AnasAnaastata Reef Systems Academic Unit, Puerto Morelos Marine Sciences and Limnology Institute National Autonomous University of Mexico
UASA Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales ICML
Anastazia Teresa Banaszak [email protected]
15 faculty 6 postdocs 10 technicians 60 grad students
Time µs 1000s years
Spac
e
Å2
km2
Molecules: (photosynthesis, toxins, DNA damage, stress)
fs
Reefs (formation and ersoion, sea level change)
Ecosystems (biodiversity, degradation)
Cells (physiology, biochemistry, symbiosis)
Organisms (responses to thermal stress, acidification bleaching, natural products, behaviour)
Populations (biology, genetics)
UASA
Primary Calcification(Corals)
Erosion (Biological, physical and chemical)
Secondary Calcification (Coraline algae and Mollusks)
1
5
10
-1
-5
-10
Coastal zone protection Sea level change Reef degradation
Phase shifts Habitat destruction Loss in biodiversity
Changes in landscapes
A
B
C
Hoegh-Guldberg et al 2007
Perry et al 2008
Impacts of global change on coral reefs
Blanchon et al 2010
Coral bleaching Susceptibilities to stressors Coral diseases Loss in coral cover Changes in fish species Eutrophication
Pastos marinos UNAM
Proc
eses
s Pa
ram
eter
s Co
mm
unity
ch
ange
s
www.gefcoral.org
Coral Reef Targested Research and Capacity Building for Management (GEF-World Bank)
• UASA was named as one of the four centres of excellence • Impacts of global climate change on coral reefs and
management practices. • Most of the academic staff participated in this project.
Garbage dumps No sewage treatment Golf courses Hotel developments
Injection wells Injection wells
Coral reef
Sea grasses
UASA
1971
2010
PUERTO MORELOS NATIONAL REEF PARK
Acropora palmata: Elkhorn coral Species with special protection (NOM-059)
Critically endangered (IUCN red list)
Coastal protection
Reef
Biodiversity
Rodríguez-Martínez et al. 2014 Plos One
138 sites along Mesoamerican Reef System • A. palmata cover is almost
zero • Northern populations have
higher coverage • Despite managment efforts
there is no significant recovery
• Conservtiion and restoration efforts are critical
Status of Acropora palmata populations in the Western Caribbean
132 A palmata patches (different sizes and shapes).
Banaszak y Alvarez-Filip 2015
• Limones is the reef with the
highest density of A pal.
• Population genetic data indicate that this site is critical for the conservation and protection of A pal.
• This reef has been closed to fishing and tourism by the National Parks Comission
• Basic reserach on A pal reproduction has led to restoration using sexual recruits in the Mexican Caribbean.
• Seed bank of germ cell lines from different areas to select restistant cell lines.
Polar plots (θ, m) 5, 10 and 15 m diameter 8 samples per circle, total = 24
Population genetics
One population along the Mexican Caribbean
Survival in marine nurseries • 2 sites (Puerto Morelos and Punta Venado) • Average 5% (1 year), 100% (2 and 3 years)
Data: Santiago Zúñiga Cervera (PM)
Ana Laura Aguilar Morales (PV)
But this is not cost effective … Nor is clonal propagation because it involves many hours. Cost estimates: 400 years to restore 1 hectare using fragments (4 people full time)
Research into mass restoration techniques to seed large areas (hectares)
2000 substrates in Puerto Morelos, Punta Herrero and Xcalak in collaboration with Xcaret Ecopark and the SECORE Foundation (Funding: WWF- Carlos Slim Foundation
