Quantifying the state of the coral reef ecosystem in relation to biophysical benthic and pelagic indicators and biological drivers of change in the Saba National Marine Park, Dutch Caribbean

Coral reefs are experiencing large scale degradation. Motivated by the need for regular data monitoring and for quantification of the state and change of benthic and pelagic organisms, the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network protocol was executed on 18 dive sites in fished and unfished areas around the island of Saba in the Saba National Marine Park (SNMP) in the Dutch Caribbean from March to May 2019. Pictures of the benthos were taken and analysed with the Coral Point Count Excel extension software and fish biomass was calculated through the Bayesian length-weight-relationship. Although con... Mehr ...