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Nutrient inputs associated with population growth threaten the integrity of coastal ecosystems. To assess the rapid increase in tourism, we compared the ?15N from Thalassia testudinum collected at sites with different levels of tourism development and population to detect the N inputs of wastewater discharge (WD) along the coast of Quintana Roo. The contributions of nitrogen enriched in 15N are directly related to the increase of WD inputs in areas of high tourism development (Nichupte Lagoon in Cancun, >3 million tourists per year from 2007 to 2011 and 0.7 million of resident population) and decreased towards Bahia Akumal and Tulum (>3 million tourists per year from 2007 to 2011 and 0.15 million of resident population). The ?15N from T. testudinum was significantly lower at Mahahual and Puerto Morelos (about 0.4 million tourists per year in 2007 to 2011 and 0.25 million of resident population) than other the sites. In areas of the lowest development and with tourist activity restricted and small population, such as the Yum Balam Reserve and Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, the ?15N values were in much higher enrichment that Mahahual and Puerto Morelos. Therefore is suggested that Mahahual and Puerto Morelos may be used for baseline isotopic monitoring, over environmental pressure on the reef lagoon ecosystem, where tourist activities and population are growing very slow rate. The anthropogenic N input has the potential to impact, both environmentally and economically, the seagrass meadows and the coral reefs along the coast of Quintana Roo and the Caribbean.

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