Times of the Islands Fall 2022

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green pages Newsletter of the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources Head office: Church Folly, Grand Turk, tel 649 946 2801 • fax 649 946 1895 • Astwood Street, South Caicos, tel 649 946 3306 • fax 946 3710 • National Environmental Centre, Lower Bight Road, Providenciales Parks Division, tel 649 941 5122 • fax 649 946 4793 Fisheries Division, tel 649 946 4017 • fax 649 946 4793 email environment@gov.tc or dema.tci@gmail.com • web https://www.gov.tc/decr/ CLARENCE STRINGER Coral reefs have a complex symbiotic relationship with reef fish, providing shelter, nursery grounds, and food. In turn, fish help keep coral reefs algae free which promotes reproduction and growth. Previous studies have concluded that fish species decrease in number after coral cover has declined from disturbances such as disease and climate change. Surviving the Storm The effects of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on TCI reefs. Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse and ecologically productive ecosystems on the planet. They are aesthetically attractive and economically valuable. These distinct ecosystems provide essential ecological, social, and economic value to millions of people globally. Not only do coral reefs provide habitat essential for nearshore fisheries, they also support tourism and protect coastlines from natural disasters. By Heidi Hertler, John Debuysser, Autumn Zwiernik, Katie Tanner, Alyssa Landi, Hayley Newman and Morgan Rose, The School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies, South Caicos 38 www.timespub.tc
green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources moved through the Turks & Caicos Islands. Studies of the South Caicos reefs have varied over the years but largely revolve around the topic of reef health. Coral recruitment — the settlement of coral larvae on suitable substrate — is a key process for recovery and resiliency of reef-building corals. Recruitment is sensitive to a number of factors including live coral cover, larval abundance, hydrodynamics, sedimentation, algal competition, and site connectivity, producing large spatio-temporal variations in recruitment. In 2015, John DeBuysser, a former SFS student and current SFS dive safety officer, surveyed coral recruits in addition to the routine benthic assessment. The greatest live coral cover was found at the Maze (8.2%, 20 m depth) followed by the Arch (7.6%, 10 meters depth) and the In addition to recruit and fish surveys, SFS students conduct regular benthic surveys to help understand reef dynamics. HEIDI HERTLER In 2019, researchers at The School for Field Studies in South Caicos (SFS) noticed a change in the local reefs. Suddenly, at multiple sites, corals were dying; sometimes just one area on an individual coral and other times entire coral heads. It was quickly determined that a disease was causing this sudden death of previously healthy corals. Coral diseases have been studied for years, and in many cases, researchers have been able to identify the causes, transmission factors, and solutions to such diseases. First reported in Florida in 2014, Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) was killing corals faster and across more species than any other coral disease known. Over half of the stony coral species found on the Florida Reef Tract are affected by SCTLD, though there are many factors that influence the likelihood that a coral will contract the disease, such as the location of the coral and time of the year. Many researchers throughout Florida and the Caribbean are actively trying to pinpoint the indicators of the disease and the rate at which it progresses, though it has proven to be a difficult feat as these attributes may vary by species affected. SCTLD has largely lowest at the Plane (0.92%, 10 meters depth). The reefs surrounding South Caicos are dominated by lettuce coral (Agaricia agaricites), lobed star coral (Orbicella annularis), boulder star coral (Orbicella franksi) and massive starlet coral (Siderastrea siderea). Of course, not all reefs are created the same. For example, East Caicos reefs are Times of the Islands Fall 2022 39
Page 1 and 2: TIMES OF THE SAMPLING THE SOUL OF T
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