Marine Science Training Handbook Last updated July 2015 i Blue Ventures Belize Science Training Guide: Invasive Lionfish Monitoring & Research 2013 Expedition Contents Chapter 1. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BELIZE .................................................................................... 4 1.1. A brief paleological history ...................................................................................................... 5 1.2. Modern Climate ....................................................................................................................... 5 1.3. Conservation Importance of Belize ......................................................................................... 6 1.4. Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve and National Park (BCMRNP).................................................. 6 Chapter 2. BLUE VENTURES CONSERVATION AND THE BELIZE PROJECT ........................................... 8 2.1. Blue Ventures Conservation .................................................................................................... 8 2.2. Belize Project ........................................................................................................................... 8 2.3. Sarteneja: An Opportunity to Affect the Entire Coastline of Belize ........................................ 9 2.4. Conservation through Collaboration and Partnership .......................................................... 10 The Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD) ........................................... 10 Wildtracks .................................................................................................................................... 10 Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative (CSFI) ................................................................................. 11 The Belize Fisheries Department ................................................................................................. 11 The Belize Forest Department ..................................................................................................... 11 World Wildlife Fund (WWF) ......................................................................................................... 11 University of Belize ...................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 3. INTRODUCTION TO CORAL REEFS ................................................................................... 12 3.1. Coral Reefs ............................................................................................................................. 12 3.2. Structure of Corals Reefs ....................................................................................................... 12 3.3. Where Reefs Exist .................................................................................................................. 12 3.4. Ecosystem Interactions .......................................................................................................... 13 Coral Reefs ................................................................................................................................... 13 Sea grasses ................................................................................................................................... 13 Mangroves ................................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 4. DISTURBANCES TO CORAL REEFS .................................................................................... 14 4.1. Storms and Cyclones .............................................................................................................. 14 4.2. Coral Bleaching ...................................................................................................................... 15 4.3. Nutrient Enrichment .............................................................................................................. 15 4.4. Overfishing and Destructive Fishing Practices ....................................................................... 16 4.5. Anchor and Diver Damage ..................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 5. INVASIVE LIONFISH: A NEW THREAT TO BELIZE’S REEFS ................................................ 16 Page 2 Blue Ventures Belize Science Training Guide: Invasive Lionfish Monitoring & Research 2013 Expedition 5.1. Current Knowledge and Remaining Questions ...................................................................... 17 Lionfish and Native Fish Recruitment .......................................................................................... 18 Competition, Biotic Resistance and the Potential for Biocontrol ................................................ 18 5.1. Lionfish Monitoring and Research in Bacalar Chico .............................................................. 19 Species List ................................................................................................................................... 20 Chapter 6. MEGAFAUNA ................................................................................................................... 20 6.1. Marine Mammals ................................................................................................................... 20 West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus) ............................................................................... 20 Methodology ................................................................................................................................ 22 Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates) ..................................................................................... 22 Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis) ............................................................................... 23 6.2. Marine Reptiles ...................................................................................................................... 23 Marine turtles .............................................................................................................................. 23 Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricate) .................................................................................. 24 Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) .................................................................................................... 25 Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) ............................................................................................ 25 Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) ................................................................................ 26 6.3. Crocodiles............................................................................................................................... 26 American Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) .................................................................... 26 6.4. Elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) ........................................................................................... 27 Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) .................................................................................................. 27 Caribbean Reef Shark (Carcharhinus perezi) ............................................................................... 27 Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) ...................................................................................... 28 Blacktip Shark (Charcharhinus limbatus) ..................................................................................... 28 Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)................................................................................................... 29 Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)................................................................................................... 29 Great Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna mokarran) .......................................................................... 30 Scalloped Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna lewini) .......................................................................... 30 Caribbean Stingray (Himantura schmardae) ............................................................................... 31 Southern Stingray (Dasyatis Americana) ..................................................................................... 31 Longnose/Atlantic Stingray (Dasyatis Sabina) ............................................................................. 32 Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari) ....................................................................................... 32 Table of Figures Page 3 Blue Ventures Belize Science Training Guide: Invasive Lionfish Monitoring & Research 2013 Expedition Figure 1-1 Hawksbill turtle ..................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 1-2 Map of Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve. ................................................... 7 Figure 2-1 Map of Sarteneja (Image from Google Earth, February 2010). ............................................ 9 Figure 5-1 Invasive lionfish threaten Belize’s fisheries and reef health .............................................. 16 Figure 5-2 Cocoa damselfish, and many other small damselfish species, are aggressively territorial. .............................................................................................................................................................