Presentation done for Coral Reef and Wetland Education Campaign in Tobago

1. Keeping the Balance Right
Coral Reefs
CITIES UNDER THE SEA
Presented by:
Barry Lovelace, MSc.,
Environmental Science Educator

2. Coral Reefs
Our Amazing
Very Rich Biodiversity
• Well over 1 million different
kinds of organisms share
small space (only 10% Identified)
• Cities under the sea
• Rainforest of the Sea

3. … are large underwater structures
(ridges and mounds) built from
the calcium carbonate (limestone)
deposits of animals (mainly coral
polyps).
What are Coral Reefs?

4. Coral Reef in Tobago

5. Coral Reefs
Our Amazing

6. Largest brain coral in the Western
Hemisphere at Speyside, Tobago

7. Coral ReefsCollage of colourful soft corals

8. Coral Reefs
Diving between barrel sponges at
Speyside, Tobago

9. Coral Reefs
Manta ray at Speyside, Tobago

10. Coral Reefs
Feather duster worm, Tobago

11. Coral Reefs
Yellow tube sponge, Tobago

12. Why are
Coral Reefs
important to
T&T?In 2006 the World Resource Institute (WRI) presented the
estimates of an economic valuation of several Caribbean reefs,
Tobago included.

13. Why are Coral Reefs important?
Coral reef-associated
Tourism and
Recreation
Contributed $130 million to
the national economy in 2006

14. Divers examine largest brain coral

15. Glass-bottom boat tours

16. Why are Coral Reefs important?
Coral reef-associated
Fisheries
provide annual economic benefits
estimated $1.3 million

17. Important source of protein in the Caribbean
parrot fish
parrot fish
Spanish
hogfish
grunt
snapper
grouper

18. Why are Coral Reefs important?
Shoreline
Protection Services of Coral
Reefs
avoided erosion and storm damage from
waves valued $33 million per
year

19. Buccoo
Reef
Tobago’s
largest
fringing reef
on the way to
becoming a
small barrier
reef

20. Why are Coral Reefs important?
Tourism and recreation
Fisheries
Shoreline Protection
US$ 130
US$ 1.3
US$ 33
US$ 164 Mil
These are significant compared to Tobago’s GDP, which
was US$286 million in 2006.
Coral reefs provide other important values not captured
in study (beaches, cultural, pharmaceuticals).

21. Understanding the
threats to coral reefs
Temperature 21 to 29ºC
Salinity >20ppt
Water Clarity/Light mostly above 30m as
they require sunlight
Firm Base for attachment
Water Movement for food and oxygen
Optimum conditions for survival

22. Found worldwide in tropical waters…..
….warm, clear shallow water.

23. Coral Polyps build reefs

24. Most corals
consist of many
small animals
(polyps) living
together in a
large group or
a colony.
Coral Polyps build reefs

25. •Tube-shaped body
•Sessile
The
Polyp
Tentacles – capture food
Mouth – ingests food; expels waste
Gut – digests food
Skeleton (coralite cups) – protective
calcium carbonate structure
Skin – contains zooxanthellae

26. Sunlight
(90%)
Filter feeding
(10%)
The Polyp Gets Energy from:

27. Filter feeding nematocyst
zooplankton
At night, polyps feed on
tiny floating animals (zoo-
plankton).
They paralyse prey with
stinging cells called
nematocyst.
Tentacles pass food to the
mouth which then gets
digested in the stomach.
Waste is expelled through
mouth.

28. Energy from sunlight
Inner cells
zooxanthellae
sunlight
Coral polyps retreat into
their coralite cups during
day.
Single-celled plants in skin
(zooxanthellae), produce
food (sugars) from
sunlight (photosynthesis).

29. Coral Bleaching!!!
Inner cells
zooxanthellae
sunlight
•Stress: Temperature rise
•Polyp expels
zooxanthellae
•colony appears brilliant
white
•4 – 6 week of bleaching,
corals would starve to
death.

30. SEPTEMBER 2005
Bleaching of Fire Corals and Brain Corals
first observed!

31. OCTOBER 2005
Bleaching spread to most coral species

32. OCTOBER 2005
Buccoo Reef Trust and Coral Cay
Conservation Team up to survey main reefs
for severity and extent of bleaching…

33. Method
25 Sites were surveyed using Point
Intercept Transect
Report available at www.buccooreeftrust.org

34. Results
Overall 66%
of hard coral
bleached!!
At some sites over 85%
bleached
Report available at www.buccooreeftrust.org

35. NOVEMBER 2005 -
SEPTEMBER 2006
Buccoo Reef Trust continue to
monitor reefs for recovery/mortality

36. Method
8 stations were established from previous
survey sites

37. At each station, 20 discrete colonies were
tagged, photographed repeatedly, and
analyzed over the period the 10 month period

38. Results
66% Bleached colonies:
November 2005
A Bleached colony

39. Results
Partial Mortality:
32.5%
Some areas died: Sept. 2006A Bleached colony: Nov. 2005

40. Results
November 2005
A Bleached colony

41. Results
Total Mortality:
6.6%
Sept. 2006A Bleached colony: Nov. 2005

42. How do we deal
with Coral
Bleaching?
Reduce stress from
human activities

43. Reef Walking…

44. …prevents small corals…

45. …and boat anchors…

46. …kill live corals.

47. Simple solutions to preventing anchor damage
- Install moorings and reef demarcation buoys
- Avoid reef walking and contact with corals

48. Drain
Algae
Coral
Wastewater

49. Runoff from cleared lands results in
sedimentation of water…
Sediment kill reef

50. Introduction
www.buccooreef.org
Sediment kill reef

51. Coral reefs are in crisis!!!
• Less than 0.2% of ocean is
reefs
• Reefs are disappearing at an
alarming rate worldwide.

52. Coral reefs are in crisis!!!
• 75% of the world's coral
reefs are currently
threatened by local and
global pressures (WRI)

53. Coral reefs are in crisis!!!
• Left unchecked, the percent
of threatened reefs will
increase to more than 90%
by 2030 and to nearly all
reefs by 2050

54. EDUCATE SELF
www.BuccooReefTrust.org
www.Learn.EnvironmentTobago.net

55. SPEAK OUT!!

56. Thank you

57. Buccoo
Reef
Tobago’s
largest
fringing reef
on the way to
becoming a
small barrier
reef