Regional spatio-temporal trends in Caribbean coral reef benthic communities

Abstract

Caribbean coral cover has declined sharply, with the biggest drop in 1980–1981 during the Acropora white band disease outbreak. Since 1982, coral cover has remained relatively stable. Macroalgal cover peaked in 1986 after the Diadema antillarum die-off, then declined in 1987 and stabilized. From 2001 to 2005, average coral cover was 16.0%, and macroalgal cover was 15.3%, varying by subregion. The lowest coral cover was in the Florida Keys, the highest in the Gulf of Mexico. Trends from monitored reefs align with broader regional patterns, suggesting little overall change in coral and macroalgal cover since the mid-1980s.