1. Samantha Layne Dietrich
Mesoamerican Reef
Samantha Layne Dietrich

2. Introduction
Did you know that the Mesoamerican Reef is over 600 miles long, has more than 500 species of fish and also has more than 60 species of coral.
Location
Topography
Climate
Plants
Animals
Other organisms
Endangered and extinct species
Environmental concerns
Misc.
Conclusion
Review

3. Location
Extends along the coast of four countries Mexico, Belize , Guatemala, and Honduras.
It begins near Isla contoy on the northern tip of the Yucatan peninsula
The Mesoamerican Reef is over 600 miles long

4. Topography
The topography of this area is very unique, the fact that it is so close to land lets it mesh into inshore habitats, creating a mutualistic relationship
Really close to the shore only a few hundred yards away in some places
But in some places it can be up to 20 miles off shore

5. Topography
This picture shows the different elevations compared to the sea level

6. Climate
Belize is close to the Mesoamerican Reef and their climate is described as having only two seasons.
One season is the wet season and the other is the dry season.
The average yearly temperature is around 86 degrees

7. Plants Some plants are algae and sea grass
Most of these plants are located on the ocean floor

8. Animals These are some of the animals native to this area
Sea turtles, bottlenose dolphins, whale sharks, bull sharks, seahorses, starfish, manatees, American crocodiles, and many different bird species

9. Animals The animal I chose was the Bottlenose Dolphin
The Bottlenose Dolphins
Have a life span of anywhere
From 45 to 50 years old.
The feed on mostly krill and
Shrimp
They live in groups of dolphins called pods

10. Other Organisms Some various types of soft coral
Along with various types of oysters and sponges in various different hues and many different types
Many different types of sea grasses are also found throughout this reef

11. Other Organisms Soft Orange Coral Sea grass

12. Sea Turtles, Seahorses Relationships Bottlenose Dolphin, Fish
Bull Sharks
Bottlenose Dolphin, Fish
Sea Turtles, Seahorses
Krill, crab, Lobster, Coral
Tertiary Consumer
Secondary Consumer
Primary Consumer
Producer

13. Endangered and Extinct Species
Some critically endangered species are the saltwater crocodile
Green Hawksbill, loggerhead sea turtles
The largest population of manatees in the western Caribbean
The largest aggregation of whale sharks in the world

14. People People are effecting the region by snorkeling and scuba diving
Another thing damaging the coral reefs are the cruise ships not allowing light to the coral itself

15. Environmental concerns or issues
Some of the biggest issues would be like the rising ocean temperatures
Another issue would have to be the rising sea levels
El Nino and Hurricanes along with increased human development
Most of the damage has been done by increased sedimentation and run-off

16. Misc. or unique features
The reefs are broken down into smaller sections and that is when they get their names
The reef in Belize is 185 miles long overall
The Mesoamerican reef is the second largest in the world

17. Conclusion
In conclusion the Mesoamerican Reef is slowly starting to suffer from the rising sea levels. It is also starting to suffer from pollution. The animals that live in this reef are suffering as well because they are being hunted and the pollution in the water is also killing them.

18. 5 review questions Name one animal that lives in this ecosystem?
What type of plant is most commonly found in this ecosystem?
What are we doing that damages this ecosystem so much?
How long is the reef in Belize?
What are two natural causes that are damaging this ecosystem over time?

19. Work cited page