A5089016270- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine and fisheries research
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Marine animal studies overview
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Marine Ecology and Invasive Species
- Plant and animal studies
- Coastal and Marine Dynamics
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
- Oceanographic and Atmospheric Processes
- Geological and Tectonic Studies in Latin America
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Ecosystem dynamics and resilience
- Environmental Conservation and Management
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
Smithsonian Marine Station
2016-2024
Healthy Start
2022-2024
Smithsonian Institution
2013-2023
Stanford University
2023
University of Washington
2023
Arkema (France)
2023
Honduras Foundation for Agricultural Research
2022
Central America Health Sciences University
2012-2014
Imperial College London
2013
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
2013
Coral bleaching, during which corals lose their symbiotic dinoflagellates, typically corresponds with periods of intense heat stress, and appears to be increasing in frequency geographic extent as the climate warms. A fundamental question coral reef ecology is whether chronic local stress reduces resistance resilience from episodic such or alternatively promotes acclimatization, potentially resilience. Here we show that following a major bleaching event, Montastraea faveolata growth rates at...
People around the world are looking to marine ecosystems provide additional benefits society. As they consider expanding current uses and investing in new ones, management approaches needed that will sustain delivery of diverse people want need. An ecosystem services framework provides metrics for assessing quantity, quality, value obtained from different portfolios uses. Such a has been developed assessments on land, is now being application ecosystems. Here, we present Integrated Valuation...
Increasing heat stress due to global climate change is causing coral reef decline, and the Caribbean has been one of most vulnerable regions. Here, we assessed three decades (1985-2017) exposure in wider at ecoregional local scales using remote sensing. We found a high spatial temporal variability stress, emphasizing an observed increase over time ecoregions, especially from 2003 identified as point stress. A spatiotemporal analysis classified into eight heat-stress regions offering new...
Long-term phase shifts from coral to macroalgal dominated reef systems are well documented in the Caribbean. Although impact of diseases, climate change and other factors is acknowledged, major herbivore loss through disease overfishing often assigned a primary role. However, direct evidence for link between abundance, cover sparse, particularly over broad spatial scales. In this study we use database surveys performed at 85 sites along Mesoamerican Reef Mexico, Belize, Guatemala Honduras,...
Abstract Coral bleaching, during which corals lose their symbiotic dinoflagellates, appears to be increasing in frequency and geographic extent, is typically associated with abnormally high water temperatures solar irradiance. A key question coral reef ecology whether local stressors reduce the thermal tolerance threshold, leading increased bleaching incidence. Using tree‐ring techniques, we produced master chronologies of growth rates dominant builder, massive Montastraea faveolata corals,...
Integrated coastal and ocean management requires transparent accessible approaches for understanding the influence of human activities on marine environments. Here we introduce a model assessing combined risk to habitats from multiple uses. We apply coral reefs, mangrove forests seagrass beds in Belize inform design country's first Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan. Based extensive stakeholder engagement, review existing legislation data collected diverse sources, map current distribution...
The once-dominant shallow reef-building coral Acropora palmata has suffered drastic geographical declines in the wider Caribbean from a disease epidemic that began late 1970s. At present there is lack of quantitative data to determine whether this species recovering over large spatial scales. Here, we use surveys conducted 107 shallow-water reef sites between 2010 and 2012 investigate current distribution abundance A. along Mesoamerican Reef System (MRS). Using historical also explored how...
Caribbean coral reef ecosystems are at the forefront of a global decline and now facing new threat: elimination vulnerable species by invasive lionfish (Pterois spp.). In addition to being threatened habitat destruction pollution, critically endangered social wrasse (Halichoeres socialis), endemic Belize's inner barrier reef, has combination biological traits (small size, schooling, hovering behavior) that makes it target for lionfish. Based on stomach content analyses, this small fish...
Coral reefs have been more severely impacted by recent climate instability than any other ecosystem on Earth. Corals tolerate a narrow range of physical environmental stress, and increases in sea temperature just 1 °C over several weeks can result mass coral mortality, often exceeding 95% individuals hundreds square kilometres. Even conservative models predict that bleaching events could occur annually 2050. Unfortunately, managers coral-reef resources few options available to meet this...
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 563:65-79 (2017) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11984 Establishment of marine protected areas alone does not restore coral reef communities in Belize Courtney Cox1,*, Abel Valdivia2, Melanie McField1, Karl Castillo3, John F. Bruno4 1Smithsonian Station, Fort Pierce, FL 34949, USA 2Center for Biological...
Abstract. Warm-water coral reefs are facing unprecedented human-driven threats to their continued existence as biodiverse functional ecosystems upon which hundreds of millions people rely. These impacts may drive past critical thresholds, beyond the system reorganises, often abruptly and potentially irreversibly; this is what Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2022) define a tipping point. Determining point thresholds for reef requires robust assessment multiple stressors...
The 2024 Mesoamerican Reef Health Report Card evaluated 286 sites, noting an improvement in the Index (RHI) from 2.3 (2021) to 2.5 (2023), out of a possible 5. However, 62% sites remain poor or critical condition, with only 10% rated good very good. Regionally, coral cover and herbivorous fish biomass ranked ‘fair,’ while fleshy macroalgae commercial ‘poor,’. Herbivorous increased 1,843g/100m² 2,419g/100m² (2021-23), notable gains Belize Guatemala. Commercial remained stable except Belize,...
Long-term ecological monitoring is indispensable to identify and document changes from the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution biodiversity loss. Coral reefs are some most biodiverse threatened Earth’s ecosystems. Accurate information on status trends coral equips decision makers with fundamental support protection these vital marine ecosystems.Monitoring conducted for many purposes, at various temporal resolutions geographic scales, using sampling techniques indicators. The...
Disease, storms, ocean warming, and pollution have caused the mass mortality of reef-building corals across Caribbean over last four decades. Subsequently, stony been replaced by macroalgae, bacterial mats, invertebrates including soft sponges, causing changes to functioning reef ecosystems. Here we describe in absolute cover benthic taxa, corals, gorgonians, algae, at 15 fore-reef sites (12–15m depth) Belizean Barrier Reef (BBR) from 1997 2016. We also tested whether Marine Protected Areas...
Abstract Overfishing of herbivorous fishes is one the primary causes Caribbean coral reef decline. In Belize, comprised 28% catch from 2005 to 2008. 2009, Belize Fisheries Department implemented a national ban on fish harvesting mitigate high‐macroalgal cover much Barrier Reef. However, compliance with this approach has not been evaluated. We assessed proportion in local markets by genetically identifying fillets sold five major towns 2009 2011. found that 5–7% 111 were identified as and...