Wednesday, May 18, 2011
IUCN Publishes Study on Bonaire’s Coral Reef Resilience Characteristics
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has published a story on the various resilience properties of the coral reefs in the Bonaire National Marine Park. The results include resilience indicators on coral population structure, algae populations and fish community structure, all of which determine how the coral reefs react to climate change and other threats. The goal of the study was to provide information to incorporate resilience information and climate change responses into Bonaire’s Marine Park planning, design and management.
IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network and helps find solutions to environmental and developmental challenges across the world. The Bonaire study is based on a survey conducted in 2009 as part of the IUCN Climate Change and Coral Reefs Working Group global coral reef resilience assessments.
Bonaire’s coral reefs are among the healthiest and resilient in the Caribbean, with the major threats to their health being coastal development and artificial beaches, leaching from septic tanks, increasing damselfish populations and an overabundance of the algae Trididemnum and Lobophora. Of the coral reefs that were rated, those farthest away from Kralendijk show the most resiliency, with the resiliency declining to medium and even one low rating closer to and in town.
Sites were ranked according to their overall resiliency. High resiliency ratings were given to the Marine Reserve North, Playa Frans, Karpata, Margate Bay, Vista Blue and South Bay. Medium ratings were given to Playa Funchi, Wayaka ll, Oil Slick Leap, Cliff, Bari, Something Special, 18th Palm, Bachelor’s Beach, Angel City, Salt City, Tori’s Reef, Carl’s Hill, Mi Dushi and Keepsake. A low rating was given to Chachacha.
Based on the findings, the study made several recommendations to improve water quality and reef resiliency. First, Bonaire should have an appropriate sewage treatment facility. Second a water quality monitoring program should be established and implemented. Third, overpopulation of prey fish such as damselfish may alter the reef habitat. Fishing of predatory fish species on the reef should be controlled to prevent this from occurring. Lastly, Bonaire reefs have an overabundance of the organisms Trididemnum and Lobophora. These should be further studied to determine what factors are contributing to the overgrowth and then these factors should be removed. (Source: IUCN)
