CubaPLUS Magazine

An international scientific team led by the Center for Environmental Studies of Cienfuegos (CEAC), with the participation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has reconstructed 238 years of environmental history in northern Cuba.

According to a study published by the team in the journal Science of the Total Environment, researchers analyzed chemical signatures preserved in the skeletons of Porites corals to assess how human activity and changes in land use have affected marine ecosystems from the late 18th century to the present.

The research involved specialists from the Cayo Santa María Wildlife Refuge in Villa Clara; the Metropolitan Autonomous University, Xochimilco Unit (Mexico); the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico; the Laboratory of Climate and Environmental Sciences of Université Paris-Saclay (France); and the Institute of Polar Sciences of Italy’s National Research Council.

The scientists used the geochemical relationship between barium and calcium as an indicator to trace the influx of sediments and terrestrial influences into the coastal waters of the Cuban archipelago.

The findings show a gradual increase in the amount of terrestrial material reaching reef areas, a phenomenon linked to historical deforestation, agricultural expansion, and changes in land use in northern Cuba.

According to the study, sediment input is one of the most significant stress factors affecting the health and survival of coral reefs in the region.

The project was carried out within the framework of the IAEA’s regional technical cooperation projects “Strengthening Regional Monitoring and Response for Sustainable Marine and Coastal Environments – RLA/7/022” and “Strengthening Capacities in Marine and Coastal Environments through the Use of Nuclear and Isotopic Techniques – RLA/7/025.”

Both projects are part of the Latin American and Caribbean Marine-Coastal Stressors Research Network (REMARCO), a platform that connects institutions across the region to generate scientific knowledge in support of decision-making and sustainable management in response to the challenges facing marine and island environments.

The CEAC stated that the findings constitute a valuable tool for designing public environmental conservation policies, promoting integrated watershed management, and protecting the nation’s marine resources.

(Taken from Prensa Latina)