Coral cover decline on La Chola reef (Eastern Tropical Pacific)

La branching comparing Chola Reef corals data is collected located of the at genus in the 2002 easternmost Pocillopora and 2013 . implementing sector The main of the goal Eastern the of chain this Tropical transect study Pacific. was methodology. to evaluate This coral Additionally changes formation in we coral of generated 11 cover ha is over dominated an up-to-date time, by by map of this reef using field data collected with a GPS and present the first in-situ water temperature data. The reef exhibited a 20% coral cover decline during the study period, with associated increases in algal cover (mainly coralline algae). Total extension of the reef seems to have remained stable during the last 30 years. Besides the usual stressors commonly associated with limitations in coral reef development in this region of the Pacific, seasonal decreases in temperature are proposed as a potential cause of coral cover loss on the deeper sectors of the reef.