Trophic status of a coastal lagoon - marine harbor system: Potential outwelling rates to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef southern region.

Eutrophication is still a serious problem in many coastal areas, including the tropics, where river discharges of nutrients is usually high. The ecological stability and ecosystem services of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), the world's second-largest coral reef system, suffer a generalized impact by riverine discharge of sediment and organic and inorganic nutrients, which may lead to coastal eutrophication and a coral-macroalgal phase shift. However, few data exist on the MRBS coastal zone status, particularly in Honduras.