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The Mesoamerican Reef

The Mesoamerican Reef. One of the World’s Largest Coral Reefs. The Reef Itself. Nearly 1000 km long Largest Reef system in the Americas From Mexico to Honduras More than 60 species of coral More than 500 species of fish. Global Warming Impacts. Increased Ocean Temperatures

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The Mesoamerican Reef

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  1. The Mesoamerican Reef One of the World’s Largest Coral Reefs

  2. The Reef Itself • Nearly 1000 km long • Largest Reef system in the Americas • From Mexico to Honduras • More than 60 species of coral • More than 500 species of fish

  3. Global Warming Impacts • Increased Ocean Temperatures • Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) predict regional temperature increase up to 5oC by 2080 • CO2 dissolving in seawater making it more acidic • Increased number of storms and hurricanes

  4. Consequences of Global Warming • Coral Bleaching- stress response • Loss of symbiotic algae that coexist with coral that provided food • Whitens coral • Results in disease, failed reproduction, partial/complete mortality of coral colony • Increase in coral and fish diseases • Acidic seawater slows marine organisms growth rate of shells and skeletons ex. Urchins, Coral • Anticipated reduction of effected marine organisms • Increased frequency of storms & hurricanes causes more floods and larger impact • Less recovery time for reefs- greater damage

  5. Invasive Species- Lionfish • Believe population originated from aquarium in Florida, 1992 • Presumed to be largest predatory invasion in the Oceans • No natural predators in the Caribbean • Can lay as many as 1000 egg sacs per week • Eat herbivores • Herbivores important to reef- thin seaweed and cleam algae • Aggressive predator- venomous spikes • Believed that native fish do not yet recognize lionfish as dangerous

  6. WWF Response- MAR Climate Change Project • Focusing mainly in Belize • 3 key elements • Science-based monitoring of climate change impacts on biological & social systems • Field level implementation of adaption strategies • An advocacy strategy to raise awareness of climate change and to lobby for climate change issues at local and national policy levels

  7. WWF’s Implemented Improvements • Enhanced systems for reef monitoring • ‘Coral Reef Monitoring Group’ • Training local tour guides to identify bleaching • Creating Coral Nursuries to restore damaged coral quickly • Increasing awareness & understanding on the impacts on climate change • Plans to conserve mangroves • Develop private mangrove reserves • Adoption of drafts of National Climate Change Adaption Policy and National Adaption Strategy • Supporting development of local plans • National Sustainable Tourism Strategy • Coastal Zone Management plan

  8. References Coral Reefs Case Study: MesoAmerican Reef. (n.d.). Reef Resilience: Building Resilience into Coral Reef Conservation. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.reefresilience.org/Toolkit_Coral/C8_MAR.html Enright, K. (2011, April 11). An attractive enemy: impaling invasive lionfish « In Search of the Curious. In Search of the Curious. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://kellyenright.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/an-attractive-enemy-impaling-invasive-lionfish/ Garces, D. (n.d.). The Meso American Reef: Adaption Case Studies for Responding to Climate Change Impacts. worldwildlife. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/WWFBinaryitem14670.pdf Threats to Reef Health - Healthy Reefs. (n.d.). Healthy Reefs Healthy People - Healthy Reefs. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.healthyreefs.org/eco-health-report-card/threats-to-reef-health.html WWF - Marine problems: climate change. (n.d.). WWF - WWF. Retrieved June 28, 2011, from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/climate_change/ WWF - Mesoamerican Reef. (n.d.). WWF - WWF. Retrieved June 28, 2011, from http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/mesoamerican_reef/

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