The recreational value of coral reefs in the Mexican Pacific

2018 ◽  
Vol 157 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar Robles-Zavala ◽  
Alejandra Guadalupe Chang Reynoso
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Mexican Pacific ◽  
Recreational Value

Coral boring Aka-species (Porifera: Phloeodictyidae) from Mexico with description of Aka cryptica sp. nov.

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
pp. 1477-1484 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Luis Carballo ◽  
Leanne Hepburn ◽  
Héctor H. Nava ◽  
José Antonio Cruz-Barraza ◽  
Eric Bautista-Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Mexican Pacific ◽  
East Pacific ◽  
Mexican Caribbean ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
East Pacific Ocean ◽  
First Time

This paper focuses on Aka species boring coral of the East Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea (Mexico). The new species Aka cryptica sp. nov. is described from Mexican Pacific coral reefs, which constitutes the first time that a species of the genus Aka is reported from the East Pacific Ocean. The new species lives cryptically boring coral species of the genus Pocillopora. It is characterized by the small size of their papillae (from 1 to 4.5 mm high and from 0.8 to 1.8 mm in diameter), and oxeas (from 67 to 120 μm), and their exposed parts blend in well with background colours which tend to be overlooked during benthic marine surveys. In addition, Aka coralliphaga and Aka brevitubulata from Mexican Caribbean coral reefs are redescribed. The latter species is reported for the first time in Mexico.

The influence of urban pressures on coral physiology on marginal coral reefs of the Mexican Pacific

Coral Reefs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 625-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violeta Martínez-Castillo ◽  
Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso ◽  
Jeimy Denisse Santiago-Valentín ◽  
Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Mexican Pacific

scholarly journals The recreational value of coral reefs: A meta-analysis

2007 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke M. Brander ◽  
Pieter Van Beukering ◽  
Herman S.J. Cesar
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Recreational Value

Relationships between boring sponge assemblages and the availability of dead coral substrate on Mexican Pacific coral reefs

2018 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 795-805
Author(s):  
Héctor Nava ◽  
Carlos Alberto Emmanuel García-Madrigal ◽  
José Luis Carballo
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Dead Coral ◽  
Coral Rubble ◽  
Mexican Pacific ◽  
Substrate Quality ◽  
Boring Sponge ◽  
Boring Sponges

AbstractBoring sponges are an important component of bioeroder assemblages in tropical coral reefs. They are considered as a potential threat for coral reef health, and the increase of dead corals is expected to promote their abundance. The relationship between the availability of dead coral substrata and the development of boring sponge assemblages was evaluated during El Niño 2015–16 at five reefs from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico. Environment and substrate quality were assessed. Overall, environment conditions remained normal in relation to previous studies in the area. Only water temperature showed unusually high records at all sites and coincided with bleaching and mortality of corals, possibly caused by the effects of the El Niño event. Abundance of boring sponges in dead corals and coral rubble was lower than during previous studies. Although sponge abundance was not directly related to cover of both dead corals and coral rubble, cover of dead corals showed a high correlation with the variation in the structure of sponge assemblages across sites.Cliona vermiferadominated sponge assemblages at all sites, and its abundance was high under conditions of high cover of live corals and low cover of bleached corals. Since overall sponge abundance responded in a similar way, these results suggest that boring sponge assemblages dominated byC. vermiferaare enhanced by conditions favourable for corals. Our results imply that El Niño events in the Mexican Pacific are not likely to cause immediate population outbreaks of boring sponges.

Spatio-temporal variation in rate of carbonate deposition by encrusting organisms in different reef microhabitats from Eastern Pacific coral reefs

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (7) ◽  
pp. 1495-1505
Author(s):  
J. F. Alvarado-Rodríguez ◽  
H. Nava ◽  
J. L. Carballo
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Mexican Pacific ◽  
Larval Recruitment ◽  
Carbonate Deposition ◽  
Coral Communities ◽  
Hermatypic Corals ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Impacted Site ◽  
Encrusting Organisms

AbstractReef encrusting calcifiers (non-scleractinian species) constitute assemblages that participate in the carbon cycle at coral reefs. Despite their apparent secondary role in building the reef framework, they contribute to the reef consolidation binding sediments and inducing larval recruitment from other epilithic invertebrates. The contribution of encrusting calcifiers on reef accretion was examined by the assessment of their rate of carbonate deposition on four different simulated reef microhabitats using calcification accretion units (CAUs) during 12 months at Playa Las Gatas and Islote Zacatoso, two coral communities from the coast of the Mexican Pacific. Encrusting calcifiers from Playa Las Gatas, the most impacted site, showed a rate of carbonate deposition (mean ± SD) four times higher than at Islote Zacatoso (10.02 ± 3.22 g CaCO3 m−2 d−1vs 2.48 ± 1.01 g CaCO3 m−2 d−1). Overall, the rate of carbonate deposition on surfaces protected from sedimentation and light was up to 1.8 times higher than on exposed ones (11.40 ± 4.35 g CaCO3 m−2 d−1vs 6.18 ± 3.13 g CaCO3 m−2 d−1). Carbonate deposition by calcareous algae was higher on the well-lit exposed surfaces while filter-feeding invertebrates showed the major contribution on the shaded cryptic surfaces. Although rate of carbonate deposition by encrusting calcifiers seems to be lower than hermatypic corals, it seems to be relevant on coral reefs affected by anthropogenic impacts where coral calcification is low. Under global demise of coral reefs by environmental degradation and climate change, encrusting calcifiers may become relevant for the process of carbonate deposition.

scholarly journals Sclerozoan and fouling sabellid worms (Annelida: Sabellidae) from Mexico with the establishment of two new species

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Ana Tovar-Hernández ◽  
María Elena García-Garza ◽  
Jesús Angel de León-González
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Generic Diagnosis ◽  
Simultaneous Hermaphrodite ◽  
Mexican Pacific ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Tropical America ◽  
Southern Gulf Of Mexico

The sabellid genera Anamobaea Krøyer, 1856 and Notaulax Tauber, 1879 are two of the most attractive polychaete worms in coral reefs. Anamobaea is represented by two Caribbean species and Notaulax with 24 species from around the world, six of them previously known to tropical America. During examination of fouling biota and sclerozoans from Mexico, Anamobaea orstedii Krøyer, 1856 was found in coral reefs from the southern Gulf of Mexico and three species of Notaulax were identified to the Mexican Pacific, two of them being new species to science. Anamobaea orstedii Krøyer, 1856 is first reported as sclerozoan of dead coral from the southern Gulf of Mexico. An amendment to the generic diagnosis of Anamobaea is provided, based on the presence of a higher number of skeletal cells than previously recorded; height, shape and exposition of the anterior peristomial ring; the non-fusion of dorsal collar margins to faecal groove; shape of collar chaetiger and abdominal chaetae and distribution and shape of radiolar ocelli. Notaulax californica (Treadwell, 1906) is reported as fouling in buoys and docks from the Gulf of California. Two new species of Notaulax are described: the former was found in hull and dock fouling from La Paz (Gulf of California) and the second one as sclerozoan of oysters from a dock fouling in Acapulco (south Mexican Pacific). In addition, reproductive features are described for the first time for A. orstedii which is a simultaneous hermaphrodite with female and males gametes found within the same segments of abdominal region. Oocytes develop synchronously and sperm morphology (spherical nucleus and rounded acrosome, four spherical mitochondria and a long free flagellum) suggest an adaptation to broadcast spawning and external fertilisation. Species of Notaulax here examined were gonochoric, with gametes distributed in abdominal segments.

scholarly journals Conservation of Nature in the Marine Environment

1977 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Korringa
Keyword(s):  
Nature Conservation ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Recreational Value ◽  
Tropical Areas

It was on land that the need for conservation of nature was first felt. Setting aside of noteworthy areas for that purpose often led to a serious clash with other interests. Therefore the need was felt to formulate on a scientific basis which factors should be carefully considered in deciding which sections of the continents should be destined for nature conservation. It turned out that all these factors operate directly or indirectly in the interest of man himself, not for nature as such. An effort is made to study the applicability of all these factors in the marine environment. Comparison with the situation on land leads to the conclusion that the recreational value of the coral reefs in tropical areas requires above all measures for their protection, whereas other factors are already duly taken care of or require no action at all for the time being.

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