The Gulf of Honduras
21
0.1-0.2 m s- 1 flow towards the south with intermittent flow variability
introduced by the cyclonic eddies. The cyclonic eddies are confined to an
area south of latitude 18.5° N. In contrast, the Yucatan coast of Mexico is
characterized by a northward flowing coastal current, resulting from westward traveling anticyclonic gyres (Fig. 1.2).
The Gulf of Honduras experiences a mixed, mainly semidiurnal microtide with a mean range of approximately 0.2 m. The semidiurnal constituent amplitudes measure 0.06 m for M 2 , 0.03 m for S 2 , and 0.02 m for N 2 ,
and the main diurnal constituent amplitudes measure 0.03-0.07 m for K 1
and 0.03 m for 0 1 (Kjerfve 1981). Although the astronomical tide is weak,
tidal currents nevertheless are of substantial magnitude in tidal reef passages and near river mouths, and play a significant role in the spatial
dispersion of sediment, nutrients, and larvae. The dominant semidiurnal
(M 2 ) and diurnal (K 1 ) tidal constituents progress westward along the coast
of Honduras and northward along the barrier reef in Belize (Kjerfve 1981).
Meteorological tides at times completely dominate the astronomical tides,
as when the storm surge associated with Hurricane Mitch (on 27 October
1998) raised the mean water level at Gladden Spit 2.8 m, as the center of the
hurricane was progressing towards the south less than 100 km to the east.
1.3 Habitats, Diversity, and Productivity
The Gulf of Honduras includes multiple habitat convergence whereby freshwater habitats meet marine habitats, terrestrial areas meet aquatic habitats,
and open ocean environments meet coastal areas. The proximity of estuarine river environments, mangrove wetlands, sea grass beds, the barrier reef,
and deep oceanic waters provides for high biological diversity, recognizing
that many species require several of these habitats during their ontogenetic
development. The high productivity within the Gulf is maintained by rivertransported terrestrial nutrients, leaf litter from mangrove wetlands, sea
grass beds, coral reefs, and open-ocean nutrients. Large stands of mangroves (Sarstoon-Temash, Port Honduras-Payne's Creek, Punta Manabique,
and near Punta Sal) and pervasive sea grass beds (Bahia Graciosas and Port
Honduras) are the two most important primary producers and also provide
habitat for most juvenile vertebrate and invertebrate marine species of the
Gulf (Fig.l.1).Also, the reefs are critical contributors to the productivity by
providing important spawning areas for a variety of fishes. Finally, open
ocean waters of the Caribbean occasionally contribute to the productivity of
the system via deep water intrusions, sometimes transporting shoals of pelagic fishes towards inshore environments.
21
0.1-0.2 m s- 1 flow towards the south with intermittent flow variability
introduced by the cyclonic eddies. The cyclonic eddies are confined to an
area south of latitude 18.5° N. In contrast, the Yucatan coast of Mexico is
characterized by a northward flowing coastal current, resulting from westward traveling anticyclonic gyres (Fig. 1.2).
The Gulf of Honduras experiences a mixed, mainly semidiurnal microtide with a mean range of approximately 0.2 m. The semidiurnal constituent amplitudes measure 0.06 m for M 2 , 0.03 m for S 2 , and 0.02 m for N 2 ,
and the main diurnal constituent amplitudes measure 0.03-0.07 m for K 1
and 0.03 m for 0 1 (Kjerfve 1981). Although the astronomical tide is weak,
tidal currents nevertheless are of substantial magnitude in tidal reef passages and near river mouths, and play a significant role in the spatial
dispersion of sediment, nutrients, and larvae. The dominant semidiurnal
(M 2 ) and diurnal (K 1 ) tidal constituents progress westward along the coast
of Honduras and northward along the barrier reef in Belize (Kjerfve 1981).
Meteorological tides at times completely dominate the astronomical tides,
as when the storm surge associated with Hurricane Mitch (on 27 October
1998) raised the mean water level at Gladden Spit 2.8 m, as the center of the
hurricane was progressing towards the south less than 100 km to the east.
1.3 Habitats, Diversity, and Productivity
The Gulf of Honduras includes multiple habitat convergence whereby freshwater habitats meet marine habitats, terrestrial areas meet aquatic habitats,
and open ocean environments meet coastal areas. The proximity of estuarine river environments, mangrove wetlands, sea grass beds, the barrier reef,
and deep oceanic waters provides for high biological diversity, recognizing
that many species require several of these habitats during their ontogenetic
development. The high productivity within the Gulf is maintained by rivertransported terrestrial nutrients, leaf litter from mangrove wetlands, sea
grass beds, coral reefs, and open-ocean nutrients. Large stands of mangroves (Sarstoon-Temash, Port Honduras-Payne's Creek, Punta Manabique,
and near Punta Sal) and pervasive sea grass beds (Bahia Graciosas and Port
Honduras) are the two most important primary producers and also provide
habitat for most juvenile vertebrate and invertebrate marine species of the
Gulf (Fig.l.1).Also, the reefs are critical contributors to the productivity by
providing important spawning areas for a variety of fishes. Finally, open
ocean waters of the Caribbean occasionally contribute to the productivity of
the system via deep water intrusions, sometimes transporting shoals of pelagic fishes towards inshore environments.