Nadia Ferguson

.J - Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory

University of the West Indies
Discovery Bay, St. Ann
Jamaica
t, (87 6) 973-309 1 (fax)
(87 6) 97 3 -224
nadz icbg@yahoo.com

Norman J. Quinn
Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory
University of the West Indies
Discovery Bay, St. Ann
Jamaica
(57 6) 97 3 -224 I, (87 6) 973-309 I (fax)
Norman. quinn@uwimona. edu jm

Barbara L. Kojis
Division of Fish and Wildlife
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands 00802
(340) 77s-6762, (340) 777-8151 (fax)
bkojis@hotrnail.com

USING GIS TECHNOLOGY TO MAP MARINE BIODryERSITY ON

JAMAICAN CORAL REEFS IN THE DISCOVERY OF NEW DRUGS

Abstract: This study documents efforts to establish a baseline of

biodiversity knowledge of sponges and gorgonians on Jarnaican
coral reefs that can be used to assess their medicinal potential,
while conserving the marine environment and promoting economic
development. To effectively manage and protect Jamaican coral
reef commurities, researchers need to enhance the knowledge of
the biodiversity of the reefs and to quantify and map the abundance
and distribution of key species populations. Using GIS technology
provides a more effective means of organizing, visualizing, and
arnlyzing the biodiversity abundance and distribution, assessing
the health of coral reefs and tracking the specimens removed from
the reef. The distribution of selected organisms and observations of
anthropogenic impacts were recorded by scuba divers along belt
transects at several depths. Using GIS, areas with high species
diversity and large populations of benthic species can be identified
as biodiversity "hot spots" worthy of particular concem and
perhaps further protection. Additionally, coastal GIS maps
generated from this project may enable correlations between reef
health and corresponding terrestrial outputs. This particular
 application is relevant to coastal management sffategies and
researchbased activities. This program represents one ofthe few
applications of GIS technology on Jamaican coral reefs. The
results will be analyzedto address the challenge associated with
the interrelationship between pattem, process and scale.

INTRODUCTION

Efforts to investigate novel pharmacological products from marine organisms,

while working to conserve the biodiversity of coral reef habitats, have com-
menced in Jamaica with frrnding from the lnternational Cooperative Biodiversity
Groups (ICBG) Program. The program addresses the interdependent issues of
drug discovery, biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic growth.
Habitat destruction and declining biodiversity have increased the urgency to
search for medicinal and agrochemical potentials from the earth's biota. About 40
- 50%of drugs presently available have an origin in natural products.toWorking
with local communities and stakeholders, ICBG proglam is designed guide
natural products drug discovery in a way that direct benefits from the biological
resorrces flow directly to the communiSt. The central tenet ofthe ICBG program
is that managed use of natural resources can provide the economic incentive and
justification to conserve important regional biodiversity and support the
development of infrastructure and education crucial for socioeconomic
opportunities. This project is working to survey the biodiversiry of Jamaican coral
reefs and use GIS to help managers manage and conserve this valuable resource.

Several biologically active compoturds have already been extracted from sponges
collected near the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory @BML). New peroxyl-
actones were isolated from the sponge Plakinastrella onkodes that was collected
on a reef 5 km from DBML (Perry et a1., 2001). One compound exhibited potent
inhibitory activity against the AIDS opportunistic parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma
gondii and represent the first marine natural product reported with Z. gondii
inhibitory activity (Perry et a1.,2001). Twenf-seven diterpenes, cyanthiwigins
were isolated from the Jamaican sponge Alyrmekioderma stry collected at Rio
Bueno, near DBML (Peng eta1.,2002). Several of the cyanthiwigins were active
against human primary tumor cells (Peng et a1.,2002). New cyclic peroxide from
an undescribed species of Plakortis sponge collected near DBML was recently
discovered (Hu et al., 2001). The compound exhibits significant antimalarial
activity against Plasmodiumfalciparum. Another new Czg marine sterol was
isolated from the sponge Agelas sceptrum collected near DBML (Hu et al',2002).
The comporurd at this stage has no known applications to human diseases. By
conducting a biodiversity survey we are able to increase our understanding of the
distribution and abundance of these species. This knowledge will be analyzed and
displayed using GIS and will help mangers to better conserve the biodiversity of
Jamaican coral reef resources.
THE JAMAICAN CORAL REEF ENVIRONMENT

The coral reefs on the north coast of Jamaica lie at the center of biodiversiqr in the
Caribbean (Wells &Lang,1973) and are some of the most intensively studied
coral systems in the world with initial ecological studies commencing over 40
years ago at Discovery Bay Marine Lab (DBML). These once healthy, diverse
reef commurities were devastated by htrricanes Allen in 1980 (Woodley et a1.,
1981) Gilbert in 1988 (Woodley, 1989) and coral diseases. Recovery of these
reefs is now severely hampered by non point source pollution, coastal modifi-
cation, over fishing (Klomp et al., 2003), habitat modification (Quinn, 2003) and
other antlropogenic impacts.

The Caribbean-wide die-offof the sea urchin Diadema antillarum (Lessios et al.,
1984), a "keystone" herbivore, resulted in an increase in reef algae which out
competed slower growing coral species and thus changed the reef (Hughes et al.,
1987). While there are some signs of stabilization in Jamaican reef health with the
recent increase in juvenile coral abundance (Edmunds & Carpenter, 2001; Quinn
& Kojis, 2004), fleshy algae continue to dominate these systems.

The conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversiq' is fundamental to

maximizing long-term social and economic benefits, yet Jamaica's marine bio-
diversity remains largely unexplored. As a consequence, Jamaica lacks much of
the knowledge required to make informed decisions in resource management'
Effective use and protection of Jamaica's marine biodiversity requires, first$ that
it be charactenzed and mapped. Only then can management strategies be
developed, guided by objective scientific knowledge of the underlying processes
that sustain and threaten marine ecosystems.

METHODS

Surveys of coral reefs were carried out by scuba divers at 36 sites from Falmouth
to Port Antonio from February to August 2004. Sponge and gorgonian species
were identified and number of individuals cotmted within belt transects 10 m long
and2mwide at depths of 10 m, 20 m and 30 m at each site. ETC. Samples of
each species of sponge recorded were collected and preserved in70o/o alcohol for
subsequent identification. Photographs were taken in the field of sponges sampled
or of the specimens in the laboratory.

Additionally, the surveys recorded the other biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic
variables, but we will only report on the sponge populations in this paper. The
reefs were ['pically shallow fringing reefs interspersed with reef patches and
bordered and sharp drop off. The location of the sites was recorded using a Global
Positioning System (GPS) and results were analyzed and displayed using
ArcView 3.3 software.
RESULTS

A total of 107 sponge species were recorded. Pseudoceratina crassa (Branching

tube sponge) was the most ubiquitous sponge species occurring at9l.7o/o of the
sites (Table l). Twelve other species were observed at least one half of the sites
and 15 species were recorded at only one site (Table 1).

TABLE 1
PERCENTAGE OCCURRENCE OF SPONGES. SPONGES NOT YET
SCIENTIFICALLY IDENTIFIED ARE DESIGNATED BY A 3 LETTER CODE

Most Common Species Least Common Species

Species Ubiquity (%) Species Ubiquity (%)

P s eudoce ratinct crassa 9l.7 Cibrochnlina sp. 2.8

Aplysina cauliformis 77.8 Geodia gibberosa 2.8
Iotrochota birotulata 77.8 GRR 2.8
Agelas dispar 75.0 IER 2.8
Diplasfiella sp. 61.1 Ircinia sp. 2.8
Ircinia strobilina 6l.l LER 2.8
Amphimedon compressa 55.6 LSC 2.8
Callyspongia sp 1 55.6 Monanchora sp. 2.8
Aplysina fistularis 52.8 Mycale laxissima 2.8
Ectyoplasia ferox 52.8 Myrmekioderma slyx 28
Verongula cf rigida 52.8 Niphates erecta 2.8
Irciniafelix 50.0 NPE (lgeals sp.) 2.8
Monanchora barbadensis 50.0 NSB 2.8
Cinachrya sp. 47.2 NSV 2.8
GST 47.2 OPC 2.8

The most common species was Pseudoceratina crassa representing only l Llo/o of
the sponges recorded (Table 2). Tlrre sponge community was not dominated by
particular species as the 10 most abundant species only represented 53.2Vo of the
recorded sponges.
 TABLE 2
CUMULATIVE PERCENT OCCURRENCE OF SPONGE ABUNDANCE.
SPONGES NOT YET SCIENTIFICALLY IDENTIFIED ARE DESIGNATED
BYA3LETTERCODE

Species Cumulative %
Abundance

Pseudoceratina crassa Il.I%

Aplysina cauliformis 2A3%
Iotrochota birotulata 27.8%
Agelas dispar 33.7o/o
Holopsamma helwigi 37.6%
Aplysinafistularis 4I.2%
GST 44.4%
Amphimedon compressa 47.5o/o
Ectyoplasiaferox 50.4oh
Veronsula cf risida 53.2oA

The number of species observed at each site ranged from 9 at Pear Tree Bottom
Reef (PT2) to 34 at Red Buoy Reef (RB) (Fig. 1) with a mean of 21 sponges.

FIGURE 1
NUMBER OF SPONGE SPECIES AND SPONGE DENSITY M2
FROM DISCOVERY BAY TO RI.INNAWAY BAY, JAMAICA

4 0 4 Kltom.t.rs I Fbnd.

A.trQrmmne.rwy
b&ror orosty
._. O.O7 - 2.Q
c 2.O2. Lm
. ai1 . a.B
!trllfi5
tumboa SpGi6
cf s.€
E 20.26
a n.31
Sponge density ranged from a maximum of 6.80m-2 at The Ship Channel 2 (SC2)
to a minimum of 0.07m-2 recorded at Runaway Bay 2 (RBAY2) (Fig. 1). The
density of the most common and most ubiquitous sponge Pseudoceratina crassa
r*g"d from 1. l5m-2 atFairy Hill Reef in Port Antonio to 0.025m-2 at Pear Tree
Bottom Reef (PT) (Fig. 2).

FIGURE 2
DENSITY DISTRIBUTION OF P seudoceratina cras sa
FROM DISCOVERY BAY TO RLINNAWAY BAY, JAMAICA

4 0 4 Kllomrt.rs
P_clcsa detelty
a 0 .0.18
a 0.18 .0.5
.' 0.5 - 1.12
lPond.
. Rlvets
A7" ''
lrre;rsrhronwav
Snrvoy shel

Two of the 107 sponges recorded in this survey have known biologically active
componnds, Agelas sceptrum and Mymekioderma sytc. A. sceptrum is neither
among the most ubiquitous nor the most abundant species. It occurred in only
16.7% of the sites and accounted for only 2.8oh of all the individuals recorded, M.
styx is a rare species in the depths and locations surveyed on the north coast of
Jamaica. Only a single individual was observed. If the active compounds in this
species are found to be important in tumor cell research and are difficult to
synthesize, then there will be a need to locate larger populations of this species.
Alternatively, if large natural populations cannot be located, then it may become
necessary to investigate methods to culture this species.
Hu JF, Kelly M, Hamann MT (2002) 26-nor-25-isopropyl-ergosta-5, 7,22E-tien-
3B-o1: A new Czs sterol from the sponge Agelas sceptrum from Jamaica. Steroids
67:743-747

Hughes TP, Reed DC, Boyle M (1987) Herbivory on coral reef: community struc-
ture following mass mortalities of sea urchins. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 113:39-59

Klomp KD, Miller KC, Marks K, Miller M (2003) Condition of reef fish on
Jamaica's north coast signals late stages of overexploitation. Proc Gulf and Caribb
Fish lnstit 54: I32-I38

Lesssios HA, Robertson DR, Cubit JD (1984) Spread of Diadema mass mortality
through the Caribbean. Science 226:335

Peng J, Walsh K, Weedman V, Bergthold JD, Lynch J, Lieu KL, Braude IA,
Kelly M, Hamann MT (2002) The new bioactive diterpenes Cyanthiwigins E-AA
from the Jamaican sponge Myrmekiodevma styx. Tetrahedron 58: 7809-7819

Perry TL, Dickerson A, Khan AA, Kondru RK, Beratan DN, Wipf P, Kelly M,
Hamann MT (2001) New perorylactones from the Jamaican sponge
Plakinastrella onkodes, with inhibitory activiry against the AIDS opportunistic
parasitic infection Toxop las ma gondi i. Tetrahedron 57 : 1483 - I 487

Quinn NJ (2003) Have good land management practices protected essential

coastal nurseries? Case Study: Discovery Bay, Jamaica. National Scientific
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populations on the West Fore Reef at Discovery Bay, Jarnaica. lnternat. Joumal of
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Marine Geography: GIS for the Oceans and Seas, ESRI Press pp 204

Wells SM, Lang JC (1973) Systematic list of Jamaican shallow-water

Scleractinian. Bull Mar Sci 23: 55-58

Woodley JD, Chomesky EA, Clifford PA, Jackson JCB, Kaufinan LS, Knowlton
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MAR, Neigel J, Sides EM (1981) Hurricane Allen's impact on Jamaican coral
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Bay. in: Assessment of the Economic Lnpacts of Hurricane Gilbert on Coastal