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Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database

Central repository for biodiversity related research and monitoring data from the Dutch Caribbean

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Search results: 393

  • Research report Small Islands – Large climate change challenges. Household resilience to climate change vulnerabilities - a case study of Bonaire
    Main Findings The main climate change vulnerabilities for Bonaire are: an increase in the intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms, an increase in...
  • Other resources The Impacts of Climate Change on Bonaire - Synthesis Report
    Part of the larger report available here.   Executive summary Small islands are particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their fragile...
  • Scientific article Separate but equal in the protection against climate change? The legal framework of climate justice for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands
    Abstract The experiences of overseas territories and how their varying degrees of self-governance influence climate (in)action are overlooked topics...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Paints Bleak Picture of the Impacts of Climate Change in the Dutch Caribbean
    Concerned at Lack of Mention of the Impacts of Climate Change During Address of King Willem Alexander at the Joint Session of the States-General of...
  • Research report Impacts of Climate Change on Cultural Heritage on Bonaire An assessment of the impacts of climate change on Bonairians’ Cultural Heritage
    Part of the larger The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present) report available here.   Summary Climate change causes many problems,...
  • Media Bonairian households not resilient to climate change vulnerabilities and action is highly needed
    Nederlands and Papiamentu below.   Last May, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)‘s research intern Nina Zander requested via (social) media...
  • Media DCNA Launches Dutch Caribbean Climate Action Plan
    May 16th 2022- Today the DCNA launches a Climate Action Plan for the Dutch Caribbean. This plan provide concrete recommendations for all our islands...
  • Research report The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present)
    Small islands are particularly vulnerable to climate change because of their fragile ecosystems, small economies, and often extensive, low-lying...
  • Research report Impacts of Climate Change on Public Health on Bonaire
    Part of the larger The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present) report available here.   Summary Climate change is the biggest “global...
  • Research report Household resilience to climate change vulnerabilities -a case study of Bonaire
    Abstract Small Islands (SIs) often have a small capacity to resist or recover from the increasing impacts of climate change and, therefore,...
  • Raw data Household resilience to climate change vulnerabilities -a case study of Bonaire - RAW DATA SET
    Abstract Small Islands (SIs) often have a small capacity to resist or recover from the increasing impacts of climate change and, therefore,...
  • Media Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy visits the Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity foundation (CARMABI)
    Dutch, Papiamento, and Papiamentu below On Tuesday May 16th, 2023, the Minister for Climate and Energy, Drs. Rob Jetten, and his delegation visited...
  • Media Island(er)s at the Helm awarded with funding from the NWO Caribbean Research programme
    On January 7th Minister van Engelshoven of Education, Culture and Science of The Netherlands announced that the project Island(er)s at the Helm: Co-...
  • Research report Towards better climate change adaptation governance in Curaçao and Bonaire
    Abstract This study addresses the governance around climate change policies in two small islands in the Southern Caribbean. Like many other small...
  • Other resources Climate Change Predictions for St-Eustatius and its possible impacts on the island
    This report was created to highlight the most important climate change predictions for St. Eustatius and to highlight possible impacts on the island...
  • Other resources An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the tourism sector in Curacao
    The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean wishes to acknowledge the assistance...
  • Research report An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal Inundation on Bonaire
    Part of the larger The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present) report available here - https://www.dcbd.nl/document/impacts-climate-...
  • Research report Assessing the climate resilience of Small Island Developing States
    MSc Environment and resource management  - Thesis Abstract                 Building resilience against climate change is a field of study which as...
  • Scientific article Last interglacial hydroclimate seasonality reconstructed from tropical Atlantic corals
    The seasonality of hydroclimate during past periods of warmer than modern global temperatures is a critical component for understanding future...
  • Research report Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report, Summary for Policy Makers
    This Synthesis Report is based on the reports of the three Working Groups of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), including relevant...
  • Media Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy visits the mangrove forests of Bonaire
    Dutch, Papiamento, and Papiamentu below On Tuesday, May 9th, 2023, the Minister for Climate and Energy, Drs. Rob Jetten, and his delegation visited...
  • Research report Climate change effects on the biodiversity of the BES islands
    In this report we review and assess possible consequences of climate change for the biodiversity of the Dutch BES islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
  • Other resources Increasing resilience to climate change and adaptive capacity of Bonaire National Marine Park
    Project description  Title: Increasing resilience to climate change and adaptive capacity of Bonaire National Marine Park Time: July...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Climate Action Plan
    Introduction Caribbean islands are at the forefront of the climate crisis, with effects already starting to become noticeable in the region. Experts...
  • Research report Reef Degradation and Tourism The macroeconomic costs of climate change on Bonaire
    Part of the larger The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present) report available here    Summary This paper studies the macroeconomic...
  • Media Insight into the environmental impact of the food basket of an island: case study of Aruba. Challenges and solutions in moving from an exploratory analysis towards a more detailed analysis.
      This research focuses on calculating the environmental impact, such as carbon footprint, of the food basket of an island, by using life cycle...
  • Scientific article A call to action for climate change research on Caribbean dry forests
    Tropical dry forest (TDF) is globally one of the most threatened forest types. In the insular Caribbean, limited land area and high population...
  • Scientific article Global analysis of the effect of local climate on the hatchling output of leatherback turtles
    The most recent climate change projections show a global increase in temperatures along with precipitation changes throughout the 21st century....
  • Research report The Vulnerable Future of Bonaire A direct climate damage assessment of the built environment of Bonaire
    Part of the larger The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present) report available here.   Summary This study aims to identify the extent to...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance facilitates platform for investigation of marine protected areas in the Caribbean
    Willemstad – The 2021 Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) Convention began with a workshop on climate change resiliency. The workshop served as a...
  • Scientific article A Framework for Assessing Climate Adaptation Governance on the Caribbean Island of Curaçao
    Abstract It is becoming increasingly clear that Caribbean islands are very vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise,...
  • Scientific article Hurricanes, climate change, and social welfare: evidence from the Caribbean
    We examine whether Caribbean islands will be worse off as hurricane activity alters under climate change. To this end, we construct island level...
  • Other resources Estimating damages from climate-related natural disasters for the Caribbean at 1.5 °C and 2 °C global warming above preindustrial levels
    This paper examines historical and future changes in normalised damages resulting from climate-related natural disasters for the Caribbean....
  • Media State Secretary Her Excellency Drs. Alexandra van Huffelen receives an urgent message regarding nature protection in the Dutch Caribbean.
    Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below. On Saturday, June 18th 2022, State Secretary Her Excellency Drs. Alexandra van Huffelen visited the ...
  • Other resources BioNews special: Climate Change
    Conditions all around the world are changing due to climate change. These changes can be felt throughout all environments, from changing water ...
  • Scientific article Future Caribbean Climates in a World of Rising Temperatures: The 1.5 vs 2.0 Dilemma
    A 10-member ensemble from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) is used to analyse the Caribbean’s future climate when mean...
  • Scientific article Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    Coral reefs are among the world’s most endangered ecosystems. Coral mortality can result from ocean warming or other climate-related events such as...
  • Research report Temperature-dependent Sex Determination: Evolutionary Significance and the Adaptive Potential of Sea Turtles to Climate Change
    Research Report   Introduction  Environmental sex determination (ESD) in sea turtles occurs as temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), whereby...
  • Research report Future of Bonaire: Greenpeace review on the impacts of climate change on the Dutch Caribbean island Bonaire
    Bonaire or Boneiru, as it is known in Papiamentu, is a Dutch Caribbean island. An island full of heritage, gorgeous sunset views and a place that...
  • Scientific article Climate change impact on Balearic shearwater through a trophic cascade
    A recent study showed that a critically endangered migratory predator species, the Balearic shear- water Puffinus mauretanicus, rapidly expanded...
  • Scientific article Sand temperatures for nesting sea turtles in the Caribbean: Implications for hatchling sex ratios in the face of climate change
    A 200-year time series of incubation temperatures and primary sex ratios for green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and...
  • Media Climate change impacts on Caribbean calcifying algae: why it matters
    Rising temperatures, ocean acidification and increased storm frequency are threatening coastal Caribbean ecosystems. An important group of organisms...
  • Research report Ten-year assessment of Caribbean Netherlands fisheries monitoring: data challenges and recommendations
    Summary Over the last 10 years, the Caribbean Netherlands fisheries on Saba and St. Eustatius have been monitored and multiple assessment reports...
  • Scientific article Long-term responses of North Atlantic calcifying plankton to climate change
    The global increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is potentially threatening marine biodiversity in two ways. First, carbon dioxide and...
  • Research report 'Nature-based Solutions': essential to safeguard the Dutch Caribbean against the consequences of climate change
    This powerpoint walks through the recently published position paper entitled Nature based Solutions’: essential to safeguard the Dutch Caribbean...
  • Scientific article Effects of Climate Variability on the Morphodynamics of Uruguayan Sandy Beaches
    Effects of long-term trends in climatic variability on the morphodynamics of a reflective and a dissipative sandy beach in Uruguay (SW Atlantic Ocean...
  • Scientific article Coral reefs under rapid climate change and ocean acidification
    Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is expected to exceed 500 parts per million and global temperatures to rise by at least 2°C by 2050 to 2100...
  • Media Climate change impacts within the Dutch Caribbean
    The most recent climate change predictions for the Caribbean region (2013/2014) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are alarming...
  • Scientific article Estimating sex ratios in Caribbean hawksbill turtles: testosterone levels and climate effects
    Evolutionary theory predicts that male and female offspring should be produced at a 1:1 ratio, but this may rarely be the case for species in which...
  • Media Healthier Mangrove Key in Managing Our Carbon Footprint
    Healthy mangroves act as carbon sinks, storing a variety of greenhouse gases.  As mangroves degrade this ability is lost, but to what extend is still...
  • Media Keys to Building Resilience in the Dutch Caribbean
    Dutch below Two new position papers presented to the Dutch Parliament, by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and Wageningen University and Research...
  • Media Bonaire 2050, a nature inclusive vision put into numbers
    Dutch below A study by Wageningen University and Research set-up a series of design sessions, workshops and interviews to describe a vision for...
  • Media Climate change impacts on sea turtle nesting within the Dutch Caribbean
    The effect of climate change on fragile populations of endemic and endangered species has become a topic of special concern, with one creature that...
  • Other resources A review of Geology, Climate and Hydrology in Aruba
    This paper is part of a series on the developments that relate to the Aruban landscape. To bring perspective to current environmental threats and...
  • Other resources Multiple dating approach (14C, 230Th/U and 36Cl) of tsunami-transported reef-top boulders on Bonaire (Leeward Antilles) – Current achievements and challenges
    Dating the transport/deposition time of supratidal coarse-clast deposits is difficult, limiting their value for inferring frequency-magnitude...
  • Scientific article Climate change and temperature-linked hatchling mortality at a globally important sea turtle nesting site
    The study of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in vertebrates has attracted major scientific interest. Recently, concerns for species...
  • Scientific article Commentary: Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    A Commentary on Managing Recovery Resilience in Coral Reefs Against Climate-Induced Bleaching and Hurricanes: A 15 Year Case Study From Bonaire,...
  • Scientific article The state of the world’s mangroves in the 21st century under climate change
    Concerted mangrove research and rehabilitation efforts over the last several decades have prompted a better understanding of the important ecosystem...
  • Scientific article One-Third of Reef-Building Corals Face Elevated Extinction Risk from Climate Change and Local Impacts
    The conservation status of 845 zooxanthellate reef-building coral species was assessed by using International Union for Conservation of Nature Red...
  • Research report Remote Sensing Tools to support NEXUS challenges
    Smalls islands are especially vulnerable to climate change and land  use changes due to the competing needs for limited resources. To support...
  • Scientific article Reconstructing past thermal conditions in beach microclimates
    Abstract Reconstruction of past conditions provides important information on how ecosystems have been impacted by climate change, but generally for...
  • Scientific article Optimism for mitigation of climate warming impacts for sea turtles through nest shading and relocation
    Increasing incubation temperatures may threaten the viability of sea turtle populations. We explored opportunities for decreasing incubation...
  • Other resources 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Book of abstracts
    Abstracts: TOURISM IN THE CARIBBEAN: CHALLENGES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES & CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS (Sponsored by CORALINA & GCFI) Kyne...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Lobbies Internationally for Increased Support for Nature Conservation in the Dutch Caribbean
    Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below.   DCNA has been actively promoting a nature focused agenda both within The Netherlands and...
  • Research report A nature inclusive vision for Bonaire in 2050
    Bonaire, one of the Dutch Caribbean islands, is facing major challenges: managing (mass) tourism and population growth, preventing high erosion rates...
  • Research report To what extent are marine conservation and economic development reconcilable in Bonaire National Marine Park?
    Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) is a marine protected area (MPA) surrounding Bonaire, a small coral island in the Caribbean. Its purpose is to...
  • Research report Bonaire 2050, putting the vision into numbers
    Bonaire is facing major challenges including (mass) tourism, population growth, urban expansion, climate change, biodiversity loss and the unilateral...
  • Media 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
    The 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) was held in San Andres, (Colombia) from 5–9 November 2018. This...
  • Scientific article Conflicts and solutions related to marine turtle conservation initiatives in the Caribbean basin: Identifying new challenges
    Highlights   • We identified up to 161 human-derived conflicts which are related to marine turtle conservation initiatives. • We found that each...
  • Media Sunscreen increases the damaging effects of climate change on coral reefs
    In recent years, there has been an increase in the detection of UV filters from sunscreens in coastal waters. A new study by Wageningen University...
  • Media The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance will discuss three critical topics at the upcoming DCNA Convention
    Kralendijk – The upcoming convention of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) will focus on governance, climate change, and youth engagement in...
  • Scientific article Multilocus Adaptation Associated with Heat Resistance in Reef-Building Corals
    The evolution of tolerance to future climate change depends on the standing stock of genetic variation for resistance to climate-related impacts [1,...
  • Media State of Nature: Bonaire
    Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the three Dutch Caribbean islands Bonaire, Saba and St....
  • Media Coral Monitoring Finds Annual Coral Bleaching on Bonaire
    A recent report released by STINAPA notes the occurrence of coral bleaching on Bonaire between 2016 and 2020.  During this study, coral bleaching was...
  • Research report Management of European (Sub)Tropical Biodiversity In support of sustainable development: Policy recommendations and priorities for research
    NetBiome-CSA is a European funded project that aims to extend and strengthen research partnerships and cooperation for the smart and sustainable...
  • Scientific article How much time can herbivore protection buy for coral reefs under realistic regimes of hurricanes and coral bleaching?
    Abstract: Coral reefs have been more severely impacted by recent climate instability than any other ecosystem on Earth. Corals tolerate a narrow...
  • Scientific article Predictors of bat species richness within the islands of the Caribbean Basin
    Several mechanisms have been shown to influence species richness among island ecosystems, yet most studies limit their focus to a few predictor...
  • Media Klimaat Actieplan voor het Nederlands Caribisch Gebied
    Introductie De eerste effecten van de klimaatcrisis zijn nu al zichtbaar in het Caribische gebied en de verwachting is dat dit in de komende jaren...
  • Media Blue Marine Foundation launches new partnership with Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance
    Nederlands, Papiamentu and Papiamento below   Ocean charity makes initial grant of $90,000 to marine parks on six Dutch Caribbean islands. Award will...
  • Media Bonaire 2050, a nature inclusive vision
    2nd edition (2022) including maps of futures with accompnaying trend projections and indicators. 1st edition (2020). This is a story about one...
  • Media New Research in the Conservation of Sea Turtles on Their Nesting Beaches
    New research led by Swansea University’s College of Scienceand recently published in Scientific Reportshas reported effective conservation strategies...
  • Media Special Edition Bionews: 2021 DCNA Convention
    Between November 23rd and the 27th, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) held its annual Nature Convention on Curaçao.  Due to covid-19...
  • Other resources Evolutionary ecology of sea turtles
    Summary PHD Thesis The genetic diversity and structure of natural populations is  the product of past and  present  ecological  and  evolutionary ...
  • Media State of Nature in the Caribbean Netherlands: St. Eustatius
    Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the three Caribbean Netherlands islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
  • Media BirdsCaribbean Landbird Monitoring Workshop
    Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below.   The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) recently supported the attendance of representatives from...
  • Research report A Guide to Assessing Coral Reef Resilience for Decision Support
    Coral reef resilience is the capacity of a reef to resist or recover from degradation and maintain provision of ecosystem goods and services (Mumby...
  • Media 12th meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Inter- American Sea Turtle Convention (IAC)
    The Scientific Committee (SC) of the IAC meets annually to discuss the annual reports of the member countries, and threats and impacts on sea turtles...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Highlights Nature’s Economic Value
    Kralendijk – The recently concluded Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) convention reminded participants that nature is big business. However,...
  • Other resources State of Nature in the Dutch Caribbean: Saba and the Saba Bank
    Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the state of nature for the three Dutch Caribbean islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
  • Scientific article Can a thermally tolerant symbiont improve the future of Caribbean coral reefs?
    The detrimental effect of climate change induced bleaching on Caribbean coral reefs has been widely documented in recent decades. Several studies...
  • Other resources GLOBAL WARMING OF 1.5 °C
    An IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in...
  • Other resources Exciting New Nature Conservation Projects for STENAPA in 2022
    From cutting edge 3D models to innovative management techniques, 2022 poses to be an exciting year for St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (...
  • Scientific article Assisted gene flow using cryopreserved sperm in critically endangered coral
    Assisted gene flow (AGF) is a conservation intervention to accelerate species adaptation to climate change by importing genetic diversity into at-...
  • Other resources Nature Policy Plan for The Caribbean Netherlands 2013-2017
    Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius form the Dutch Caribbean within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom of the...
  • Research report Land cover classification Bonaire
    Mapping the land cover of Bonaire based on very high resolution PLEIADES satellite data of 2014-2016 Bonaire is rich in natural terrestrial...
  • Media DCNA to Hold Subsequent Board Meeting on Sint Maarten
    Receives Letter of Support from Royal Patron Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands The Nature Conservation Network Organization the Dutch Caribbean...
  • Research report A landscape ecological vegetation map of Saba (Lesser Antilles)
    A semi-detailed landscape-based vegetation map (scale: 1: 37,500) is presented for the 13 km2 Lesser Antillean steep volcanic island of Saba,...
  • Media Tackling the Tilapia Problem
    Dutch below Tilapia, a freshwater fish originally from Africa, introduced to the islands of Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten, has managed to rapidly...
  • Other resources The impacts of sea-level rise on the index nesting beach on Klein Bonaire for three species of sea turtle
    Abstract: Globally, all extant sea turtles species are endangered due to centuries of uncontrolled exploitation, furthermore they face future threats...
  • Scientific article Somatic growth dynamics of West Atlantic hawksbill sea turtles: a spatio-temporal perspective.
    Somatic growth dynamics are an integrated response to environmental conditions. Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are long-lived, major...
  • Scientific article Somatic growth dynamics of West Atlantic hawksbill sea turtles: a spatio-temporal perspective
    Somatic growth dynamics are an integrated response to environmental conditions. Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) are long-lived, major...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance is Preparing Dutch Caribbean Conservation Organizations to Withstand External Shocks
    Kralendijk – The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance’s (DCNA) bi-annual board meeting took place during the recent convention held in Curaçao. Their...
  • Media The State of the World's Mangroves 2021
    MANGROVES ARE VITAL COMPONENTS OF THE PLANET’S COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. Mangroves sequester carbon at up to four times the rate of terrestrial forests,...
  • Other resources Beach development in Oranjestad Bay, St. Eustatius
    Sint Eustatius is a Caribbean island located in the north of the Lesser Antilles. The coastline west of the capital, Oranjestad Bay, is of vital...
  • Other resources Policy Letter: Creating effective, sustainable fisheries management in the Caribbean Netherlands
    Throughout the Caribbean, like in the rest of the world, the abundance of marine fish species have been declining over the past decades. The health...
  • Research report A status report of nature policy development and implementation in the Dutch Caribbean
    The National Nature Policy Plan 2001-2005 (NPP-5) and its current status of implementation was assessed as a first step towards a new Nature Policy...
  • Research report A status report of nature policy development and implementation in the Dutch Caribbean over the last 10 years and recommendations towards the Nature Policy Plan 2012-2017
    The National Nature Policy Plan 2001-2005 (NPP-5) and its current status of implementation was assessed as a first step towards a new Nature Policy...
  • Media Aruba’s Value of Nature
    There is strong link between economy and nature in the Dutch Caribbean due to our economic dependence on nature-based tourism. TEEB Aruba - The...
  • Media Bonaire Hosts an International Mangrove Restoration Workshop
    Between October 25th and 28th, Bonaire’s Mangrove Maniacs hosted their first Mangrove Restoration Workshop .  The goal was to provide a platform for...
  • Media Successful first in-person summit for the Caribbean Shark Coalition
    Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below.   The Caribbean Shark Coalition (CSC) met for their first in-person summit in St. Maarten from September...
  • Research report Student essays on economic values of nature of Bonaire
    To inform decision makers about the most effective strategies to protect the ecosystems of Bonaire, a full-scale valuation of all ecosystem services...
  • Research report UAUCU Student Research Exchange Collected Papers 2020 (Vol. 6)
    Introduction to the sixth edition of the UAUCU Student Research Exchange Collected Papers This volume presents research reports and personal...
  • Other resources Increasing coral cover and decreasing coral species diversity with decreasing light availability at depth: a study of the future effects of sea level rise on fringing reef ecosystems
    Global climate change is having widespread effects on the world’s oceans. Particularly vulnerable to changing global conditions are coral reefs,...
  • Scientific article Damages caused by hurricane Irma in the human-degraded mangroves of Saint Martin (Caribbean)
    In early September 2017, Irma was the most powerful hurricane that struck the northern Caribbean over the last 100 years. In the 21stcentury, the...
  • Scientific article Fisher and diver perceptions of coral reef degradation and implications for sustainable management
    Fishers and divers are the major resource users of Caribbean coral reefs. On Curaçao and Bonaire, reef condition is good relative to the Caribbean...
  • Other resources An approach to identify options for reuse of nutrients under different development scenarios
    The majority of the world population is living in cities, and population and urbanization rates are expected to grow further, raising challenges for...
  • Other resources Harmful invasive alien species (IAS) in the Caribbean Netherlands
    Following climate change, IAS are recognised as the second-most serious long-term threat to island ecology, worldwide. Of all IAS issues, by far the...
  • Media Special Edition: Transboundary Species
    There has been a recent increase in public awareness of environmental issues as the effects of climate change have become ever more noticeable in our...
  • Research report The Hydrogeology of Curaçao: an electrical resistivity study
    Abstract Worldwide, coral reef health is declining rapidly due to both global stressors (climate change) and local stressors (pollution). Reef...
  • Media BioNews 65
    BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
  • Scientific article Western Antarctic Peninsula physical oceanography and spatio–temporal variability
    This study focuses on 12 years of physical oceanography data, collected during the Palmer, Antarctica, Long-Term Ecological Research program (PAL...
  • Media Hurricane Effects on Critically Endangered Reptiles
    Caribbean flora and fauna have always coped with the destructive forces of hurricanes. However, climate change leading to an increase in their...
  • Research report Biological Inventory of Saba
    Abstract: Saba is the smallest of the three Windward Islands in the Netherlands Antilles, with an area of 13 km2. Saba is the northernmost island...
  • Media Status of Saba Bank’s reefs
    The Saba Bank remained an unexplored and mysterious offshore submerged carbonate platform until very recently. Research on the Saba Bank was first...
  • Other resources Human leptospirosis: guidance for diagnosis, surveillance and control
    Why were these guidelines written? Leptospirosis is a worldwide public health problem. In humid tropical and subtropical areas, where most developing...
  • Scientific article Sovereign states in the Caribbean have lower social-ecological vulnerability to coral bleaching than overseas territories
    Coral reef social-ecological systems worldwide face major impacts from cli- mate change, and spatial variation in vulnerability is driven by...
  • Media Marine biodiversity research expedition on Bonaire
    An international research team will come to Bonaire from 21 October to 9 November 2019 to investigate its marine biodiversity. Although Bonaire’s...
  • Media FPNA: Transitioning to a Conservation Management Organization
    Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) recently highlighted their successes and struggles of 2021 and gave a brief preview of their Multi-Annual...
  • Other resources Simulating emerging coastal tourism vulnerabilities: an agentbased modelling approach
    Abstract: Coastal tourism destinations face a range of climate-related changes. Prevailing challenges include understanding emerging changes and...
  • Other resources Vulnerability Is Dynamic! Conceptualising a Dynamic Approach to Coastal Tourism Destinations’ Vulnerability
    Abstract.  Coastal regions and islands are among the most popular tourist destinations. They are also highly vulnerable to climate change. Much...
  • Media Bad News For Green Sea Turtles In An Age Of Warming Seas: warmer oceans drive declining growth rates
    A number of studies have investigated the effect of climate change on sea turtles, such as the loss of nesting beaches from sea level rise (Fish et ...
  • Research report Dynamics of the Deep The influence of spatial heterogeneity of water quality on dominant benthic groups on Bonaire.
    MSc thesis Shifts of coral reefs towards alternative states occur due to local and global stressors. Although global stressors are expected to...
  • Scientific article Hurricane-Driven Patterns of Clonality in an Ecosystem Engineer: The Caribbean Coral Montastraea annularis
    Abstract: K-selected species with low rates of sexual recruitment may utilise storage effects where low adult mortality allows a number of...
  • Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 1
    This is the first part of the Marine Scientific Assessment  The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 2 click here, for part 3 here ...
  • Scientific article Multi-objective Optimisation Framework for Assessment of Trade-Offs between Benefits and Co-benefits of Nature-based Solutions
    Urbanization and climate change are producing an escalation in the prevalence of urban problems, particularly those connected to flooding, prompting...
  • Book Publication: Advancing Disaster Risk Financing in Sint Maarten
    https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/4819e505-9dfa-4...   Abstract Historical losses due to hurricanes have been significant in...
  • Scientific article A comparison of eight country plans for the Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish in the Wider Caribbean
    Highlights • The Caribbean region is being negatively impacted by the invasive lionfish. • Management efforts by eight Caribbean islands addressing...
  • Portal FORCE - Future Of Reefs in a Changing Environment
    FORCE project is an integrated research project which takes an ecosystem approach, linking social and ecological aspects towards managing Caribbean...
  • Media Bonaire 2050, a nature inclusive vision
    Results from a series of designs sessions, workshops and interviews describe a vision for Bonaire in 2050. In this vision, measures to combat...
  • Other resources Coral Bleaching in the Bonaire National Marine Park 2016-2020
    Abstract Mass coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and widespread and poses a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Mass coral bleaching is a...
  • Research report Coral bleaching in the Bonaire National Marine Park 2016-2020
    STINAPA report Mass coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and widespread and poses a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Mass coral bleaching...
  • Other resources Tropical dry forests The state of global knowledge and recommendations for future research
    This discussion paper assesses the state of knowledge on tropical dry forests  as it relates to CIFOR’s strategy and identi es research opportunities...
  • Scientific article Monitoring of terrestrial avifauna in six habitats on St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands, 2009–2017
    The Caribbean is a biodiversity hotspot due to its rich biodiversity and wholesale loss of primary vegetation. Yet, there is a paucity of studies on...
  • Research report Biological Inventory of St. Maarten
    St. Maarten is one of the islands forming the inner arc of the Lesser Antilles. It is older than Saba and St. Eustatius. The oldest rock strata date...
  • Research report An Assessment of Nesting Seabirds within San Nicolas Bay, Aruba, 2009
    Executive Summary: The eleventh field season of the Aruba Tern Project was completed in 2009. The study continued its stated aim of producing a...
  • Book Amphibians of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire
    I. Introduction A. Geography, climate, extended dry periods, tankis and earthen dams, and vegetation Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire, together with the...
  • Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Provides Platform for Youth Engagement in Nature Conservation During Symposium Held in Curaçao
    Willemstad – A group of engaged teens and young adults had the opportunity to discuss youth engagement in nature conservation and nature education...
  • Other resources The Stability and Regeneration of Seagrass Meadows During Hurricanes
    Msc. thesis Tropical seagrass meadows are vital coastal ecosystems threatened by both storm activity and human interference. Intense hurricane...
  • Scientific article A social-ecological perspective on ecosystem vulnerability for the invasive creeper coralita (Antigonon leptopus) in the Caribbean: A review
    Highlights • Review on coralita invasion (Antigonon leptopus) on islands yielded 46 papers. • Main influencing factors are overgrazing, human...
  • Scientific article Adding insult to injury: Effects of chronic oxybenzone exposure and elevated temperature on two reef-building corals
    Abstract: Coral bleaching due to global warming currently is the largest threat to coral reefs, which may be exacerbated by altered water quality....
  • Media DCNA Junior Ranger Exchange Event 2022
    Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below.   The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) is excited to announce the 2022 Junior Ranger Exchange...
  • Other resources A Social-Ecological perspective on the invasive creeper Coralita (Antigonon leptopus) on St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean: a review
    Student Report Relevance:  Invasive species and habitat destruction are seen as the biggest threats to biodiversity worldwide, especially on small...
  • Media Kingdom Report Sounds Alarm on Biodiversity Conservation in the Dutch Caribbean
    Only Four of Twenty Biodiversity Targets On Track to Achieve Goals in the Dutch Caribbean A recently published report issued by the Kingdom of the...
  • Other resources The impact of uncertain Antarctic ice sheet dynamics for future coastal erosion A probabilistic approach for a data-scarce environment in the Caribbean
    Msc. Thesis Case study St. Maarten Key Points • Sea level rise projections are deeply uncertain due to the contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet,...
  • Scientific article Impacts of wetland dieback on carbon dynamics: A comparison between intact and degraded mangroves
    Mangroves are effective blue carbon sinks and are the most carbon rich ecosystems on earth. However, their areal extent has declined by over one-...
  • Monitoring protocol Invasive Lionfish - A Guide to Control and Management
    The invasion of lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) may prove to be one of the greatest threats of this century to warm temperate and tropical...
  • Media Using Satellite Imagery to Map St. Eustatius Coralita Invasion
    Coralita is an invasive plant species, rapidly spreading across St. Eustatius.  A recently published report highlighted the ability to use satellite...
  • Media Nature in the Dutch Caribbean is critically threatened and intervention is necessary
    Wageningen University recently published an alarming report on the threatened natural resources on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius. The Dutch...
  • Media Curacao’s New Underwater Research Station
    Plans for a cutting edge, underwater research station ‘PROTEUS™’ have recently been released.  The modular design, inspired by coral polyps, will...
  • Media AlgaePARC: Bringing Innovation to Bonaire
    A collaborative effort between private, government and university partners, has been working to develop a microalgae production test facility on...
  • Research report UAUCU Student Research Exchange Collected Papers 2022 (vol 7)
    Introduction to the seventh edition of the UAUCU Student Research Exchange Collected Papers This volume includes research reports and personal...
  • Scientific article Extreme spatial heterogeneity in carbonate accretion potential on a Caribbean fringing reef linked to local human disturbance gradients
    Abstract The capacity of coral reefs to maintain their structurally complex frameworks and to retain the potential for vertical accretion is vitally...
  • Media New Technique to Enrich Genetic Diversity of Elkhorn Corals
    Using cryopreserved reproductive cells of elkhorn corals, researchers have crossbreed individuals from Florida and Puerto Rico with those of Curaçao...
  • Other resources The Yellow-Shouldered Amazon - Perspectives
    There are 330 parrot species worldwide, of which a third is threatened with extinction. The Yellow-shouldered Amazon (Amazona Barbadensis) is a...
  • Media Worth Its Salt: Bonaire’s Cargill Salt Ponds Designated a Shorebird Site of Regional Significance
    Worth Its Salt: Bonaire’s Cargill Salt Ponds Designated a Shorebird Site of Regional Significance Imagine a vast expanse of rectangular saline ponds...
  • Media NICO Science Expedition to the Dutch Caribbean
    December 13th marked the beginning of an incredibly exciting and ambitious research expedition organized by the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea...
  • Book Biology of Parrotfishes
    Content: Chapter 1: Cranial Specializations of Parrotfishes, Genus Scarus (Scarinae, Labridae) for Scraping Reef Surfaces  By Kenneth W. Gobalet...
  • Scientific article Coral reef ecosystem integrated observing system: In-situ oceanographic observations at the US Pacific islands and atolls
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established the Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System (CREIOS) to provide...
  • Portal Reefbase
    A great part of the coral reef resources in the world are in danger of destruction due to over exploitation, degradation of habitat and, possibly,...
  • Other resources Trends in the Caribbean Netherlands
    As of 10 October 2010, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) is responsible for the collection and publication of statistical data on the three islands of the...
  • Scientific article Ocean temperatures chronicle the ongoing warming of Earth
    To the Editor — e global ocean has absorbed 93% of the extra heat trapped by the Earth since 19701 and the rate of change in ocean heat content is a...
  • Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 4
    This is the last part of the Marine Scientific Assessment  The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 1 click here, for part 2 here &...
  • Media Mas Piska pa Boneiru: Less talk more action
    Identifying and overcoming bottlenecks in fisheries management on Bonaire. Fishing is one of the oldest professions in the Dutch Caribbean. Many...
  • Research report Cruise report RV Pelagia 64PE430 : Bottom topography, groundwater discharge and cyanobacterial mats of mesophotic reefs, 25 January - 2 February 2018Curaçao-Bonaire-Aruba (NICO expedition leg 3)
    The Caribbean is well known for its tropical islands fringed by beautiful coral reefs. However, reefs nowadays shift from coral dominance to...
  • Scientific article Making Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance Work: New Opportunities From the SDG Perspectives
    Surveillance of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) exemplifies a One Health approach, which entails coordinated, collaborative, multidisciplinary, and...
  • Research report The influence of herbivorous keystone fish species on the recruitment and growth of corals on artificial reefs: a study regarding the influence of Acanthuridae and Scaridae on coral recruitment and growth on three different types of artificial reefs: reef
    Student Report  Coral reefs are one of the most important ecosystems in the world, in terms of both biological diversity and economy. These...
  • Media Special Edition: State of Nature in the Caribbean Netherlands
    Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the Caribbean Netherlands islands Bonaire, Saba and St....
  • Other resources GENETIC DIVERSITY, CONNECTIVITY AND DEMOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF BONAIRE SEA TURTLES
    with a discussion on sampling mixed aggregations for demographic inferences Student Report  Climate change is threatening sea turtles globally, and...
  • Scientific article A catalogue of the Coleoptera of the Dutch Antilles
    Little has changed since Wallace (1876) and almost a century later Geijskes & Wagenaar Hummelinck (1951) wrote that only few have occupied...
  • Media BioNews 48 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter
    BioNews 48- Dutch Caribbean Newsletter BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and...
  • Media Is there a future for artificial reefs?
    Manmade structures such as seawalls, breakwaters, and jetties are increasing in frequency in marine coastal environments. Overtime, these structures...
  • Media New Coral Reef Breeding Nursery on Bonaire
    A brand new, innovative floating coral fish breeding nursery is being tested at the Dive Friends Sand Dollar location on Bonaire.  This project, led...
  • Media Beneath the Beauty: Water Hyacinth’s Threat to the Dutch Caribbean
    Dutch below A free-floating aquatic plant, water hyacinth, is becoming a significant issue for the islands of Aruba and Curacao.  This plant can...
  • Research report Indicators on the status and trends of ecosystems in the Dutch Caribbean
    The Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Saba, St.Eustatius, Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The islands have a...
  • Other resources Black spot disease of Ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus) population in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    Diseases of oceanic species are difficult to research due to the ocean‟s vast size and the overall logistics involved in studying disease in...
  • Other resources Saba and St. Eustatius (Statia)
    Saba and St. Eustatius/Sint Eustatius (Statia) represent geologically young (less than a million years) Pleistocene island arc volcanoes that rise at...
  • Scientific article Caribbean parrotfish density and size inside and outside marine protected area
    The direct and indirect impacts of the increase in human population, in particular the growing demand for food, as well as various aspects of climate...
  • Scientific article Ocean acidi cation and global warming impair shark hunting behaviour and growth
    Alterations in predation pressure can have large e ects on trophically-structured systems. Modi cation of predator behaviour via ocean warming has...
  • Media Microplastic Contamination on Beaches of the Lesser Antilles
    Plastic pollution is one of today’s most pressing global challenges. An estimated 4-12 billion kg of plastic enter our oceans annually, where it is...
  • Other resources Multi-Hazard Risk Assessment due to Hurricane Activity: Case Study of St. Martin, the Caribbean
    Student Report Every year hundreds of thousands of people are affected by natural disasters that occur due to various physical phenomenon. They...
  • Research report Vegetatie onderzoek Bonaire 2019
    This report describes a field visit to the Caribbean island of Bonaire aiming at collection of field data on the arid vegetation, which consists...
  • Media Hurricane Impact on Statia
    Sint Eustatius was hit by two major hurricanes, Irma and Maria, during the high-intensity season of 2017. Two new studies aid our understanding of...
  • Research report TAKING ROOT: A GROUNDED APPROACH TO SCIENCE COMMUNICATION FOR SEALINK CURAÇAO
    ABSTRACT Communicating research findings to a lay public comes with a range of challenges, as can be seen in the considerable literature on Science...
  • Research report Mangrove and Seagrass Restoration on Bonaire
    Summary Vegetated coastal ecosystems provide important ecosystem services on which humans depend. Mangrove and seagrass ecosystems function as a...
  • Research report A landscape ecological vegetation map of Sint Eustatius (Lesser Antilles)
    Abstract: A semi-detailed landscape-based vegetation map (scale: 1: 37,500) based on field data from 1999 has been available as an update of Stoffers...
  • Scientific article Controls of Caribbean surface hydrology during the mid- to late Holocene: insights from monthly resolved coral records
    Several proxy-based and modeling studies have investigated long-term changes in Caribbean climate during the Holocene, however, very little is known...
  • Research report Classifying benthic habitats and deriving bathymetry at the Caribbean Netherlands using multispectral Imagery
    Benthic habitats (habitats occurring at the bottom of a water body) and coral reef ecosystems provide many functions. Currently, however, worldwide...
  • Other resources Population demographic of Pomacanthus paru (French angelfish) in comparison to seafloor rugosity
    Species conservation is becoming an important aspect in marine environments. Climate change and anthropogenic interactions have had a direct impact...
  • Media Alarm bells ring as turtle growth rates decline
    An unprecedented regional study of turtle growth rates by Bjorndal et al, compiled scientific data on hawksbill turtle growth rates collected over a...
  • Scientific article A Quantitative, Non-Destructive Methodology for Habitat Characterisation and Benthic Monitoring at Offshore Renewable Energy Developments
    Following governments’ policies to tackle global climate change, the development of offshore renewable energy sites is likely to increase...
  • Other resources A comparison between two methods for surveying reef fish in St. Eustatius
    Student Thesis Coral reef ecosystems are considered the most productive and diverse of all marine systems. However, these are being dramatically...
  • Research report A National Park for Saba
    Options for acquisition and management of the northwestern part of Saba. Since 2004, Saba’s overall economic objective has been to generate growth of...
  • Other resources Water conservation in Curaçao; using traditional earthen dams
    The climate in Curaçao is semi-arid to arid. Every century several extended periods of drought occur with practically no rain. A whole system of...
  • Scientific article Ecological and socioeconomic strategies to sustain Caribbean coral reefs in a high-CO world
    The Caribbean and Western Atlantic region hosts one of the world’s most diverse geopolitical regions and a unique marine biota distinct from tropical...
  • Research report Developing sustainable agriculture on St.Eustatius
    The aim of the paper is to elaborate how St. Eustatius can develop its agricultural sector in an environmentally sustainable way, while...
  • Research report The terrestrial consequences of poor wastewater management in Curaçao
    Abstract   Curaçao is a Small Island Development State in the Wider Caribbean Region. In the scope of sustainable development and the UN SDGs, these...
  • Research report Ecosystem stability: How a Plant Community Blows Off Wind Pressure
    Abstract   This research paper aims to understand how Aruba’s plant ecosystem is shaped and affected by the constant wind pressure present on the...
  • Media The struggle is real for the Bridled Quail-Dove on St. Eustatius
    Two years ago we shared the worrying news that the Bridled Quail-dove population had suffered a significant decline on St. Eustatius (Statia)...
  • Research report ‘Nature-based solutions’ zijn noodzakelijk om Caribische Nederland te behoeden voor de gevolgen van klimaatverandering
    Achtergrond Caribisch Nederland (Bonaire, Saba en St. Eustatius) en de Koninkrijkspartners Aruba, Curaçao en Sint Maarten worden nu en in de komende...
  • Media The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) Organise Marine Management Workshop in Aruba
    Dutch, Papiamentu and Papiamento below   From the 21st to the 23rd of November 2022, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) together with...
  • Media Co-funded by the EU’s RESEMBID program and Wageningen University & Research, Pilot Project ‘Turning the Tide’ launches in Aruba
    Dutch below  ORANJESTAD, ARUBA – Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) in collaboration with Wageningen University...
  • Scientific article Relevance of coral geometry in the outcomes of the coral-algal benthic war
    Corals have built reefs on the benthos for millennia, becoming an essential element in marine ecosystems. Climate change and human impact, however,...
  • Scientific article Eyes Wide Shut: the impact of dim-light vision on neural investment in marine teleosts
    Understanding how organismal design evolves in response to environmental challenges is a central goal of evolutionary biology. In particular,...
  • Other resources Sea Turtle Trends: Understanding Patterns with Predictive Models
    Dutch below In their 2019 paper, Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) used sea turtle data collected between 2003 and 2018 to estimate abundance...
  • Maps and Charts Vegetation map of St. Eustatius
    A semi-detailed landscape-based vegetation map (GIS; scale: 1: 37,500) is presented for the 21 km2 Lesser Antillean island of St. Eustatius,...
  • Research report An Inventory of the Geographical Distribution and Conservation Status ofMarine Turtles and Sharks in the Wider Caribbean andRelationship to Fisheries
    Findings on Marine Turtles ·         Migration routes to and from nesting sites (typically index beaches) are variously known in the Caribbean,...
  • Research report A Report on the Status of the Coral Reefs of Bonaire in 2005 with Advice on a Monitoring Program
    This report characterizes the state of Bonaire’s reefs as of March 2005. We pay particular attention to structural and functional attributes of reefs...
  • Other resources Wave exposure as a driver of dissimilarities in submerged macrophyte community structure of Saint Martins' tropical seagrass meadows- successional stages and future drama?
    Seagrass meadows provide a spectrum of anthropogenically important ecological functions. However, these ecosystems are globally declining under human...
  • Media Coral Reef Rehabilitation in the Dutch Caribbean
    The Dutch Caribbean islands are recognized worldwide for their healthy reefs and outstanding dive sites. Nevertheless, while these reefs are showing...
  • Scientific article Ecological solutions to reef degradation: optimizing coral reef restoration in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic
    Reef restoration activities have proliferated in response to the need to mitigate coral declines and recover lost reef structure, function, and...
  • Scientific article Quantifying the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) coupling to CO2 concentration and to the length of day variations
    Abstract   The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the Earth’s strongest climate fluctuation on inter-annual time scales and has global impacts...
  • Media News item: Hyperspectral Coral Reef Classification (HCRC)
    The Dutch Caribbean island Bonaire has protected its marine resources for more than 35 years and has been ranked as one of the Caribbean’s top dive...
  • Research report The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Aruba
    Aruba’s natural capital value for tourism, culture, fishing and carbon exceeds US$ 287.3 million per year. ARUBA, an island of 115,000 human...
  • Media BioNews 36 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter
    BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
  • Other resources Species Action Plan Caribbean Spiny Lobster
    Action Plan for Caribbean Spiny Lobster consists of: Threats: overfishing, disease, climate change Management goals Recommendations: management,...
  • Other resources Coral Health Chart
    For more information, check: https://coralwatch.org About CoralWatch CoralWatch, based at The University of Queensland, Australia, is a well-...
  • Media De belofte van ‘blue carbon’: van koolstoftunnelvisie naar donutvisie
    Tijdschrift Milieu Volgens het laatste IPCC-rappor t zijn de effecten van klimaatverandering onomkeer-  baar en zullen we moeten inzetten op...
  • Media New Research Improves on Traditional Reef Survey Techniques
    Researchers from University of Amsterdam and CARMBABI Foundation implemented 3-dimensional reef surveying techniques to improve representation of...
  • Media Powerpoint- https://www.dcbd.nl/document/%E2%80%98nature-based-solutions%E2%80%99-zijn-noodzakelijk-om-caribische-nederland-te-behoeden-voor-de
    Veerkracht tegen klimaatverandering verloren door stapeling van drukfactoren - stijgingen in de lucht - en zeewatertemperatuur - zeespiegelstijging...
  • Research report Mapping of the Potential Erosion in the Catchment of Lac Bay
    Abstract: Over the past decades coastal ecosystems have been increasingly threatened and have been reducing at alarming rates. Similar is happening...
  • Research report Assessing water quality and the benthic species communities around the Dutch Caribbean Island Sint Eustatius.
    Summary The health of coral reefs is threatened by anthropogenic land-based input, which is a global problem. High nutrient conditions make corals...
  • Research report Vegetation trends BES island
    This project aims to provide trends substantiated with objective data about the size and botanical quality (species composition) of the terrestrial...
  • Other resources Collaboration between Wageningen University and Research and the Caribbean
    Introduction The Caribbean is a region in the Americas with islands and coasts bordering the Caribbean sea. Three countries of the Kingdom of the...
  • Other resources Diet preference of roaming goats (Capra hircus) on columnar cacti in Bonairian scrublands
    The introduction of goats to Bonaire in the 17th century, caused direct and indirect changes in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems and has led to...
  • Other resources Effects of sediment grain size on abundance of marine nematodes in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    Free-living marine nematodes are a functionally and morphologically diverse group of animals. They have important ecological functions, many of which...
  • Other resources Ranking Herbivory in Coral Reef Fish
    Herbivory grazing patterns by parrotfish, family Scaridae, and surgeonfish, family Acanthuridae, were investigated on the leeward side of Bonaire,...
  • Research report Saba Bank Symposium: summary and recommendations
    Introduction: Since 2010, the Saba Bank falls under the jurisdiction of The Netherlands. Spanning an area of 2000km2, the Saba Bank houses the...
  • Scientific article Predictability in evolution: Adaptation of the Bonaire anole (Anolis bonairensis) to an extreme environment.
    The extent to which evolution is deterministic (predictable), or random, is a fundamental question in evolution. This case study attempts to...
  • Scientific article A blueprint for blue carbon: toward an improved understanding of the role of vegetated coastal habitats in sequestering CO2.
    Recent research has highlighted the valuable role that coastal and marine ecosystems play in sequestering car- bon dioxide (CO2). The carbon (C)...
  • Book A Systematic Vademecum to the Vascular Plants of Sint Eustatius
    Small Caribbean islands are wonderful showcases of biodiversity. All islands of the Lesser Antilles had equal access to a similar suite of invading...
  • Other resources The groundwater quality of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao: a hydrogeochemical study
    The Groundwater resources on the Caribbean Islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are limited and of poor quality. The groundwater of the islands is...
  • Media Mapping and Studying Changing Coral Reefs:  Is the Saba Bank still growing?
    Researchers aboard the Pelagia research vessel have been collecting invaluable data on the Windward islands in the Caribbean during the sixth leg of...
  • Other resources Species Action Plan Yellow-shouldered Amazon (Lora)
    Action Plan for Yellow-shouldered Amazon consists of: Threats: habitat loss. poaching, climate changes Management goals Recommendations: management...
  • Research report Goat Culling on Saba
    Student Report After six months of ethnographic fieldwork on Saba, a small island in the Caribbean Netherlands, the student developed her thesis...
  • Media State of the World’s Mangroves 2021
    The Global Mangrove Alliance’s recent report on the State of the World’s mangroves served as a call to action for mangrove conservation and...
  • Research report Bonaire's Southern Wetlands Management Plan
    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The southern wetlands of Bonaire represent a unique environment for the island. Consisting of a wide variety of habitat types...
  • Media Sargassum Fertilizer Transfers Heavy Metals to Vegetables
    Nederlands below.   A joint experiment between WWF-Mexico and STINAPA Bonaire found that vegetables grown in soil enriched with sargassum had higher...
  • Research report Understanding cryptic coral diversity: A 3Dreefscape genomics approach to assess dispersal dynamics and niche differentiation
    Abstract  Corals provide habitat for numerous marine species and ecosystem services for global human populations. However, they are vulnerable...
  • Scientific article Understanding the spread and impact of exotic geckos in the greater Caribbean region
    Abstract Understanding the patterns and drivers of the spread of exotic species is necessary for limiting their distributions and minimizing their...
  • Research report Coral Reef Resilience Assessment of the Bonaire National Marine Park, Netherlands Antilles
    Abstract: Although Bonaire’s coral reefs remain among the healthiest and most resilient in the Caribbean, this IUCN report based on the IUCN...
  • Scientific article Continued expansion of the trans-Atlantic invasive marine angiosperm Halophila stipulacea in the Eastern Caribbean
    Abstract: Halophila stipulacea (Hydrocharitaceae) is reported for the first time from Aruba, Curaçao, Grenadines (Grenada), St. Eustatius, St. John (...
  • Maps and Charts Vegetation map of Saba
    A semi-detailed landscape-based vegetation map (scale: 1: 37,500) is presented for the 21 km2 Lesser Antillean island of St. Eustatius, Netherlands...
  • Scientific article Coral reef fish and benthic community structure of Bonaire and Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles
    Coral reefs throughout the Caribbean have suffered the effects of human activities, including overfishing, nutrient pollution, and global climate...
  • Other resources Habitat preferences, behavior, and inter-species associations of the yellowline arrow crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    Stenorhynchus seticornis (Yellowline arrow crab) is a decapod crustacean native to the Western Atlantic in tropical and subtropical climates....
  • Other resources The effect of SCUBA divers on the reproductive behavior of Halichoeres bivittatus in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles
    The purpose of this study is to determine if divers are affecting the reproductive behavior of Halichoeres bivittatus, commonly known as slippery...
  • Media Sunscreens and Corals: Oxybenzone
    Coral reefs face innumerable human-induced threats including climate change, sedimentation, pollution and destructive fishing practices all of which...
  • Other resources Exploring the occurrence of and explanations for nighttime spikes in dissolved oxygen across coral reef environments
    Primary producers release oxygen as the by-product of photosynthetic light reactions during the day. However, a prevalent, globally-occurring...
  • Other resources Coral Reef Resilience Assessment of the Bonaire National Marine Park, Netherlands Antilles
    Although Bonaire’s coral reefs remain among the healthiest and most resilient in the Caribbean, this IUCN report based on the IUCN Resilience...
  • Media Saba: Goat Buy Back Project
    The 2013-2017 Nature Policy for the Caribbean Netherlands flagged the threat of invasive species as a high priority, with recent inventories...
  • Monitoring protocol A stranding guide to the marine mammals of the wider Caribbean region
    Accurate species identification of marine mammals is key to improving our knowledge about them, including their distribution, natural history and the...
  • Media St. Maarten: Post Hurricane Coral Assessment
    The St. Maarten Nature Foundation scientifically researched the impacts of Hurricane Irma on St. Maarten coral reefs using Global Coral Reef...
  • Other resources Species Action Plan Mountain mahogany
    Action Plan for Mountain mahogany consists of: Threats: storms (hurricanes), climate change, volcanic activity Management goals Recommendations:...
  • Research report Implementing community urban agriculture in Bonaire: Developing guidelines to set up and design sustainable communal urban agriculture projects in the Caribbeans SIDS with a focus on Bonaire, by using participatory action research
    Abstract Bonaire is a Caribbean Island that is part of the Dutch Kingdom. The island is currently facing serious challenges. One of the defined...
  • Research report Protecting Bonaire against Coastal Flooding A participatory multi-criteria analysis of coastal adaptation options
    Part of the larger The impacts of climate change on Bonaire (2022-present) report available here.   Summary Coastal hazards pose a significant threat...
  • Media New Research on Mangrove Restoration for Bonaire
    Nederlands below.   Since 2020, the Mangrove Maniacs have planted over 1500 mangroves along the southwest coast of Bonaire. A new collaborative...
  • Media BioNews 58
    BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
  • Research report Assessing Water Quality and the Benthic Species Communities around the Dutch Caribbean Island Sint Eustatius
    MSc internship report The health of coral reefs is threatened by anthropogenic land-based input, which is a global problem. High nutrient conditions...
  • Research report Preventing the next Aedes-borne arboviral disease epidemic
    Arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) are transmitted via blood-feeding arthropods such as mosquitoes, flies, and ticks (1). Aedes mosquitoes are the...
  • Research report SUSTAINING SEAGRASS: A THESIS ON STRESS FACTORS AND RESTORATION TECHNIQUES
    Abstract Seagrass meadows provide essential ecosystem services. However, seagrass cover has decreased the past decades, due to climate change and...
  • Research report Implementing community urban agriculture in Bonaire
    Abstract   Bonaire is a Caribbean Island that is part of the Dutch Kingdom. The island is currently facing serious challenges. One of the...
  • Research report Saba Bank - Special Marine Area Management Plan 2008
    Findings A management plan was prepared in close consultation with a considerable number of stakeholders and stakeholder group representatives. The...
  • Research report Classifying benthic habitats and deriving bathymetry at the Caribbean Netherlands using multispectral Imagery
    Benthic habitats (habitats occurring at the bottom of a water body) and coral reef ecosystems provide many functions. Currently, however, coral reefs...
  • Scientific article Effects of depth and ultraviolet radiation on coral reef turf algae.
    Abstract Despite the increasing dominance of turf algae in coral reefs, few studies have investigated their physiological and ecological responses to...
  • Media Coral Reef Mapping using hyperspectral imagery
    The Dutch Caribbean island Bonaire has been protecting its marine resources for more than 35 years and is ranked as one of the Caribbean’s top dive...
  • Other resources A Short Natural History of Curaçao
    The islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire together with the Venezuelan islands of Los Monjes, Islas Aves, Los Roques, La Orchila and La Blanquilla...
  • Scientific article Terrestrial degradation impacts on coral reef health: Evidence from the Caribbean
    Coral reefs are in decline worldwide. While coral reef managers are limited in their ability to tackle global challenges, such as ocean warming,...
  • Other resources Trends in the Caribbean Netherlands 2017
    How large was the population of Bonaire, Saba, and St Eustatius on 1 January 2017? How did the economy of each island develop in 2015? What were the...
  • Other resources Benefits of valuing nature for the Caribbean Netherlands
    The Natural Capital of the Caribbean Netherlands Ongoing developmental pressures in a context of global environmental change and economic...
  • Scientific article Global synchrony of an accelerating rise in sea surface temperature
    The oceans have shown a recent rapid and accelerating rise in temperature with, given the close link between temperature and marine organisms,...
  • Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 2
    This is the second part of the Marine Scientific Assessment  The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 1 click here, for part 4 here....
  • Book Status of Dutch Caribbean Reefs
    Following the Royal Palace Symposium in the Netherlands in December 2016, and the harsh call to action by Professor Jeremy Jackson (Scripps...
  • Other resources Monitoring Statia’s marine ecosystems
    CNSI continues to monitor the vulnerable ecosystems of St. Eustatius coordinated by Data Monitoring Officer (DMO) Kimani Kitson-Walters. Coral reef...
  • Media The Value of Seagrasses to the Environment and to the People. Summary for Policy Makers
    Summary For Policymakers This global synthesis report highlights the unique range of values provided by seagrasses to people around the world. It...
  • Other resources Species Action Plan Nassau Grouper
    Action Plan for Nassau Grouper consists of: Threats: overfishing, invasive species, climate change Management goals Recommendations: management,...
  • Research report The blue destination strategy in a small island tourism oriented society
    Abstract: Tourism could be discussed as being a damaging phenomenon if not managed correctly as well as being destructive towards its own industry by...
  • Research report Brown Tides: Assessing the Past, Present, & Future State of Sargassum in Aruba Through a Mixed Methods Approach
    ABSTRACT: In the last decade, Caribbean shores have been inundated with a floating seaweed known as Sargassum. In large amounts, Sargassum threatens...
  • Media Reef Sharks Move to Deeper Water as They Mature
    A new study from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) showed that reef sharks utilize different areas of the reef throughout their lifetime....
  • Media Old Power Plant on Saba to be converted to Marine Research Station
    On January 17th, 2022, Mark Zagers, Managing Director of the Saba Electric Company (SEC), officially handed over the keys to Peter Johnson, President...
  • Scientific article Bridging the Seismic Monitoring Gap around Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten in the Caribbean Netherlands: The NA Network
    ABSTRACT The seismic network NA (Caribbean Netherlands Seismic Network) in the Caribbean Netherlands is deployed by the Royal Netherlands...
  • Scientific article Evidence for microbially-mediated tradeoffs between growth and defense throughout coral evolution
    Abstract  Evolutionary tradeoffs between life-history strategies are central to animal evolution. However, because microbes can influence...
  • Research report Providing water for livestock and crop production to a rural area in Bonaire using reverse osmosis
    Abstract Water scarcity is a serious issue on many smaller islands, with population growth and the predicted impacts of climate change as driving...
  • Media NetBiome meeting, Reunion
    Overseas Countries, Territories and Regions (OCT/Ors) of Europe working together for sustainable management and research of biodiversity In June,...
  • Research report Investigating Variation in Coral Reef Morphology with Photomosaics and Analysis of Percent Cover
    Coral reefs serve as an important component of tropical marine ecosystems’ functionality and composition. However, coral cover in the Caribbean reefs...
  • Research report Modelling urban floods in semiarid environment: a case study in Paradera, Aruba
    During the storm of November 20th, 2016 significant parts of the Paradera catchment in Aruba were flooded. The damage to the roads and houses...
  • Scientific article A Historical Perspective of the Biology and Conservation of the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
    The history of the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) has presented scientists and conservationists with a variety...
  • Scientific article Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems
    Coastal ecosystems and the services they provide are adversely affected by a wide variety of human activities. In particular, seagrass meadows are...
  • Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 3
    For part 1 of this document click here.  WAITT Institute identified eight distinct zones of Curaçao’s nearshore environment. This document contains...
  • Media POP Bonaire: Rural Development Program: 2014-2018
    Increasing concern over Bonaire’s dependence on dive tourism and the importation of food products has led the government to push for the sustainable...
  • Book Towards reef resilience and sustainable livelihood: : A handbook for Caribbean coral reef managers
    The project has produced a handbook that aims to provide reef managers with tools, information and recommendations on management of coral reef...
  • Book The Saba Bank
    Until recently the Saba Bank remained a mysterious and largely unexplored off shore atoll falling mostly within the water of the Exclusive Economic...
  • Scientific article Exploring how non-native seagrass species could provide essential ecosystems services: a perspective on the highly invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea in the Caribbean Sea
    The loss of biodiversity by the replacement of invasive species could lead to the loss of functional traits that maintain certain ecosystem services...
  • Research report Optimum fragment size of A. cervicornis for out planting and in-situ coral nurseries, Saba – Dutch Caribbean
    Over millions of people around the globe depend on coral reefs for their livelihood and food. Coral reefs also play an important role in coastal...
  • Other resources Fish species community composition of Curacao bays and reef
    Student Report - University Groningen Tropical coastal bays often border coral reefs and host connected ecosystems such as seagrass beds and mangrove...
  • Research report Restoration of Resilience of Nature and Society in the Caribbean Netherlands
    The project "Resilience Restoration of Nature and Society in the Caribbean Netherlands" contributes to halting the decline of the coral reefs in the...
  • Media BioNews 54 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter
    BioNews 54 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and...
  • Scientific article Loss of coral reef growth capacity to track future increases in sea level
    Sea-level rise (SLR) is predicted to elevate water depths above coral reefs and to increase coastal wave exposure as ecological degradation limits...
  • Media Concerns about building plan in fragile coral reef
    The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NL), STINAPA, Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, The Caribbean Speleological Society, and the Dutch Caribbean...
  • Scientific article Leptospira seroprevalence in animals in the Caribbean region: a systematic review
    This systematic review summarises the data published on the Leptospira seroprevalence, serovar diversity and distribution among animal species in the...
  • Other resources The effects of storm damage on reef rugosity and coral species composition in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles.
    Located below the hurricane belt in the Netherlands Antilles, the island of Bonaire is rarely affected by major storms and high-wave action. In a...
  • Other resources Competion and facilitation between seagrass and calcifying algae (Halimeda and penicillus) in the Caribbean coastal ecosystem
    ABSTRACT The Caribbean coastal ecosystem could protect shorelines from wave erosion. Key elements are the calcifying algae (Halimeda spp. and...
  • Research report Status and trends of the coral reef ecosystem around Saba 2016 – Netherlands Antilles
    The Caribbean coral reefs showed drastic degradation over the last decades. As most Caribbean islands, Saba is economical dependent on their...
  • Scientific article High human influence on beach response to tropical cyclones in small islands: Saint-Martin Island, Lesser Antilles
    Using multi-date satellite imagery and field observations, this paper assesses the inferred impacts of September 2017 cyclones on the beaches of...
  • Research report Saba Bank Research Expedition 2013 - Progress Report
    The Saba Bank is the largest submerged carbonate platform of 2,200 km2 in the Caribbean Sea, which lies partially within the Exclusive Economic Zone...
  • Other resources Testing the usefulness of RTD within the ADM approach in a local design case: Sustainable tourism development in Lower Town, Sint Eustatius (Statia)
    Research-through-designing (RTD) is a method used in the landscape architectural discipline, where designing is used as a research method. Adaptive...
  • Research report Funding Protected Areas in the Wider Caribbean. A Guide for Managers and Conservation Organizations
    Abstract: This document is an orientation to sources of funding for protected areas and biodiversity conservation. It is designed to serve as a...
  • Media BioNews archive
    DCNA produces BioNews*, a free monthly digital newsletter featuring recent nature related news-items about the Dutch Caribbean as well as overviews...
  • Media NICO Expedition: Mesophotic reefs, Cyanobacteria mats and Submarine Groundwater Discharge around the ABC-islands
    After setting sail from Texel, The Netherlands in December 2017, the research vessel Pelagia travelled to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao where a multi-...
  • Other resources The effects of ultraviolet radiation on the covering behavior of the sea urchin Tripneustes ventricosus
    Recent studies have indicated that levels of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are increasing globally as ozone is depleted. Ultraviolet radiation...
  • Media Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Robbert Dijkgraaf, visited the DCNA to exchange ideas about science in the Dutch Caribbean.
    Dutch, Papiamentu and Papiamento below On Friday, January 20th, 2023, Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Mr. Robbert Dijkgraaf, visited the...
  • Scientific article Demographic changes in Pleistocene sea turtles were driven by past sea level fluctuations affecting feeding habitat availability
    Abstract Pleistocene environmental changes are generally assumed to have dramatically af-fected species’ demography via changes in habitat...
  • Research report Priorities in management implementation for marine mammal conservation in the Saba sector of the Yarari sanctuary
    The Yarari Marine Mammal Sanctuary (hereafter simply referred to as the Yarari Sanctuary, or Yarari) was formally established on September 2, 2015....
  • Scientific article A Permanent, Real-Time Monitoring Network for the Volcanoes Mount Scenery and The Quill in the Caribbean Netherlands
    Abstract: The stratovolcanoes of Mt. Scenery at Saba and The Quill at St. Eustatius in the Caribbean Netherlands, with a total population of about...
  • Scientific article Genetic evidence supports larval retention in the Western Caribbean for an invertebrate with high dispersal capability (Ophiothrix suensonii: Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea)
    Abstract The brittle star Ophiothrix suensonii is a com- mon coral reef sponge commensal with high dispersal potential. Here, we utilize COI sequence...
  • Research report Modelling Mangrove growth and salinity: a semi-arid case study
    of the mangrove forest in Lac Bay, Bonaire is an environmental issue. Mangrove forests surround Lac Bay. Lac Bay has a status as RAMSAR site (RAMSAR...
  • Research report Max Restoration of the long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, to Caribbean coral reefs
    Coral reefs are among the most valuable and threatened ecosystems on Earth. Lower species diversity, and subsequently reduced resilience, make...
  • Research report Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment
    Summary: We review the conservation status of, and threats to, all 346 species of seabirds, based on BirdLife International’s data and assessments...
  • Other resources Mapping Sargassum on beaches and coastal waters of Bonaire using Sentinel-2 imagery
    Sargassum is a genus of brown macroalgae or seaweed that can be found in shallow waters or free floating in the ocean. Sargassum patches on the open...
  • Scientific article Conservation of amphibians and reptiles in Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire
    Curaçao and Bonaire form part of the Netherlands Antilles, while Aruba has a “status aparte” within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. All three islands...
  • Scientific article Effects of Future Sea Level Rise on Coastal Habitat
    Sea level rise (SLR) and disturbances from increased storm activity are expected to diminish coastal ecosystems available to nesting species by...
  • Research report Half a century of civil society participation in biodiversity conservation and protected area management: A case study of Bonaire
    Abstract: This case study examines several aspects of civil society participation in biodiversity conservation in Bonaire that have been of...
  • Scientific article Population structure and dispersal of the coral- excavating sponge Cliona delitrix
    Abstract Some excavating sponges of the genus Cliona compete with live reef corals, often kill- ing and bioeroding entire colonies. Important aspects...
  • Other resources Abundance and diversity of fluorescent anemone species across reef habitats off the coast of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    Marine anemones influence oceanic food webs, partake in symbiotic relationships with many marine phyla, and can prove detrimental to coral reef...
  • Media Hammerheads Hang in the Balance: Why These Sharks Deserve a Helping Hand
    Dutch below (Hammerhead) sharks play an important role in maintaining healthy oceans, which is important for the fisheries and the economy of the...
  • Research report From Ocean to Aquarium. The global trade in marine ornamental species
    Abstract: Between 1.5 and 2 million people worldwide are believed to keep marine aquaria. The trade which supplies this hobby with live marine...
  • Scientific article Phylogeographic patterns of a lower intertidal isopod in the Gulf of California and the Caribbean and comparison with other intertidal isopods
    A growing body of knowledge on the diversity and evolution of intertidal isopods across different regions worldwide has enhanced our understanding on...
  • Research report Developments during 15 years of seismic monitoring in the Caribbean Netherlands
    In the Caribbean Netherlands, on Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) deploys the seismic...
  • Other resources Age and Growth of Invasive Lionfish: North Carolina, USA vs Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
    Lionfish are an invasive species that are now well established throughout the Atlantic. Originally from the Indo-Pacific, they have decimated local...
  • Media Research Expedition for Lesser Antillean Sperm Whales
    The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and World Wide Fund for Nature Netherlands (WWF-NL) are proud to support Caribbean Cetacean Society’s (CCS...
  • Scientific article A framework for measuring coral species-specific contribution to reef functioning in the Caribbean
    Highlights The configuration of coral communities determines ecosystems’ functioning. There is a high variation in the functional contribution of...
  • Scientific article Toxicopathological Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3), on Coral Planulae and Cultured Primary Cells and Its Environmental Contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands
      Abstract Benzophenone-3 (BP-3; oxybenzone) is an ingredient in sunscreen lotions and personal-care products that protects against the damaging...
  • Media WWF Policy Brief: CREATING EFFECTIVE, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN NETHERLANDS
    Throughout the Caribbean, like in the rest of the world, the abundance of marine fish species have been declining over the past decades. The health...
  • Research report Systematic assessment of erosion mitigation in a data poor environment. A case study of Lac Cai, Bonaire
    Abstract Lac Cai is one of the lagoons in the Dutch Caribbean with a high environmental value which attracts a lot of tourism to the area. Lac Cai is...
  • Scientific article Phenological trajectories of Caribbean very dry tropical forests diverge under different geologic formations
    Abstract Tropical dry forests experience pronounced seasonal changes in precipitation mani-  fested in varied plant phenologies. At landscape scales...
  • Scientific article Ranking the sustainable development goals: perceived sustainability priorities in small island states
    Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to elicit global mobilization to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and are...
  • Scientific article Ranking the sustainable development goals: perceived sustainability priorities in small island states
    Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to elicit global mobilization to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and are...
  • Scientific article Limestone cliff morphology on Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles), with special attention to the origin of notches and vermetid/coralline algal surf benches ("cornices", "trottoirs")
    The coasts of Curacao as well as the other leeward islands of the Netherlands Antilles, consists predominately of limestone cliffs, cut into...
  • Scientific article The Quaternary volcanogenic landscape and volcaniclastic sediments of the Netherlands Antilles: markers for an in-active volcanic arc
    Abstract: The Quaternary volcanogenic landscape and the volcanogenic sediments of the Netherlands Antilles (NA) (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) reflect the...
  • Scientific article Successful demonstration of assisted gene flow in the threatened coral acropora palmata across genetically-isolated caribbean populations using cryopreserved sperm
    Global change will compromise the population sizes, species ranges, and survival of economically-important plants and animals, including crops,...
  • Media Saba Iguanas Receive Attention
    The Caribbean Netherlands island of Saba is home to a unique but relatively unknown iguana population. Given the many threats faced by islands...
  • Scientific article Extreme spatial heterogeneity in carbonate accretion potential on a Caribbean fringing reef linked to local human disturbance gradients
    The capacity of coral reefs to maintain their structurally complex frameworks and to retain the potential for vertical accretion is vitally important...
  • Media Extra budget for nature in the Caribbean Netherlands
    Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below.   The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NL)  are pleased...
  • Other resources Plan land and water: Nature and environment plan Caribbean Netherlands 2020-2030
    The Caribbean Netherlands consists of three islands: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, all located in the Caribbean Sea. Since 2010 each island is...
  • Media Sunscreen Awareness Bonaire- Moving towards a oxybenzone free island
    Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) and Boneiru Duradero (BD) supported by World Wide Fund for Nature the Netherlands (WWF-NL)organised a Sunscreen...
  • Media Dutch cinema hit “The New Wilderness” gets a Caribbean sequel with WOW!
    The unique natural world of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom plays the leading role in a special cinema film entitled WOW!. This was announced...
  • Media New Species of Cone Snail Discovered on Aruba
    Nederlands and Papiamento below. Researchers from the Florida Atlantic University and University of California recently discovered a new species of...
  • Media Recognize Caribbean nature in one click with ObsIdentify
    Dutch, Papiamentu, Papiamento, and French below Have you ever wondered what kind of species you are seeing around you? A beautiful lizard, flower, or...
  • Media Uncovering the Secrets of the Red-Billed Tropicbird in the Southern Caribbean
    Dutch Below Red-billed Tropicbirds were once thought to be rare visitors to the Southern Caribbean, however, there has been an increase in sightings...
  • Research report Feasibility study of a new harbour on the island of St. Eustatius
    St. Eustatius is a small island in the Caribbean that belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its existing harbour is due for upgrades and repairs...
  • Research report Opportunities for valorisation of pelagic Sargassum in the Dutch Caribbean
    Since 2011, unprecedented beaching events of Sargassum seaweed have caused major environmental, health and economic problems in the Caribbean, Gulf...
  • Research report Use of satellite data for the monitoring of species on Saba and St. Eustatius.
    Abstract: On 10 October 2010 Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius became ‘special municipalities’ of the Netherlands, making the Dutch government...
  • Research report A Management Capacity Assessment of Selected Coral Reef Marine Protected Areas in the Caribbean
    Abstract: This report presents the findings of an assessment of capacity building needs for the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the...
  • Other resources Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
    A new guide from MPAConnect, a partnership between GCFI and NOAA Coral Program, seeks to help Caribbean marine natural resource managers who are...
  • Media Caribbean Marine Park Managers Dive into Fisheries Management
    Representatives from 15 Caribbean marine national parks recently met on the island of Saba in the Caribbean Netherlands to focus on their role in...
  • Other resources Tourism and the labour market in St. Eustatius - Characteristics and perceptions
    Tourism is an attractive development option for countries where other alternatives for development are limited. It namely creates among others...
  • Other resources Parrotfish: Important Coral Reef Keepers
    Dutch, Papiamentu and Papiamento below Parrotfish are more than just a pretty face. The average parrotfish spends up to 90% of its day cleaning the...
  • Other resources Parke Marino Aruba 2019-2021 Preliminary Management Plan
        In 2016 the Government of Aruba in partnership with TNO Caribbean was awarded the BEST 2.0 Program grant to establish Marine Protected Areas (...
  • Research report Introduced agricultural pests, plant and animals diseases and vectors in the Dutch Caribbean, with an “Alert species” list
    A review of the introduced agricultural pests and animal and plant diseases and vectors for the Dutch Caribbean in which a total of 47 exotic pests,...
  • Scientific article Fish species utilization of Contrasting sub-Habitats Distributed Along an Ocean-to-Land Environmental Gradient in a Tropical Mangrove and Seagrass Lagoon
    Abstract The importance of mangrove and seagrass lagoonal habitats as nursery areas for many reef-associated fish species is well established in the...
  • Media Sea Turtle Conservation on Bonaire in 2020
    Bonaire might have been on lockdown in 2020, but that didn’t keep Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire from working hard.  Their recently published annual...
  • Media First mosquito survey for the ABC islands in nearly 75 years
    Dutch and Papiamentu below Kralendijk, Bonaire – 10th of November – In 2018 , Naturalis Biodiversity Center conducted the first mosquito survey for...
  • Media First Caribbean cultured Diadema sea urchins are great news for coral reef restoration
    On October 22st, 2021, the first ever recorded Diadema sea urchins in the Caribbean were cultured on Saba. Diadema sea urchins are important grazers...
  • Media Mangrove Restoration Workshop 2021
    The Mangrove Restoration Workshop was held between October 25 - 28, 2021. The goal was to bring together researchers, conservationists, park...
  • Research report Evaluation of the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database: user perspectives
    The Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database (DCBD; www.dcbd.nl) is a nature and biodiversity web-platform for the Dutch Caribbean funded by the Dutch...
  • Media Sixth Caribbean marine expedition ‘Ti Whale An Nou 2022’ taking place this month
    Nederlands and Papiamentu below. Organized by CCS with the support of WWF and DCNA As of August 15th through August 30th, the sixth joint scientific...
  • Media Second whale and dolphin research program in the Caribbean
    Nederlands and Papiamentu below   The whale and dolphin research program  Ti Whale An Nou started March 25, 2022 and the objective is to study the...
  • Other resources Sixth National Report of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
    Background The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international treaty that was initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (...
  • Research report Generic ecological assessment framework for coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean Netherlands
    Abstract: The aim of this study was to draft a generic ecological assessment framework for coastal systems in Caribbean Netherlands (CN) that offers...
  • Research report The effects of salinity, temperature and soil composition on mangrove abundance at Lagun, Bonaire
    Abstract Mangroves are important intertidal forests that exist in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. They are important coastal...
  • Media New and Very Abundant Microbe Found Living in Corals
    Although coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, nearly a third of all marine species can be found on or around these reefs (McAllister,...
  • Other resources Landscape ecological vegetation map of St. Maarten (Lesser Antilles)
    Vegetation maps are a primary and essential tool in biodiversity science, conservation, management, and monitoring as well as in land-use management...
  • Other resources Roadmap towards effective fisheries management of the Caribbean Netherlands
    For the special municipalities of the Netherlands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is...
  • Research report Key Elements Towards a Joint Invasive Alien Species Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
    Summary: Recent inventories have documented no less than 211 exotic alien species in the wild for the Dutch Caribbean. These amount to no less than...
  • Media Grant from the European Union to enhance nature protection and sustainable tourism
    Nederlands and Papiamentu below. Lac Bay is a unique tourism hot spot which boasts a wide array of habitats from fringing coral reefs to expansive...
  • Book Saba Bank Research 2011-2016
    This book will let you dive into the underwater worl of the Saba Bank and gives you an introduction to its amazing biodiversity. At the same time you...
  • Media 2022 promises new nature parks on Curaçao
    The Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI) recently highlighted some big changes and impressive achievements for Curaçao during...
  • Other resources Research and Monitoring of Bonaire's Sea Turtles: 2017 Technical Report
    Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) has been protecting sea turtles on Bonaire since 1991, so this year represents the 26th Anniversary of our...
  • Other resources Slithering Settlers: The Story of Aruba’s Boa Situation
    Dutch below Likely introduced via the exotic pet industry, boa constrictors have had an island-wide population on Aruba since 2005. The impact of boa...
  • Research report An assessment of sand quality and potential impacts on corals at the Chogogo Dive and Beach Resort artificial beach
    Summary The Government of Bonaire has requested Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) to research the composition of the sand used to construct the...
  • Media Restoration of Key Biodiversity Areas of St. Maarten
    In July 2017, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) Foundation initiated a project to restore coastal and terrestrial biodiversity by...
  • Research report Water quality of the coastal zone of Bonaire Results field monitoring 2011-2013
    Approach: Eutrophication is a common threat to the integrity of coral reefs as it can cause altered balance and integrity of the reef ecosystem. On...
  • Research report Naturalised and invasive alien plant species in the Caribbean Netherlands: status, distribution, threats, priorities and recommendations
    Abstract: The Netherlands are signatories of the international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This implies that the nation will protect...
  • Media 40-year study: Changes on the Coral Reefs of Bonaire and Curaçao
    Although it’s now becoming widely accepted that coral reefs are degrading quickly on a global scale, there have been very few long-term studies where...
  • Other resources Unwelcome guests: Stakeholder perspectives on non-native seagrasses and macroalgal ‘nuisance’ species in Bonaire
    Unlike coral reef and mangrove forest ecosystems, public recognition and multiple values of seagrass beds have only but recently been gaining...

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