Coral Monitoring, Fragmentation, and Aquaculture Initiatives

Coral Monitoring, Fragmentation, and Aquaculture Initiatives

I assume everyone knows the history of aquaculture when it comes to growing coral.  I will say the process hasn’t changed much from when it was developed by civilian aquarium enthusiasts.  What has changed is the necessity to grow coral in semi-captive environments and transplant it back onto our larger reef systems.

Currently, in Akumal, we have been collecting photographs and data of our Acropora species and some of our Diploria.

Obviously we have some problems with our water quality in general up and down the peninsula.

I’ll begin by explaining the diagnostic testing I am doing, and my reason for doing these standard tests.

I’m currently testing

• Ammonia levels – which are varying between little more than 0.00 PPM up to .50 PPM on the reef
• Nitrates are being tested at stands of living, diseased, dead, and thriving colonies of Acropora due to our high Algae growth on the reef and the main bay. 
• pH is being tested to assess poor coral growth.  This gives us an indication of the variance locally.  We can compare this to what are considered normal ranges for the species we are losing and targeting for our coral nurseries.
• I am testing pH and Nitrates at stands of diseased or dying Acropora
• Each stand of Acropora is then measured in width and height – to determine age, size, and area of disease and in most instances photographed.
• We take the water temperature
• Currently, we record the depth and location of the stands we are studying
• Specific Gravity is also recorded to assess salinity: especially with so many fresh water cracks that feed into our ocean and bays locally.

I am currently not testing: Alkalinity:KH, Phosphates, or Calcium around living and dead stands. 

Currently I am concentrating on 4 areas. These are areas in the NE and SE portions of Akumal Bay, Church reef, and Yal Ku Canyon.  These areas tell the story of the reef’s decline. However, I think these locations offer us a good deal of hope, and possibly a road map to revitalizing the reefs of Akumal and the Riviera Maya.