Macroalgae reveal nitrogen enrichment and elevated N:P ratios on the Belize Barrier Reef

Abstract

Macroalgal blooms are increasing on the Belize Barrier Reef (BBR) as scleractinian coral cover declines. Although some have attributed this to reduced grazing, the role of land-based nutrient pollution has not been assessed. Nutrient enrichment was quantified through macroalgal tissue analysis from Belize City to the offshore fore reef and at several central BBR lagoon sites. These recent data were compared to baseline data from the 1980s. Significant nearshore-to-offshore gradients of %N, %P and δ¹³C in macroalgae all indicated land-based sources of these nutrients. Macroalgal δ¹⁵N values were generally enriched in nearshore waters where values matched those reported for human sewage. Notably, the N:P ratios of recent macroalgae measurements were elevated at all sites, more than two-fold higher than values from the 1980s (~30: 1 to 70:1). These results support the hypothesis that nitrogen enrichment from land-based sources has increased phosphorus limitation driving macroalgal blooms and coral stress on the BBR.

Keywords: Coral reefs; Eutrophication; Macroalgae; Nitrogen; Phosphorus; Stable isotopes.