Ecological assessment of semi-enclosed marine water bodies of the Archipelago Sabana-Camaguey (Cuba) prior to tourism development projects

Abstract

The semienclosed marine water bodies of the Sabana-Camaguey Archipelago (N of Cuba) are the locations of extensive tourism development projects. Highways and bridges across these water bodies are being planned and constructed for the purpose of reaching and interconnecting outer bordering keys. In order to evaluate any possible ecological impact and to elaborate recommendations to avoid or minimize it, a multidisciplinary research was carried out. In some places, high organic matter contents in sediments due to the weak circulation regime which enhances accumulation processes, and high microbial mineralization rates, impoverish benthic assemblages. In some cases, salinity reaches very high values, sediments are dominated by silt or both conditions are met, situation that also lead to ecosystem constraints. Phyto and zooplankton show lower concentrations than expected in supposedly fertile semienclosed water bodies. Precipitation deficit during many years combined with damming for fresh water storage, and natural limited exchange between inshore and oceanic water are responsible for the observed ecological features.