By Laura a.k.a. Snowfire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #256) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 2:05 pm: |
Hello all --
|
By Freddie Hughes {Moderator} (Moderator - Post #117) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 2:15 pm: |
Hi Laura I am going to move this thread over to Bonaire Nature, where I think it belongs..
|
By Laura a.k.a. Snowfire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #258) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 2:34 pm: |
Thanks, Freddie --
|
By Nathalie (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #138) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 4:54 pm: |
Bonaire's shallows (don't know about at depth) used to be covered with a huge population of long spined sea urchins. Some years ago (20-25?) there was a disease that wiped them out throughout the Caribbean. They have re-established more successfully in some places than others. I note much more algae than I did in the years before the urchin die-off. There may be other factors. They also provided intimidating incentive to humans to use care and control while near the reef.
|
By Cheryl Ferguson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #171) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 5:02 pm: |
Just back from Bonaire - we saw both .. white and black sea urchins, but not as many as we saw in Curacao last year. Curacao seemed to have too many as far as I'm concerned!
|
By Linda Richter - Artist Bonaire Creations (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2073) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 6:38 pm: |
Urchins have been on a noticeable increase in the 8+ years I have lived on Bonaire. Urchins eat algea and suffered a massive Caribbean-wide die out as mentioned above. Around Bonaire, we have a huge population of Parrotfish that exploded after the urchin die off. And what do you think parrotfish eat... algea.
|
By Cyn (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #16832) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 7:01 pm: |
Linda, like the new profile pic purple is your color
|
By Laura a.k.a. Snowfire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #262) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 7:50 pm: |
Nathalie -- A sea urchin die-out, eh? Wow. I wonder if they found out what caused it.
|
By Laura a.k.a. Snowfire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #263) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 8:14 pm: |
Some links about the die-off. Apparently they still don't know exactly what caused it...
|
By seb (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2574) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 8:58 pm: |
Nassau groupers and barracuda are a couple of parrotfish predators Cynde; nope, never seen it happen, just brittle stars hanging out of spanish mackerelmouths. I would not be surprised if some of the larger predators I've seen down Punt Vierkant way, like really big jacks, would probably not turn up their noses at a parrotfish snack. When those guys go hunting every fish on the reef swims away faster than you ever thought possible.
|
By seb (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2575) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 9:00 pm: |
Urchin link and coral health
|
By Susan - BSDME (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #250) on Friday, February 10, 2006 - 9:04 pm: |
Another link to reef health is
|
By Laura a.k.a. Snowfire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #309) on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 7:20 pm: |
A sobering article from the latest Smithsonian issue:
|
By David Frank (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #391) on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 12:38 am: |
Laura,
|
By Snowfire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #482) on Saturday, January 26, 2008 - 10:15 pm: |
Here's a more recent article that mentions the urchin comeback:
|
Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites