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.
