Post on 17-Dec-2015
Mesoamerican ReefSamantha Layne Dietrich
Introduction Did you know that the Mesoamerican Reef is over
600 miles long, has more than 500 species of fish and also has more than 60 species of coral.
Location Topography Climate Plants Animals Other organisms Endangered and extinct species Environmental concerns Misc. Conclusion Review
Location Extends along the coast of four countries
Mexico, Belize , Guatemala, and Honduras.
It begins near Isla contoy on the northern tip of the Yucatan peninsula
The Mesoamerican Reef is over 600 miles long
Topography The topography of this area is very
unique, the fact that it is so close to land lets it mesh into inshore habitats, creating a mutualistic relationship
Really close to the shore only a few hundred yards away in some places
But in some places it can be up to 20 miles off shore
Topography This picture shows the different elevations
compared to the sea level
Climate Belize is close to the Mesoamerican Reef and
their climate is described as having only two seasons.
One season is the wet season and the other is the dry season.
The average yearly temperature is around 86 degrees
http://ambergriscaye.com/art/climate_graph.gif
Plants Some plants are algae and sea grass Most of these plants are located on the
ocean floor
Animals These are some of the animals native to
this area Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, whale
sharks, bull sharks, seahorses, starfish, manatees, American crocodiles, and many different bird species
Animals
The animal I chose was the Bottlenose Dolphin
The Bottlenose Dolphins Have a life span of anywhereFrom 45 to 50 years old. The feed on mostly krill and Shrimp They live in groups of 5- 10
dolphins called pods
Other Organisms Some various types of soft coral Along with various types of oysters and
sponges in various different hues and many different types
Many different types of sea grasses are also found throughout this reef
Other Organisms
Soft Orange Coral
Sea grass
Relationships
Bull Sharks
Bottlenose Dolphin, Fish
Sea Turtles, Seahorses
Krill, crab, Lobster, Coral
Tertiary Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Primary Consumer
Producer
Endangered and Extinct Species
Some critically endangered species are the saltwater crocodile
Green Hawksbill, loggerhead sea turtles The largest population of manatees in the
western Caribbean The largest aggregation of whale sharks in
the world
People People are effecting the region by
snorkeling and scuba diving Another thing damaging the coral reefs
are the cruise ships not allowing light to the coral itself
Environmental concerns or issues Some of the biggest issues would be like
the rising ocean temperatures Another issue would have to be the rising
sea levels El Nino and Hurricanes along with
increased human development Most of the damage has been done by
increased sedimentation and run-off
Misc. or unique features The reefs are broken down into smaller
sections and that is when they get their names
The reef in Belize is 185 miles long overall The Mesoamerican reef is the second
largest in the world
Conclusion
In conclusion the Mesoamerican Reef is slowly starting to suffer from the rising sea levels. It is also starting to suffer from pollution. The animals that live in this reef are suffering as well because they are being hunted and the pollution in the water is also killing them.
5 review questions Name one animal that lives in this
ecosystem? What type of plant is most commonly
found in this ecosystem? What are we doing that damages this
ecosystem so much? How long is the reef in Belize? What are two natural causes that are
damaging this ecosystem over time?
Work cited page http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_Barrier_Reef_System http://www.globalissues.org/news/2012/03/07/12909 http://
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/10/mesoamerican-reef/brower-text
http://savefloridareefs.com/Reefpics2/sea_grass.jpg http://biodiversity.tamu.edu/files/2012/09/North-Sound-
Antigua-1024x768.jpg http://www.iwant2go2mexico.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/20
10/08/reef.jpg http://
www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/centralamerica/belize/placesweprotect/mesoamerican-reef-1.xml
http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/mexico/placesweprotect/mesoamerican-reef.xml
https://0265446f04-custmedia.vresp.com/e1aa3dbced/Mesoamerican%20Reef.gif
http://ambergriscaye.com/art/climate_graph.gif
http://awsassets.panda.org/img/wwfca_manaties_356126.jpg
http://animalstime.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/bottlenose-dolphin-facts.jpg