Human disturbance impedes growth of coral reefs around Bonaire

The coral reef around Bonaire is known to be one of the healthiest in the Caribbean. However, new research by Wageningen Marine Research shows that a large part of these reefs is not in good shape: most of the shallow parts are hardly growing and in some cases they are even eroding away. The researchers found a negative correlation between local human activity and the growth capacity of the reef.

This article was published in BioNews29

More information: de Bakker, D.M., van Duyl, F.C., Perry, C.T., Meesters, E.H. (2018). Extreme spatial heterogeneity in carbonate accretion potential on a Caribbean fringing reef linked to local human disturbance gradients. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14800