A case for redefining the boundaries of the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion

Chollett, Iliana; Garavelli, Lysel; Holstein, Daniel M.; Chérubin, Laurent M.; Fulton, Stuart; Box, Stephen J.

doi:10.1007/s00338-017-1595-4

Cited by 21 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Ecoregions are "Bahamian" (BA), "Bermuda" (BE), "Carolinian" (CA), "Eastern Caribbean" (EC), "Floridian" (F), "Greater Antilles" (GA), "Guianan" (G), "Northern Gulf of Mexico" (NGM), "Southern Caribbean" (SC), "Southern Gulf of Mexico" (SGM), "Southwestern Caribbean" (SWC) and "Western Caribbean" (WC). (Chollett et al, 2017;Chollett, Stoyle, & Box, 2014). There are now in place partnerships within scientific communities, monitoring networks and observing systems to increase global coverage (Canonico et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In other cases, data simply do not exist and some gaps in marine data likely reflect lack of sampling (Canonico et al, 2019). The mostly unexplored, but extensive reefs and banks of the Honduras/Nicaragua shelf are a prominent case in point (Chollett et al, 2017; Chollett, Stoyle, & Box, 2014). There are now in place partnerships within scientific communities, monitoring networks and observing systems to increase global coverage (Canonico et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparing biodiversity databases: Greater Caribbean reef fishes as a case study

Chollett¹,

Robertson

2020

Fish and Fisheries

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There is a general need for comprehensive biodiversity databases for science, conservation and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources. Data on species occurrence that reliably record the name of the species and precise locations where it is found (herein, biodiversity databases) are central for the study of life on Earth. This information can be used as the basis for ecological studies, including research on species distributions (Elith & Leathwick, 2009) and their changes, for example in relation to climate change (Thomas et al., 2004). Data from biodiversity databases have also been used to assess progress towards targets on conserving biological diversity (Meyer, Kreft, Guralnick, & Jetz, 2015) and help identify management priorities that could allow the sustainable use of natural resources, for

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing biodiversity databases: Greater Caribbean reef fishes as a case study

Chollett¹,

Robertson

2020

Fish and Fisheries

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“…The focus should be on how to support and build capacity of these organizations to allow them to improve mangroves and natural resource management efficacy. (Butler et al, 2011;Chollett et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Considerable attention has been given to coral reefs in the region, however seagrass and mangrove ecosystems have often been overlooked. In this review we consider the entire Honduran north shore as part of the MAR ecoregion, due to potentially high levels of connectivity between the Honduran east coast and the MAR (Butler et al, 2011;Chollett et al, 2017). The boundaries of the ecoregion were originally defined by the presence of several physiogeographic boundaries, these include the Gulf of Mexico, strong oceanic currents between the Yucatan penninsular, Mexico and south west Cuba, the shallow waters of the Nicaraguan rise, Honduras, in addition to a number of terrestrial environmental variables, e.g.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Dichotomy of mangrove management: A review of research and policy in the Mesoamerican reef region

Canty¹,

Preziosi²,

Rowntree³

2018

Ocean & Coastal Management

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Mangroves are declining globally at faster rates than tropical forests and coral reefs, with primary threats including, aquaculture, agriculture and climate change. Mangroves provide ecosystem services to coastal communities of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, which comprise the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) ecoregion. Over the past two decades mangroves within the MAR have declined. Current estimates of mangrove cover in the region suggest that mangroves cover 239,176 ha of the MAR, equivalent to 1.7% of the world's mangroves. Concerted efforts to manage, conserve and protect mangrove forest are apparent in all four countries. Comprehensive laws that prohibit the cutting and clearing of mangroves have been implemented in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Belize has a permitting system to regulate mangrove alterations. In addition, a total of seven international and regional agreements have been ratified. Across the ecoregion, forty-three protected areas have been designated that contain mangroves, providing protection to 111,396 ha of mangroves (47% of the total). However, our findings suggest a lack of transparency in the governance framework, a disconnect between management and research, and geopolitical differences have all played a role 2 in reducing management efficacy. A key finding of our study reveals a distinct division in the perceived major threats to mangroves between Ramsar site managers and researchers. Ramsar site managers identify anthropogenic disturbances as key threats, while in contrast, the bulk of research focuses on natural disturbances. To promote the inclusion of evidence-based research within mangrove management plans, greater efforts to connect these important stakeholders are required.

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“…The Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR) is the longest coral reef ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere, supporting unique biodiversity (Roberts et al, 2002) and spanning more than 1,000 km from Cabo Catoche, Mexico, through Belize and Guatemala, to the Bay Islands, Honduras (Kramer et al, 2015). The region includes at least five distinct ecological areas, ranging from warm, clear waters offshore, to turbid inshore areas around bays and cold areas subjected to upwelling in the north of the ecoregion (Chollett et al, 2012(Chollett et al, , 2017. The MAR is a priority ecoregion (Olson and Dinerstein, 2002), supporting the economies and culturally rich livelihoods of over 17 million people.…”

Section: Mexican Caribbeanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating Biophysical, Socio-Economic and Governance Principles Into Marine Reserve Design and Management in Mexico: From Theory to Practice

Mora¹,

Bennett²,

Fulton³

et al. 2021

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Marine conservation design and fisheries management are increasingly integrating biophysical, socio-economic and governance considerations. Integrative approaches are adopted to achieve more effective, equitable, inclusive, and robust marine policies and practices. This paper describes a participatory process to co-produce biophysical, socio-economic, and governance principles to guide the design and management of marine reserves in three regions of Mexico: the Pacific region of the Baja California Peninsula, the Gulf of California, and the Mexican Caribbean. The process of co-producing the principles included convening a coordination team, reviewing the science, convening multi-stakeholder workshops, developing and communicating the principles with key practitioners and policy makers, and supporting uptake and application to policy and practice. Biophysical principles were related to: habitat representation and risk spreading; protecting critical, special and unique areas; incorporating connectivity; allowing time for recovery; adapting to changes in climate and ocean chemistry; and considering threats and opportunities. Socio-economic principles focused on: integrating the social context, local aspirations, and human-environment interactions; considering economic and non-economic uses, promoting an equitable distribution of costs and benefits, and respecting and maintaining cultural identity and diversity. Governance principles prioritized establishing and ensuring legitimacy and institutional continuity; implementing collaborative and adaptive management; and, promoting effective management. The paper also examines early efforts to implement the principles, next steps to promote further uptake and application in Mexico, and lessons learned from the process. Thus it provides insights into a practical process and a set of principles that are valuable to inform marine conservation and fisheries management processes elsewhere.

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A case for redefining the boundaries of the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion

Cited by 21 publications

References 27 publications

Comparing biodiversity databases: Greater Caribbean reef fishes as a case study

Comparing biodiversity databases: Greater Caribbean reef fishes as a case study

Dichotomy of mangrove management: A review of research and policy in the Mesoamerican reef region

Integrating Biophysical, Socio-Economic and Governance Principles Into Marine Reserve Design and Management in Mexico: From Theory to Practice

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