[Coral-List] Mesophotic coral ecosystems Cuba Mexico

[Vassil Zlatarski]

To the attention of colleagues interested in mesophotic coral ecosystems,
their transition from the shallow coral reefs and opportunity for long term
status and ecosystem trend analysis:

Investigations on mesophotic coral ecosystems in Cuba (1970-1973) and
Mexico (1983-1984). CICIMAR Oceánides, 33(2): 27-43.

Abstract. After a pioneering study of Jamaican coral reefs, the Cuban
archipelago was the second to be surveyed
by SCUBA for scleractinian corals and reef life to a depth of 90m, sampling
all phenotypes. Regrettably, the
published data on the mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) of Cuba, collected
1970 to 1973, have been ignored.
This is also true for the published data on the MCEs of the Mexican Yucatán
Peninsula, collected 1983 to 1984.
These two investigations described immense areas exhibiting a rich
continuum of coral life, from shallow reefs
into MCEs without scleractinian faunal break, and no depth-specialists
species complex. Instead, a morphological
changeover of three-dimensional corallum into two-dimensional corallum was
observed and documented.
The existing data on the Cuban and Mexican MCEs (now 45 and 34 years old,
respectively) present a unique
opportunity for long-term status and ecosystem trends analysis. MCEs
require terminological clarification from
collaborative efforts to effectively use the globally available data.

Access:  http://oceanides.ipn.mx/index.php/cicimaroceanides/article/view/230
and go down to FULL TEXT PDF

Cheers,

Vassil

Vassil Zlatarski
D.Sc. (Biology), Ph. D. (Geology)