Coastal Protection services of coral reefs in Bonaire

The coastal protection value (CPV) of coral reefs is one of the ecosystem services that contribute to the economic value of coral reefs. The basic principle of coastal protection by coral reefs is the observation that reefs dissipate wave energy either by wave breaking or friction by reef structures. In this study, the coastal protection value (CPV) is estimated on 30 * 30 m grid cell level, which gives a more spatially explicit estimation of the CPV of coral reefs. The annual coastal protection values of the coral reefs of Bonaire for short-term (i.e. within 10 years) and long-term processes (i.e. beyond 10 years) are estimated at $33,000 and $70,000, respectively.