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Tropical Marine Ecology Program

Tropical and subtropical marine environments represent some of the most diverse habitats on earth. Despite their oligotrophic waters, inhabitants have developed numerous strategies for thriving in clear, food-scarce waters. Often characterized by reef-building corals and associated functional zones, these complex marine habitats are home to many ecologically and commercially valuable fishes and invertebrates. As such, the relatively high biodiversity found in tropical marine have long sustained the livelihoods and well-being of much of the world’s population.

Despite their ecological and economic importance, tropical marine ecosystems are being disturbed by human activities such as overfishing, coastal pollution, tourism, and economic development. Given the complex nature of tropical marine ecosystems, scientists are only now beginning to understand the full effects of anthropogenic disturbances in these environments. For example, in The Bahamas, it is clear that a delicate balance is needed to protect the vast areas of marine resources while supporting an economy based on tourisms and extractive fisheries. Because many regions of The Bahamas are relatively untouched, long-term monitoring and comparative studies can provide important information that can lead to successful conservation initiatives and sustainable use of marine resources.

The goal of the CEI Tropical Marine Ecology Program is to use an integrated approach to deepen the basic understanding of tropical marine ecosystems in addition to addressing the effects of human disturbances in these environments. To do so, we are working at multiple spatial and temporal scales to identify key linkages in marine ecosystems and assessing the effectiveness of management tools, such as marine protected areas, for the protection of sensitive species and critical habitats.