Topic: coral reefs

When the four threats – coastal development, sedimentation, marine-based pollution, and overfishing – are integrated into the Reefs at Risk Threat Index, nearly two-thirds of the region’s coral reef

Most reported observations of coral disease worldwide have been in the Caribbean.

Source: Global Coral Disease Database, United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Ce

Observations of coral bleaching in the Caribbean are widespread. Of the over 500 observations in recent decades, 24 were during the 1980s, over 350 during the 1990s, and over 100 since 2000.

Threats to coral reefs from overfishing were evaluated based on coastal population density adjusted by the shelf area (up to 30 m depth) within 30 km of the reef.

Threats to coral reefs from marine-based sources were evaluated based on distance to ports (stratified by size), intensity of cruise ship visitation, and distance to oil and gas infrastructure, proces

The Reefs at Risk analysis produced a map-based indicator of potential threats to coral reefs.

Threatened Reefs:

Within the Reefs at Risk analysis, regional summary statistics were based on the regional groupings as presented in this map.

The development of a global system of marine protected areas (MPAs) lags far behind that of the terrestrial biosphere in both the extent and the effectiveness of its coverage.

An ideal assessment would examine conservation importance at both the species level (examining endemics and total species) and the ecosystem level (examining unique habitats).

As the map “Most areas with high reef fish species diversity are threatened . .

When corals undergo certain kinds of stress, much of the zooxanthellae – the symbiotic algae that provide coral polyps with nutrients – are expelled from the coral tissue.

The use of cyanide to stun and capture live coral reef fish began in the 1960s in the Philippines to supply the growing market for aquarium fish in Europe and North America, a market now worth more th

About 9 percent of the world’s mapped reefs are found in this region, most of which are located along the Central American coast and off the Caribbean islands.

Over 80 percent of the reefs in this region are at risk, and over half (56 percent) are at high risk.