Take a deeper look

Explore the Americas' largest reef through its data

THE Mesoamerican Reef

The Mesoamerican Reef (MAR), located off the eastern coast of Central America and Mexico, is comprised of a diverse system of coral reefs and features vast seagrass beds and mangrove forests. It's an area that marine biologists from the Healthy Reefs Initiative have studied in detail since 2003 to better understand how thousands of interconnected organisms, from fish to coral to algae, keep this fragile ecosystem in balance.

A DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM

Every organism in the reef has a vital part to play. And with so many species living there, the Mesoamerican Reef naturally changes over time. So what types of fish and coral might you encounter if you were underwater exploring it in 2018 vs. 2006? Or the years in between? The interactive data story below lets you explore the information that lies hidden beneath the surface.

Explore the data of diverse species of coral and fish found in the Mesoamerican Reef. Select Fish Families or Coral Families and then select a year.

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What does the data say?

LEARN HOW RESEARCHERS COLLECT DATA UNDER WATER

- Dr. Melanie McField, Director of Healthy Reefs for Healthy People and Smithsonian Working Land and Seascapes scientist.

"As a former Peace Corps volunteer in Belize, I can confirm that coral reef conservation is the toughest job you will ever love and one which urgently needs a larger workforce."

Mélina Soto, Mexico’s Coordinator for the Healthy Reefs Initiative, explains the unique data collection process for documenting the health of hundreds of coral and fish at 300 different sites along the Mesoamerican Reef.

HOW DO YOU COLLECT DATA IN THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN?

Determining a reef's overall health means understanding how the ecosystem changes by collecting data over many years. But collecting data underwater requires solutions that aren't needed on land:

  • The same pencils made for dry land work underwater, but scientists require expensive waterproof paper to record their observations.
  • Some measurements are taken with homemade tools made from sections of PVC pipe.
  • Once measurements are taken in the reef, scientists have to compensate for the magnification of the water and masks – which can make fish and coral appear 34% larger than they are.

Coral bleaching results from warming ocean temperatures and coral disease. Explore the data to see how corals are being affected by these factors.

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What does the data say?

HOW CAN DATA PROMOTE HEALTHY REEFS?

Once the data is collected, the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative (HRI) and their partners use their discoveries to prioritize actions that will improve the overall state of the reef. Their Reef Health Index indicates specific metrics like percentage of coral cover and the biomass of various fish species. These report cards guide HRI scientists, plus public and private organizations throughout the region, to prevent overfishing and nutrient pollution.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP?

While scientists and governments play a vital role in protecting our oceans, there are actions we can take too. Here are some ways everyone can make an impact:

Eat Local.
Plant gardens and trees.
Reduce your emissions.
Choose sustainable seafoods.
Use fewer fertilizers and pesticides.
Use less water.
Eat less meat.
Choose reef-safe sunscreen.
Don’t buy fast fashion.
Use reusable utensils.
Improve waste management.
Recycle.
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