The The Mesoamerican Mesoamerican

ReefReef

One of the One of the World’s World’s Largest Largest

Coral ReefsCoral Reefs

The Reef Itself The Reef Itself Nearly 1000 km longNearly 1000 km long Largest Reef systemLargest Reef system

in the Americasin the Americas From Mexico toFrom Mexico to

HondurasHonduras More than 60 speciesMore than 60 species

of coralof coral More than 500 speciesMore than 500 species

of fishof fish

Global Warming ImpactsGlobal Warming Impacts

Increased Ocean TemperaturesIncreased Ocean Temperatures Caribbean Community Climate Change Caribbean Community Climate Change

Centre (CCCCC) predict regional Centre (CCCCC) predict regional temperature increase up to 5temperature increase up to 5ooC by 2080C by 2080

COCO2 2 dissolving indissolving in seawater making it moreseawater making it more acidicacidic

Increased number of Increased number of storms and hurricanesstorms and hurricanes

Consequences of Global Consequences of Global WarmingWarming

Coral Bleaching- stress response Coral Bleaching- stress response Loss of symbiotic algae that coexist with Loss of symbiotic algae that coexist with

coral that provided food coral that provided food Whitens coral Whitens coral Results in disease, failed reproduction,Results in disease, failed reproduction,

partial/complete mortality of coral colony partial/complete mortality of coral colony Increase in coral and fish diseasesIncrease in coral and fish diseases Acidic seawater slows marine Acidic seawater slows marine

organisms growth rate of shells and skeletonsorganisms growth rate of shells and skeletons ex. Urchins, Coralex. Urchins, Coral Anticipated reduction of effected marine Anticipated reduction of effected marine

organismsorganisms Increased frequency of storms & hurricanesIncreased frequency of storms & hurricanes

causes more floods and larger impactcauses more floods and larger impact Less recovery time for reefs- greater damage Less recovery time for reefs- greater damage

Invasive Species- Invasive Species- LionfishLionfish

Believe population Believe population originated from aquarium originated from aquarium in Florida, 1992in Florida, 1992

Presumed to be largestPresumed to be largest predatory invasion in the predatory invasion in the OceansOceans

No natural predators in the No natural predators in the CaribbeanCaribbean

Can lay as many as 1000 egg sacs Can lay as many as 1000 egg sacs per weekper week

Eat herbivoresEat herbivores Herbivores important to reef- thin seaweed and cleam algaeHerbivores important to reef- thin seaweed and cleam algae

Aggressive predator- venomous spikesAggressive predator- venomous spikes Believed that native fish do not yet recognize lionfish as Believed that native fish do not yet recognize lionfish as

dangerousdangerous

WWF Response- WWF Response- MAR Climate Change ProjectMAR Climate Change Project

Focusing mainly in BelizeFocusing mainly in Belize 3 key elements 3 key elements

1.1. Science-based monitoring of climate change Science-based monitoring of climate change impacts on biological & social systemsimpacts on biological & social systems

2.2. Field level implementation of adaption Field level implementation of adaption strategiesstrategies

3.3. An advocacy strategy to raise awareness of An advocacy strategy to raise awareness of climate change and to lobby for climate climate change and to lobby for climate change issues at local and national policy change issues at local and national policy levelslevels

WWF’s Implemented WWF’s Implemented ImprovementsImprovements

Enhanced systems for reef monitoringEnhanced systems for reef monitoring ‘‘Coral Reef Monitoring Group’Coral Reef Monitoring Group’ Training local tour guides to identify bleachingTraining local tour guides to identify bleaching

Creating Coral Nursuries to restore damaged Creating Coral Nursuries to restore damaged coral quicklycoral quickly

Increasing awareness & understanding on the Increasing awareness & understanding on the impacts on climate changeimpacts on climate change

Plans to conserve mangroves Plans to conserve mangroves Develop private mangrove reserves Develop private mangrove reserves

Adoption of drafts of Adoption of drafts of National Climate Change National Climate Change Adaption Policy Adaption Policy and and National Adaption StrategyNational Adaption Strategy

Supporting development of local plansSupporting development of local plans National Sustainable Tourism StrategyNational Sustainable Tourism Strategy Coastal Zone Management planCoastal Zone Management plan

ReferencesReferencesCoral Reefs Case Study: MesoAmerican Reef. (n.d.). Coral Reefs Case Study: MesoAmerican Reef. (n.d.). Reef Resilience: Building Reef Resilience: Building

Resilience into Coral Reef ConservationResilience into Coral Reef Conservation. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from . Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.reefresilience.org/Toolkit_Coral/C8_MAR.htmlhttp://www.reefresilience.org/Toolkit_Coral/C8_MAR.html

Enright, K. (2011, April 11). An attractive enemy: impaling invasive lionfish « In Enright, K. (2011, April 11). An attractive enemy: impaling invasive lionfish « In Search of the Curious. Search of the Curious. In Search of the Curious In Search of the Curious. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from . Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://kellyenright.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/an-attractive-enemy-impaling-http://kellyenright.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/an-attractive-enemy-impaling-invasive-lionfish/invasive-lionfish/

Garces, D. (n.d.). The Meso American Reef: Adaption Case Studies for Responding to Garces, D. (n.d.). The Meso American Reef: Adaption Case Studies for Responding to Climate Change Impacts. Climate Change Impacts. worldwildlifeworldwildlife. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from . Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/WWFBinaryitehttp://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/WWFBinaryitem14670.pdfm14670.pdf

Threats to Reef Health - Healthy Reefs. (n.d.). Threats to Reef Health - Healthy Reefs. (n.d.). Healthy Reefs Healthy People - Healthy Healthy Reefs Healthy People - Healthy ReefsReefs. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.healthyreefs.org/eco-health-report-. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.healthyreefs.org/eco-health-report-card/threats-to-reef-health.htmlcard/threats-to-reef-health.html

WWF - Marine problems: climate change. (n.d.). WWF - Marine problems: climate change. (n.d.). WWF - WWFWWF - WWF. Retrieved June 28, 2011, . Retrieved June 28, 2011, from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/climate_change/from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/blue_planet/problems/climate_change/

WWF - Mesoamerican Reef. (n.d.). WWF - Mesoamerican Reef. (n.d.). WWF - WWFWWF - WWF. Retrieved June 28, 2011, from . Retrieved June 28, 2011, from http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/mesoamerican_reef/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/mesoamerican_reef/