Project
Koraalriffen incl. koraalherstel
Coral reefs of the Caribbean Netherlands are an important economic resource for the three islands that are heavily dependent on tourism. The reefs are also important for biodiversity, recreation, fishing and coastal protection. For a sustainable economic development of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, it is important to have extensive and up-to-date spatial data on the status of the coral reef environment. Since all three islands are relatively small, any spatial development quickly has an impact on nature quality in the coastal zone. The consequences of climate change will also have an impact on the coral reef. The current project will run for 4 years and will establish a more detailed spatial knowledge base on coral reef health as well as its relationship to human stressors. This keeps a finger on the pulse and allows further economic development to be shaped in a more sustainable way.
In 2022, extensive reporting will be done on the status of Bonaire's coral reef based on new data collected at the end of 2020. The data will be evaluated together with LNV, STINAPA and the local government and compared with the plans in the implementation agenda. For Saba and St. Eustatius, it will also be investigated to what extent current data need to be updated. The collected data and conclusions will be used to shape the research in the next 3 years so that, among other things, extensive reporting can be provided on the conservation status of the coral reefs of the Caribbean Netherlands in 2024.
Publications
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Long-term Shifts in Coral Communities On Shallow to Deep Reef Slopes of Curaçao and Bonaire: Are There Any Winners?
Frontiers in Marine Science (2016), Volume: 3 - ISSN 2296-7745 -
40 Years of benthic community change on the Caribbean reefs of Curaçao and Bonaire: the rise of slimy cyanobacterial mats
Coral Reefs (2017), Volume: 36, Issue: 2 - ISSN 0722-4028 - p. 355-367. -
Achteruitgang koraalriffen Caribisch Nederland: oorzaken en mogelijke oplossingen voor koraalherstel
Den Helder: Wageningen Marine Research (Wageningen Marine Research rapport C061/19) -
Extreme spatial heterogeneity in carbonate accretion potential on a Caribbean fringing reef linked to local human disturbance gradients
Global Change Biology (2019), Volume: 25, Issue: 12 - ISSN 1354-1013 - p. 4092-4104. -
40 years of change on the coral reefs of Curaçao and Bonaire
Wageningen University. Promotor(en): H.J. Lindeboom, E.H. Meesters, co-promotor(en): F.C. van Duyl - Wageningen: Wageningen University - ISBN: 9789463434041 -
Commentary: Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
Frontiers in Marine Science (2020), Volume: 7 - ISSN 2296-7745