'%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%

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indicators such as gender and employment. We have

judgment of regional experts. For some indicators, we

offered some suggestions that serve to begin what we

had sufficient data to develop target, benchmark, and

hope will be an engaged discussion of these reference

red flag values. Others merely have placeholders of `to

values on our website: www.healthyreefs.org.

be developed' until more information is available. In all

cases, the reference values will need to be reviewed,

Using Reference Values To Guide Interpretation:

tested and adjusted as more data become available.

A Coral Mortality Example

We adopted several approaches to setting reference

values, depending upon specific management goals

In 1999 (about 8 months after the coral bleaching event and

and objectives and the types of indicators used to

Hurricane Mitch) partial coral mortality was measured at a

range of sites off the Yucatan peninsula with an average of

track these goals.

over 12%. Clearly this value is a red flag -- indicative of the

serious effects of the 1998 disturbances.

Benchmarks

Benchmarks And Targets

By 2001, a MAR-wide survey of 35 sites ranging from

Benchmarks are the minimally acceptable level for

Cozumel, Mexico, down to the Bay Islands, Honduras,

measured an average recent coral mortality of 1.6% --

an indicator over the next five years. Benchmark

meeting our established benchmark value. However, it did

reference values help us mark progress along the way

not meet our optimal target value -- maintaining recent

to our longer-term targets, or give minimally acceptable

coral mortality rates below 1.5% for at least five consecutive

years. Obviously, meeting the target will require more years

limits. Targets are the optimal goal to aim for in the

free of any major causes of mortality.

next 15-20 years. For example, benchmark and target

values for focal species will specify the number of

While the reference value is designed to be used on data

averaged from a number of sites, some indicators, such as

populations of a particular size, the demographic

recent coral mortality, can provide meaningful comparisons

variables (e.g., reproductive rates and mortality rates),

to reference values even for an individual site. For example,

and/or habitat-based variables (e.g., reserve size and

in 2001 Palancar Reef, Cozumel, had 3.2% recent mortality.

Managers could ask, "What does that value mean? Is

habitat condition) necessary to ensure long-term

it indicative of a robust, resilient reef? Or, a reef that

persistence. Benchmark and targets for coral reef,

is dangerously ill?" Based on the reference standards

mangrove and seagrass habitats, on the other hand,

presented in this guide, we find that a recent coral mortality

value of over 3% is higher than our target value -- but not as

will include the amount of habitat to be protected,

high as the red flag nor a cause for great concern. It should

as well as key structural and functional attributes

encourage additional monitoring to quickly detect any

necessary to promote long-term integrity.

increase that might elevate the level to an alarm status.

Not all indicators have reference values that are as easily

Some indicators have benchmark and target values

measured as coral mortality. Some indicators require a

based on a "limits of acceptable change" approach

more descriptive framework of reference conditions.

that allows managers to manage for desired

Reference Values -- Recent Coral Mortality

ecological outcomes while still accommodating social

and political issues by evaluating how much change is

Benchmark: < 2% MAR-wide averages

acceptable in an area32 . Some indicators, particularly

Target: < 2% sustained for at least 5 years

in the Social Well-being and Governance section, are

inherently difficult to quantify, even in relative terms.

Red Flag: > 5%

What level of in-migration of outsiders into a small

coastal community is desirable or acceptable? In

these instances we have tried to define some trends

Database

that are generally desirable, but suggest different

communities will need to establish their own specific

As an end product, we are developing a searchable

targets for some of these indicators.

database of the Healthy Reefs indicators, including

their target, benchmarks and red flag values for

Red

Red Flags

the MAR. These benchmark and targets can be

Red flags are warning signals that an indicator has

incorporated into the monitoring and evaluation

reached a level of concern. Some indicators are

efforts of the different organizations working in the

inherently more conducive to red-flag determination

region, thus enhancing ongoing joint conservation

than others, but we have attempted to incorporate

planning and cooperation on the ground. Having a

these important warning signals as often as possible.

"common currency" for evaluating our progress will

For example, red flag values for ecological indicators,

help increase our collective conservation impact and

such as coral bleaching, disease prevalence and

reduce duplication or gaps in effort. The challenge

partial coral mortality, were developed by comparing

is developing practical yet encouraging targets that

data collected during major disturbance events with

provide measures of success towards achieving the

data from normal, non-disturbance time frames. It is

ultimate goal of long-term ecological integrity and

more difficult to define a red flag value for many social

sustainable use.