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Data

Data Needs

Temperature can be a good early-warning indicator

-- useful for coral-bleaching rapid response actions.

No regional water quality database is available for the

Temperature

fundamentally

influences

most

Mesoamerican Reef. A variety of single-site datasets

physiological processes.

likely exist, but these data have not been compiled

Salinity, possibly in conjunction with water clarity, can

and most are not easily accessible for any regional

be used as an easy-to-measure indicator of fluvial

synthesis.

influence on some reef areas. In areas not subject to

Water quality data are collected at several sites in

surface runoff, these parameters may be used as a

the MAR, including some MPAs and additional sites

proxy indicator for groundwater influence, with lower

within the MBRS Project Synoptic Monitoring Program.

salinities (and possibly lower water clarity) indicating

An automated meteorological and oceanographic

higher fluvial or groundwater influence.

monitoring station at the Smithsonian Institution's

Water clarity is a very simple, yet very telling indicator.

lab on Carrie Bow Caye in Belize monitors these

The clarity of the water is the main factor determining

three parameters and several others, with the data

the amount of light that reaches the seafloor,

fully available on the Internet (see Appendix 3 for

supporting all plant communities and autotrophic

details). Other data may be available (but need to

animals (e.g., corals). Water clarity is affected by the

be consolidated) from other research stations in the

amount of plankton biomass (largely determined by

MAR (like in Puerto Morelos, Mexico; Glover's Reef,

nutrient concentrations), the amount of sediment

Belize; and Cayos Cochinos, Honduras). Some of

suspended in the water (determined by run-off from

these research stations collect water quality data

land or resuspension from the seabed due to weather

as part of the Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity

or human disturbances like dredging), and finally the

(CARICOMP) network of sites25. More sites throughout

amount of colored dissolved organic matter (largely

the MAR need to be regularly monitored and data

determined by decaying organic matter from land or

compiled into a database.

mangrove areas). Although it will be impossible to

NOAA temperature data (maps)

from satellite

distinguish among these causes, it does clearly and

measurements are available, including a reference site

simply indicate the summation of these factors that

near Glover's Reef, Belize. However, specialized data

ultimately determine how much light reaches the

processing would be required to calculate meaningful

corals at various depths.

averages by subregion in the MAR.

The simpler methods for measuring water quality

Salinity contour maps were produced for Belize in

parameters are feasible and cost-effective. However,

1975, but have not been updated since26.

the frequency and consistency of measurements made

by humans in situ is often inadequate to discern any

Additional water quality monitoring efforts and a

meaningful patterns given the high variability (even on

coordinated data sharing mechanism are needed

daily or weekly time frames). Automated stations with

throughout the MAR.  Of particular interest would

an array of instruments are more costly ( > US$25,000)

be data sufficient to discern long-term trends. In

and require maintenance, but provide much more

addition, water quality monitoring should be included

consistent and frequently collected information.

with coastal development projects and watershed

Status

St atus

management projects.

Recent evidence suggests that the oceans are

NOAA HotSpots maps, derived from remotely sensed

becoming more acidic (pH is going down) due to

(satellite) temperature data, indicate that the years

absorption of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2)

1995, 1998 and 2005 were particularly warm in

from the atmosphere -- a process that will make

the MAR24. These years also experienced the most

calcification by corals and other organisms more

extensive coral bleaching events.

difficult27. A region-wide (or better yet, Caribbean-wide)

Data collected from the automated station at the

specialized oceanographic survey of the chemical

Smithsonian Institution research station on Carrie

properties of the open ocean and reef-associated

Bow Caye, Belize, include approximately 49,000 data

waters should be conducted to establish a baseline

points a year for each parameter measured (recording

for monitoring the extent of any future changes. The

every 10 minutes)24. (See Appendix 3 for a sample

equipment, precision, and expertise required, however,

product).

make these measurements more suitable for a single

regional research cruise (possibly run every 5 to 10

years) versus an indicator to be collected by many

different organizations on a more routine basis.

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