scholarly journals Coral reef restoration efforts in Latin American countries and territories

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Bayraktarov ◽  
Anastazia T. Banaszak ◽  
Phanor Montoya Maya ◽  
Joanie Kleypas ◽  
Jesús E. Arias-González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Project Duration ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Latin American Countries

AbstractCoral reefs worldwide are degrading due to climate change, overfishing, pollution, coastal development, bleaching and diseases. In areas where natural recovery is negligible or protection through management interventions insufficient, active restoration becomes critical. The Reef Futures symposium in 2018 brought together over 400 reef restoration experts, businesses, and civil organizations, and galvanized them to save coral reefs through restoration or identify alternative solutions. The symposium highlighted that solutions and discoveries from long-term and ongoing coral reef restoration projects in Spanish-speaking countries in the Caribbean and Eastern Tropical Pacific were not well known internationally. Therefore, a meeting of scientists and practitioners working in these locations was held to compile the data on the extent of coral reef restoration efforts, advances and challenges. Here, we present unpublished data from 12 coral reef restoration case studies from five Latin American countries, describe their motivations and techniques used, and provide estimates on total annual project cost per unit area of reef intervened, spatial extent as well as project duration. We found that most projects used direct transplantation, the coral gardening method, micro-fragmentation or larval propagation, and aimed to optimize or scale-up restoration approaches (51%) or provide alternative, sustainable livelihood opportunities (15%) followed by promoting coral reef conservation stewardship and re-establishing a self-sustaining, functioning reef ecosystem (both 13%). Reasons for restoring coral reefs were mainly biotic and experimental (both 42%), followed by idealistic and pragmatic motivations (both 8%). The median annual total cost from all projects was $93,000 USD (range: $10,000 USD - $331,802 USD) (2018 dollars) and intervened a median spatial area of 1 ha (range: 0.06 ha - 8.39 ha). The median project duration was 3 years; however, projects have lasted up to 17 years. Project feasibility was high with a median of 0.7 (range: 0.5 - 0.8). This study closes the knowledge gap between academia and practitioners and overcomes the language barrier by providing the first comprehensive compilation of data from ongoing coral reef restoration efforts in Latin America.

scholarly journals Coral reef restoration efforts in Latin American countries and territories

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. e0228477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Bayraktarov ◽  
Anastazia T. Banaszak ◽  
Phanor Montoya Maya ◽  
Joanie Kleypas ◽  
Jesús E. Arias-González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Latin American Countries

scholarly journals Potential contribution of fish restocking to the recovery of deteriorated coral reefs: an alternative restoration method?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uri Obolski ◽  
Lilach Hadany ◽  
Avigdor Abelson
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Reef Management ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Reef Recovery ◽  
Restoration Method

Counteracting the worldwide trend of coral reef degeneration is a major challenge for the scientific community. A crucial management approach to minimizing stress effects on healthy reefs and helping the recovery of disturbed reefs is reef protection. However, the current rapid decline of the world's reefs suggests that protection might be insufficient as a viable stand-alone management approach for some reefs. We thus suggest that the ecological restoration of coral reefs (CRR) should be considered as a valid component of coral reef management, in addition to protection, if the applied method is economically applicable and scalable. This theoretical study examines the potential applicability and outcomes of restocking grazers as a restoration tool for coral reef recovery – a tool that has not been applied so far in reef restoration projects. We studied the effect of restocking grazing fish as a restoration method using a mathematical model of degrading reefs, and analyzed the financial outcomes of the restocking intervention. The results suggest that applying this restoration method, in addition to protection, can facilitate reef recovery. Moreover, our analysis suggests that the restocking approach almost always becomes profitable within several years. Considering the relatively low cost of this restoration approach and the feasibility of mass production of herbivorous fish, we suggest that this approach should be considered and examined as an additional viable restoration tool for coral reefs.

Reef Foraminifera As Bioindicator Of Coral Reef Health in Pulau Tioman, Pahang, Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aishah Norashikin Abdul A’ziz ◽  
Fatin Izzati Minhat ◽  
Pan Hui-Juan ◽  
Hasrizal Shaari ◽  
Wan Nurzalia Wan Saelan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Coastal Development ◽  
Assessment And Monitoring ◽  
Reef Recovery ◽  
Reef Health ◽  
Coral Reef Area ◽  
Reduced Water

Abstract Pulau Tioman is one of the famous tourism islands in Peninsular Malaysia due to the beautiful terrestrial and coral reefs ecosystem. This study aims to assess and monitor the health of coral reef sites surrounding Pulau Tioman based on the application of Foraminifera in Reef Assessment and Monitoring (FORAM) Index. A total of ten selected sampling sites from west and east side of Pulau Tioman were setup in front of the major beach areas around Pulau Tioman. At each site, 100 m transect was laid out from shore towards the reef slope and surface sediment samples were collected at 50 m intervals. Eight orders, 41 families, 80 genera and 161 species of benthic foraminifera were identified around Pulau Tioman. Amphistegina lessonii found to be the most dominant species and the least dominant species (< 4%) are Bolivina vadescens, Elphidium neosimplex, Heterolepa dutemplei, Heterolepa subhaidingerii, Mikrobelodontos bradyi, Milliolinella suborbicularis, Operculina discoidalis, Parahourinoides fragillissimus, Quinqueloculina incisa, Quinqueloculina sulcate, Triloculinella bertheliniana and Triloculinella parisa. The highest and lowest numbers of species was recorded at station J3 and station F3. The agglutinated type of foraminifera contributed between 2–8% of the total assemblages. Meanwhile, calcareous hyaline and porcelaneous group represent 79% and 19% of total assemblages respectively. Based on the functional groups, symbiont-bearing taxa were the most common foraminiferal found in most of the stations. The present study indicates that majority of sampling sites around Pulau Tioman are conducive for coral reef growth and could recover from any future bleaching events or temporary damage in the ecosystem. However, several areas with higher coastal development and tourism activities has reduced water quality (FI < 4) and chances of better reef recovery. Thus, the number of visitors and tourists should be revised in order to produce a better condition for coral reefs to grow. This assumption is based on the established results of the FORAM index. Thus, we suppose that FORAM index could be used together with coral reef health index in other reef ecosystems around Malaysia to determine the condition and status of coral reef area.

scholarly journals Potential contribution of fish restocking to the recovery of deteriorated coral reefs: an alternative restoration method?

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uri Obolski ◽  
Lilach Hadany ◽  
Avigdor Abelson
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Reef Management ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Reef Recovery ◽  
Restoration Method

Counteracting the worldwide trend of coral reef degeneration is a major challenge for the scientific community. A crucial management approach to minimizing stress effects on healthy reefs and helping the recovery of disturbed reefs is reef protection. However, the current rapid decline of the world’s reefs suggests that protection might be insufficient as a viable stand-alone management approach for some reefs. We thus suggest that the ecological restoration of coral reefs (CRR) should be considered as a valid component of coral reef management, in addition to protection, if the applied method is economically applicable and scalable. This theoretical study examines the potential applicability and outcomes of restocking grazers as a restoration tool for coral reef recovery—a tool that has not been applied so far in reef restoration projects. We studied the effect of restocking grazing fish as a restoration method using a mathematical model of degrading reefs, and analyzed the financial outcomes of the restocking intervention. The results suggest that applying this restoration method, in addition to protection, can facilitate reef recovery. Moreover, our analysis suggests that the restocking approach almost always becomes profitable within several years. Considering the relatively low cost of this restoration approach and the feasibility of mass production of herbivorous fish, we suggest that this approach should be considered and examined as an additional viable restoration tool for coral reefs.

scholarly journals Coral Reef Restoration using Nursery-Reared Coral Fragments in a LGU-Academe Ushered Community Project in Masbate (Philippines)

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonino B. Mendoza, Jr. ◽  
Victor S. Soliman ◽  
Plutomeo M. Nieves ◽  
Florizel M. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Project Success ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Community Project ◽  
San Fernando

With the declining state of Philippine coral reefs, the need for conservation and rehabilitation efforts are deemed crucial to sustaining ecological, biological and economic recovery in the reef system. However, there is yet a concrete and workable policy to be implemented in restoring and rehabilitating our reef areas aside from establishment of marine protected area (MPA). Here, we explored the prospects of coral restoration by demonstrating experiences in San Fernando, Masbate (Ticao Island) combined with the practices of the National Coral Restoration Program. In this project, some 20,000 coral nubbins utilizing ‘corals of opportunities’ were reared in 40 coral nursery units (CNUs) for six months and achieved 80% survival. They were then out-planted (c. 20,000 sq m) inside an MPA to ensure their protection and increase in live cover.  The fragments were attached to dead corals using epoxy or tied in concrete nails using cable ties. Four coral genera were used namely Acropora, Seriatopora, Pocillopora, and Stylophora. About 70% coral survival was achieved after two months of transplantation. Involvement of the LGU, community and the private sector is crucial to project success. Results of the transplantation indicated effectiveness and viability of the CNU system to complement coral transplantation.

scholarly journals Coral Reef Socio-Ecological Systems Analysis & Restoration

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Uribe-Castañeda ◽  
Alice Newton ◽  
Martin Le Tissier
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Human Dimensions ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Ecological System ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Restoration Strategies ◽  
Ecological Objectives

Restoration strategies for coral reefs are usually focused on the recovery of bio-physical characteristics. They seldom include an evaluation of the recovery of the socio-ecological and ecosystem services features of coral reef systems. This paper proposes a conceptual framework to address both the socio-ecological system features of coral reefs with the implementation of restoration activity for degraded coral reefs. Such a framework can lead to better societal outcomes from restoration activities while restoring bio-physical, social and ecosystem service features of such systems. We first developed a Socio Ecological System Analysis Framework, which combines the Ostrom Framework for analyzing socio-ecological systems and the Kittinger et al. human dimensions framework of coral reefs socio-ecological systems. We then constructed a Restoration of Coral Reef Framework, based on the most used and recent available coral reef restoration literature. These two frameworks were combined to present a Socio-Ecological Systems & Restoration Coral Reef Framework. These three frameworks can be used as a guide for managers, researchers and decision makers to analyze the needs of coral reef restoration in a way that addresses both socio-economic and ecological objectives to analyze, design, implement and monitor reef restoration programs.

scholarly journals Potential contribution of fish restocking to the recovery of deteriorated coral reefs: an alternative restoration method?

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uri Obolski ◽  
Lilach Hadany ◽  
Avigdor Abelson
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Rapid Decline ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Reef Management ◽  
Reef Restoration ◽  
Reef Recovery ◽  
Restoration Method

Counteracting the worldwide trend of coral reef degeneration is a major challenge for the scientific community. A crucial management approach to minimizing stress effects on healthy reefs and helping the recovery of disturbed reefs is reef protection. However, the current rapid decline of the world's reefs suggests that protection might be insufficient as a viable stand-alone management approach for some reefs. We thus suggest that the ecological restoration of coral reefs (CRR) should be considered as a valid component of coral reef management, in addition to protection, if the applied method is economically applicable and scalable. This theoretical study examines the potential applicability and outcomes of restocking grazers as a restoration tool for coral reef recovery – a tool that has not been applied so far in reef restoration projects. We studied the effect of restocking grazing fish as a restoration method using a mathematical model of degrading reefs, and analyzed the financial outcomes of the restocking intervention. The results suggest that applying this restoration method, in addition to protection, can facilitate reef recovery. Moreover, our analysis suggests that the restocking approach almost always becomes profitable within several years. Considering the relatively low cost of this restoration approach and the feasibility of mass production of herbivorous fish, we suggest that this approach should be considered and examined as an additional viable restoration tool for coral reefs.

scholarly journals Inequality in the distribution of ear, nose and throat specialists in 15 Latin American countries: an ecological study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e030220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tess Bright ◽  
Oscar J Mújica ◽  
Jacqueline Ramke ◽  
Claudia M Moreno ◽  
Carolina Der ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
State Level ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Relative Index ◽  
The Social ◽  
Latin American Countries ◽  
Universal Health ◽  
Index Of Dissimilarity ◽  
Nose And Throat

ObjectiveTo explore sociogeographical inequalities in the availability and distribution of ear, nose and throat specialists (ENTs) in 15 Latin American (LA) countries.DesignEcological.SettingSpanish and Portuguese-speaking countries of LA.The number of registered ENTs in 2017 was obtained from the National ENT Society in each country.Outcome measuresThe ENT rate/million population was calculated at the national and subnational (eg, state) level. Three measures were calculated to assess subnational distributive inequality of ENTs: (1) absolute and (2) relative index of dissimilarity; and (3) concentration index (using the Human Development Index as the equity stratifier). Finally, the ratio of ENTs/million population in the capital area compared with the rest of the country was calculated.ResultsThere was more than a 30-fold difference in the number of ENTs/million population across the included countries—from 61.0 in Argentina (95% CI 58.7 to 63.4) to 2.8 in Guatemala (95% CI 2.1 to 3.8). In all countries, ENTs were more prevalent in advantaged areas and in capital areas. To attain distributive equality, Paraguay would need to redistribute the greatest proportion of its ENT workforce (67.3%; 95% CI 57.8% to 75.6%) and Brazil the least (18.5%; 95% CI 17.6% to 19.5%).ConclusionsThere is high inequality in the number and distribution of ENTs between and within the 15 studied countries in LA. This evidence can be used to inform policies that improve access to ear and hearing services in the region, such as scale-up of training of ENTs and incentives to distribute specialists equally. These actions to reduce inequities, alongside addressing the social determinants of ear and hearing health, are essential to realise Universal Health Coverage.

scholarly journals China in Latin America: a follow-up on the development of the relations

Revista CS ◽  
2014 ◽  
pp. 19-46
Author(s):  
Benjamin Creutzfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Regional Organizations ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Latin American Countries

This paper examines five recently published books that deal with the issue of Chinese relations with the Americas between 2011 and 2014. The author shows that the books provide evidence of a steady China’s interest to Latin America and the Caribbean as well as a scale-up of diplomatic relationships and bilateral trade of commodities. At the same time, the ability of Latin American countries to provide an effective response to the Chinese attempts to use the bilateral arrangements in order to strengthen its participation in regional organizations is rather weak. This scenario allows a progressive and effective impact of China in the region to continue. The author argues that the way to better understand China’s relations with Latin America is via a multidisciplinary approach, which is not limited by the boundaries of one discipline or a research area only. Besides, it is important to take into account that -additionally to commerce and trade- China´s interaction within Latin America and the Caribbean also involves cultural, social, political, and global dimensions.

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