CEBIMário: Coral reefs in Bahía Culebra: impacts and their possible recovery

Local: via Google Meet, link: meet.google.com/vwr-wdtj-vgt

Palestrante:Juan José Alvarado

Resumo: The North Pacific of Costa Rica was considered as one of the regions with the best coral reef development. The diversity of coral species allowed to have live coral coverings between 60 and 90%, with a high diversity and associated fish bio-mass. However, beginning in the mid-2000s, reefs began to show signs of deterioration. First, the invasion of the Caulerpa seaweed, followed by recurring events of red tides. This produced a high coral mortality that led to a phase change. As macroalgae increased, herbivorous urchins increased their populations, resulting in high rates of bioerosion. Despite them, certain coral reefs still survive in the area that have been resilient to all these impacts. Based on the ecological history of the area and on the possibilities of recovery, a pilot ecological restoration plan is established. The first signs are promising, but require the participation of various sectors for their success.