Caribbean Coral ReefA story of beauty, stress, destruction and recovery efforts

Ann Pearson: www.pearsonsplace.weebly.com

Coral• Over 2,500 different species • 2 main types – hard or soft coral

Soft coral – bendable, resemble colorful plants or trees

Hard coral – reef-builders, hard calcium carbonate skeleton, base

and protection

Coral• Corals live in colonies– Individuals are called polyps

• Polyps are mostly stomach• Tentacles release stinging cells

when something brushes by them• At night, polyps come out to catch

plankton floating by.• Polyps take dissolved minerals

from the water to create a limestone cup to hide in during the day

Coral• Zooxanthellae – algae that live inside the coral

– Algae photosynthesize to make oxygen, sugars and fats for the corals – up to 95% of the energy needs

– Coral give algae carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphorus and protection

What is a coral reef?• Massive structures made of the limestone

skeletons deposited by coral• The largest structures on Earth built by

living organisms

What is a coral reef?• Ecosystem

– Diverse coral species– Home to almost 1 million

other species – 25% of fish species– Breeding ground for

marine life– Habitats, shelter and food

for marine fauna and flora

• Fringing reefs– Narrow coral platform– Grown near the coastline

around islands and continents

– Separated from shore by narrow, shallow lagoons

– Most common reef– Some evolve

Types of coral reefs

• Barrier reefs– Parallel to the

coastline– Separated by deeper,

wider lagoons– Could evolve further

Types of coral reefs

• Coral atolls– Island continues to sink– As coral reach the

surface, die off– Form sand where

plants can grow

Types of coral reefs

Benefits of coral reefs• Provide costal

protection by slowing waves

• Barriers to storm surges

• Prevent beach erosion

• Aesthetic value• Tourism and recreation• Full of new and

undiscovered biomedical resources

Distribution of Coral Reefs in the Caribbean

https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/big-fish-stories-getting-littler_kw

1950 – 1980s• Overfishing – Grouper,

Barracuda, Sharks– Industrial fishing – Blast fishing– Cyanide fishing

Little Plankton = Big Problem

Plankton

Little Plankton = Big Problem

Plankton

Little Fish Filter feeders Zooplankton Shrimp

Little Plankton = Big Problem

Plankton

Little Fish

Medium fish Big fish

Filter feeders Zooplankton

BIG FISH

Shrimp

1950s1960s1970s

1980s – Present Day

Little Plankton = Big Problem

Plankton

Zooplankton

Related Events• 1980 Hurricane Allen – pounded Caribbean

coral into dust• 1982 Sea Urchin decline

1985• Overfishing - Parrot and Doctor Fish– Smaller but taken to replace the market loss of larger fish– Used to eat the algae and sea weed – coral now overrun

1990s• Industrialized farming – fertilizer pollution• Hotels built along the coast – sewage pollution• This increased food for plants and macroalgae overran the

coral even further

1987 – Present Day• Coral bleaching caused by Global warming– Already living at the upper limits of thermal tolerance

• Algae cannot photosynthesize

• Coral ejects the algae losing its color

• Coral dies

Loss of Coral• Coral reefs in the Caribbean declined 80%• In areas around Jamaica, used to be 60-70% of

the floor covered with coral• Now 2-5%

Are we depressed yet?

Reasons for Hope and Action!

Caribbean Government• Marine protected areas –

fish can restock naturally• Nurseries of baby coral• Fragmenting (2019)• Building regulations• Banning catching certain

fish that clean the reefs• If initiatives are expanded,

coral reefs may recover

Research

MicrofragmentationDecember 2018

Coral SpawningAugust 2019

What can we do?• Captive dolphins and

turtles• Reef-safe sunscreen• Don’t eat reef fish:– Parrot fish– Grouper– Guitar fish– Sharks– Rays

Reduce your Carbon Footprint• 3 Rs• Walk, bike, rideshare• Heating/Cooling• Automobiles• Buy local• Plant trees

Ann Pearson: www.pearsonsplace.weebly.com