Chapter

Economic Valuation of the Coral Reefs of Jardines de la Reina and Punta Francés National Parks, Cuba

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  • Center for Marine Research. University of Havana
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Abstract

Coral reefs are extremely important for nature and humans. However, public and decision makers are often unaware of their importance, in part because their true value is hard to assess and seldom presented in an easily understood way. Jardines de la Reina and Punta Francés are among the most iconic coral reefs and national parks in Cuba. Their coral reefs provide many environmental goods and services, but they remain poorly understood. The objectives of this paper are to assess the updated value of two iconic Cuban coral reefs in the worldwide context, revisiting previous studies conducted in each area; and to provide a reference values and benefits for Cuban coral reefs to promote their conservation and sustainable management. Coral reef value expressed in monetary accounting units reaches up to US34millionkm2year1.ThesefiguresareintheorderofmagnitudeorabovetheTotalEconomicValueofcoralreefsdocumentedbyglobalassessments.Inthecaseoftourismvalue(uptoUS 34 million km−2 year−1. These figures are in the order of magnitude or above the Total Economic Value of coral reefs documented by global assessments. In the case of tourism value (up to US 312,000 km−2 year−1), this figure matches the order of magnitude of global assessments. These are relevant findings for decision making in Cuba in an economic setting that urgently demand holistic approaches to adopt actions that contribute to sustainable development and increase Cubans well-being.

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A near-shore dominantly coral-covered area on the west coast of Barbados was surveyed from boats and by diving and a marked correlation between the bathymetry and ecological zonation was apparent. An isolated fringing reef within this surveyed area was selected for budget analyses. The proportion of the substrate covered by dead coral, crustose coralline algae, sand, rubble, and living corals (Porites porites, Porites astreoides, Montastrea annularis, M. cavernosa, Millepora spp., Madracis mirabilis, Siderastrea siderea, Agaricia agaricites, Favia fragum) was determined by measurements along six roped transects. The rocky substrate area was calculated from vertical aerial photographs to give the planimetric area, then this figure was modified by relief factors to take into account the irregular reef surface. The macro-relief factor was determined with ropes and detailed underwater mapping, the micro-relief factor determined using weighted string and modelling clay. The areal coverage in m2 for each coral present in greater than 1% proportional abundance and for the coralline algae was then calculated.The rate of growth of corals was determined either by using X-radiographs of thin slabs cut through axial regions of corals to reveal seasonal banding or by staining with Alizarin red-S. The rate of growth of crustose coralline algae was obtained from measurements made on planted artificial substrates. Once the bulk density of the corals was calculated from simple water-displacement experiments, then the CaCO3 productivity in gm/m2/year could be calculated for each coral. The overall CaCO3 productivity of the reef was found to be 15 kg CaCO3/m2 planimetric area per year.
Article
Growth rates (linear extension) were measured for five species of reef-building corals in three environmental zones: backreef-lagoon, shallow forereef, and base of forereef on a bank barrier reef in the U.S. Virgin Islands during periods of highest and lowest annual water temperatures. Comparison with similar studies elsewhere in the tropical western Atlantic shows some corals (e.g. Montastrea annularis) to be consistent in growth rate regardless of temperature, zone or geographic area, while other corals show differing rates of growth dependent on temperature (Acropora palmata, A. prolifera), reef zone (A. palmata) or geographic area (A. cervicornis). The range of estimated annual rates of linear growth for the five corals considered was 6.6-8.9 mm/yr for M. annularis, 3.0-3.5 mm/yr for Porites astreoides, 71 mm/yr for A. cervicornis, 59-82 mm/yr for A. prolifera, and 47-99 mm/yr for A. palmata. Calcification rate (i.e. the amount of calcium carbonate deposited per unit branch perimeter) did not differ due to temperature, but did show differences due to environmental zone in Acropora palmata, averaging 0.85 g/cm/yr in the backreef, 1.60 g/cm/yr in the shallow forereef and 1.35 g/cm/yr in the deep forereef.