Colombian Caribbean Sea Research Articles

Spatial structure and morphometric relationships of the deep-sea shrimp Solenocera acuminata (Decapoda, Solenoceridae) in the Colombian Caribbean.

Given the potential interest in targeting Solenocera acuminata in a new deep-sea fishery in the Colombian Caribbean, biological information is needed to support the management of this species. The objective of this study is to provide biological information about size structure, size at sexual maturity, morphometric relationships, abundances and spatial and bathymetric distribution of S. acuminata in the Colombian Caribbean. Specimens of S. acuminata were collected during four deep-sea prospecting surveys in the Colombian Caribbean Sea, which were conducted between Punta Gallinas and the Gulf of Uraba. A total of 87 exploratory fishing trawls were made between 100 and 550 m depth. Sexual dimorphism was evident, with males being smaller than females. The size at sexual maturity of the females was 95.2 mm total length (23.82 mm CL). Relatively high biomass values were found in the northern zone of the Colombian Caribbean, between Santa Marta and Riohacha. In the southern zone, higher biomass was found between Cartagena and Morrosquillo Gulf. The biomass of S. acuminata was higher at night (mean 1.82 kg/km2) than during daylight (mean 0.15 kg/km2). This species was distributed between 150 and 400 m depth and the highest biomass was associated with depths between 330 and 380 m. Before starting a new fishery, more research is needed to understand the life cycle parameters of deep-sea resources, such as growth, reproduction, recruitment, mortality, spawning areas and times, nursery areas and associated biodiversity.

Zooplankton community associated with mesophotic coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

The morphological, phenological and ecological characteristics of shallow coral reefs have been widely studied, but only recently have mesophotic corals begun to be studied. Very little is known about these ecosystems and their associated communities, such as the zooplankton community, which constitutes a food source for reefs and for the organisms that inhabit them. In the present study, changes in zooplankton composition were characterised during two hydroclimatic periods in a mesophotic environment of the submarine mountain Bajo Frijol, in Corales de Profundidad National Natural Park, Colombia. Zooplankton was collected using a portable pumping device, which contained three collectors of differing mesh sizes; this allowed the capture of zooplankton ranging in size from 45 to 300 μm. Temperature, conductivity, oxygen and pH were obtained and complemented with MODIS AQUA satellite information. In this ecosystem, the zooplankton organisms with the greatest richness and abundance were small-sized copepods, radiolarians and tintinnids. The oceanography of the area results in greater zooplankton abundance, richness, and diversity in June when the coastal current allows greater chlorophyll-a concentrations in the area and smaller organisms are favoured by greater retention within the corals of the mesophotic system. The biodiversity reported for Bajo Frijol is the first detailed approach to the community of mesophotic coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean Sea, contributing to new records to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

A matter of size: the population structure of the smallest known living shark, Etmopterus perryi (Springer & Burgess,1985), from deep waters off the Colombian Caribbean coast.

The dwarf lanternshark (Etmopterus perryi) is the smallest known described shark, and practically no information has been available on this species since first described in the mid-1980s. Therefore, the aim of this work is to describe, for the first time, the population structure regarding dwarf lanternshark in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. During deep-water research surveys conducted along the Colombian Caribbean coast, 87 stations were sampled using the swept area method. A total of 153 dwarf lanternshark individuals were caught in depths ranging from 230 to 530 m. This information was used to describe the size structures, morphological measurements including length-at-weight relationship, length at maturity in females and the spatial distribution of mean length and biomass of the species. The lengths of individuals ranged from 78.02 to 289.00 mm total length (TL), which is a new record of maximum length for this species. The spatial distribution of mean lengths and biomass distributions show high abundances and high relative mean lengths in the northeast area off Santa Marta and the area northwest of Riohacha. The mean biomass density in the whole prospected area was 5.52 kg km-2 . Length at 50% maturity in females was estimated in 203 mm TL (95% C.I.: 190-214 mm). Deep-water elasmobranch species, such as the dwarf lantern shark, are expected to show extremely low resilience to fishing exploitation, even when they are not targeted by commercial fishing. Therefore, the information reported in this study can serve as a baseline upon which management measurements can be proposed for the conservation of this shark species.

Sea surface temperature in continental and insular coastal Colombian waters: observations of the recent past and near-term numerical projections

Sea surface temperature (SST) simulation for the 1970-2007 period and its projection up to 2035 was carried out with the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) for the Colombian Caribbean Sea (CCS) and the Colombian Pacific Basin (CPB). Spatial bias using the International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Sets (ICOADS) and Operational Sea Surface Temperature and Sea Ice Analysis (OSTIA) for 1982-2007 shows an adequate representation of surface characteristics in both marine study regions, especially on the CPB. The 1970-2007 period's deviation measures reveal a good fit between ICOADS data and simulated SST. The spatial distribution of linear multi-annual regression (ICOADS 1970-2007) evidences a similar positive trend in both regions (0.01ºC yr -1 ). Differences in the spatial distribution of trends between the two regions (ROMS 2008-2035) prescribe that general warming of CCS will be less (0.01ºC yr -1 ) than that of CPB (0.02ºC yr -1 ). The average SST trend in waters close to continental and insular coastal stations of CCS and CPB obtained from ICOADS (1970-2015) are 0.016 and 0.013°C yr -1 , respectively. The average trend in the same stations obtained from the projection using ROMS (2008-2035) is 0.025°C yr -1 for CCS and 0.015°C yr -1 for CPB. The SST projection for 2008-2035 in the CCS shows the highest SST increase slope in waters near Punta Gallinas and in the CPB it is evidenced in waters near Malpelo Island.

Temporal Changes of the Epiphytic Bacteria Community From the Marine Macroalga Ulva lactuca (Santa Marta, Colombian-Caribbean).

Microbial communities live on macroalgal surfaces. The identity and abundance of the bacteria making these epiphytic communities depend on the macroalgal host and the environmental conditions. Macroalgae rely on epiphytic bacteria for basic functions (spore settlement, morphogenesis, growth, and protection against pathogens). However, these marine bacterial-macroalgal associations are still poorly understood for macroalgae inhabiting the Colombian Caribbean. This study aimed at characterizing the epiphytic bacterial community from macroalgae of the species Ulva lactuca growing in La Punta de la Loma (Santa Marta, Colombia). We conducted a 16S rRNA gene sequencing-based study of these microbial communities sampled twice a year between 2014 and 2016. Within these communities, the Proteobacteria, Bacterioidetes, Cyanobacteria, Deinococcus-Thermus and Actinobacteria were the most abundant phyla. At low taxonomic levels, we found high variability among epiphytic bacteria from U. lactuca and bacterial communities associated with macroalgae from Germany and Australia. We observed differences in the bacterial community composition across years driven by abundance shifts of Rhodobacteraceae Hyphomonadaceae, and Flavobacteriaceae, probably caused by an increase of seawater temperature. Our results support the need for functional studies of the microbiota associated with U. lactuca, a common macroalga in the Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Taxonomic diversity and ecological attributes of copepods of the Colombian Caribbean Sea

ABSTRACT Seven oceanographic expeditions were carried out between 2013 and 2018 to explore the taxonomic diversity and ecological attributes of copepods of the Caribbean Oceanic Ecoregion (CAO). One hundred and forty zooplankton samples were collected in four depth ranges, between 0 and 1000 m depth. A total of 133 species were identified, 33 of which are new records for the Colombian Caribbean Sea and 50 species have amplified their geographical distribution. This information increasing the list of species of marine copepods recorded for the Colombian Caribbean Sea from 214 to 247 species. Carnivorous species (32.33%) and herbivorous-omnivorous species (27.06%) were the most important trophic guilds in the CAO ecoregion, due to the fact that it is an oligotrophic system that presents low productivity where regenerated production can occur. This study obtained relevant information on the richness and diversity of copepods in the offshore system, providing key information to describe the ecological processes and increase knowledge in this important taxonomic group.

Phospholipid fatty acids from Colombian Caribbean sea sponges

Five demosponges belonging to the order Axinellida: Axinella corrugata, Dragmacidon alvarezae, Dragmacidon reticulatum, Ptilocaulis walpersi, Myrmekioderma rea and one sponge belonging to the order Scopalinida: Scopalina ruetzleri were analyzed to assess their fatty acid composition in the phospholipid fraction. Additionally, the seasonal and intraspecific variation in fatty acids composition was assessed in M. rea and D. alvarezae. Fatty acid identification was conducted using an HRGC-MS with an ECL value of methyl ester derivatives, and analyzing their mass spectra. To confirm double bound location, N-acylpyrrolidide derivatives were used studying their mass spectra. In total, 83 fatty acids were identified with chain lengths ranging from C14 to C32. Interestingly, brominated fatty acids were identified, previously suggested for sponges. Polybranched fatty acids such as 4,8,12-trimethyltridecanoic acid (4,8,12-TMTD) and 3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadecanoic (phytanic acid) were found, without a clear distribution pattern. A predominance of iso-acids (i-15:0 and i-17:0) on anteiso acids were observed. Some seasonal variations in fatty acid (FA) compositions for M. rea and D. alvarezae were observed. The hierarchical Clusters Analysis (HCA) showed that the FA composition was species-specific but not informative at the family or order level.

Bacterial Composition and Diversity in Deep-Sea Sediments from the Southern Colombian Caribbean Sea

Deep-sea sediments are considered an extreme environment due to high atmospheric pressure and low temperatures, harboring novel microorganisms. To explore marine bacterial diversity in the southern Colombian Caribbean Sea, this study used 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing to estimate bacterial composition and diversity of six samples collected at different depths (1681 to 2409 m) in two localities (CCS_A and CCS_B). We found 1842 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) assigned to bacteria. The most abundant phylum was Proteobacteria (54.74%), followed by Bacteroidetes (24.36%) and Firmicutes (9.48%). Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi were also identified, but their dominance varied between samples. At the class-level, Alphaproteobacteria was most abundant (28.4%), followed by Gammaproteobacteria (24.44%) and Flavobacteria (16.97%). The results demonstrated that some bacteria were common to all sample sites, whereas other bacteria were unique to specific samples. The dominant species was Erythrobacter citreus, followed by Gramella sp. Overall, we found that, in deeper marine sediments (e.g., locality CCS_B), the bacterial alpha diversity decreased while the dominance of several genera increased; moreover, for locality CCS_A, our results suggest that the bacterial diversity could be associated with total organic carbon content. We conclude that physicochemical properties (e.g., organic matter content) create a unique environment and play an important role in shaping bacterial communities and their diversity.

Primer registro de ballena de aleta (Balaenoptera physalus) en el Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo, Caribe colombiano

Entre 23 y 27 de enero de 2020 se registró la presencia de una ballena de aleta (Balaenoptera physalus) en aguas costeras del área marina protegida del Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo. Este es el primer registro de un animal vivo para el mar Caribe colombiano. Aunque no fue posible establecer relaciones de causalidad, la presente nota incluye una descripción del contexto ambiental y oceanográfico asociado a los avistamientos. Si bien el Caribe colombiano, por sus características oligotróficas, no soportaría consistentemente la presencia de los grandes rorcuales, se sugiere incluirlo como parte del rango de distribución potencial de la ballena de aleta. El presente registro también resalta la importancia y relevancia de los procesos de ciencia ciudadana y participativa, además del trabajo interinstitucional y colaborativo, acciones clave para el monitoreo de especies de alta movilidad como los mamíferos marinos.

Assessment of deep demersal fish fauna diversity of the Colombian Caribbean Sea

We compiled georeferenced records of deep demersal fishes from the Colombian Caribbean Sea in order to assess the level of survey coverage and geographic completeness of species richness inventories at a scale of 15 minutes by 15 minutes cells, in view of threats from fishing and oil and natural gas exploration. We identified a rich fauna with a minimum of 362 species registered. Areas with elevated observed and predicted species richness were identified. Survey coverage and geographic richness completeness resulted in being deficient with no cell reaching the status of well-sampled spatial unit and 83% of the Colombian Caribbean exclusive economic zone bottoms unexplored, in particular regarding depths beyond 1000 m. A plea is made for renewed survey efforts with a focus on the protection of the Colombian Caribbean deep-sea biota.

Imposex Incidence in Gastropod Species from Santa Marta Coastal Zone, Colombian Caribbean Sea.

Imposex is a phenomenon widely associated with environmental exposure to organotin compounds which were quite common components of antifouling paints applied on boats and ship hulls. Here we study the incidence of imposex in neogastropods and its relation with water quality and maritime traffic in the coastal strip of Santa Marta, Colombia. Imposex was determined via specialized indexes and related to the organisms' size, somatic conditions, variables of water quality and maritime traffic, in a space-time assessment. There was evidence of imposex in five species Plicopurpura patula, Vasula deltoidea, Stramonita haemastoma, S. floridana, and Gemophos auritulus. Purpura patula and Vasula deltoidea species were found in all sampling sites. The results have proved that imposex is highly influenced by the maritime traffic variable, with greater prevalence during the dry season, and with P. patula being more sensitive than V. deltoidea.

A Preliminary Study of Routing Protocols in a Tactical Data Link Ad Hoc Network in Colombian Maritime Scenario

Tactical Data Link (TDL) systems are a kind of Mobile Ad Hoc NETwork (MANET) used in diverse maritime operational environments such as natural disasters, surveillance, maritime search, and rescue. A TDL network is usually composed of nodes or units representing surface ships, submarines, and aircrafts able to participate in maritime operations. A routing protocol is required to establish communication between nodes, which guarantees the route from the source node to the destination node. A TDL has been developed in the Colombian Caribbean Sea (CTDL). However, no efficient routing protocol has been implemented. This works to perform a preliminary study to implement an appropriate routing protocol for the CTDL. Local environment constraints, in addition to the chosen protocols' performance analysis, will provide preliminary alternatives for a routing protocol with acceptable efficiency. This article provides a background of ad-hoc networks routing protocols, a description of the Colombian Caribbean maritime operational environment, a comparative analysis of routing protocols, and a discussion of conclusions and future developments regarding CTDL.

Correction to: Changes in Phytoplankton Communities in a Tropical Estuary in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

In the original article there are errors in the data of Fig. 3b. Following is the corrected figure.

Linking mangroves and fish catch: a correlational study in the southern Caribbean Sea (Colombia)

Mangroves provide habitat to a variety of fish species, potentially enhancing fish production in small-scale fisheries. Fish production ecosystem services have been correlated with mangrove area and perimeter in many tropical locations; however, nothing has been published linking small-scale fish catch and mangrove attributes in the southern Caribbean Sea. We correlated environmental variables with experimentally-derived catch per unit effort (CPUE) and richness of fishes in the Colombian southern Caribbean Sea, an area not directly connected with other productive coastal habitats. Concurrently, we measured mangrove attributes (area, perimeter, above-ground carbon), water quality (salinity, total dissolved solids), and water column productivity parameters (chlorophyll a, seston, zooplankton biovolume). Mangrove area and zooplankton biovolume were the main factors influencing fish species richness. Mangrove area was positively correlated with catches for three of the most common fish species in the local artisanal fishery: Ariopsis canteri Acero P, Betancur-R, and Marceniuk, 2017, Mugil incilis Hancock, 1830, and Sciades proops (Valenciennes, 1840), which represent about 22% of the total regional annual catch. Our results suggest causal links between mangrove habitat and fishery production through a mangrove trophic contribution. Ariopsis canteri appears to be a mangrove-dependent species and M. incilis a mangrove- associated species. These results support managing or preserving mangroves in the most extensive areas in the southern Caribbean to sustain small-scale fishery resources used mainly for community sustenance where alternative resources are limited.

Gas transport at dense phase conditions for the development of deepwater fields in the Colombian Caribbean sea

The purpose of this article is to set out the benefits of using the dense phase gas transport in future projects in the Caribbean Sea and to verify that when operating pipelines at high pressures, more mass per unit of volume is transported, and liquid formation risks are mitigated in hostile environments and low temperatures.This study contains key data about gas production fields in deep and ultra-deep waters around the world, which serve as a basis for research and provide characteristics for each development to be contrasted with the subsea architecture proposed in this paper. Additionally, analogies are established between the target field (Gorgón-1, Kronos-1 and Purple Angel-1) and other offshore gas fields that have similar reservoir properties. Using geographic information systems, the layout of a gas pipeline and a subsea field architecture that starts in the new gas province is proposed.Finally, using a hydraulic simulation tool, the gas transport performance in dense phase is analyzed and compared with the conventional way of transporting gas by underwater pipelines, achieving up to 20 % in cost savings when dense phase is applied.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production from Two Species of Marine Bacteria: A Comparative Study

There are few reports of polyhydroxyalkanoates production from marine microorganisms. This work aimed to explore the marine bacteria Cobetia sp. INV PRT122 and Bacillus sp. INV FIR18 isolated from the Colombian Caribbean Sea as polyhydroxyalkanoates producers. The polymers were extracted, and structural analyses were completed to confirm their nature. Growth, accumulation, and sugar consumption kinetic studies were then conducted using glucose as a carbon source at 2%, 4%, 8%, 12% (w/v). A high degree of purity could be seen in the spectroscopy analysis through its signals, and the results indicated that the isolated polysaccharides had the same chemical structure as that of polyhydroxybutyrate. The results of the growth of the microorganisms and production of polyhydroxyalkanoates confirm that an excess of carbon affects the polymer production. The highest production was obtained from Bacillus sp. INV FIR18 using glucose at 2%, 30 °C, 140 rpm, and 144 h.

Changes in Phytoplankton Communities in a Tropical Estuary in the Colombian Caribbean Sea

Phytoplankton community species composition, diversity, biomass, and distribution experience constant changes because of seasonal and temporal variations. This study was done with the aim of describing the response to environmental and seasonal changes of the phytoplankton communities of a tropical estuary in the south of the Colombian Caribbean Sea (Gulf of Uraba) with an emphasis on potential producers of toxin genera. To do these, 15 sites along the Gulf were studied during two cruises in the rainy season and one during the dry season. In each site, water samples from above and below the halocline were collected. Environmental factors such salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient concentration were correlated with diatoms, dinoflagellate, cyanobacteria, and biotoxin producer abundance. The results showed that the number of diatoms was at a maximum of 11,166 cell/L in the fluvial zone. Dinoflagellates were at a maximum of 4250 cell/L in the same zone during the dry season and cyanobacteria blooms during the rainy season. Four genera of potential biotoxin producers were found: Dolichospermum, Prorocentrum, Dinophysis, and Pseudo-nitzschia; this last genus represents 44% of the total diatom abundance during the rainy season with a detectable domoic acid production in a range between 25.54 and 1580.7 pg/mL; this substance can affect different trophic levels in the Gulf, especially mammals due to its non-reversible amnesic effect. Overall, this study shows that the phytoplankton community structure in this tropical stratified estuary presents environment conditions during the rainy season that increase the abundance of phytoplankton that may thrive into blooms.

Deep-sea holothurians (Echinodermata, Holothuroidea) from the Colombian Southern Caribbean Sea

Fifteen morphotypes of deep-sea holothurians were documented by photography or videography at depths of 596–2,566 m, using Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) video surveys and towed camera transects, during hydrocarbon exploratory activities in the Colombian Southern Caribbean. Most of the morphotypes were identified to the species level based on the images. The species belong to four orders, Apodida (1 species), Persiculida (3 species), Elasipodida (8 species), and Synallactida (3 species). Four species, three genera, and three families are reported for the first time in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. Some of the reports also represent first records for the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Mangrove Forests Evolution and Threats in the Caribbean Sea of Colombia

Colombia has approximately 379,954 hectares of mangrove forests distributed along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea coasts. Such forests are experiencing the highest annual rate of loss recorded in South America and, in the last three decades, approximately 40,000 hectares have been greatly affected by natural and, especially, human impacts. This study determined, by the use of Landsat multispectral satellite images, the evolution of three mangrove forests located in the Colombian Caribbean Sea: Malloquín, Totumo, and La Virgen swamps. Mangrove forest at Mallorquín Swamp recorded a loss of 15 ha in the period of 1985–2018, associated with alterations in forest hydrology, illegal logging, urban growth, and coastal erosion. Totumo Swamp lost 301 ha in the period 1985–2018 associated with changes in hydrological conditions, illegal logging, and increased agricultural and livestock uses. La Virgen Swamp presented a loss of 31 ha in the period of 2013–2018 that was linked to the construction of a roadway, alterations of hydrological conditions, illegal logging, and soil urbanization, mainly for tourist purposes. Although Colombian legislation has made efforts to protect mangrove ecosystems, human activities are the main cause of mangrove degradation, and thus it is mandatory for the local population to understand the value of the ecosystem services provided by mangroves.

The invasive species Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758 - Bivalvia: Mytilidae) on artificial substrates: A baseline assessment for the Colombian Caribbean Sea

This baseline paper shows the Indo-Pacific mussel Perna viridis (Asian green mussel) inhabiting on floating plastic substrates in the Atlantico Department, as well as rafting on marine debris found at the Via Parque Isla de Salamanca (Magdalena). Both observations are the northernmost record of the species found in the Colombian Caribbean Sea. The above finding opens a new door that suggests that larval dispersion alone may not be the only process responsible for the presence of this invasive suspension-feeder bivalve because this species needs specific vectors for its dispersal. Some organisms such Perna viridis can persist in the marine environment, but they do not necessarily have a rafting capability that allows them to move over long distances. Floating structures as well as marine debris can serve as optimal substrates in the marine environment, contributing to an increase in the problems of non-native species on sites with a high degree of susceptibility to species invasion.