delivery, and biodiversity protections. The
mediating role of governance systems in our analysis points
to the importance of balanced development approaches that
consider both human health and wellbeing and marine
biodiversity. This is congruent with existing interntional
initiatives but the role of governance systems suggests that
approaches will have to be tailored to the specific context in
order to return linked social and ecological benefits.
Key Words: human-environment interactions, human
wellbeing, coral reefs, sustainable development