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Diving Bonaire: Reef Health
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2006: Archives - 2006-03-02 to 2006-05-01: Reef Health
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Adams (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 5:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have been to Bonaire 3 times in the last few years, but had to skip last year due to the birth of our first. I read this article today and was wondering if Bonaire has been hurt. I hope to return later this year and was wanting to know what to expect.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060330/ap_on_sc/coral_death_1

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jan Kloos (BonaireTalker - Post #48) on Thursday, March 30, 2006 - 6:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Mike, I received the article below some days ago. It shows that the reefs around Bonaire are still healthy but... we have to protect them. Divers can be a hazard so take care of good buoyancy and never touch the corals.

Coral Reef Nutrient Monitoring Bonaire and Curaçao
First round successfully concluded.

Last week the first round of nutrient monitoring on the reefs of Bonaire and Curaçao was concluded with a last dive at Watamula Reef in Curaçao. A total of twenty sites, ten in Bonaire and ten in Curaçao, were visited over a nineteen day period. On each site video transects were recorded, water samples taken, and various algae samples collected, both at 60 ft and at 20 ft depths. A total of eighty water samples and more than 220 algae samples were subsequently processed and carried to the US by Brian Lapointe to be analyzed in specialized labs. The results of this analysis are expected in about a month time, when a start can be made with interpreting the data.

Meanwhile, some general preliminary impressions were formed with regard to nutrient impact on the reefs of Bonaire and Curaçao. First of all it became clear that there definitely is an impact of nutrient pollution on some of the reefs on both islands. Compared to many other places in the Caribbean, the reefs of Curacao and Bonaire still generally look to be in good condition, but signs of nutrient pollution were seen on both islands. On average the reefs in Bonaire were less impacted than those of Curacao, but both islands had some sites that are a cause for serious concern. One particular site in Bonaire showed blooms of various species of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) including the toxic Lyngbia (implicated in the development of disfiguring fibropapillomas in sea turtles), and elevated incidence of coral diseases and corals killed over the past few years. In Curaçao several sites such as Caracas Bay and Piscadera had many dead corals and presented luxurious growth of various macro-algae such as Lobophora, Halimeda, and Dictyota. Some sites in the vicinity of resort areas showed alarmingly luxurious growth of Dictyota and relatively high incidence of Black Band disease. Sites within the town area both in Bonaire and Curacao had clear nutrient indicator macro-algae growing on the rocks in the surf zone, and there is no question that they are being impacted by nutrient pollution, but the other sites will have to await the lab results before any clear conclusions can be drawn.

The specialized laboratory analysis will test for very low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, and will provide a measure of the amount of phytoplankton (floating one-celled algae) in the water. The collected algae samples will yield ratios of nitrogen isotopes in the algae tissues, indicating the source(s) of the nitrogen. Natural sources of nitrogen, fertilizer nitrogen, and sewage nitrogen all have different signatures. When luxurious algae growth coincides with a signature of fertilizer or sewage nitrogen there is clear cause for concern.

Any conclusions, even after the lab results come in, must also take into the account the possible seasonality of nutrient sources, e.g. increased run-off or mixing of ground water with sea water because of the rainy season. That is why this is only the first round of monitoring. It will be repeated quarterly for a year. Over the past couple of weeks volunteers in Bonaire and Curaçao had the opportunity to observe how the sampling is done, how the water samples must be carefully filtered after the dive, avoiding any contamination, and how to distinguish various species of algae. They will now continue the monitoring every three months to produce a complete picture of the nutrient situation of the reefs from which clear conclusions and recommendations can be drawn.

To learn more about nutrients, macro algae and coral reefs you can download the following:

Presentation given by Dr. Brian Lapointe in Bonaire and Curacao (Powerpoint 8 MB)

Articles:
Lapointe, Brian E. and Katie Thacker: “Community based Water Quality and Coral Reef Monitoring in the Negril Marine Park, Jamaica: Land-based nutrient inputs and their ecological consequences” (PDF, 5 MB)


Lapointe, Brian E. 1997: Nutrient thresholds for bottom-up control of macroalgal blooms on coral reefs in Jamaica and Southeast Florida (PDF, 1.3 MB)

--
Paul C. Hoetjes
Senior Policy Advisor
Department of Environment & Nature (MINA)
Ministry of Public Health & Social Development (VSO)
Schouwburgweg 26 (APNA building)
Curaçao
Netherlands Antilles
tel. +(599-9)466-9307; fax: +(599-9)461-0254
e-mail: paul@mina.vomil.an
===========================================
-- http://mina.vomil.an --
===========================================

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #565) on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 8:33 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Jan: Is there anything that fights the undesireable algae in the water (i.e. parrot fish?) or is the only option to stop the cause on land before it reaches the ocean? Thanks

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jan Kloos (BonaireTalker - Post #49) on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 3:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am not sure but I think there is, although I am no expert. However if the ecological balance has been disturbed and the growth of algea cannot be stopped, the corals will die eventually. That is why we have to control the outlet of nutrients into the sea.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Meryl Virga (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4537) on Friday, March 31, 2006 - 9:51 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Well, run off from rivers and streams have a great effect on the ocean...we all know this...
Lets see.. the VX chemicals that they are going to be pouring into the Deleware river shouldn't harm a hair on your little head...All 700 or so train fulls...
...and that's the broadcast news that NO ONE acts on....think of the stuff they don't tell us about..

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By shawn thiele (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #140) on Friday, April 7, 2006 - 12:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

The problem isn't runoff as much as it is global warming. Most of the problems with pollution and an increase of acidity of the water has to do with fossil fuel burning. When we pollute the air we are not only destroying our ozone and changing the composition of the atmosphere, but the composition of the ocean as well. The ocean absorbs the carbon monoxide as well changing the pH of the water killing off much of the good algae and plankton the fish need to live. The coral are being damaged by the temperature of the waters rising for the increased temperatures here on earth. If you want to save the coral, then start lobbying the goverments to promote greater energy care. When the U.S. blew off the Kyoto pact I was not too pleased. Then they want to destroy more of world to drill for more oil instead of investing in renewalable energy sources. Just another reason why I'd never vote for a republican

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan - Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #282) on Friday, April 7, 2006 - 11:55 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Shawn,
Yes, global warming a a problem but nutrients are also have an enormous effect on reefs. You might find the following interesting;



Coral Reef Nutrient Monitoring Bonaire and Curaçao
First round successfully concluded.




Brian Lapointe and volunteers in Bonaire preparing for a dive at Angel City.
March 28, 2006. Last week the first round of nutrient monitoring on the reefs of Bonaire and Curaçao was concluded with a last dive at Watamula Reef in Curaçao. A total of twenty sites, ten in Bonaire and ten in Curaçao, were visited over a nineteen day period. On each site video transects were recorded, water samples taken, and various algae samples collected, both at 60 ft and at 20 ft depths. A total of eighty water samples and more than 220 algae samples were subsequently processed and carried to the US by Brian Lapointe to be analyzed in specialized labs. The results of this analysis are expected in about a month time, when a start can be made with interpreting the data.

Meanwhile, some general preliminary impressions were formed with regard to nutrient impact on the reefs of Bonaire and Curaçao. First of all it became clear that there definitely is an impact of nutrient pollution on some of the reefs on both islands. Compared to many other places in the Caribbean, the reefs of Curacao and Bonaire still generally look to be in good condition, but signs of nutrient pollution were seen on both islands. On average the reefs in Bonaire were less impacted than those of Curacao, but both islands had some sites that are a cause for serious concern. One particular site in Bonaire showed blooms of various species of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) including the toxic Lyngbia (implicated in the development of disfiguring fibropapillomas in sea turtles), and elevated incidence of coral diseases and corals killed over the past few years. In Curaçao several sites such as Caracas Bay and Piscadera had many dead corals and presented luxurious growth of various macro-algae such as Lobophora, Halimeda, and Dictyota. Some sites in the vicinity of resort areas showed alarmingly luxurious growth of Dictyota and relatively high incidence of Black Band disease. Sites within the town area both in Bonaire and Curacao had clear nutrient indicator macro-algae growing on the rocks in the surf zone, and there is no question that they are being impacted by nutrient pollution, but the other sites will have to await the lab results before any clear conclusions can be drawn.

The specialized laboratory analysis will test for very low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, and will provide a measure of the amount of phytoplankton (floating one-celled algae) in the water. The collected algae samples will yield ratios of nitrogen isotopes in the algae tissues, indicating the source(s) of the nitrogen. Natural sources of nitrogen, fertilizer nitrogen, and sewage nitrogen all have different signatures. When luxurious algae growth coincides with a signature of fertilizer or sewage nitrogen there is clear cause for concern.




Frank van Slobbe and Ramon de Leon, coordinators of the Bonaire nutrient monitoring effort, familiarizing themselves with a Dissolved Oxygen meter.

Any conclusions, even after the lab results come in, must also take into the account the possible seasonality of nutrient sources, e.g. increased run-off or mixing of ground water with sea water because of the rainy season. That is why this is only the first round of monitoring. It will be repeated quarterly for a year. Over the past couple of weeks volunteers in Bonaire and Curaçao had the opportunity to observe how the sampling is done, how the water samples must be carefully filtered after the dive, avoiding any contamination, and how to distinguish various species of algae. They will now continue the monitoring every three months to produce a complete picture of the nutrient situation of the reefs from which clear conclusions and recommendations can be drawn.





To learn more about nutrients, macro algae and coral reefs you can download the following:

Presentation given by Dr. Brian Lapointe in Bonaire and Curacao (Powerpoint 8 MB)

Articles:
Lapointe, Brian E. and Katie Thacker: “Community based Water Quality and Coral Reef Monitoring in the Negril Marine Park, Jamaica: Land-based nutrient inputs and their ecological consequences” (PDF, 5 MB)


Lapointe, Brian E. 1997: Nutrient thresholds for bottom-up control of macroalgal blooms on coral reefs in Jamaica and Southeast Florida (PDF, 1.3 MB)

--
http://mina.vomil.an

or check out this website

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By shawn thiele (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #141) on Friday, April 7, 2006 - 6:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I'm not saying that there isn't runoff, the article was an interesting read and would be interested to see their data when they get it. I still think global warming is a bigger issue at hand for coral reef health at this point. If the temperatures keep rising we're gonna lose most of the reefs in the next 10 years whereas sediments I don't think would destroy all the reefs just the ones closest to the areas being polluted.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jamie Barber (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #151) on Monday, April 10, 2006 - 1:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Shawn, please consider the effects of nutrient load and sediment runoff on diverse aquatic ecosystems such as the fringing reefs of Jamiaca and the Chesapeake Bay estuary. Both have been virtually killed from sediment/nutrient overload in the last few decades (mostly from poor development practices). Global warming may be a big (and politically hot) topic but it's only one chapter of the whole story! It's also a BIG challenge to address (not saying it shouldn't be), whereas point-, or even nonpoint-, sources of runnoff pollution can often be addressed immediately and locally. And the effects can often be dramatic! Thanks Jan and Susan for your posts, and to all involved--thanks for the hard work. Keep at it. And thanks Shawn for you posts as well. Lets educate everyone so we can continue to quickly work towards solutions.

 


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