'%Healthy Reefs for Healthy People - A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Reef Region%'%by Melanie McField and Patricia Kramer%

<< < > >>

No single indicator can capture the complexity of

Feasibility: Are data collection methods realistic for

ecosystem and social well-being, yet a long list of

the Mesoamerican Reef, given spatial scope and

independent indicators not integrated at some

monitoring constraints?

level will be of little use to decision-makers. The

Limitations: Are there limitations in collecting and

approach we took was to assemble an integrated

interpreting the data?

menu of indicators that are interconnected,

in order to illuminate an understanding of

Responsiveness: Is the indicator "sensitive" to human

Responsiveness:

the whole system, yet provide some flexibility

stress or human intervention?

in terms of which indicators are selected.

For many of the indicators proposed here,

The indicators were evaluated based on the following

standard units of measurement are not yet

criteria:

available and require further data to be developed.

Ecological relevance: Do the data provide a true

indication of reef health, given their utility as a proxy

for the main attribute/stressor?

Figure 5.a. Healthy Reefs Indicators

·Herbivorous Fish

·Coral Mortality

·Coral Growth

·Coral Recruitment

·Water Quality:

·Coral Reef Areal

·Coral Diversity

·Coral cover

Abundance

Temperature,

Extent

·Coral Disease

·Bioeroders on

·Fish Recruitment

·Fish Diversity

·Coral: Algae Ratio

Salinity,

·Diadema

Coral

·Mangrove Areal

Transparency

Abundance

·Coral Bleaching

·Coral Size

·Focal Species

·Fish Abundance

Extent

·Reef Accretion

Frequency

Abundance

·Ocean Color

·Fleshy Macro-

·Rugosity

·Seagrass Areal

algal Index

(remote sensing)

·Fish Size

Extent

Frequency

·Fish Bite Rates

·Sedimentation

Rate

·Green Turtle

Abundance

Community

Reef Accretion &

Coral

Reproduction

Abiotic

Habitat

Biodiversity

Herbivory

Structure

Bioerosion

Condition

& Recruitment

Extent

ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION

ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURE

HEALTHY MESOAMERICAN REEF

SOCIAL WELL-BEING & GOVERNANCE

DRIVERS of CHANGE

Land Use &

Global Climate

Tourism & Coastal

Fishing

Economy

Culture

Policy

Human Health

Agriculture

Development

Change

·Poverty

·Contaminants in

·Environmental

·Ethno-languagues

·Photic (Amphi)

·Certified Fisheries

·Coastal Develop-

·Agricultural Input

Breast Milk

Sustainability

Products

Index

ment Index

Rates

·Economic

·Gender &

Index

·Safe Water &

Contribution of

Employment

·Volume of

·Coral Bleaching

·Tourism

·Sediment Delivery

Sanitation

Marine-related

·Marine Area

Production

Index

Development

Rates

·In-Migration

Activities

within MPAs

·Cholera and

Index

·Conch Abundance

·Reef Resiliency to

Other Diseases

·Foraminifers

·Environmental

·Adjusted Net

·MPA Effectiveness

Bleaching

·Tourism Sustain-

(FORAM) Index

·Spiny Lobster

Perceptions

Savings Index

ability Index

Abundance

·World Bank

·Contaminant

·Human Develop-

Governance

Accumulation

·Protected Fish

ment Index

Indicators

Spawning

Aggregations

Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, November 2006