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Over the last decade, the beaching of massive quantities of sargassum in the Caribbean has become a major problem. Relatively few studies have focused on beached sargassum which has numerous negative environmental, social and economic impacts. To aid understanding of the problem and develop approaches to effectively manage it, a satellite-based mapping and monitoring service is being developed on the basis of information generated in a set of user needs workshops. Here, we report on the foundations of this mapping and monitoring service. In particular, user needs obtained from a large and diverse set of stakeholders are used to identify appropriate satellite remote sensing systems to use as data sources. The system will use mainly PlanetScope and Sentinel-2 data to meet the spatio-temporal demands of users. It is planned to develop an operational system that may if desired be extended to the Caribbean as a whole and beyond.

Noticeable within the Mexican Caribbean is the Arrecife de Puerto Morelos National Park (APMNP), a marine protected area established as an essential component for managing and protecting coral reefs. In June 2019, we conducted a survey in eight shallow reef sites of the APMNP with the purpose of applying a coral reef assessment method, based on biological indicators of the condition of both benthos and fish communities. In this paper we present tables with data of biological and ecological variables such as: benthos coverage, species composition and abundance of corals, abundance of urchins and coral recruits, bleaching, coral diseases and coral mortality percent, reef relief, and composition and abundance of key commercial and herbivorous fish species. The research article related to these databases was published in the journal

Sustainable energy is needed globally, and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a possible way to diversify the energy matrix. This article suggests a preliminary selection process to find optimal sites for OTEC deployment on the Mexican coastline. The method comprises the (1) evaluation of the thermal power potential, using daily data (16 years) of sea surface temperature, and the percentage of available time of the power thresholds; (2) assessment of feasibility using a decision matrix, fed by technical, environmental and socioeconomic criteria; (3) identification of four potential sites; and (4) comparison of OTEC competitiveness with other technologies through the levelized cost of energy. Multi-criteria decision analysis was applied to select optimal sites, using the technique for ordering performance by the similarity to the ideal solution. The best sites were (1) Puerto Angel and (2) Cabo San Lucas; with power production of > 50 MW and a persistence of > 40%. As yet there is no evidence from operational OTEC plants that could alter the environmental and socioeconomic criteria weightings. More in situ studies on pilot plants should help to determine their possible environmental impact and socio-economic consequences before any larger-scale projects are implemented.

In the Mexican Caribbean, 15 marine protected areas (MPAs) have been established for managing and protecting marine ecosystems. These MPAs receive high anthropogenic pressure from coastal development, tourism, and fishing, all in synergy with climate change. To contribute to the MPAs&rsquo, effectiveness, it is necessary to provide a long-term observation system of the condition of marine ecosystems and species. Our study proposes the establishment of a new marine biodiversity monitoring program (MBMP) focusing on three MPAs of the Mexican Caribbean. Five conservation objects (COs) were defined (coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, marine turtles, and sharks-rays) for their ecological relevance and the pressures they are facing. Coral reef, seagrass and mangroves have multiple biological, biogeochemical and physical interactions. Marine turtles are listed as endangered species, and the status of their populations is unknown in the marine area of the MPAs. Elasmobranchs play a key role as top and medium predators, and their populations have been poorly studied. Indicators were proposed for monitoring each CO. As a technological innovation, all information obtained from the MBMP will be uploaded to the Coastal Marine Information and Analysis System (SIMAR), a public, user-friendly and interactive web platform that allows for automatic data management and processing.

The boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere (i.e., covering the USA, Canada and Russia) are the grandest carbon sinks of the world. A significant increase in wildfires could cause disequilibrium in the Northern boreal forest’s capacity as a carbon sink and cause significant impacts on wildlife and people worldwide. That is why the ability to forecast wildfires is essential in order to minimize all risks and vulnerabilities. We present a novel methodology utilizing the Bayesian Machine Learning models to identify climatic variations that induce high and low wildfire activity cycles and forecast long-term occurrences of wildfires. The data analyzed are observed records of wildfires, climate change and climate teleconnections, atmospheric, oceanographic, and environmental factors, starting from the first half of the 20th century. Our Bayesian machine learning models show that a new phase of high wildfire activity in the USA, Canada and Russia began in 2020. While USA has a detectable, oscillation of 40 ± 5 years; Russia and Canada have oscillatory patterns of 30 ± 5 and 60 ± 5 years, respectively. Also, our Machine Learning model forecasts peak wildfire activity at around 2022 ± 3 , 2035 ± 3 , and 2045 ± 5 years for USA, Russia, and Canada, respectively. The new high wildfire activity phase will persist in Russia, USA, and Canada, until 2045, 2030, and 2055, respectively.

Bahia Magdalena is a coastal lagoon with an enormous biological and fishing wealth; it is located in the Pacific coast of Baja California (Mexico), a transitional zone between tropical and temperate regions which is strongly affected by the global-scale climate phenomena. The objective of this work was to determine the impact of the unusual and consecutive warming events known as The Blob (TB2013–2015) and the 2015–2016 El Niño on the hydrological characteristics and plankton communities, the lower levels of the trophic web, from January 2015 to December 2017. This coastal lagoon lacks river runoff and primary producers depend on the upwelling’s nutrient supply. The environmental variables analyzed were the upwelling index (PFEL-NOAA), the air and sea temperature, salinity, nutrients, and chlorophyll-a. The species composition, species richness and the Shannon-Weiner diversity index were used to describe some aspects of the phytoplankton community structure and its phenology. The biomass and mortality of zooplankton also were analyzed. The seasonal pattern of hydrology was described with data collected in nine sampling stations. An alternative approach used with both biological and environmental datasets was to select representative sampling stations located in the vicinity of the inlet and in the interior of the lagoon. Chla-fluorescence imagery collected by the MODIS-Aqua satellite was used as an indicator of phytoplankton abundance. Statistical analyses included bi- and multivariate parametric and non-parametric tests. Principal component analysis was used to describe the seasonality of hydrological data and the canonical correlation analysis to relate environmental and biological datasets. The increase of temperature at a global and local scale in 2015 had as consequence an atypical increase in the water temperature in the fall of 2015, coincident with the abrupt diminishing of upwelling strength and input of nutrients advected from the ocean. A recovery of these two variables was recorded in 2016 at the end of the El Niño. The most abundant group of phytoplankton species were diatoms. Algal blooms were composed by species adapted to high temperatures and nutrients depletion in 2015, while in 2016 and 2017 were composed by ruderal-strategist species and they were boosted by the nutrient pulses associated with the spring upwellings. The fall algal bloom, typical of subtropical coastal lagoons, was observed only in 2016 and it was confined to the interior of the lagoon where there are local inputs of nutrients. In 2015 and 2016 there was a succession of diatoms and dinoflagellates related to the rising of temperature while in 2017 this pattern changed because of the strong upwellings. The relationships of water temperature and silicate with a ratio of diatoms’ cell abundance, was analyzed using generalized additive models (GAMs), showing significant correlations but different trends in some years. The species richness of diatom blooms was high; on the other hand, species diversity increased at the end of spring and early summer. The seasonal pattern of zooplankton biomass showed changes along the 3 years, but the most noticeable was an increase during winter and early spring 2015 and the lack of the usual high values of June–July in 2017. The seasonal pattern of the phytoplankton abundance was different in comparison with the 1982–1983 El Niño while the zooplankton was similar among the three strongest El Niño. The changes we observed strongly suggest that the warming caused by those phenomena highly affected the upwelling strength, the length of the temperate and warm seasons and the hydrology. Phenology of phytoplankton and zooplankton changed after the strong perturbation under the El Niño, and possibly The Blob. The recovery of phytoplankton biomass began in 2017, but its taxonomic composition was not adequate to support the zooplankton recovery.

Marine protected areas have been established as essential components for managing and protecting coral reefs to mitigate natural and anthropogenic stressors. One noteworthy example within the Mexican Caribbean is the Arrecife de Puerto Morelos National Park (APMNP), where several studies on the coral communities have been carried out since 2006. In June 2019, we conducted a study in eight sites of the APMNP applying a coral reef assessment method based on biological indicators of both the benthos and the fish communities. In this paper, we present the quantitative results of our study and provide a qualitative criterion assessing seven condition indexes through a scoring system. We also present a statistical comparison with a previous study carried out in 2016. The general status of coral reefs was classified as regular due to the low values of coral recruitment rate and biomass of key commercial fish species. However, living coral cover average was above 20%, with a slight dominance of framework building coral species and the presence of low values of fleshy algae cover, these being positive indicators. Our study found a higher proportion of reef promoter elements and a lower proportion of detractors, compared to a previous study carried out in 2016.

(1) Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada, (9) LDEO, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States, (2) U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL, United States, (3) College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, United States, (4) Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States, (5) NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Miami, United States, (6) Marine Sciences, The University of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago, (7) National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO), Mexico, (8) UAV Collaborative, Moffett Field, CA, United States

This work characterizes patterns of temporal variability in surface waters of the central Gulf of Mexico. We examine remote-sensing based observations of sea surface temperature (SST), wind speed, sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a) and Net Primary Production (NPP), along with model predictions of mixed layer depth (MLD), to determine seasonal changes and long-term trends in the central Gulf of Mexico between the early 1980s and 2012. Specifically, we examine variability in four quadrants of the Gulf of Mexico (water depth >1000 m). All variables show strong seasonality. Chl-a and NPP show positive anomalies in response to short-term increases in wind speed and to cold temperature events. The depth of the mixed layer (MLD) directly and significantly affects primary productivity throughout the region. This relationship is sufficiently robust to enable real-time estimates of MLD based on satellite-based estimates of NPP. Over the past 15–20 years, SST, wind speed, and SSHA show a statistically significant, gradual increase. However, Chl-a and NPP show no significant trends over this period. There has also been no trend in the MLD in the Gulf of Mexico interior. The positive long-term trend in wind speed and SST anomalies is consistent with the warming phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) that started in the mid-90s. This also coincides with a negative trend in the El Nino/Southern Oscillation Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) related to an increase in the frequency of cooler ENSO events since 1999–2000. The results suggest that over decadal scales, increasing temperature, wind speed, and mesoscale ocean activity have offsetting effects on the MLD. The lack of a trend in MLD anomalies over the past 20 years explains the lack of long-term changes in chlorophyll concentration and productivity over this period in the Gulf. Understanding the background of seasonal and long-term variability in these ocean characteristics is important to interpret changes in ocean health due to episodic natural and anthropogenic events and long term climate changes or development activities. With this analysis we provide a baseline against which such changes can be measured.

Predicting the impact of sea-level (SL) rise on coral reefs requires reliable models of reef accretion. Most assume that accretion results from vertical growth of coralgal framework, but recent studies show that reefs exposed to hurricanes consist of layers of coral gravel rather than in-place corals. New models are therefore needed to account for hurricane impact on reef accretion over geological timescales. To investigate this geological impact, we report the configuration and development of a 4-km-long fringing reef at Punta Maroma along the northeast Yucatan Peninsula. Satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) shows the crest is set-back a uniform distance of 315 ±15 m from a mid-shelf slope break, and the reef-front decreases 50% in width and depth along its length. A 12-core drill transect constrained by multiple 230Th ages shows the reef is composed of an ~2-m thick layer of coral clasts that has retrograded 100 m over its back-reef during the last 5.5 ka. These findings are consistent with a hurricane-control model of reef development where large waves trip and break over the mid-shelf slope break, triggering rapid energy dissipation and thus limiting how far upslope individual waves can fragment corals and transport clasts. As SL rises and water depth increases, energy dissipation during wave-breaking is reduced, extending the clast-transport limit, thus leading to reef retrogradation. This hurricane model may be applicable to a large sub-set of fringing reefs in the tropical Western-Atlantic necessitating a reappraisal of their accretion rates and response to future SL rise.

Decisionmakers need updated, scientifically sound and relevant information to implement appropriate policy measures and make innovative commitments to halt biodiversity loss and improve human well-being. Here, we present a recent science-based synthesis on the biodiversity and ecosystem services of Mexico, intended to be a tool for policymakers. We describe the methodological approach used to undertake such an assessment and highlight the major findings. Organized into five volumes and originally written in Spanish (Capital Natural de Mexico), it summarizes the available knowledge on the components, structure, and functioning of the biodiversity of Mexico; the threats and trajectories of anthropogenic impact, together with its conservation status; and the policies, institutions, and instruments available for its sustainable management. We stress the lessons learned that can be useful for similar exercises in other megadiverse developing countries and identify major gaps and strategic actions to conserve the natural capital in light of the challenges of the Anthropocene.

Delineation of management zones is one key feature of precision agriculture (PA), an agricultural management strategy which aims to maximize productivity and sustainability of crops by making optimum use of inputs. Common means of achieving this include the delineation of site-specific management zones (SSMZ), which are subregions of crop fields where yield-limiting factors manifest homogeneously. For pest management, however, PAs standard approach to crop field zoning (e.g. mapping zoning factors, mapping responses, filtering zoning factors, field partitioning, validation of SSMZ) is difficult to implement. In this case, high dynamism of pest populations makes mapping zoning factors and response variables complex and resource-consuming endeavors. Moreover, partitioning crop fields for pest management purposes requires consideration of temporally dynamic zoning factors instead of stable ones. In this paper we propose the addition of an ecological layer to classic PA zoning approaches, in order to overcome obstacles to delineating SSMZ for pest management purposes. In particular, we explore the potential of precision sampling tools (unmanned aerial vehicles, Arduino data loggers) and species distribution modeling (SDM) as facilitators of such an ecological dimension. After contrasting two PA zoning methods against one novel SDM-based approach (described here) to partition a commercial orchard (9 ha, Citrus latifolia Tanaka) in terms of six virtual pests, results show several advantages in our SDM-based method and the occasional necessity of multi approach methodologies to assure adequate zone delimitation under particular infestation scenarios.

Light availability is an important factor driving primary productivity in benthic ecosystems, but in situ and remote sensing measurements of light quality are limited for coral reefs and seagrass beds. We evaluated the productivity responses of a patch reef and a seagrass site in the Lower Florida Keys to ambient light availability and spectral quality. In situ optical properties were characterized utilizing moored and water column bio-optical and hydrographic measurements. Net ecosystem productivity (NEP) was also estimated for these study sites using benthic productivity chambers. Our results show higher spectral light attenuation and absorption, and lower irradiance during low tide in the patch reef, tracking the influx of materials from shallower coastal areas. In contrast, the intrusion of clearer surface Atlantic Ocean water caused lower values of spectral attenuation and absorption, and higher irradiance in the patch reef during high tide. Storms during the studied period, with winds >10 m·s−1, caused higher spectral attenuation values. A spatial gradient of NEP was observed, from high productivity in the shallow seagrass area, to lower productivity in deeper patch reefs. The highest daytime NEP was observed in the seagrass, with values of almost 0.4 g·O2·m−2·h−1. Productivity at the patch reef area was lower in May than during October 2012 (mean = 0.137 and 0.177 g·O2·m−2·h−1, respectively). Higher photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) levels measured above water and lower light attenuation in the red region of the visible spectrum (~666 to ~699 nm) had a positive correlation with NEP. Our results indicate that changes in light availability and quality by suspended or resuspended particles limit benthic productivity in the Florida Keys.

[EN] Phytoplankton blooms are sporadic events in time and are isolated in space. This complex phenomenon is produced by a variety of both natural and anthropogenic causes. Early detection of this phenomenon, as well as the classification of a water body under conditions of bloom or non-bloom, remains an unresolved problem. This research proposes the use of Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) in optically complex waters to detect the bloom or non-bloom state of the phytoplankton community. An IOP index is calculated from the absorption coefficients of the colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), the phytoplankton (phy) and the detritus (d), using the wavelength (lambda) 443 nm. The effectiveness of this index is tested in five bloom events in different places and with different characteristics from Mexican seas: 1. Dzilam (Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean), a diatom bloom (Rhizosolenia hebetata); 2. Holbox (Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean), a mixed bloom of dinoflagellates (Scrippsiella sp.) and diatoms (Chaetoceros sp.); 3. Campeche Bay in the Gulf of Mexico (Atlantic Ocean), a bloom of dinoflagellates (Karenia brevis); 4. Upper Gulf of California (UGC) (Pacific Ocean), a diatom bloom (Coscinodiscus and Pseudo-nitzschia) and 5. Todos Santos Bay, Ensenada (Pacific Ocean), a dinoflagellate bloom (Lingulodinium polyedrum). The diversity of sites show that the IOP index is a suitable method to determine the phytoplankton bloom conditions., CONACYT supported this research with a doctorate scholarship to Jesús A. Aguilar-Maldonado, with the announcement number 251025 in 2015. María-Teresa Sebastiá-Frasquet was a beneficiary of the BEST/2017/217 grant, supported by the Valencian Conselleria d Educació, Investigació, Cultura i Esport (Spain) during her stay at the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Mexico). Thanks are extended to the Strategic Action Program of the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem (GoM-LME), of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The space-time variation of phytoplankton pigments in the western Intra-Americas Sea (IAS), in the vicinity of the island of Cuba, is examined using digital images obtained with the Coastal Zone Color Scanner sensor flown aboard the Nimbus 7 satellite from 1978 to 1986. The results are compared to historical in situ hydrographic observations. A marked seasonality in pigment concentration was observed in waters around Cuba, with an average of 0.07 mg m−3 in summer (April-September) and 0.13 mg m−3 during winter (October–March). The range of variation in pigment concentration was larger in the Gulf of Mexico relative to the western Caribbean Sea. We identified four biogeographical areas on the basis of groups of pixels with similar patterns of time variability. These are area I: southwest of Cuba, Yucatan Channel, and Florida Strait; area II: central Gulf of Mexico; area III: east of Cuba; and area IV: central Caribbean Sea, south of Jamaica and Hispaniola. Two major meteorological events led to anomalies in the seasonal cycle of pigment concentrations. During El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) of 1982–1983, positive anomalies were observed in the pigment concentration in the western IAS during winter months. This was associated with intense mixing of the water column by higher-frequency and stronger winds associated with cold fronts. ENSO 1982–1983 therefore had a fertilizing effect on the IAS region. Another positive anomaly was observed in 1980–1981, a non-ENSO period that featured higher hurricane and extratropical low-pressure activity.

We applied remote sensing techniques using WorldView-2 images with high spatial resolution and field verification to map the bathymetry and benthic habitats of the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park in the Mexican Caribbean. These images were processed using the standardized physics-based data processing of EOMAP's Modular Inversion and Processing System (MIP). To generate a detailed benthic habitat map we developed a two level-classification scheme based on biological and geomorphologic characteristics. These images showed high effectiveness for mapping benthic habitat. Further improvements will emphasize and focus on the selection of regional specific main spectral components and the automation of the radiometric fine tuning. The main contribution is the generation of a detailed benthic habitat map representing functional classification by combining both maps. These studies serve for the management of marine areas in Mexico and could be extended to the entire Mesoamerican Reef System.

Interest in protecting nature has arisen in contemporary society as awareness has developed of the serious environmental crisis confronting us. One of the ecosystems most impacted is the coral reefs, which while offering a great wealth of habitats, diversity of species and limitless environmental services, have also been terribly damaged by anthropogenic causes. One example of this is the oil spill from petroleum platforms (in the recent case of the Gulf of Mexico). The effects of global warming—such as the increase in the incidence and intensity of hurricanes and drastic changes in ocean temperature—have caused dramatic damage, such as the bleaching and decrease of coral colonies. In light of this devastating situation, scientific studies are needed of coral reef communities and the negative effects they are undergoing.

Multispectral satellite data (WordView-2, IKONOS, QuickBird) are used to map bathymetry and spectral sea floor classes in a range of coastal areas. The standardized physics-based data processing integrates MODIS satellite data for the radiometric intercalibration and estimates of turbidity. This process includes corrections for sunglitter, the adjacency and the atmospheric effect. The water depth is calculated iteratively in combination with the spectral unmixing of the respective bottom reflectance on base of the subsurface reflectance. The final step of the processing classifies the bottom reflectance due to the spectral signature of different bottom types and biota using a specific cluster and classification approach. The comparison with in situ data at different sites worldwide proves the approach, but also emphasizes the necessity of radiometric well calibrated satellite data.

To analyze patterns in marine productivity, harmful algal blooms, thermal stress in coral reefs, and oceanographic processes, optical and biophysical marine parameters, such as sea surface temperature, and ocean color products, such as chlorophyll-a concentration, diffuse attenuation coefficient, total suspended matter concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence line height, and remote sensing reflectance, are required. In this paper we present a novel automatic Satellite-based Ocean Monitoring System (SATMO) developed to provide, in near real-time, continuous spatial data sets of the above-mentioned variables for marine-coastal ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico, northeastern Pacific Ocean, and western Caribbean Sea, with 1 km spatial resolution. The products are obtained from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images received at the Direct Readout Ground Station (located at CONABIO) after each overpass of the Aqua and Terra satellites. In addition, at the end of each week and month the system provides composite images for several ocean products, as well as weekly and monthly anomaly composites for chlorophyll-a concentration and sea surface temperature. These anomaly data are reported for the first time for the study region and represent valuable information for analyzing time series of ocean color data for the study of coastal and marine ecosystems in Mexico, Central America, and the western Caribbean. Para estudiar el comportamiento de la productividad marina, los florecimientos algales nocivos, el estres termico en los arrecifes de coral y los procesos oceanograficos, se requieren diversos parametros opticos y biofisicos marinos, como la temperatura superficial del mar, y productos del color del oceano, como la concentracion de clorofila a, el coeficiente de atenuacion difusa, la concentracion de material total suspendido, la fluorescencia de la clorofila y la reflectancia teledetectada. En este articulo se presenta un nuevo Sistema Satelital de Monitoreo Oceanico (SATMO) automatico desarrollado para proporcionar, en tiempo casi real, un seguimiento continuo de las variables antes mencionadas para los ecosistemas marino-costeros del Golfo de Mexico, el Oceano Pacifico nororiental y el Mar Caribe occidental, con una resolucion espacial de 1 km. Los productos fueron obtenidos a partir de imagenes del espectroradiometro de imagenes de resolucion moderada (MODIS) recibidas en la estacion terrena (ubicada en la CONABIO) despues de cada paso de los satelites Aqua y Terra. Ademas, el sistema proporciona imagenes compuestas para varios productos oceanicos de la ultima semana y el ultimo mes transcurrido, asi como compuestos de anomalias semanales y mensuales de la concentracion de clorofila a y la temperatura superficial del mar. Estos datos de anomalia se proporcionan por primera vez para la region de estudio y representan una informacion valiosa para analizar series temporales del color del oceano para el estudio de los ecosistemas marinos y costeros en Mexico, Centroamerica y el Caribe occidental.

In this paper we present a automatic processing of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images using the SeaDAS software, to provide continuous information regarding phytoplankton content and sea surface temperature values of Mexican seas. This automatic processing has permitted obtaining near-real-time ocean products (Level 2): Ocean Color [Chlorophyll-a concentration Pigment OC3 Algorithm, Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient at 488 nm (K490), Total Suspended Matter concentration from Clark, Chlorophyll Fluorescence Line Height, Remote Sensing Reflectance, Water-leaving radiance at 488 nm, and Aerosol optical depth at 868 nm], and the Sea Surface Temperature. The generated products are being used in time series analyses and for testing their relationship with other ecological parameters in various projects of Mexican institutions.

The spatial distribution of benthic habitats in the Gulf of Batabanó obtained by remote sensing, using five images from the Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) satellite sensor, is reported for the first time. The map covers a total underwater area of 21,305 km2 and is presented at the 1:250,000 scale. Five benthic habitats were identified within this area and located using the supervised classification technique: medium- to high-density seagrass, low-density seagrass, sand with scarce vegetation, mud with scarce vegetation, and rock. Seagrass covers 64.85% (13,818 km2) of the total area, while 35.15% (7,487 km2) corresponds to the remaining benthic habitats with or without scarce vegetation. Both the underwater vegetation (seagrass and macro seaweed) and the substratum types were considered. Results were confirmed by in situ measurements obtained from three research cruises between 2003 and 2005. This map represents an important characterization of the Cuban platform waters in order to better understand these ecosystems, and can be used in future change detection analyses to monitor the health of benthic habitats in the Gulf of Batabanó.

SeaWiFS ocean-colour products for the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean are evaluated in comparison with in situ bio-optical data collected during the March 10-12, 2002 cruise from Ushuaia to Uruguay. Radiometric measurements and surface water sampling were carried out at 14 stations. The in situ dataset included HPLC chlorophyll- a concentration (chl- a ), a ph ( λ) spectral absorption coefficients of phytoplankton, suspended particles, and a cdom ( λ) dissolved organic matter, R RS remote sensing reflectance, AOT and aerosol optical thickness. In general, the SeaWiFS-derived and SIMBAD measured AOT were low, but with a good agreement within SIMBAD uncertainty errors. The SeaWiFS-derived R RS was systematically underestimated, but still with good fits. The a * ph (440) were high indicating the presence of small size cells with a low packaging effect. The HPLC pigment composition did not show strong variations amongst the sampled points, with communities most probably dominated by small cells. The phytoplankton community was more homogeneous in the southern stations, than in the northernmost stations influenced by the mixing of the Brazil and Malvinas Currents and the La Plata River discharge. The analyzes of the in situ a cdom (440) characterized the sampling stations as CDOM rich waters. All SeaWiFS chl- a algorithms showed reasonable performances. The empirical algorithms overestimated lower chl- a while underestimated higher concentrations. The GSM01 semi-analytical algorithm underestimated most chl- a values, while CARDER underestimated only the lower concentrations. It is expected that the accuracy of chlorophyll retrievals in coastal areas of the BMC can be improved by a proper tuning of the semi-analytical models with regional inherent optical properties measurements.

Blooms of the toxic marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis cause massive fish kills and other public health and economic problems in coastal waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico [Steidinger, 2009]. These harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a gulf-wide problem that require a synoptic observing system for better serving decision-making needs. The major nutrient sources that initiate and maintain these HABs and the possible connectivity of blooms in different locations are important questions being addressed through new collaborations between Mexican and U.S. researchers and government institutions. These efforts were originally organized under the U.S./Mexico binational partnership for the HABs Observing System (HABSOS), led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf of Mexico Program (EPAGMP) and several agencies in Veracruz, Mexico, since 2006. In 2010 these efforts were expanded to include other Mexican states and institutions with the integrated assessment and management of the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem (GoMLME) program sponsored by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).