@article{fdi:010046060,
  title = {{P}hysical connectivity in the {M}esoamerican {B}arrier {R}eef {S}ystem inferred from 9 years of ocean color observations},
  author = {{S}oto, {I}. and {A}ndr{\'e}fou{\¨e}t, {S}erge and {H}u, {C}. and {M}uller-{K}arger, {F}. {E}. and {W}all, {C}. {C}. and {S}heng, {J}. and {H}atcher, {B}. {G}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{O}cean color images acquired from the {S}ea-viewing {W}ide {F}ield-of-view {S}ensor ({S}ea{W}i{FS}) from 1998 to 2006 were used to examine the patterns of physical connectivity between land and reefs, and among reefs in the {M}esoamerican {B}arrier {R}eef {S}ystem ({MBRS}) in the northwestern {C}aribbean {S}ea. {C}onnectivity was inferred by tracking surface water features in weekly climatologies and a time series of weekly mean chlorophyll-a concentrations derived from satellite imagery. {F}requency of spatial connections between 17 pre-defined, geomorphological domains that include the major reefs in the {MBRS} and river deltas in {H}onduras and {N}icaragua were recorded and tabulated as percentage of connections. {T}he 9-year time series of 466 weekly mean images portrays clearly the seasonal patterns of connectivity, including river plumes and transitions in the aftermath of perturbations such as hurricanes. {R}iver plumes extended offshore from the {H}onduras coast to the {B}ay {I}slands ({U}tila, {C}ayo {C}ochinos, {G}uanaja, and {R}oatan) in 70% of the weekly mean images. {B}elizean reefs, especially those in the southern section of the barrier reef and {G}lovers {A}toll, were also affected by riverine discharges in every one of the 9 years. {G}lovers {A}toll was exposed to river plumes originating in {H}onduras 104/466 times (22%) during this period. {P}lumes from eastern {H}onduras went as far as {B}anco {C}hinchorro and {C}ozumel in {M}exico. {C}hinchorro appeared to be more frequently connected to {T}urneffe {A}toll and {H}onduran rivers than with {G}lovers and {L}ighthouse {A}tolls, despite their geographic proximity. {T}his new satellite data analysis provides long-term, quantitative assessments of the main pathways of connectivity in the region. {T}he percentage of connections can be used to validate predictions made using other approaches such as numerical modeling, and provides valuable information to ecosystem-based management in coral reef provinces.},
  keywords = {{C}aribbean {S}ea ; {R}emote sensing ; {N}umerical modeling ; {C}oral reefs ; {R}iver plumes ; {C}onnectivity matrices},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}oral {R}eefs},
  volume = {28},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {415--425},
  ISSN = {0722-4028},
  year = {2009},
  DOI = {10.1007/s00338-009-0465-0},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010046060},
}