<strong>Status</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Caribbean</strong> Coral Reefs <strong>after</strong> Bleach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> Hurricanes <strong>in</strong> <strong>2005</strong>Substantial <strong>coral</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> was recorded <strong>in</strong> Belize, Jamaica, St. Lucia <strong>and</strong> the BritishVirg<strong>in</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s. In Belize, St. Lucia <strong>and</strong> the British Virg<strong>in</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s, there was little subsequentmortality <strong>and</strong> no reduction <strong>in</strong> <strong>coral</strong> cover. In Jamaica, a large proportion <strong>of</strong> the <strong>coral</strong>s thatbleached subsequently died, but because the <strong>coral</strong> cover was generally low, the mortalitydid not reduce the <strong>coral</strong> cover significantly (see p 79).If the 1998 <strong>and</strong> <strong>2005</strong> large-scale <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> events are representative <strong>of</strong> a general pattern,then abnormally high sea temperatures with<strong>in</strong> the <strong>Caribbean</strong> seem to cause extensive<strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> but little subsequent mortality. This is possibly a result <strong>of</strong> the recent dom<strong>in</strong>ation<strong>of</strong> massive <strong>coral</strong>s, which are more resilient than branch<strong>in</strong>g <strong>coral</strong>s, with<strong>in</strong> <strong>Caribbean</strong><strong>coral</strong> communities, <strong>and</strong>/or because <strong>Caribbean</strong> <strong>coral</strong>s are frequently exposed to largerfluctuations <strong>in</strong> sea temperature, allow<strong>in</strong>g them to better adapt.With greater <strong>in</strong>vestments <strong>in</strong> a strengthened monitor<strong>in</strong>g network, the st<strong>and</strong>ardized surveymethods employed by Reef Check enable the size <strong>of</strong> impacts result<strong>in</strong>g from large-scaleenvironmental stresses, such as El Niño <strong>and</strong> climate change, to be quantified at localto global scales. Data result<strong>in</strong>g from large-scale st<strong>and</strong>ardized surveys are <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>glyimportant <strong>in</strong> track<strong>in</strong>g reef responses to impacts from a variety <strong>of</strong> sources <strong>and</strong> are anextremely useful tool for <strong>coral</strong> reef management <strong>and</strong> conservation (from Cori Kane,ckane@reefcheck.org <strong>and</strong> Gregor Hodgson, gregorh@reefcheck.org).Summary <strong>of</strong> results <strong>of</strong> Reef Check surveys conducted dur<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>2005</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong>event <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g months to June 2006, to determ<strong>in</strong>e the percentage cover<strong>of</strong> bleached <strong>coral</strong> <strong>and</strong> levels <strong>of</strong> subsequent mortality on <strong>coral</strong> <strong>reefs</strong> throughout theWider <strong>Caribbean</strong> (- <strong>in</strong>dicates no data).Country Mean % Bleach<strong>in</strong>g Mean % MortalityBahamas 16.8 -Belize 27.9 6.5Brazil 5.7 -British Virg<strong>in</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s 55.0 2.1Colombia 1.0 -Dom<strong>in</strong>ica 4.6 0Dom<strong>in</strong>ican Republic 26.8 -Honduras - 14.4Jamaica 33.7 12.5Mexico 25.2 8.5Netherl<strong>and</strong>s Antilles - 4.2St Lucia 43.8 4.3St V<strong>in</strong>cent 75.0 -US Virg<strong>in</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s 100 34.348
<strong>Status</strong> <strong>of</strong> the Mesoamerican Reef <strong>after</strong> the <strong>2005</strong> Coral Bleach<strong>in</strong>g EventBelizeThe longest cont<strong>in</strong>uous barrier reef system <strong>in</strong> the western hemisphere extends approximately260 km along the Belize coast, <strong>and</strong> along with the diverse assemblage <strong>of</strong> lagoonal patch <strong>reefs</strong>,fr<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g <strong>reefs</strong>, faroes <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fshore atolls, covers about 1400 km 2 . The <strong>reefs</strong> were once consideredto be amongst the most flourish<strong>in</strong>g <strong>reefs</strong> <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Caribbean</strong>, although now the current status isgenerally comparable with the rest <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Caribbean</strong>.<strong>Status</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>coral</strong> <strong>reefs</strong> prior to <strong>2005</strong>: The comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> disturbance events <strong>and</strong> chronicstresses has caused a decl<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong> live <strong>coral</strong> cover <strong>and</strong> parallel <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> macroalgae on many<strong>reefs</strong>. The Acropora species have suffered a dramatic reduction <strong>in</strong> live cover s<strong>in</strong>ce the late1970s as a result <strong>of</strong> white b<strong>and</strong> disease, <strong>and</strong> the region-wide die-<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> the long-sp<strong>in</strong>ed seaurch<strong>in</strong> grazer (Diadema antillarum). In 1998, the most severe <strong>coral</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> event on recordoccurred, along with the catastrophic impacts <strong>of</strong> Hurricane Mitch that produced torrentialra<strong>in</strong>s, flood<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> destructive waves that caused considerable mechanical damage to <strong>reefs</strong>.The comb<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong>, hurricane damage, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g chronic local stresses, hasresulted <strong>in</strong> dramatic reductions <strong>in</strong> <strong>coral</strong> cover: 62% <strong>in</strong> southern Belize; 55% <strong>in</strong> the north; 45%on the atolls; <strong>and</strong> 36% on central <strong>reefs</strong>.Long-term data exist for a few sites <strong>in</strong> Belize; live <strong>coral</strong> cover on shallow patch <strong>reefs</strong> <strong>in</strong> GloversReef atoll has decreased from 80% <strong>in</strong> 1971, to 20% <strong>in</strong> 1996, <strong>and</strong> to 13% <strong>in</strong> 1999. The <strong>in</strong>ner forereefregion at Carrie Bow Caye had 30-35% <strong>coral</strong> cover <strong>in</strong> the 1970s, but decl<strong>in</strong>ed to 12-21% <strong>in</strong>1995. Similarly on the fore-reef at Channel Caye (3-15 m depth), an <strong>in</strong>ner-shelf faroe, live <strong>coral</strong>decl<strong>in</strong>ed from 85% <strong>in</strong> 1986 to 60% <strong>in</strong> 1996, primarily because <strong>of</strong> disease <strong>and</strong> loss <strong>of</strong> staghorn<strong>coral</strong>s (Acropora cervicornis), with partial replacement by th<strong>in</strong> leaf lettuce <strong>coral</strong> (Agariciatenuifolia). Subsequently, <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> 1998 devastated this reef, reduc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>coral</strong> cover to about5% <strong>in</strong> 1999. In 1992, the <strong>coral</strong> cover on the barrier reef <strong>of</strong>f Ambergris Caye <strong>and</strong> Gallows Reef(near Belize City) was 25% <strong>and</strong> 20% respectively. In 1993, the <strong>coral</strong> cover on the shallowMexico Rocks patch reef <strong>of</strong>f Ambergris Caye was 84%, but dropped to 66% <strong>in</strong> 1995 primarilyas a result <strong>of</strong> the 1995 <strong>coral</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> event. Prior to 1998, most impacts on <strong>reefs</strong> <strong>in</strong> Belizewere from diseases <strong>and</strong> <strong>hurricanes</strong>, although regional <strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> nutrient concentrations<strong>and</strong> sedimentation, loss <strong>of</strong> Diadema, moderate over-fish<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> were also likelycontributors. The comb<strong>in</strong>ed impacts <strong>of</strong> mass <strong>coral</strong> <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>and</strong> Hurricane Mitch <strong>in</strong> 1998exacerbated the rate <strong>of</strong> reef decl<strong>in</strong>e.Major anthropogenic threats to Belize’s <strong>reefs</strong> <strong>in</strong>clude coastal habitat alteration (mangroveclearance, dredg<strong>in</strong>g operations), sedimentation, agrochemical <strong>and</strong> domestic pollution (ma<strong>in</strong>lyassociated with coastal development, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>adequate solid <strong>and</strong> liquid waste disposal), overfish<strong>in</strong>g,<strong>and</strong> direct impacts from tourists, boat anchors <strong>and</strong> ground<strong>in</strong>gs. The tourism <strong>in</strong>dustryis grow<strong>in</strong>g rapidly, provid<strong>in</strong>g the impetus for many <strong>of</strong> these grow<strong>in</strong>g pressures. Significantconservation efforts have been underway for over two decades to develop a system <strong>of</strong> mar<strong>in</strong>eprotected areas (MPAs) to foster reef protection.Effects <strong>of</strong> the <strong>2005</strong> Bleach<strong>in</strong>g Event: The <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> events <strong>in</strong> 1995 <strong>and</strong> 1998 caused some(mostly partial) <strong>coral</strong> mortality on most <strong>reefs</strong> <strong>in</strong> Belize. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs)surpassed the average summer maximum <strong>in</strong> both years beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> late September <strong>in</strong> 1995<strong>and</strong> early September <strong>in</strong> 1998. The <strong>bleach<strong>in</strong>g</strong> event <strong>of</strong> <strong>2005</strong>, while devastat<strong>in</strong>g to parts <strong>of</strong> theEastern <strong>Caribbean</strong>, was less severe <strong>in</strong> Belize than the 1995 or 1998 events. No <strong>coral</strong> mortality <strong>in</strong>49