1Universidad Central de Venezuela, 2Simon Bolivar Universidad
Los Roques National Park is a complex reef situated 150 km north of the central coast of Venezuela. It is the main coral reef area of Venezuela and one of the most important in the southern Caribbean. Environmental stability, water clarity and remoteness from land contribute to make the archipelago of Los Roques an excellent place for a diverse and abundant fauna. The area sustains important fish and shellfish fisheries (i.e., ~ 90% of the national lobster production came from the archipelago) and tourist activities have increased in the last ten years.
Coral reef studies at the archipelago have been limited. In October 1999, a team of 6 scientists conducted AGRRA surveys at 12 sites along the two main barriers: the east and the southwest.
Preliminary results suggest the intermediate depths had complex reef development, high (>50%) coral cover, low recent mortality (<5%) and low to moderate old mortality (<25%). Incidence of disease or bleaching was very low. Most of the shallow East barrier reef contained extensive development of standing dead A. palmata. Turf and coralline algae dominated all reefs with low amounts of macroalgae (<5%). Fish populations varied between sites, but in general had a moderate to high abundance of herbivores and a moderate abundance of commercially significant fish. Overall, these reefs appear to be in extremely good condition with large coral colonies, low macroalgal abundance, and diverse and abundant fish populations.
Survey team members:
Juan Manuel Posada, Estrella Villamizar, Santiago Gómez, Mariano Palazzo,
Daniela Alvarado, and Patricia Kramer.
This survey was sponsored by Ocean Research and Education Foundation, Juan Carlos Fernandez, Fundación Cientifica Los Roques and Estación de Biología Marina Dos Mosquises, Parque Nacional Archipelago de Los Roques, Sexto Continente Dive Shop, Albacora, and Todos Santos.
For more information contact:
Juan Manuel Posada
Universidad Simón Bolívar
Departamento de Biología de Organismos
Caracas, Venezuela
jposada@usb.ve
Estrella Villamizar
Universidad Central de Venezuela
Caracas, Venezuela
museomar@telcel.net.ve
Page layout and design by Monika Gurnée.