International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS) Coral Reefs (1996) 15:148

The Society The ISRS was formed in 1980 and presently has nearly 700 members in over 50 countries world-wide. According to its constitution the principal objective of the Society is "promoting the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge and understanding of coral reefs, both living and fossil." To achieve its objective the Society holds annual meetings and co-sponsors other gatherings, prints and distributes the journal Coral Reefs and a newsletter Reef Encounter, and raises funds and receives contributions by way of subscriptions and donations.

CB4 3PW, UK; or Dr. Callum Roberts, Department of Environmental Economics and Environmental Management, University of York,York Y01 5DD, UK, email [email protected].

Best Paper Awards This award recognizes the best paper published in Coral Reefs each year. For Volume 10 the winners were C.W. Wheeler and E Amaron for "Mid-oceanic carbonate platforms as oceanic dipsticks: examples from the Pacific." For Volume 11 the winner was T.R Scoffin for "Taphonomy of coral reefs: a review." Best paper awards for volumes 12 and 13 are currently being decided.

Society Membership The annual dues for an individual membership in the ISRS is US $ 60.00 and for a family membership is US $ 70.00 paid at the beginning of the year. For airmail delivery of the journal Coral Reefs outside of Europe, please add US $ 20.00. Membership includes a subscription to Coral Reefs and Reef Encounter, periodic mailings related to the administrative and scientific affairs of the Society, and reduced registration fees for international meetings. Student membership costs US $ 20.00 and includes all of the above except Coral Reefs. Enquiries about membership in the Society should be directed to: Dr. Callum Roberts, ISRS Corresponding Secretary, Department of Environmental Economics and Environmental Management, University of York, York Y01 5DD, UK, email [email protected] or Dr. Daphne Fautin, ISRS Treasurer, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KA 66045-2106, USA, email [email protected], ukans.edu. Membership dues may be sent directly tolSRS, RO. Box 1897, Lawrence, KA 66044-1897, USA. Dues payment may be by check drawn on a U.S. bank or by Visa or Mastercard. If paying by credit card please provide full card details and signature. Address changes for ISRS members must be sent to International Society for Reef Studies, EO. Box 1897, Lawrence, KA 66044-8897, USA. Please do not send address changes to SpringerVerlag.

Coral Reefs: a Springer-Verlag publication The ISRS works with Springer-Verlag in producing the quarterly scientific journal Coral Reefs. Contributed papers concentrate on quantitative and theoretical reef studies, including experimental field and laboratory work and modelling, and the application of scientific principles and results to management and conservation. Manuscripts are submitted to the appropriate Topic Editors; their addresses can be found on the inside cover of this issue.

Reef Encounter: the Society Newsletter Since 1983, Reef Encounter, published twice per year, has disseminated news, views, and short articles of general interest to reef investigators, resource managers, and policy-makers. Each issue generally includes articles of current topical interest, such as "Hidden coral reef biodiversity" or"Interpreting coral growth rings". Reef Encounter also has announcements of upcoming meetings, meeting reports, news articles and reviews of books of interest. All information should be sent to the editors: Sue Wells, 56, Oxford Road, Cambridge

Upcoming Meetings The 8th International Coral Reef Symposium will be held in Panama City, Republic of Panama, 22-29 June 1996, under the co-sponsorship of the ISRS and the International Association for Biological Oceanography (IABO). Co-Chairs of the organizing committee are Dr. Luis D'Croz of the University of Panama and Dr. Jeremy B.C. Jackson of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Interested scientists, students, resource managers, conservationists, and policymakers are invited to attend. The second circular was mailed in April 1995 and abstracts were due 1st November 1995. Correspondence should be addressed to the Convention Managers, 8th International Coral Reef Symposium, STRI Unit 0948, APO A A 34002-0948, USA. Tel. (in Panama): (507) 28-4022; Fax (507) 28-0970. Fax communication is strongly urged. The Pacific Science Association's Scientific Committee on Coral Reefs (PSA-SCCR) is organizing a joint symposium with the International Society for Reef Studies at the PSA Inter-Congress on 13-19 July 1997, a couple of weeks more than one year after the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium (8ICRS) in Panama. The International Year of the Reef (IYOR) will be announced at the 8ICRS in late June 1996, and the meetings will come just over one year later, a perfect time for a symposium to summarize the results of the IYOR. We hope that some field trips can be arranged for coral-reef scientists at the meeting, for example to Astrolabe Reef, an exceptionally beautiful atoll, and the outstanding Marine Laboratory at Dravuni. Further details are available from Dr. Charles Birkeland, Chairman, PSASCCR, Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam 96923, USA; fax: +671789 2462; email: [email protected], edu.

Proceedings of past International Coral Reef Symposia Information on how and where to order the proceedings of previous Symposia (India, 1969; Australia, 1973; Miami, 1977; Manila, 1981; Tahiti, 1985; Australia, 1988; and Guam, 1992) may be found in Reef Encounter No. 14, October 1993 or obtained from the Corresponding Secretary.

ISRS Officers President, John Ogden (USA); Vice-President, Ren6 Galzin (France); Corresponding Secretary, Callum Roberts (UK); Recording Secretary, Steven Miller (USA); Treasurer, Daphne Fautin (USA).