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Title:
Eutrophication processes in the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba), Red-Sea, and their effects on the coral reef ecosystem
Authors:
Erez, J.; Iluz, D.; Zakai, D.; Silverman, J.; Lazar, B.
Publication:
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly, Abstracts from the meeting held in Nice, France, 6 - 11 April 2003, abstract #11772
Publication Date:
04/2003
Origin:
EGU
Bibliographic Code:
2003EAEJA....11772E

Abstract

In the past few years (since 1998) an on going eutrophication process has been observed in the Northern Gulf of Eilat. Nutrient levels have increased both in the deep and in the coastal waters. In parallel, the phytoplankton productivity in the open sea has increased by a factor of 3 from 100 to 300 gCm-2y-1. The main source of these nutrients is caged fish farms moored near the North Beach, which over the past 5 years have released more then 300 tons N annually. Surface circulation transports part of the nutrient-algae rich surface water along the Israeli coast, where they have been detected during the stratified period near the coral reef in the Nature Reserve. The bulk of the nutrients released from the fish cages are taken up by phytoplankton and increase the productivity of the pelagic ecosystem. Phytoplankton sinking and zooplankton grazing transport these nutrients to the deep water, below the thermocline where we observed a 50% increase in nitrate and phosphate concentrations relative to the previous decade. During the winter, vertical mixing brings these nutrients to the photic zone where massive blooms of benthic algae are observed in the coastal zone. These blooms are often associated with high coral mortality and have reduced live coral cover by 50% in the winter of 2000. Calcification rates of the reef ecosystem have decreased by a factor of 3--4 compared to earlier measurements in 1989--1991 while the photosynthesis to respiration ratio have increased from 1.0 to values higher then 1.5. These observations demonstrate the detrimental effects of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment on coral reefs.
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