BioNews 5 - May 2013

This month’s issue focuses on coral reef restoration efforts; research by SECORE and CARMABI on Curaçao and a private initiative by the Coral Restoration Foundation and Buddy Dive Resort on Bonaire. Since the decimation of Staghorn and Elkhorn coral colonies by whiteband disease in the early 1980s and because of their slow natural recovery rates throughout the Caribbean, there is a strong interest in human-assisted restoration efforts, which may help speed up the natural process of recovery. In addition to coral reef restoration, this edition profiles the ongoing flora monitoring on the Leeward Islands and showcases the historical taxonomic collections from the Dutch Caribbean held at Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, the Netherlands.

Amongst others, you will find in this fifth issue:

• Overview of Research and Monitoring Efforts
• Bonaire Deep Reef Exploration (by Lisa Becking)
• ‘Research of the Month‘: Coral Restoration Initiatives on Curaçao and Bonaire (by Valérie Chamberland and March Storm)
• Flora of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao (by André van Proosdij)
• Historical Collections on Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity (by Frank Wesselingh, Tinde van Andel and André van Proosdij)
• Calendar of Upcoming Events, Meetings and Workshops