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Coral reef ecosystems are critically important to communities living around and dependent upon them, particularly by providing ecosystem services through aquatic biodiversity, recreation, and touristic value. Countries in Central America face great challenges in properly monitoring and sustainably managing these vast and disparate environments, especially in the context of climate-induced threats such as through increased nutrient runoff and load. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (BBRRS), the world’s second longest barrier reef system, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a critically important area in this regard, and therefore an appropriate case study on the impacts of nutrient flows on algal growth and coral reef biodiversity. A 2009 study led by the World Resources Institute, for instance, indicated that the BBRRS was responsible for 12-15% of Belize’s gross domestic product. In that context, earth observations from NASA multispectral imagers provide a viable solution to complement current efforts to monitor coral reefs in the region and assess the impact of policies and actions implemented.
Study Objectives
Study Objectives
Support the integration of remote sensing in monitoring the indicators associated with SDG 14, in order to achieve that SDG’s specific targets
1.Utilize NASA and ESA data to better understand how Belize’s coastal and marine ecosystems have been impacted by land-based activities over the past two decades
2.Develop the ability to both monitor and forecast marine pollution, so that appropriate interventions can be taken to mitigate current or prevent future harmful impacts of marine ecosystems
3.Strengthen the nation’s Coastal Data Center by developing a pipeline and process for including ocean color remote sensing data from NASA and ESA
4.Transfer scientific and technical capacities to the range of organizations and agencies which participate in coastal zone management in Belize
5.Develop policy recommendations to advise the Government of Belize on how it can meet additional targets under SDG 14
Contributing Work
Contributing Work
The study’s integration of CMIP6 climate scenarios into LULC and hydrologic modeling provides a more holistic view of the future of Belize’s water quality and supports the long-term planning efforts of local decision-making agencies.
Using the tool, ORCAA (Optical Reef and Coastal Area Assessment) , partners can better monitor changing water quality and make decisions accordingly in regards to sustainable resource use, coral reef conservation practices, and environmental capital.
The case study was focused on developing a nitrate prediction model using Sentinel-2 satellite data combined with field data from the Belize Barrier Reef System (BBRS).
This study provides proof of concept that satellite-based monitoring of water quality can complement in situ data and provide evidence of significant water quality improvements due to the COVID-19 shutdown.
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