Ecological and socioeconomic strategies to sustain Caribbean coral reefs in a high-CO 2 world

• Published in: Regional Studies in Marine Science
• Main Authors: Andersson, Andreas, Venn, Alexander, Pendleton, Linwood, Brathwaite, Angelique, Camp, Emma, Cooley, Sarah, Gledhill, Dwight, Koch, Marguerite, Maliki, Samir, Manfrino, Carrie
• Other Authors: Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO - UC San Diego), University of California San Diego (UC San Diego), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), Aménagement des Usages des Ressources et des Espaces marins et littoraux - Centre de droit et d'économie de la mer (AMURE), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Durham, University of Queensland Brisbane, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Ocean conservancy Washington, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Biological Sciences Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Université de Tlemcen, Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2019
• Subjects: Ecosystem services; Caribbean; Coral reef; Restoration; Climate change; Ocean acidification; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Indian; Pacific
• Online Access: https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-02142654; https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-02142654/document; https://hal.univ-brest.fr/hal-02142654/file/1-s2.0-S2352485518305565-main.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2019.100677

International audience The Caribbean and Western Atlantic region hosts one of the world’s most diverse geopolitical regions and a unique marine biota distinct from tropical seas in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. While this region varies in human population density, GDP and wealth, coral reefs, and their associated ecosystem services, are central to people’s livelihoods. Unfortunately, the region’s reefs have experienced extensive degradation over the last several decades. This degradation has been attributed to a combination of disease, overfishing, and multiple pressures from other human activities. Furthermore, the Caribbean region has experienced rapid ocean warming and acidification as a result of climate change that will continue and accelerate throughout the 21st century. It is evident that these changes will pose increasing threats to Caribbean reefs unless imminent actions are taken at the local, regional and global scale. Active management is required to sustain Caribbean reefs and increase their resilience to recover from acute stress events. Here, we propose local and regional solutions to halt and reverse Caribbean coral reef degradation under ongoing ocean warming and acidification. Because the Caribbean has already experienced high coral reef degradation, we suggest that this region may be suitable for more aggressive interventions that might not be suitable for other regions. Solutions with direct ecological benefits highlighted here build on existing knowledge of factors that can contribute to reef restoration and increased resilience in the Caribbean: (1) management of water quality, (2) reduction of unsustainable fishing practices, (3) application of ecological engineering, and (4) implementing marine spatial planning. Complementary socioeconomic and governance solutions include: (1) increasing communication and leveraging resources through the establishment of a regional reef secretariat, (2) incorporating reef health and sustainability goals into the blue economy plans for the region, and ...