Status of Coral Reef in the MAR Region

7/31/2019 Status of Coral Reef in the MAR Region

1/12

18. statusoF Coral reeFsinthe

mesoameriCan region

miguel garCia-salgado, gabriela nava-martinez, nadia bood,

melanie mCField, axayaCatl molina-ramirez, beatriz yaez-rivera,

noel JaCobs, burton sHank, marydelene vasQuez, isaias maJil,

adoni Cubas, Jose Juan dominguez-Calderonand

aleJandro arrivillaga

253

aBstraCt

zx The Mesoamerican Barrier Ree System (MBRS/MAR) region has received increasing

recent attention as a priority or international conservation organizations to provide

more research and conservation eort;

zx Human and natural threats are continuing, resulting in declining ree condition;

zx Live coral cover has declined greatly while chronic human stresses escalate, in

parallel with environmental changes and natural events. Coral cover on some rees

has declined by more than 50%;

zx A 2006 comprehensive survey o 326 representative rees revealed regional coral

cover averaging 11% (11% Belize, 7.5% Mexico Yucatan, and 14.4% Honduras &

Guatemala combined); but some sites have higher cover;

zxMesoamerican Barrier Ree System (MBRS) project ound coral cover rom 1126%at 13 strategically selected sites rom 20042005 (most/all within MPAs); 96 new

surveys in 2007 to 2008 on shallow ore-rees (25 m) in 6 Belize regions showed

coral cover o 13%; total sh biomass had declined (average 49.8g per m2); coral and

sh abundances are below the Caribbean average;

zx Low coral cover indicates that rees have not recovered rom the 1998 bleaching and

Hurricane Mitch;

zx It is urgent to develop measures to increase ree resilience and lobby or stronger

protection o rees in good health.


2/12

254

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008

introduCtion

The main eature o this region is the Mesoamerican Ree (MAR), containing the longest barrierree in the Western Hemisphere (Belize), 4 oshore atolls and several other diverse ree

structures, all extending or 1000 km rom northern Yucatan in Mexico, through Belize and

coastal Guatemala and out to the Bay Islands in Honduras. These rees help stabilize and protect

the coasts, and serve as eeding and nursery habitats or marine mammals, reptiles, shes and

invertebrates; many o which have great commercial importance. Mesoamerican rees, however,

have been signicantly damaged recently due to a combination o human and natural

perturbations, with threats ranging rom shing, tourism and coastal development, land use

and agriculture to global climate change. A number o natural disturbances have threatened

the rees, especially coral bleaching, hurricanes and disease outbreaks; all o which may be

accentuated by global climate change and thus not entirely natural. Such events are not

readily controllable at the local management level, while other human threats are potentially

under local, national, or regional control. Ree managers in the region, however, are otenlimited by the resources and toolbox methods available to carry out necessary interventions

such as sheries regulation, protection o coastal habitats, agricultural run-o and sewage

pollution reduction, as well as possible restorative activities.

In the 1980s rees within the MAR experienced the rst large-scale impacts, diseases became

very evident and widespread throughout the Caribbean, and the rst mass coral bleaching rom

elevated sea temperatures destroyed corals across the Caribbean. Diadema antillarum (long-spined sea urchin) andAcropora species suered wide-scale mortality rom disease in the early

1980s: 95% oDiadema died within the region which allowed algal growth to accelerate quickly

on many rees. The MAR were no exception, however, inadequate quantitative data hampered

interpretation o the ecological changes. It was recognised that abundant herbivorous sh

populations had probably kept algal growth within ecologically tolerable limits.

11 0W

11 0W

100W 90W

90W

80 W

80 W

13N 13N

23N 23N

0 340 680170

Kilometers

U N I T E D S T A T E S

M E X I C O

F

l

o

r

i

d

a

G u l f

o f

M e x i c o

P A C I F I C O C E A N

GUATEMALAHONDURAS

EL SAL VADORNICARAGUA

CO STA RICAPANAMA

BE LIZE

Rivillagige

Islas Marias

Flower Garden Banks

Cozumel

Veracruz

Campeche

Bank

Banco Chincorro

GloversBay Islands

Man O War Cays

San Blas

Miskitos

Cays

oIsland s

GulfofC

alifornia

B

aj

a

Ca

li

fo

rn

ia

LEGEND

Coral Reefs


3/12

255

Status of Coral Reefs in the Mesoamerican Region

The rst major ocean warming event in 1983 resulted in some bleaching in the MAR, but the

eects were not extensive. According to Carilli and Norris, 2008, the stress to MAR rees was

very minimal when compared to that o 1998. MAR had experienced bleaching episodes in1995, 1998 and 2005, but 1998 had by ar the greatest impact when rees were damaged

extensively by the combination o a mass bleaching event and a category 5 hurricane (Mitch).

These synergistic events, combined with chronic background stresses, caused dramatic

reductions in live coral cover on rees with 50% or more coral losses. Coral cores taken rom 5

locations along the Mesoamerican Ree have proven that no similar wide-spread mortality

events occurred beore (more details inStatus o Coral Rees o the World: 2002, 2004 reports,

The 2005 Caribbean Bleaching reported in 2008 and on www.mbrs.org.bz).

Increasing attention has been given to MAR since these events, especially on science and

conservation by local and international agencies. The increased global signicance o MAR

rees is evidenced by the establishment o regionally ocused projects and initiatives including

the Mesoamerican Barrier Ree System (MBRS) Project, a Global Environment Facility/WorldBank project (entering the second 5-year phase); the World Wildlie Fund (WWF) Mesoamerican

Ree Ecoregional Program; The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Mesoamerican Ree Program; the

Wildlie Conservation Society (WCS) marine program in Belize; the International Coral Ree

Action Network Mesoamerican Ree Alliance; and the multi-organizational Healthy Rees or

Healthy People Initiative. Globally, the immense value o coral rees has recently received

increased study and economic analyses, with conservation being only one o many values.

Research is increasingly aimed at understanding ree status and condition to support

conservation eorts. The MBRS Synoptic Monitoring Program (SMP) is an example o new

applications to assess coral rees and associated ecosystems: this is being applied in MPAs to

gather reliable data on ree status based on standardized monitoring methods.

Inormation is targeted at natural resource managers by reporting on the status and trends inmarine and coastal resources. Since inception, the Program has established baseline inormation

or 13 MPAs in 20042005 based on research in the MAR. Average live coral cover o these

prime sites in 2004 was 23% or the 13 targeted MPAs across the region in Mexico (3), Belize

(7), Guatemala (1) and Honduras (2). Maximum coral cover was 50% on deep ore-ree sites

while 2% was the minimum cover at shallow ore-ree sites. Average sh density at MBRS sites

was 35 sh per 100m2 with ranges rom 5 to 111 sh/100m2.

A comprehensive study o 326 rees within the Mesoamerican Ree by WWF and TNC between

late 2005 and late 2006 examined dierent ree habitats, including shallow ore-ree, patch ree,

ree pinnacles and back ree/ree fat sites, to oer a snapshot o the ecological health o MAR.

The regional average or coral and macro-algae cover was 11% and 18% respectively; total sh

biomass was 49.8 g/m2

, with herbivorous sh averaging 26.2 g/m2

and commercial shaveraging 11.3 g/m2. Thus rees within the region have not recovered rom the synergistic

impacts o the 1998 mass coral bleaching and Hurricane Mitch, and this is worrying when the

uture may bring increases in storms and coral bleaching associated with climate change and

increasing sea surace temperatures. It is urgent that all measures be applied to increase the

resilience potential o these rees and that lobbying be enhanced to gain greater protection or

rees in the best health. The recovery rate o coral populations can be greatly diminished by

macro-algal blooms, thus it is very promising that the coral to macro-algal cover ratio remains

airly low.


4/12

256


Also promising is that recent average coral mortality (based on 326 sites) was only 1.2%; which

indicates that these rees were not signicantly damaged by the 2005 mass bleaching event, the

most severe on record in the Caribbean. Very little residual bleaching was observed in theollowing year which could indicate the innate potential o these rees to rebound rom large-

scale natural stresses. However, many storms passed through the region rom June to late

October 2005 and these helped increase shallow water circulation thereby reducing water

temperatures and enabling corals to recover rapidly. It is very important that research be

ocused on ascertaining the ability o these rees to bounce back rom such climatic related

stress, since no conclusive results could be drawn rom the 2005 bleaching event. Furthermore,

many in the ree science community consider that continuous monitoring over a series o

bleaching events is needed beore sound conclusions can be made on the resilience o rees.

Until then, the reerence point will be the potential ability o rees to be resilient. Also

monitoring should be complemented with proactive actions to reduce chronic background

stresses. Rees are considered unhealthy i they lack the resilience needed or natural processes

o recovery and causes o poor health are oten attributed to multiple actors including over-harvesting o herbivores, low coral cover, high macro-algal cover, high sedimentation, and

eutrophication.

Based on the WWF and TNC 2006 surveys, no statistically signicant dierence in average coral

cover among ree habitat types (ore-ree, patch ree, ree-fat) was ound. Fore-rees had a

mean cover o 9.6%, patch o 8.3% and ree fat o 7.8%, which indicates that ore-ree sites are

not necessarily healthier than sites near the shore. In order to have eective management and

conservation, there is a need to assimilate the relevant scientic inormation to determine best

management practices or rees and associated systems.

historiCal Contextand statusoF reeFsin 2008

The major threats in the region are the destruction o natural coastal habitats by increasingcoastal and tourism developments, and increased sedimentation rom extensive and

unsustainable use o watersheds and inland deorestation.

Mexico: The Mexican Caribbean coast consists o partially submerged ringing rees on the

northern Yucatan coast and ully developed ringing rees, with well developed and extensive

spur and groove systems, rom Xcalak to Belize. The presence o the Xcalak Trench has ostered

the development o twin ree crests and ore-rees in this area. A wide carbonate shel, infuence

rom coastal upwelling, and scattered patch rees characterize the northern section. Oshore

are three banks/islands: Arrowsmith Bank, along a submerged platorm (ranging rom 25400

m in depth), with patch rees on its southern section; Cozumel Island with rees on the

windward and leeward side; and the Banco Chinchorro Atoll with highly developed rees on the

windward side with well developed spur and groove systems.

Puerto Morelos and nearby rees suered signicant coral mortality rom Hurricane Gilbert

(1988) and the mass bleaching in 1995. Unlike Belize rees, the 1998 mass bleaching and

Hurricane Mitch did not cause widespread coral mortality along the Yucatan coast. Patch rees

at Isla Mujeres and Cancun suered some mechanical damage and ragmentation rom

Hurricane Ivan in 2004.


5/12

257


These rees have suered rom intense shing activity since the 1960s and increasing pressure

rom tourism since the mid 1970s. Ree patches at Punta Nizuc and El Garraon at Isla Mujeres

have already been aected by tourism-related activities and the damage appears to be spreadingelsewhere to Akumal, Puerto Morelos, Mahahual and Cozumel. Shallow rees at Cancun, Sian

Kaan and Chinchorro have been aected by boat damage. The rees just o the northern tip o

the Yucatan Peninsula and immediately westward (Punta Mosquito, Boca Nueva, Piedra

Corrida) have very little (


6/12

258


Coral and algal cover on rees in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras monitoring sitesbetween 2004 and 2008 measured as percent cover o the bottom with standard errors.

2005 2006 2007 2007 2008 2004 2007 2008 2004 2006 2007 2008

Cozumel Akumal Chinchorro Xcalak

2007

2004

2005

2006

2007

2005

2004

2005

2004

2005

2006

2007

2004

2005

2006

2004

2005

2006

Bacalar Chico Hol Chan Caye Caulker Gladen Spit

Punta Manabique Utila Cayos Cochinos Sandy Bay

Guatemala Honduras

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

7080

90

2004

Mexico

Cover(%)

Belize

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2004

2005

2006

2007

Cover(%)

2005

2006

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Cover(%)

2005 2006 2004 2005 2006 2007 20072004 2005

Coral

Algae

Glover

Reef

South

Wather

Port

Honduras

Sapodilla

Caye

Coral

Algae

Coral

Algae


7/12

259


While live coral cover is only one measure o ecological status, it is the most commonly used

indicator or dip-stick o ree health. Decreased coral cover has occurred in those sites in Belize

where long-term data are available. The earliest major declines were on shallow patch rees inGlovers Ree Atoll rom WCS studies which reported 80% coral cover in 1971 then 20% in

1996 and 13% in 1999. The inner ore-ree region at Carrie Bow Caye had 3035% coral cover

in the 1970s and had declined to 1221% by 1995. The ore-ree at Channel Caye (315 m

depth), an inner-shel aroe, declined rom 85% live coral in 1986 to 60% in 1996, mainly due

to disease and loss o staghorn corals (A. cervicornis), with partial replacement by thin lealettuce coral (Agaricia tenuiolia). Subsequent bleaching in 1998 devastated this ree reducing

coral cover to 5% in 1999. Average coral cover in Belize is now slightly less than the Caribbean

average in the AGRRA database.

The TNC-WWF 2006 assessment o 140 ree sites in Belize ound coral cover o 11% (on average)

at diverse sites including barrier, atoll, lagoonal, and aroe rees, as well as MPAs and non MPA

sites. Total macro-algae cover was 16% while feshy macro-algae cover was recorded at 12%.Total, herbivorous, and commercial sh biomasses were 35.4g/m2, 17.6g/m2 and 8.6g/m2

respectively.

The MBRS Project ocused on 7 MPAs (Bacalar Chico; Hol Chan; Caye Caulker; Glovers Ree;

South Water Caye; Gladden Spit; and Sapodilla Caye) where average coral cover was 26% (an

acceptable level) and 50% o sites had low algal cover, although 3 MPAs had more than 40%

algal cover. Bacalar Chico was considered to be alert status, with 19% coral cover, and Hol

Chan and Gladden Spit were in a poor condition with 11%, the lowest coral cover. The lowest

populations o coral ree shes were ound in Caye Caulker and Gladden Spit; whereas Bacalar

Chico had the most abundant species o herbivores on the deep ore-ree.

Assessment o 96 ree sites along Glovers Ree Atoll, Hal Moon Caye, Laughing Bird, PortHonduras, Sapodilla Cayes and South Water Caye during 20072008 ound average coral cover

o 11.8%, 20.0%, 16.6%, 8.8%, 9.9% and 11.8% respectively. Fleshy algae cover was

correspondingly 26.3%, 31.4%, 31.4%, 24.8%, 34.1% and 25.3%. Total sh biomass was

49g/m2, 34.7g/m2, 40.5g/m2, 31g/m2, 25g/m2 and 37g/m2.

Guatemala: There is limited ree development along the Caribbean coast, with the best known

being the carbonate banks o Punta Manabique, which are dominated by sediment resistant

coral species such asSiderastrea siderea, and the isolated coral communities and diminutive

patch rees o the Gul o Honduras. There has been signicant degradation o Guatemalan

rees due to the combined eects o hurricanes, fooding and associated sedimentation, and

increases in sea surace temperature. The major threat to the rees o Punta Manabique is

sedimentation rom deorestation and soil erosion which bring elevated sediment loads andcontaminants onto rees, causing increased coral mortality and algal prolieration. A study

conducted in 2000 recorded live coral cover o less than 9% and non-coralline macroalgal

cover o 65%.

Assessment o 5 ree sites in Guatemala in 2006 ound an average coral cover o 8.5%. These

sites included lagoonal rees o Kingsh, Bajo del Canal, Montaguilla, Cabo Tres Puntas and

Cabo Tres Norte. Total macro-algae cover was 12.5% while feshy macro-algae cover was 7.5%.

Total (31.0g/m2), herbivorous (8.3g/m2) and commercial (13.1g/m2) sh biomasses were much

lower than elsewhere in MAR.


8/12


9/12


10/12

262


The lowest densities o sh were at Gladden Spit and Caye Caulker in Belize with no signicant

changes in 2007. Nevertheless, at Bacalar Chico sh abundance was above the average during

2004, 2005 and 2006, but dropped in 2007 to less than the baseline average (22/100 m2).

Hol Chan and Sapodilla Caye had the highest densities in 2007 o 77/100 m2. These rees have

shown seasonal variations throughout the years with a major decline in sh abundance in late

2006. This reduction was probably due to the 2005 hurricanes and 2006 tropical storms but

considerable increases were observed in 2007. Fish populations at Cayo Cochinos in Honduras

showed a decreasing trend rom 2004 to 2007; there were insucient data at other Honduras

sites or valid comparisons.

statusoF mangroves, seagrassesand Fisheries

The mangrove orests throughout the MBRS region (7 localities in 4 countries: Banco

Chinchorro and Xcalak, Mexico; Bacalar Chico, Belize; Rio Sarstun and Punta Manabique,

Guatemala; and Omoa-Baracoa and Nueva Armenia, Honduras) are deteriorating as a result o

human activities. The 4 species (Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, Avicenniagerminans and the buttonwood Conocarpus erectus) are all aected. The highest mangrove

density is at Arrecie de Xcalak, and the lowest was observed at Rio Sarstun. Forests across the

region vary in maturation level rom an average o young (5.8 m tall) to old (19.8 m tall), which

refects the history o hurricanes and storms in 2005. It is now acknowledged that thesemangroves are particularly important in the region, especially or sheries, thus continuing

and increased monitoring is essential.

There are 7 seagrass species in the region with the dominant species being turtle grass

(Thalassia testudinum) and manatee grass (Syringodium fliorme), along with Halodule

wrightii,Ruppia maritime,Halophila decipiens,H. englemanniandH. baillonis. The seagrasseshave a large distribution range and grow mainly in muddy estuaries, shallow sandy areas close

to the coast, ree lagoons and around sand banks. However, distribution and density may vary

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2004-2 2005-1 2005-2 2006-1 2006-2 2007-1 2007-2

Averagefishdensity

(Individuals/100m

2)

Year and Semester

Bacalar Chico

Caye Caulker

Gladden Spit

Hol ChanPort Honduras

Sapodilla Cayes

Average fsh density in Belize shows similar variations between seasons and years, as inMexico.


11/12

263


with the seasons, or example, seagrass beds are denser during April to June with clear, long

days and high temperatures. Biomass, productivity, density, lea area index, community

composition and other related ecological parameters during 2004 and 2005 varied widelybetween 3 and 1596 g/m2 in samples taken in dierent environments. Much o this biomass was

below ground (roots + rhizomes) indicating that the beds may be healthy and biologically

active, even when there were ew shoots and leaves, and able to recover ater damaging storms.

These values also indicate that there is sucient light or seagrass growth. However, increasing

human coastal populations are threatening seagrass beds, especially coastal development,

dredging and marina/jetty construction. Seagrass conservation will require careul management

o rivers and estuaries and assessments o the economic and ecological value o these resources.

However, management has insucient inormation on seagrass beds in the MBRS as monitoring

has not been continuous.

Fish resources are coming under greater pressures rom increasing tourism development with

some species, mainly groupers, snappers, grunts and jacks being targeted by local shermen.Lobsters and conch are also very valuable shery resources but inormation is insucient or

eective management. More research and monitoring on the trends in shing activities in the

MBRS region are required.

ConClusionsand reCommendations

The region is showing a general trend o decreasing coral cover in MPAs and elsewhere with the

largest changes between 2004 and 2005; there was an average loss o 7% coral cover, ollowed

by annual losses o 2% in subsequent years. These decreases were measured in protected MPAs;

which may underestimate more serious coral losses throughout the whole region. Thus

management has apparently been insucient to eectively attenuate the increasing negative

stresses to the rees. Furthermore, the overall ree condition, as measured by large scale

assessments in 2006, ound most sites in poor to air condition as evaluated by the HealthyRees Initiatives Eco-health report card or the Mesoamerican ree.

While some o the ree declines may be caused by natural actors like climate change and

hurricanes, these are compounded by damaging human activities that are within the control o

local managers (coastal development, shing, etc). Management strategies will have to improve

and adopt the precautionary principle to prevent urther damaging human activities that

could push the remaining good and air rees over the edge into ree decline. We must manage

to improve resilience so that the rees can possibly recover rom climate changes threats.

author ContaCts

Belize: Noel Jacobs, MBRS [email protected] ; Marydelene Vasquez, MBRS queenconch@

gmail.com ; Isaias Majil, Fisheries Department [email protected]; Melanie McField,

Healthy Mesoamerican Ree Initiative, Smithsonian Institution. [email protected];

Nadia Bood, WWF Mesoamerican Ree Ecoregion, [email protected]; Burton Shank, University

o Boston, [email protected]. Honduras: Adoni Cubas, M.N.M Cayos Cochinos adoni.

[email protected]. Mexico: Miguel A. Garca Salgado, MBRS/Oceanus A.C mgarcia@oceanus.

org.mx; Gabriela Nava Martnez, Oceanus A.C. [email protected], Axayacatl Molina

Ramrez, Oceanus A.C, [email protected], Beatriz Yaez Rivera, Oceanus A.C. beyariv7@

gmail.com; Jos Juan Domnguez Caldern, R.B Banco Chinchorro [email protected].

mx. Guatemala: Alejandro Arrivillaga, The Nature Conservancy, Mesoamerican Ree Program.

[email protected].


12/12

264


reFerenCes

Almada-Villela PC, Sale PF, Gold-Bouchot G and Kjerve B (2003). Manual o Methods or theMBRS Synoptic Monitoring Program. Selected Methods or Monitoring Physical and

Biological Parameters or Use in the Mesoamerican Region. Mesoamerican Barrier Ree

Ecosystems Project (MBRS). Belize, Belize. 149pp. www.mbrs.org.bz; www.oceanus.

org.mx

Garca-Salgado MA, Camarena T, Vasquez M, Gold G, Galland G, Nava G, Alarcn D, Ceja V

(2006). Baseline o the Status o the Mesoamerican Barrier Ree Systems Results o

Synoptic Monitoring rom 2004 and 2005. Mesoamerican Barrier Ree Ecosystems

Project (MBRS). Belize, Belize. 192pp. www.mbrs.org.bz; www.oceanus.org.mx

McField M and Kramer P. (2007). Healthy Rees or Healthy People. A Guide to Indicators o

Ree Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Ree Region; with contributions

by M. Gorrez and M. McPherson. 208pp. www.healthyrees.org

Documents

Status of Coral Reef in the MAR Region