Recently there were some posts about Bari Reef being rated as the #1 site for the number of fish species with some question about the ‘freshness’ of the data. I got curious, so I browsed the Reef.org website and I found you could compile date over specific time periods. So, I compiled data for
1) the entire Reef data-base time period (approximately 15 years worth),
2) the last 4 years, and
3) the last year (April 2007- April 2008).

The following post will show the results of my searches.

Top 10 Sites for Species Richness
Here’s the updated listing of the top 10 sites for species diversity of the Topical Western Atlantic region for the indicated time periods:
1) the last 15 years (Jan 93-Apr 08)
2) the last 4 years (Apr 04-Apr 08),
3) the last year (Apr 07-Apr 08).

All compiled data is from the www.reef.org (© REEF 2007) website.
As you can see, Bari stays at the top right up through the last full year of survey data.

Last 15 years, Jan 93-Apr 08,
Rank, Species, Reef
01, 369, Bari Reef
02, 334, Tori's Reef
03, 328, Something Special
04, 317, Front Porch (Sunset Beach)
05, 308, Commercial Pier Reefs/Datura Ave. 1st & 2nd Reef
06, 293, Green/Yellow Submarine
07, 293, The Invisibles
08, 292, Red Slave
09, 273, Molasses Reef
10, 267, Calabas II (Carib)

Last 4 years, Apr 04-Apr 08,
Rank, Species, Reef
01, 325, Bari Reef
02, 306, Something Special
03, 284, Tori's Reef
04, 281, Front Porch (Sunset Beach)
05, 273, Green/Yellow Submarine
06, 270, Commercial Pier Reefs/Datura Ave. 1st & 2nd Reef
07, 259, The Rock
08, 257, The Invisibles
09, 256, Red Slave
10, 244, Angel City

Last 1 year, Apr 07-Apr 08,
Rank, Species, Reef
01, 262, Bari Reef
02, 252, Front Porch (Sunset Beach)
03, 251, Something Special
04, 236, Tori's Reef
05, 226, Green/Yellow Submarine
06, 217, The Invisibles
07, 210, The Rock
08, 201, Red Beryl
09, 198, Calabas II (Carib)
10, 197, Angel City

Thank you for your post, Chet. This will make it much easier to help us prioritize our diving schedule. Important information for first timers like ourselves!

What is not taken into account here -- and I don't know how to do it -- is how many surveys have been made at each site. The more surveys, the more you find. So two identical sites in terms of actual diversity will appear to be different if one has more surveys than the other.

You can see how that shows up, even in this data: over 15 years Bari Reef has yielded 369 species, but only 325 over the last four years and just 262 in the last year. This does NOT mean there are fewer species now than in previous years; it just means it take years of surveys to see all the species.

If Bari had shown (say) 369 over 15 years, and also 369 over 4 years, but just 262 over one year, then it would mean that in four years of surveying you see ALL the species at that site, and surveying for 15 years doesn't add any new species to your list.

The usual (null hypothesis) interpretation of this kind of data is that 15 years is just a way to get more surveys, that nothing has really changed over 15 years. A way to test this is not to look at the data in terms of years, but rather in terms of how many surveys. Let's say there have been (say) 300 surveys at Bari Reef over 15 years. So you'd look at how many species were seen during the first 100, the second 100, and the third 100. If nothing had changed at that site, and if all the surveys were well-done, you'd get pretty much the same number.

So Bari Reef has more species. Nice. It is also right in front of two of the largest, most popular resorts, where lots of surveyors have stayed over the years. By comparison, nobody lives at Invisibles. So, it is entirely possible that there are MORE species there, but they haven't been counted as well!

Hey, people actually make their living worrying about this kind of thing!

One of the main reasons for the high species count at Bari reef is that Jerry Ligon teaches fish classes there. Many of us have a soft spot for Something Special thus the high counts there as well. There really isn't a bad dive in Bonaire.

Having in the past (admittedly a long time ago) studied experimental analysis, statistics, analysis of raw data, refined data, validity tests of data as well as credibility of testing methods; I believe this is all much to do about only one thing; commercialism & bragging rights.
However that's just my personal opinion.

Whenever folks start quoting statistics (always to "prove" their own point), I see flashing warning lights so to speak. There is an old saying about statistics & folks who use them which I really don't see the need to quote here.

I advocate that everyone simply form their own opinion by their personal observations.

I agree fully with Susan and Mel. Any reef that Jerry uses a lot would get higher counts; I know that every year that we do his fish ID dive, we add a few new species to our personal "all time" list.
Mel, I didn't save the data on number of surveys per site, but Bari's count is very high; and I agree that with more dives you get a high probability of more species being identified. I just wanted to see (using the available data), if Bari kept its # 1 rating.

When diving amongst the countless fish i just dont have time to count the species , takes all my time to smell the roses.

What Susan said.

Chet, came to basically the same conclusion you did after I reviewed the same reef data about a week ago. My wife and I are Project Aware members and plan to join REEF before our next Bonaire trip in about a month. We also plan to do Jerry's course which will be on Bari I am sure.

Vince, was hoping to catch you on island but I arrive on the 24th, just as you will be packing I see, shame as I would have liked to have met you in person and see your new place. Us Jersey diver have to stick together.....hope you have a great trip.

Patrick

Thanks Patrick and likewise would have liked to personally meet you. I'm sure we'll meet up at some point in the future & will have time to toss a few back. We plan on being down there about 5 weeks per year for the next several years.

We have much work to do ahead of us (you know what I mean)& between you & me am not really looking at this trip as a "vacation". We are both excited since this project which we've been involved with has been in the planning & construction phase for some 2 1/2 years! Finally it's coming to fruition.

However we do intend (once the basics are completed) to get some diving in as well as sample some of the newer restaurants & of course return to old favorites since our last trip.

I am a stated huge fan of Bari (which I consider to be the random stretch of Bonaire from Den Leman to Capt Don's).

I accept the strong possibility that I am simply a huge fan of the random stretch of Bonaire that I have stayed on and enjoy the simplicity and ease of resort house reef diving FAR more than the specific critters and structure I have witnessed. OK, I'm a lazy diver - LOL

That said, It IS telling that there really is no "bad" reef on the island? Any time underwater is time well spent IMHO.