Coral reefs (collection)- How to Contribute
We invite you to contribute to a new Encyclopedia of Earth Collection on Coral Reefs. You can do so by writing a brief (~ 250 word) definition of an important term (e.g., coral bleaching, zooxanthellae, bioerosion, etc.) or a longer entry explaining an important concept, process, or component in greater detail. These longer entries could range from succinct ~ 500 word pieces up to comprehensive ~ 5000 word overviews of a topic or issue of relevance to coral reefs or coral reef decline. You can see a list of desired topics here (Coral reefs (collection)- How to Contribute), but feel free to write on any topic in your area(s) of interest.
This content will serve as an comprehensive resource on coral reefs that will be featured with the other EoE Collections. Individual articles in the Collections will also be part of the general EoE content and discoverable through its search and browse functions. The Collection will also support an Environment in Focus feature on Global Change and Coral Reef Decline that will be published in early January to coincide with the beginning of the Year Of The Reef. John Bruno is writing this entry and it will cover several broad themes including: a timeline of the history of reef ecology and awareness of reef decline, global and regional patterns of reef change and decline, causes of reef decline, management strategies, benefits of reefs (why should the public care).
Having supporting articles on corals and coral reefs in the Encyclopedia of Earth would greatly improve our ability to describe this important and multifaceted topic to the public. We would also like to compile enough content on this topic in EoE that a course could be taught based largely or entirely on high quality, open access articles written by experts in the field.
All entries should be written for a general audience, and contain a minimum of mathematics, technical jargon, and buzzwords known only to specialists. Entries can include images, graphics, and a list of further reading and external links. You can browse the current content of EoE using the search engine to see some examples. You could also look at entries for Coral reef and Marine reserves.
Contents
Topics needed
Some of the broad areas we would like to cover include: coral reef geology, community and ecosystem ecology, coral-algal symbiosis, coral biology and population ecology, global patterns of coral reef change including coral loss and changes in species composition, changes in associated flora and fauna (e.g., algae, fish, invertebrates, etc.), cultural and socioeconomic implications of reef change, corals and reefs in the paleo record, biogeochemical processes on reefs, reef inhabitants, reef conservation practices, reef restoration and management and various stressors including sedimentation, nutrient pollution, etc.
Click (Coral reefs (collection)- How to Contribute)2] to see the current list of articles in the works.
Potential authors are encouraged to contact [[jbruno@unc.edu here (Coral reefs (collection)- How to Contribute)]2] to see the current list of articles in the works.
Potential authors are encouraged to contact [[jbruno@unc.edu] John Bruno with additional suggestions or questions.
How to Contribute
- if you already are an EoE author, you can:
- Edit or add to an existing article by clicking on any of the entries in the Collection (Coral reefs (collection)). Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on EoE Authors can click here to access this article within the editor wiki. This takes you to the authors' site where you can edit your selection.
- Create a new entry. See the topic areas above for suggestions, or contact John Bruno if you would like to suggest a new topic: jbruno@unc.edu John Bruno. Once you have decided on a topic, Go here to create your article.
- If you are not an EoE Author but would like to contribute, click here (EoE Contributor Signup Form) and complete the contributor application form.
Guidelines
In addition to falling under the scope of this Collection, all contributions must meet the editorial and stylistic guidelines for the EoE.
- Audience Level
- The level of writing should target the educated lay public, and thus should fall somewhere between that found in a good newspaper (e.g. NY Times, London Times) and that found in a good general encyclopedia (e.g. Encyclopedia Britannica).
- Avoid jargon that only specialists will understand.
- Article Format
- Article length is 250 to 5,000 words.
- The first sentence of an article should give a succinct definition of the article's topic.
- Use headings and subheadings to organize your article.
- Do not use in-text references.
- Include a "Further Reading" section at the end of your entry. Wherever possible, include links to the resource itself.
- The International System of Units (SI) is recommended.
- The technical and mathematical details should be limited to that necessary for making your most fundamental points. Remember, the EoE is intended to reach a broad audience.
- Neutrality Policy
- In the interests of encouraging the broadest participation, of assisting people in making up their own minds about controversial issues, and of increasing the likelihood of articulating the whole truth about all subjects, the EoE has explicit policies regarding neutrality and fairness. These policies require that articles shall, when touching upon any issue of controversy, be fair and insofar as possible neutral. Articles shall recognize uncertainties in data, interpretation, and understanding, as well as other reasons for different perspectives on a subject, such as assumptions made.
Review and selection process
All entries are reviewed by a Topic Editor for the EoE. Approved articles become part of the general collection of the EoE.
Attribution
You are listed as the author for any entry approved by a Topic Editor for inclusion in the EoE. An example of the recommended citation for an EoE entry is:
Kleypas, Joanie (Lead Author); Jean-Pierre Gattuso (Topic Editor). 2007. "Coral reef." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). Published October 18, 2006; Last revised August 15, 2007; Retrieved October 12, 2007. <[[1]]>
Contact information
For any procedural or administrative questions, contact the Managing Editor of the EoE: aconti@ncseonline.org Arielle Conti. For content questions or comments contact jbruno@unc.edu John Bruno.
