Internship

Internships: mangroves in Aruba

Wageningen University & Research is looking for ten students (two per topic) for internship projects related to the Turning the Tide project, partly in Aruba and partly in the Netherlands.

Mangroves are unique plants that grow in the tidal zone along tropical coastlines and lagoons and fulfil key ecological functions in the coastal marine ecosystem. Throughout the world, mangroves were lost primarily due to removal and dredging to make way for economic activities. However, the economic significance of mangroves is being recognized more and more and efforts are underway to bring these important plants back worldwide. In Aruba, the main cause for the loss of mangroves today is excess sedimentation that has turned original lagoonal habitat into land. This has also happened in Spaans Lagoen, Aruba, a bay in which centuries ago water depth was sufficient for large sailing ships whereas today water depth is often no more than ankle high.

Turning the Tide

In the Turning the Tide project of Wageningen University & Research and its Aruban partners, dredging is taking place to remove excess sediment to re-establish water depth and connectivity so that the mangroves can better fulfil their role as fish nursery areas.

Two internships per topics

The successful applicants for these internships (two interns per topic) will do their projects during the calendar year of 2024, partly in Aruba and partly in the Netherlands. All interns will be expected to work together as teams and periodically assist Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba and their volunteers with the maintenance of mangrove channels in Spaans Lagoen and various other areas.

Internship topic 1: Fish and mangrove restoration

Aims and activities

In this project the objective is to collect data to document the influence of dredging interventions on fish faunas and mangrove density and growth in the estuaries where restoration dredging is taking place. The intern will sample and document environmental parameters, fish communities and mangrove growth and distribution to assess possible ecosystem changes resulting from the ongoing restoration interventions.

By monitoring water and sediment heights at fixed stations, it will be possible to measure the rate of infilling of dredged areas which is a critical determinant of costs needed to maintain the created waterbodies.

Internship topic 2: Benthos and shorebird effects

Aims and activities

In this project the objective is to collect data to document the influence of dredging interventions on invertebrate faunas and waterbird use of the estuaries where restoration dredging is taking place. The intern will sample and document environmental parameters, benthic invertebrate communities and shorebird numbers and distribution to assess these ecosystem aspects related to the ongoing restoration interventions.

Internship topic 3: Soil fertility and plant growth

Aims and activities

The largest cost component for restoring lagoonal water depth and connectivity for healthy mangroves and fish nursery functioning is the cost of removing sediments that have accumulated due to centuries of erosion resulting from unsustainable land use. To make restoration of the lagoons and associated mangroves sustainable, covering such costs is essential. Fortunately, both types of sediment that can be dredged from mangrove habitats (fine volcanic and fine carbonate sediments) are economically valuable as both are currently being quarried elsewhere on the island. Fine volcanic topsoil can be used for replenishing soils in gardens and agricultural land in eroded parts of the island and it can be used as fill where needed. Pure white carbonate sand is of value for beach replenishment and in construction. Both types of material have a high commercial value once excess salt is leached away.

This internship will study the potential need for treatment of harvested sediment so that it can be effectively sold and used for various purposes. The work will involve an assessment of the mineral content and grain size structure of the harvestable sediment and how it can be effectively used to enrich regular eroded Aruban soil to enhance plant growth and crop productivity. The work will involve laboratory analyses to assess sediment and soil properties, experiments to different soil preparation options and greenhouse culture trials to compare soil fertility and plant growth.

Internship topic 4: Ramsar wetlands environmental and biodiversity status

Aims and activities

During the whole year of 2024, bi-weekly monitoring of water parameters (depth, temperature, salinity, nutrients and coverage) and benthic, aquatic vertebrate and invertebrate fauna will be done in order to assess the habitat value of these areas for fish and birds.

This project will also include an initial baseline collection of sediments at GPS mapped stations assessing sediment size-structure, organic and carbonate content at different sediment depths using sampled sediment cores, led and coordinated by Ivo Roessink. Laboratory analyses will also be done to assess potential heavy metals and selected other contaminants of interest in these areas as well as other reference areas of the island

Internship topic 5: Ramsar wetlands avifaunal use and distribution

Aims and activities

During the whole year of 2024, bi-weekly monitoring and mapping of shorebird use of the cluster of five Western Wetlands Salinas will be done to assess the actual use of these areas by shorebirds (in numbers per species and activities such as nesting, roosting, feeding).

Support for the chosen interns

  • Internship stipends and lodging stipends from Wageningen Marine Research for the duration of their internships;
  • Scientific guidance by Wageningen Marine Research and other WUR experts;
  • Local field support and guidance will be provided by Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba, the Aruban national parks foundation.

Requirements

  • Appropriate academic background, knowledge and skills;
  • Ability to spend 6 months or more on the topic ;
  • Technical savvy and teamwork;
  • At least one member of each of the two student teams should have a valid driver’s licence.

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