Monitoring of Coral Reefs

Monitoring of Coral Reefs

Baseline studies on coral reefs in Tobago were conducted in the 1980’s and repeated in 2008.  Based on the recommendations from the 2008 report, a monitoring programme was developed.  This programme include a high-resolution examination of the stability of the coral community structure and demography (recruitment, growth, survivorship, etc.) of major coral reef organisms on an impacted reef (Buccoo Reef), less impacted (Culloden Reef), and an intermediate reef (Speyside Reef). Additional coral sites at Charlotteville, Castara and Plymouth were established in 2015. Fish, macroalgal and macroinvertebrate (principally including corals, gorgonians and sea urchins) populations are studied at the same permanent transects on an annual basis, and annual monitoring reports are produced that gives insights into the dynamics of coral reef communities.