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Coral Cover and Diversity Decreasing

One of the studies presented at the International Coral Reef Colloquium in Miami was conducted on the Coral Reef of Curacao and Bonaire. The study, called "Twenty years of change in coral communities over deep reef slopes along leeward coasts in the Netherlands Antilles" was presented by dr. R. Bak, Professor of Tropical Marine Biology at the University of Amsterdam, former assistant director of the CARMABI Institute here on Curacao, and regular guest researcher there. During this study, which started in 1973, coral cover and species richness were analyzed in sixteen permanent, large (3 x 3m) quadrants located at different depths and localities along the coast of Curacao and Bonaire.

The results of the study were alarming. During the past 30 years, coral cover and number of coral colonies significantly decreased in the upper part (10 and 20m) of the reef of Curacao and Bonaire. On the deep reef (30 and 40m) there was no decrease in coral cover or number of colonies. All depths however, showed a consistent decrease in number of species, with abundant species becoming less abundant and rare species becoming extinct within the quadrants. Quadrants at all depths lost 3-5 species (of a total of up to 17 species present within a quadrant in 1973).

The losses could not be explained by natural causes such as hurricanes or diseases such as black band disease (rare in our waters) or white band disease (limited to Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals, occurring in water shallower than 10m). The study concludes that the most likely factor in this degradation of especially the shallower parts of the reef is "Coastal Development", eutrophication (too many nutrients in the water, caused mainly by sewage) and artificial beach construction.

This study again drives home the all too real danger that we may be in the process of losing our coral reefs. The people of Curacao need to take serious measures to conserve the beauty that is still left. These dangers have to be discussed and dealt with, not ignored. Laws have to be passed and enforced to diminish the negative effects of coastal development, pollution, both organic (nutrients) and chemical, destruction of stretches of reef and overfishing.

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