Colombian Caribbean Sea Research Articles

THE DINOFLAGELLATES OF THE GENERA CERATIUM AND ORNITHOCERCUS COLLECTED IN THE GOLFO DE SALAMANCA, COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN SEA

A morphological study was done of the Dinoflagellates belonging to the genera Ceratium and Ornithocercus found on the samples collected in 1996 the Gulf of Salamanca, Colombian Caribbean Sea. A total of 30 species and three morphotypes of the first genus, and three species of the second one, are described complementarily .

Size‐based indicators of unexploited deep‐sea community in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

AbstractComposition, size distribution, structure, and function of deep‐sea marine communities must be understood before they are impacted by anthropogenic effects. The deep‐sea ecosystem of the Colombian Caribbean Sea is unexploited with no fishing activity ever registered. We quantified the current state of the marine community using body size distribution (size‐spectra), size‐based indicators, minimum length (LMIN), maximum length (LMAX), average length (Lmean), standard deviation of length (LSD), 10th and 90th percentiles of the length distribution, Shannon–Wiener diversity (H′), and Pielou's evenness (J′) to generate a baseline of potential ecological indicators that contribute to management and conservation of the Colombian bento‐demersal community of deep‐sea marine ecosystem. Sampling was in the Colombian Caribbean Sea at 58 stations during four samplings in August and December 2009, 21 stations in March and May 2010, and 45 stations from August to December 2020, using the swept area method, at depths of 200–550 m. Catches included >50% families and species of fish, followed by 27 families (30%) and 33 and species (37%) of crustaceans. Chondrichthyes included 14% families and 9–11% species. Cephalopods included 2–3% families and 1–4% species. Size‐spectra analysis confirmed expected values for unexploited communities in three sampling years for teleostei, crustacea, and whole community.

Size at Sexual Maturity of Deep-Sea Unexploited Caribbean Metanephrops binghami (Boone, 1927) and Overexploited Mediterranean Nephrops norvegicus (Linnaeus, 1758) Using Morphometric and Gonadal Staging Approaches

The deep-sea Caribbean lobster (Metanephrops binghami) and the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) are Nephropidae species of high commercial interest. Although the first one still remains unexploited, the second is overexploited in the Mediterranean Sea. For effective fisheries management, size at sexual maturity is an essential indicator to protect immature individuals from exploitation. The estimation of this indicator can, however, be biased due to the difficulty of differentiating juveniles from adults by their size structure due to the natural process of molting. This study aims to estimate the size at sexual maturity of M. binghami and N. norvegicus females by comparing the effectiveness of the morphometric method versus the macroscopic evaluation of gonad maturity. Samples of M. binghami were collected from the Colombian Caribbean Sea in August and December 2009, March and May 2010, and August 2020 to May 2021. Samples of N. norvegicus were collected from the northwestern Mediterranean Sea from 2019 to 2022. Similar sizes at sexual maturity were found for M. binghami between the morphometric approach (ranging from 28.6 to 33.9 mm cephalothorax length, CL) and the gonadal staging approach (31.4 mm CL). Conversely, for N. norvegicus, the morphometric approach yielded higher measurements (between 27.2 and 30.4 mm CL) than the gonadal approach (26.0 mm CL). This discrepancy might stem from the intense fishing overexploitation conditions of N. norvergicus, leading to a physiological adaptation that enables earlier gonadal maturation at faster rates than morphometric adaptation. Further research is required to elucidate these discrepancies and the effect of overexploitation on physiological (i.e., mature gonads) and functional maturity (i.e., capacity to brood eggs at a larger size).

Growth type and relative condition factor as a function of the body shape of deep-water crustaceans in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Length-weight relationships (LWR) and relative condition factor were described for species of deep-water crustaceans caught with bottom trawls in a depth range between 150 and 535 m during August and December of 2009, and March and May of 2010 in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. A linear regression was performed using the logarithmically transformed data to calculate the a and b coefficients of the LWR for 22 crustacean species corresponding to 13 families and 19 genera and three types of crustaceans (shrimp, crab, lobster). Six crustacean species showed a maximum total length greater than that reported in SeaLifeBase: Garymunida longipes (77.00 mm), Eunephrops bairdii (220.00 mm), Metanephrops binghami (197.46 mm), Penaeopsis serrata (149.00 mm), Polycheles typhlops (196.27 mm) and Pleoticus robustus (240.00 mm). A total of 11 species (50.0%) exhibited isometric growth, five species (22.7%) negative allometric and six species (27.3%) positive allometric. This study shows the first estimates of LWR for 12 species of deep-water crustaceans in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. We demonstrate for the first time that the growth parameters (intercept and slope) of the LWR varying significantly as a function of the body shape of crabs, lobsters and shrimps in deep-water crustaceans.

Results of high-resolution technologies applied in the acquisition of seafloor information in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

We expound on a hydrographic and geophysical survey in the south of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina (ASAPSC) in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. In 2017 and 2018, high-resolution data were acquired from the Caribbean Center for Oceanographic and Hydrographic Research (CIOH). The hydrographic data were processed and filtered per International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) standards and the geomagnetic data were processed, corrected, and filtered to improve the interpretation. We could then characterise the submarine relief, analyse the geomagnetic anomalies in the area, and identify different relief forms of volcanic origin. Regarding geomagnetic work, a spectral analysis of the anomalies revealed highly magnetic bodies in deep water and residual magnetic anomalies strongly related to the seabed morphology. Magnetic highs associated with the basement highs and volcanic cones were detected. Complementary spectral analysis showed that the shallowest magnetic sources were in the first 500 m, whereas the deepest magnetic sources were between the depths of 4 and 5 km. The geomagnetic data were also validated using Euler deconvolution analysis, which confirmed these magnetic anomalies. Thus, a direct relationship between the magnetic anomalies and bathymetry of the seafloor was confirmed, reinforcing the theory of the volcanic origin of these islands.

Ictiofauna asociada a ambientes coralinos mesofóticos, usando video remoto de bajo costo en el Parque Nacional Natural Corales de Profundidad, Caribe colombiano

The fish community inhabiting mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCE) at Corales de Profundidad National Natural Park (CPNNP), Colombian Caribbean Sea was described. Most of the species (89%) are common in shallow reef environments of an adjacent Marine Protected Area. Halichoeres maculipinna, Prognathodes aculeatus, Serranus luciopercanus and Lactophrys trigonus were recorded for the first time at CPNNP. The healthy and highly resilient characteristics of MCE is confirmed with the taxonomic composition of the found fishes. The information presented in this study provides data and techniques that help to complement the baseline of fish’s assemblages associated with mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Feasibility Analysis of Offshore Wind Power Projects in the Caribbean Region of Colombia: A Case Study Using FAHP–GIS

Planning for offshore wind energy projects is intricate due to the consideration of multiple variables in identifying optimal project areas. The primary challenge lies in locating suitable sites, a process that often necessitates extensive feasibility studies spanning several years. The primary goal of this study is to apply the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to prioritize criteria and sub-criteria, facilitating decision-making in choosing appropriate locations for offshore wind projects in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. The weights derived from FAHP were utilized in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyze the physical characteristics of the Caribbean Sea’s surface. This tool plays a critical role in evaluating and selecting sites that fulfill established criteria, providing a database of indicators and map visualizations. Four criteria were defined: technical, environmental, social, and economic, along with fourteen sub-criteria, which were prioritized through FAHP based on expert judgment. The results revealed that the most relevant sub-criteria were protected areas and wind speed. Utilizing the ArcGIS Pro software, five zones meeting the predetermined criteria were identified, defining the most feasible areas for offshore wind farm installation, located in the departments of Guajira, Magdalena, Atlántico and Bolívar. The GIS–FAHP methods proved to be useful for feasibility analysis.

An Analytic Hierarchy Process Based Approach for Evaluating Feasibility of Offshore Wind Farm on the Colombian Caribbean Coast

Planning a wind power generation project is intricate, considering the number of variables to be careful in the acceptable zone selection for its siting. One of the difficulties of developing a wind farm is finding the most satisfactory location to build it; this can take years of feasibility studies. The main objective of this research is to use the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to prioritize a group of criteria and sub-criteria as decision-making support for the selection of suitable areas in which implementing wind energy projects in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. The criteria to be applied in this study were selected based on the most recurrently employed criteria in other research papers and the experience of the authors. Thus, a hierarchical structure with 4 criteria (technical, environmental, social, and economic) and 14 subcriteria was implemented. All criteria were prioritized using the methodology proposed by AHP, for which 10 experts with experience in offshore wind projects were consulted, through a form designed with a matrix structure. The results allowed prioritizing a set of criteria necessary for offshore energy planning projects, in which the criteria of Protected Area (19.62%), Wind Speed (13.84%) and Military Areas (9.79%) were the most relevant.

Acoustic Evidence of Shallow Gas Occurrences in the Offshore Sinú Fold Belt, Colombian Caribbean Sea

High-resolution seismic analysis and bathymetry data, used in the Offshore Sinú Fold Belt (OSFB), have revealed seabed and sub-surface anomalies, which were probably caused by the presence of shallow gas within the sedimentary records. Shallow gas is widely detected by the frequent presence of anomalous acoustic reflections including acoustic blanking, enhanced reflections, acoustic plumes, pockmarks, and dome structures. More than 30 anomalies that occur within a subsurface depth of ~65 m were acoustically detected within an area of 1000 km2 on the continental shelf and upper continental slope, in water depths ranging from −20 to −1300 m. Moreover, a map with the spatial distribution of the gas occurrences is shown. A close relationship between the locally elevated seabed (dome structures), pockmarks, and acoustic blanking was found. Most of the active pockmarks may be closely related to the submarine path of the Uramita Fault, indicating that the gas occurrences are controlled by active faulting. The shallow gas occurrence was confirmed by the generation of authigenic carbonate and the occurrence of chemosymbiotic biological communities sampled in the area. Although there is an admixture of biogenic gas, it is believed that many of the features observed relate to thermogenic gas. The identification of these anomalies represents a useful basis for an assessment of marine geohazards and can serve as a hydrocarbon exploration tool.

Length-Weight Relationships and Relative Condition Factor of 53 Species of Shallow-Water Fish in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

Length-weight relationships (LWR) were described for 53 species of shallow-water fish caught with bottom trawls in a depth range between 7.3 and 108.1 m during September 2013 in the Colombian Caribbean Sea (fishing area 31 of the FAO). A linear regression was performed using the logarithmically transformed data to calculate a and b coefficients and their 95% confidence interval of the LWR for 53 fish species corresponding to 28 families and 44 genera. Six fish species showed a maximum total length greater than that reported in FishBase: Astrapogon alutus (102.00 mm), Eucinostomus harengulus (162.00 mm), Haemulopsis corvinaeformis (293.00 mm), Cyclopsetta chittendeni (390.00 mm), Etropus crossotus (224.00 mm), and Bairdiella ronchus (415.00 mm). A total of 24 species (45.3%) exhibited isometric growth, 21 species (39.6%) negative allometric, and 8 species (15.1%) positive allometric. This study shows the first estimates of LWR for 25 species of shallow-water fish in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. We found interdependence of growth parameters as a function of fish body shape. The analysis of the relative condition factor indicated that 21 fish species (39.6%) showed poor growth conditions. The results obtained from this study contribute to fill information gaps on shallow-water fish populations and also help fisheries scientists in future population assessment studies in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Congruence between microsatellite loci, SNPs, and COI gene reveals a phylogeographic break in the southern Caribbean Sea: The case of West Indian top shell Cittarium pica (Gastropoda: Tegulidae)

It has been proposed that species associated with shallow rocky bottoms in the southern Colombian Caribbean Sea are affected by two biogeographic barriers: the Magdalena River plume (MRP) and the combination of the absence of rocky bottoms and the almost permanent upwelling in the Guajira peninsula (ARB+PUG). We evaluated whether these barriers had generalized genomic effects on the phylogeographic structure of the West Indian top shell (Cittarium pica), a crucial fishery resource in many areas of the Caribbean Sea. Ten species-specific microsatellite loci, 55,112 SNPs from ddRADseq, and COI gene were used on samples of C. pica collected at five Colombian localities (Cabo de la Vela; Santa Marta; Cartagena; Isla Fuerte; and Capurganá). Genetic structure analyses performed for microsatellite and SNP loci indicated that there are three genetic groups of C. pica in Colombia (pop 1: Cabo de la Vela; pop 2: Santa Marta; pop 3: Cartagena+Isla Fuerte+Capurganá). However, both SNPs and COI gene were congruent in showing a phylogeographic break caused by only the ARB + PUG (AMOVA: ΦCT-SNP=0.224, p < 0.05; ΦCT-COI=0.722, p < 0.05), which was confirmed by the maximum-likelihood and network trees. In contrast, MRP was shown to be a permeable barrier to gene flow. Demographic history analysis indicated that C. pica experienced historical changes in population size during the last glaciation period. Cittarium pica is a biological model to demonstrate how the ARB + PUG barrier could affect marine organisms living in shallow rocky habitats, mainly those lacking larvae or having a short-lived larval phase in the southern Caribbean Sea. Finally, some recommendations for fisheries management and conservation C. pica populations are discussed.

Hydrokinetic Energy and Transient Accelerations of Marine Currents in Colombian Nearshore Waters

The transient acceleration of ocean currents, or internal waves, is hard to detect, because it does not have climate variability or regular manifestation in the sea. This fluctuation affects not only short-term oceanographic processes but also the hydrokinetic generation of power and the structural health of ocean technologies. Identifying and understanding the mechanisms that generate internal waves require long-term data on the kinetic and viscous–turbulent parameters of the water column measured over long intervals. In this sense, this study analyzed current profiles in nearshore waters (8.9 m depths) measured over six months in the Colombian Caribbean Sea and found internal waves due to the manifestation of transient acceleration propagating in two of the three layers of the water column. The analyzed time series of currents and turbulent kinetic profiles evidenced that transient waves occurred during changes in the surface winds. The applied methodology in this research allowed, for the first time in the study area, the detection of transient accelerations (±0.25 m/s2) that modified the hydrokinetic energy of the water column over short-term periods (6–24 h).

Multiple origins define the genetic structure of tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon in the colombian Caribbean Sea

The tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon is a native species of the Indo-Pacific Ocean that was introduced to promote its cultivation in several American countries, including Colombia. As a result of inappropriate aquaculture practices, it has established itself in the wild in almost all the Colombian Caribbean Sea. To evaluate the genetic diversity, population structure, and origin of the founder populations, samples from three sites in the Colombian Caribbean were analyzed from 10 microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial DNA Control Region. Genetic diversity similar to native populations was found to be present in three relatively discrete populations and their origin is related to natural populations from Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan and China. We discuss how oceanographic conditions and culture systems of tiger shrimp facilitated the success of biological invasion processes in marine ecosystems of the Colombian Caribbean.

Contributions to the biodiversity of echinoderms (Echinodermata) in the Department of Atlántico, Caribbean Sea, Colombia

Echinoderms are a marine invertebrate group with important ecological functions in the ocean; they are the source of bioactive compounds, and some species are important for fisheries and aquaculture. Their study in the Colombian Caribbean has focused on taxonomic and ecological aspects and they are a well-documented group of invertebrates. However, small-scale studies of the group are required given the geomorphological and oceanographic diversity along the entire Colombian coastline. The Magdalena River runoff strongly influences the coastal ecosystems of the Department of Atlántico, which has the shortest continental shoreline with only 72 km. The benthic fauna in its surroundings is the biotic component receiving the influence of this river directly, but it has not been the object of deep taxonomic and ecological studies. Field echinoderm surveys were conducted at several sites from 2004 to 2019. Observations and direct collections were carried out from 0 to 5 m depth. We identified four classes, seven orders, eight families, ten genera, and 16 species. Thirteen of these species were first records for Atlántico: Luidia senegalensis, Astropecten articulatus, Amphiodia riisei, Amphiodia trychna, Echinometra lucunter lucunter, Encope michelini, Leodia sexiesperforata, Mellita quinquiesperforata, Isostichopus badionotus, Isostichopus sp., Holothuria grisea, Holothuria glaberrima, and Holothuria princeps. The most frequently observed species were M. quinquiesperforata and H. glaberrima. We provide the local geographic distribution, illustrations, and remarks on each species. This study attempts to close gaps regarding the knowledge of the distribution of marine invertebrates in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.

New records of mesopelagic siphonophores (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Colombian Caribbean collected during offshore exploration cruises

Five species of siphonophores are newly recorded in the Colombian Caribbean Sea: the physonects Athorybia rosacea (Forssk&amp;aring;l, 1775), Nanomia bijuga (Delle Chiaje, 1844), and Agalma okenii Eschscholtz, 1825 and the calycophores Amphicaryon ernesti Totton, 1954 and Hippopodius hippopus (Forssk&amp;aring;l, 1776), from samples collected with deep-water trawls in six hydrocarbon exploration areas (GUA OFF 3, COL 1, COL 2, COL 3, COL 4; COL 10) where research projects were undertaken in 2013 and 2018 by the Marine and Coastal Research Institute &amp;ldquo;Jose Benito Vives de Andreis&amp;rdquo; in agreement with the National Hydrocarbon Agency.

Morphology and phylogeny of Prorocentrum porosum sp. nov. (Dinophyceae): A new benthic toxic dinoflagellate from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

A new marine benthic toxic Prorocentrum species is described from the tropical/subtropical regions of the Atlantic (Colombian Caribbean Sea and Northeast Brazil) and Pacific (Southern Japan) oceans. Morphological cell structures were examined using light (LM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopy. Prorocentrum porosum sp. nov. was characterized by 35.9–50.2 μm long and 25.4–45.7 μm deep cells, covered by broadly ovoid symmetric thecal plates. The surface of both thecal plates is smooth and covered by randomly scattered kidney-shaped pores (n = 102–149), rounder towards the center, absent in the central part, and surrounded by a conspicuous marginal ring of about 69–92 evenly spaced pores. Broad V-shaped periflagellar area exhibiting flagellar and accessory pores. The molecular phylogenetic position of P. porosum sp. nov. was inferred using partial LSU rRNA gene (rDNA) and rDNA ITS sequences. This new species branched with high support in a Prorocentrum clade including P. caipirignum, P. hoffmannianum and P. cf. lima (P. lima morphotype 5 sensuZhang et al., 2015). Pairwise comparison of ITS1 and ITS2 transcripts with these closest relatives revealed the presence of compensatory base changes (CBCs), with the exception of P. cf. lima (P. lima morphotype 5), which only showed in ITS2 a hemi-CBC (HCBC) and two base changes that possibly induce a structural modification. Toxin analyses performed in two Colombian and Brazilian strains in the present study detected the presence of low amounts of okadaic acid.

Potential fields modeling for the Cayos Basin (Western Caribbean Plate): Implications in basin crustal structure

The Cayos Basin is an offshore basin located in the Colombian Caribbean Sea and forms part of the Lower Nicaraguan Rise, a geological province of the western region of the Caribbean Plate. Until now, the origin of the province is still being debated. Advanced research in the study area regarding its composition and structure, from land outcrops, petrology and geochemistry of drilled cores and dredged samples, and geophysical investigations, indicates a volcanic origin for this geological province, and a close relationship to the formation of the Caribbean Large Igneous Province. On the contrary, other studies suggest that the Lower Nicaraguan Rise may be part of the continental Chortis block. In this paper, we present and discuss alternative scenarios for the nature of the underlying crust below the sedimentary sequences in the Cayos Basin. We characterize the basin through the interpretation of magnetic and gravity anomaly grids, and 2D forward modeling, constructed based on three sections, by considering restriction seismic data from previous works. The results show that the Cayos Basin is underlain by geological bodies with high density and higher magnetization. From the gravity and magnetic forward modeling, we estimated the depth to the basement is about 2–6 km, and the Moho discontinuity to have an average of 18 km below, the Cayos Basin. Our investigation implies that, at least, the Cayos Basin is in the oceanic crust domain and shows no evidence of a continental source of the Chortis block.

Wave energy flux in the Caribbean Sea: Trends and variability

Wave Energy Flux (WEF) in the Colombian Caribbean Sea is assessed using a 60 years wave reanalysis from 1958 to 2017. Significant wave height (Hs) and mean wave energy period (Tm_1,0) are validated against in situ buoy data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and from the Dirección General Marítima in the Central Caribbean Sea and in front of the Colombian shelf. WEF is calculated at virtual buoys allocated in the central Caribbean, at the continental shelf and around insular territories revealing a long-term decrease in magnitude with an annual rate between 0.01 and 0.2% with different regional behavior. In addition, WEF variations at interannual scale are found to be associated with ENSO phases. Wave energy power decreased from 1989 to 2017 in all analyzed locations.

Costal sea level variability and extreme events in Moñitos, Cordoba, Colombian Caribbean Sea

Flooding episodes occur frequently in the Colombian Caribbean and cause damage to coastal settlements. However, there is little knowledge about these episodes and about how changes in associated variables affect coastal flooding. This paper presents the results obtained from analyzing the temporal variability of flood levels in Moñitos-Córdoba on the Colombian Caribbean coast, as well as the contribution their components make to different time scales. To achieve this, the total sea level (TSL) was estimated indirectly as the sum of the variables involved (sea level anomalies, astronomical tide, storm surge and wave runup). These variables were obtained by applying numerical and empirical modeling using satellite altimetry data, tidal modeled data and wind, waves and atmospheric pressure from reanalysis. Data Trends and contributions were analyzed using statistical methods, including variance analysis, exceedance distributions, linear regressions, Sen-Slope and the Mann Kendall test. The results indicate that the total sea level has a semi-annual cycle with its highest maximum levels in the months of December to March and its lowest maximum levels in the months of April and September. The total sea level variability in Moñitos is dominated by the runup component at monthly, intra-annual and inter-annual scales, while at longer-term timescales (2–7 years and greater) variability is dominated by the sea level anomaly. Runup is the greatest contributor to the total sea level, followed by the sea level anomaly in average conditions and the astronomical tide in extreme conditions. There was a trend of increasing total sea level, related to the trend in sea level anomaly, with a consequent increasing trend of frequency and magnitude of extreme sea levels.

Cephalopoda (Mollusca) of the Colombian Caribbean Sea

The cephalopod fauna in Colombian Caribbean waters is poorly known. This work gives an overview of the species found in the area. For elaborating this list, the most relevant natural history collections where the material of the area’s is material is deposited were consulted, identifications were verified compared with type material and original descriptions and redescriptions. In the Colombian Caribbean Sea 48 cephalopod species are present in different environments, represented in 17 families and 33 genera. There is one Spirula, seven sepiolids, 21 squids, and 19 octopod species. Most animals are from shallow coastal waters.