Coral Reef Bleaching(Belize Barrier Reef)

Ppt by: Francisco Vega & Andrea Bonde

Main Locations

2nd LargestBelize Barrier Reef 1st Largest

Great Barrier Reef

Specific Location: Belize Barrier Reef

• 190 mi X 560 mi in size• Charles Darwin 1842

• 2nd largest reef system in the world.• 40% damaged since 1998

Biodiversity

o 70 hard coral specieso36 soft coral specieso 500 fish specieso Hundreds of invertebrate species

Zooxanthellae•Fixed Carbon

Compounds• Symbiotic Relationship

• Photosynthesis•Energy, enhanced

calcification, elemental nutrient flux.•Provide color

*Coral Reefs provide protection and steady supply of carbon dioxide.*

10 6 zooxanthellae cm 2

Natural Causes• Violent Storms• Flooding (Salinity)• High and Low temperature extremes• Temperature• Solar Irradiance• Subaerial Exposure• Sedimentation• Fresh Water Dilution• Inorganic Nutrients• Xenobiotics• Epizootics

•Two mass bleaching events.o 1995 with 10% mortalityo1998 with 48% reduction in

live coral.

Monthly Coral Loss

12/2009 – 8/2009

2012 - 2013

Conservation Efforts• Education on the subject•Gardening•Substrates•Monitoring

Sources1. Barrier Reef, Belize. (n.d.). Westminster College: leading liberal arts college, New Wilmington, PA. Retrieved

February 21, 2013, from http://www.westminster.edu/staff/athrock/belize/reef.html2. Belize Barrier Reef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved

February 21, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize_Barrier_Reef3. Buchheim, J. (n.d.). Coral Reef Bleaching. Marine Biology with Odyssey Expeditions - Tropical Marine Biology

Voyages!. Retrieved February 12, 2013, from http://www.marinebiology.org/coralbleaching.htm4. Coral Bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. (n.d.). reefED - Educate to keep it Great. Retrieved February 12,

2013, from http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/explorer/hot_topics/coral_bleaching/coral_bleaching_on_the_great_barrier_reef

5. Florida Keys. (n.d.). Noaa. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20111209_floridakeys.html

6. Images. (n.d.). Earn Reward Points and Redeem Them For Free Stuff at Swagbucks.com. Retrieved February 5, 2013, from http://www.swagbucks.com/

7. NOAA Coral Reef Watch Homepage and Near-Real-Time Product Portal. (n.d.). NOAA Coral Reef Watch Homepage. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://www.coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html

8. Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) | Diving That Counts. (n.d.). Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) | Diving That Counts. Retrieved February 21, 2013, from http://www.reef.org

9. ReefBase :: Global Database : Resources - Overview. (n.d.). ReefBase :: A Global Information System For Coral Reefs. Retrieved February 21, 2013, from http://www.reefbase.org/global_database/default.aspx?section=r1&region=0&country=MEX

10. Welcome | Coral Reef Alliance. (n.d.). Welcome | Coral Reef Alliance. Retrieved February 21, 2013, from http://www.coral.org

11. Western Hemisphere 2 Months Coral Reef HotSpots Animation - Office of Satellite and Product Operations. (n.d.). Office of Satellite and Product Operations. Retrieved February 25, 2013, from http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/cb/hotspots/anim_2mw.html