Results of a coral reef survey of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with comparisons to past studies and other Caribbean reefs

Abstract

This field survey was conducted by members of the National Center for Caribbean Coral Reef Research (NCORE), a center within the Rosenstiel School for Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, FL, USA. NCORE’s purpose in performing an Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) of the Punta Cana reef was four-fold: 1) to provide scientific information to stakeholders of the Punta Cana reef; 2) to collect preliminary information on the Punta Cana reef tract for identification of potential future monitoring sites; 3) to compare the Punta Cana reef to other reefs across the Caribbean using standardized AGRRA data; and 4) to obtain an initial survey for incorporation into a future AGRRA survey of the entire Dominican Republic.