Title: International Year of the Reef: Caribbean Coral Conservation

Organisers: Anjani Ganase, Jahson Alemu

Description: 2018 was declared the 3rd International Year of the Reef (IYOR) by the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) following the longest and most devastating global mass coral bleaching event from 2014 – 2016. Climate change has become the largest threat to Caribbean coral reefs on top of the historical impacts of overharvesting, pollution and habitat loss. In recognition of the IYOR 2018, we highlight some of the local scale and regional coral reef research and initiatives that are occurring across Latin America and the Caribbean that link coral reef physiology, ecology, ecosystem services, conservation management, socio-cultural and economic values and human wellbeing. Following the symposium, there will be a Q&A session with the presenters and a discussion on the next steps for localised and regional coral reef conservation and management in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Presentations

Jahson B Alemu I

The role of even poorly managed marine protected areas in mediating ecosystem service trade-offs on coral reefs: A Tobago case study

Michelle Taylor

High relative abundance of coral recruits on mooring blocks, coral rubble and vertical coral rock in a natural reef setting.

Franziska Elmer

Caribbean wide temporal and spatial distribution of the dermal fish parasite Scaphanocephalus expansus.

Katherine J Siegel

Marine resource management and social-ecological vulnerability to coral bleaching in the Caribbean

Anjani Ganase

The effects of wave action on patterns of coral reef structural complexity