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Insights from Cuban Coral Reefs

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Coral Reefs of Cuba

Part of the book series: Coral Reefs of the World ((CORW,volume 18))

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Abstract

In the 1970s, the Cuban coral reefs were the object of extensive exploration. The results were published in Spanish, Russian, French, and German but unfortunately remain relatively unknown. This chapter provides, for the first time, English translations of excerpts from the study of Cuban reefs conducted in 1970–1973. The obtained knowledge had been planned to be published in a monograph and colored atlas of photos of the underwater scleractinians, but only the monograph was published (in Russian, French, and Spanish). Recent specialists’ opinions and the author’s reflections offer present-day insights from Cuban coral reefs regarding different aspects of the pioneer investigation: sampling and material, methodology, area study, terminology, variability, hybridization and morphogenesis, invasion, state of Scleractinia knowledge, reef zonation, reticulated reefs on muddy bottom, and reef health and care.

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Acknowledgments

The manuscript benefited a great deal from the thoughtful constructive suggestions of the reviewer Bernhard Riegl. I also thank John Reed for the editorial improvements and Sergio González-Ferrer for his assistance with the figures. Also appreciated is the help of Dan Whittle, Valerie Miller, and Michael Pickard with the English translation of text previously published in Spanish.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bristol, RI, USA

    Vassil N. Zlatarski

Authors
  1. Vassil N. Zlatarski
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Scientist, Bristol, RI, USA

    Vassil N. Zlatarski

  2. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA

    John K. Reed

  3. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA

    Shirley A. Pomponi

  4. Coastal and Marine Lab, Florida State University, St. Teresa, FL, USA

    Sandra Brooke

  5. Techglobal Inc, Rockville, MD, USA

    Stephanie Farrington

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Zlatarski, V.N. (2023). Insights from Cuban Coral Reefs. In: Zlatarski, V.N., Reed, J.K., Pomponi, S.A., Brooke, S., Farrington, S. (eds) Coral Reefs of Cuba. Coral Reefs of the World, vol 18. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36719-9_1

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