title: Eutrophication threatens Caribbean seagrasses - An example from Curaçao and Bonaire.
abstract: Seagrass beds are globally declining due to human activities in coastal areas. We here aimed to identify threats from eutrophication to the valuable seagrass beds of Curaçao and Bonaire in the Caribbean, which function as nursery habitats for commercial fish species. We documented surface- and porewater nutrient concentrations, and seagrass nutrient concentrations in 6 bays varying in nutrient loads. Water measurements only provided a momentary snapshot, due to timing, tidal stage, etc., but Thalassia testudinum nutrient concentrations indicated long-term nutrient loads. Nutrient levels in most bays did not raise any concern, but high leaf % P values of Thalassia in Piscadera Bay (∼0.31%) and Spanish Water Bay (∼0.21%) showed that seagrasses may be threatened by eutrophication, due to emergency overflow of waste water and coastal housing. We thus showed that seagrasses may be threatened and measures should be taken to prevent loss of these important nursery areas due to eutrophication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: lauralgovers@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Govers
authors.affiliation: Department of Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Leon P M
authors.initials: LPM
authors.lastname: Lamers
authors.affiliation: NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Yerseke, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC, Yerseke, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tjeerd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bouma
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan H F
authors.initials: JHF
authors.lastname: de Brouwer
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marieke M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: van Katwijk
mesh_terms: D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005068:Eutrophication; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D031321:Hydrocharitaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014900:West Indies
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Bioindicator; Nutrient; Point source; Residential eutrophication; Sewage discharge; Thalassia testudinum