#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
CORAL DISEASE IN BELLAIRS BARBADOS
2,439 coral colonies were surveyed for diseases in December 2001 and in March 2002
at the Bellairs North & South Reef sites at 4-5m depth. At Bellairs North, 93.5% of
colonies were healthy, 2.6% were bleached, 1.2% had dark-spot disease, 0.5% of
colonies had yellow band disease, 0.2% had white plague and 1.7% showed some injury.
At the Bellairs South, 97.9% of colonies were healthy, 0.2% had dark-spot disease and
1.9% showed signs of injury. The corals most affected were Siderastrea siderea and
Porites asteroides, however these were not the most abundant (see % relative
abundance below). The incidence of disease was low at only 1.2% over both sites, with
Dark Spot disease the most abundant. The incidence of bleaching was 1.5% at both
sites. These Bellairs reefs are relatively free of diseases.
Species Bellairs North Bellairs South
Agaricia humilis 33.7% 17.5%
Agaricia agaricites 19.1% 26.0%
Porites astreoides 17.6% 31.5%
Porites porites 8.5% 0.9%
Millepora squarrosa 6.9% 10.6%
Montastrea annularis 5.2% 1.1%
Siderastraea siderea 3.1% 1.3%
Madracis mirabilis 2.4% 0.8%
Millepora complanata 1.2% 5.4%
Millepora alcicornis 0.8%
The Netherlands Antilles
Bonaire and Curaçao
The coral reefs on the leeward (western) side have a 30-150m long shallow terrace to a 10-
15m drop-off. The terrace has predominantly Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis and
Montastrea annularis hard corals and a variety of gorgonians. A. cervicornis has largely
disappeared since 1983 due to white-band disease, and A. palmata stands have also
declined on Curaçao and Bonaire, except for a few small locations. After the drop-off, the
fore reef slopes downwards at 30-60 degrees to a sediment bottom at 50m. The dominant
corals are M. annularis, M. faveolata, and Agaricia agaricites, with M. cavernosa and
Stephanocoenia in deeper waters. About 55 coral species occur on the reefs, along with
250 species of fish. An average of 19 coral species occurred per 200m 2 at 6m on Curaçao
and 23 species at 12m depth. Coral cover on most monitored sites has declined by 10%
from 1997 to 2002, with a greater decline at 6m than at 12m. Coral cover in 2002 at 6m on
the leeward side of Curaçao was 30 to 50%, and 30 to 70% at 12m.
Reefs on Bonaire have unusual shallow water spur and groove formations on the north at
Boca Bartol and Playa Benge. The western (leeward shore) has continuous shallow
fringing reefs including large coral heads, several meters in diameter. The reefs slope
gently from the shore to approximately 12m with maximum diversity in this zone. Beyond
the drop-off, the reef slopes at approximately 45 degrees to a sandy bottom between 30m
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