Barbados Research Articles

The role of the formation and destruction of the Hudson Strait glacial ice dam in changes of climate and sea level during the Last Interglacial-Glacial transition

During the Last interglacial period of constant sea level, large coral reefs formed on the tectonically rising island of Barbados, and a broad lagoon with a small barrier reef formed at the Cane Vale site. The constant sea level was ended by a rapid glaciation, causing a fall of world sea level of 2.4 m, as measured by surveys of features associated with breaking waves on Barbados. The fall began about 120 ka BP, and lasted roughly 400 years, according to a lake pollen record from western Europe. That rapid fall was terminated at a wave-cut step on Barbados and with a quite small reversal in falling sea level. The rise was caused by rapid melting of the marine-based Barents Sea ice dome and other ice masses, due to a restored strong Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) flow. The sea level fall then resumed until it was halted at a wave-cut step at a world sea level 12.3 m below the last interglacial level, as recorded at the University of the West Indies site on Barbados. Following the erosion of that second step, a zonal northern North Atlantic circulation prevailed, causing a glacial ice-volume decrease and rise in sea level of 3.8 m. These two sea level fall reversals were caused respectively by the formation and destruction of a Hudson Strait ice dam and the resulting increase and much later decrease in the rate of AMOC flow.

Viral metagenomics reveals the presence of novel Zika virus variants in Aedes mosquitoes from Barbados

BackgroundThe Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic of 2015/2016 spread throughout numerous countries. It emerged in mainland Latin America and spread to neighboring islands, including the Caribbean island of Barbados. Recent studies have indicated that the virus must have already been circulating in local mosquito populations in Brazil for almost 2 years before it was identified by the World Health Organization in 2015. Metagenomic detection assays have the potential to detect emerging pathogens without prior knowledge of their genomic nucleic acid sequence. Yet their applicability as vector surveillance tools has been widely limited by the complexity of DNA populations from field-collected mosquito preparations. The aim of this study was to investigate local vector biology and characterize metagenomic arbovirus diversity in Aedes mosquitoes during the ongoing 2015/2016 ZIKV epidemic.MethodsWe performed a short-term vector screening study on the island of Barbados during the ongoing 2015/2016 ZIKV epidemic, where we sampled local Aedes mosquitoes. We reanalyzed mosquito viral microbiome data derived from standard Illumina MiSeq sequencing to detect arbovirus sequences. Additionally, we employed deep sequencing techniques (Illumina HiSeq) and designed a novel bait capture enrichment assay to increase sequencing efficiency for arbovirus sequences from complex DNA samples.ResultsWe found that Aedes aegypti seemed to be the most likely vector of ZIKV, although it prevailed at a low density during the observed time period. The number of detected viruses increased with sequencing depth. Arbovirus sequence enrichment of metagenomic DNA preparations allowed the detection of arbovirus sequences of two different ZIKV genotypes, including a novel one. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the S3116W mutation in the NS5 gene region of ZIKV polyprotein.ConclusionsThe metagenomic arbovirus detection approach presented here may serve as a useful tool for the identification of epidemic-causing arboviruses with the additional benefit of enabling the collection of phylogenetic information on the source. Apart from detecting more than 88 viruses using this approach, we also found evidence of novel ZIKV variants circulating in the local mosquito population during the observed time period.Graphical abstract

Shell morphometric ratios as a tool for taxonomic determination in gastropods: a case study inNerita(Gastropoda, Neritidae)

AbstractIn the study, we compare the shell shape morphometrics in four species of neritid gastropods (Nerita fulgurans,Nerita tessellata,Nerita pelorontaandNerita versicolor), collected in Accra Beach (Barbados Island). We tested the hypothesis that the morphometric ratios can be used as a tool in the taxonomic determination among these four species of neritids. For this we determine the morphometric ratios from the external (length, height, width) and internal (shell aperture length, shell aperture width) measures. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine which ratios were significant, and subsequently the proposed hypothesis was tested using the Kruskal–Wallis test. The morphometric ratios AW/H and AL/L were decisive in distinguishing the four species of neritids studied. In this study, the hypothesis of the efficacy of the use of shell morphometric ratios as an instrument in taxonomic studies was corroborated for the four species. Due to its low cost, this methodology can be applied in the recognition of species that have lost their external characteristics such as operculum, spire or colour and also in the identification of fossil specimens.

Responsible leadership and COVID-19: small Island making big waves in cruise tourism

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore responsible leadership and crisis management. Many sectors and economies have faced the stark effect of coronavirus; however, the damage done was felt more in some areas than others. Cruise tourism is one such sector dramatically affected, as it ground to a screeching halt in March 2020. This has led to crisis management, as passengers, cruise-line crew, large cruise companies and governments were now faced with a new reality as countries around the world closed their borders. This article aims at discussing in detail how responsible leadership, in the small island of Barbados, championed a response to support the cruise tourism sector and assist in managing the crisis.Design/methodology/approachThe author conducted a literature review on the current knowledge relating leadership and crisis management. Thus building a better understanding in the field and identifying gaps for making new arguments for best practices of leadership development in crisis management established in the cruise tourism sector. The author gave viewpoints based on the leadership style of the Prime Minister of Barbados.FindingsResponsible leadership is a style that has been best observed as one that emphasizes a commitment to the common good and provides a constructive societal impact. With this approach, the leaders navigated the uncertainty surrounding the crisis and provided fresh hope to future plans. Thus, the coronavirus was perceived in a positive way, producing opportunities for progress and change.Research limitations/implicationsBy developing an understanding of traditional leadership theories, it provides a framework for the adaptation of responsible leadership approach in crisis management. Moreover, the practice of responsible leadership in this COVID-19 era is shown to be crucial to crisis management and enhancing performance. Limitations on viewpoint are based on the author's philosophies.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a better understanding of the principles surrounding leadership and fashions a framework for discussing responsible leadership from a crisis management standpoint. The viewpoint provides an optimistic difference in managing a crisis.Social implicationsThe paper provides a better understanding of responsible leadership as an integrated approach to governance, ethics and social responsibility. The paper provides a basis to assess the intersection of the literature on leadership and crisis management.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the literature on responsible leadership within the context of crisis management.

Microbial Isolation and DNA Analysis of Turner Hall Woods: Natural Hydrocarbon Seep on the Island of Barbados

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CONQUILIOMETRIA DE GASTRÓPODES NERITÍDEOS DA PRAIA DE ACCRA, BARBADOS, MAR DO CARIBE

The present study aims to characterize the conquiliometry of four species of neritid gastropod molluscs (Nerita tessellata, Nerita fulgurans, Nerita versicolor and Nerita peloronta), collected at Accra Beach, Barbados Island. For the characterization of the neritid conquiliometric pattern, the external measures (total length, width and height of the shell) and the measures of length and width of the shell opening were first measured, classifying the allometry of the morphometric relationships performed. The results presented here indicate that the neritids used in this study have morphometry significantly correlated, with allometry classified as "negative". Furthermore, it indicates the height and length measurements of the opening that determine the morphological distinction between N. fulgurans and the other species of neritids used.

The Last Global Transgression of the World Ocean: Glacio-Eustasy or Tectonics?

The article substantiates the conclusion about the tectonic nature of the last global transgression of the World Ocean. It is based on the results of marine studies in which complete sections of transgression sediments were obtained that were separated from their substrate by the diachronous boundary of a stratigraphic uncomformity or those beginning with littoral facies. The radiocarbon dating of such sections at different levels made it possible to calculate the average rate of relative sea level rise by plotting the radiocarbon age of sediments against depth from the seafloor surface. This was constructed based on three reference areas: the underwater slope of the island of Barbados, the North Sea shelf, and the Barents Sea shelf. It was revealed that the average rates of relative sea level rise at different points in the same water area sometimes differ by an order of magnitude, which is incompatible with the eustatic nature of transgression. The maximum transgression amplitudes in the Barents and North seas are several times higher than those permissible for glacio-eustasy. It is assumed that tectonic subsidence of the area due to the planetary nature of the last marine transgression overlapped its immersion, associated with the incomplete formation of the youngest oceanic depressions of the planet located north of the submarine Greenland–Scotland Ridge.

Prioritising Inclusion in Addressing Barbados’ Development Challenges

This is a policy paper which examines the development challenges of the Caribbean island of Barbados against the backdrop of the government's decision to enter into a structural adjustment agreement with the International Monetary Fund in 2018. The paper gives an overview of Barbados' trajectory as doing fairly well in terms of social development but having significant challenges economic dependency, structurally unequal economic framework and inadequate policy interventions and legal frameworks to address socio-economic inequalities rooted in colonialism. The paper argues that the development challenges need to be addressed from a more inclusive approach which seeks to integrate 'vulnerable groups', namely women, youth, LGBTQ people, persons with disabilities and Rastafarians. Vulnerability and inclusion are conceptualised and attention is drawn to the historically marginalised and discriminatory nature of participation in the economy of these groups. Through a series of focus groups and NGO consultations which took place in December 2018 and January 2019, feedback was garnered in terms of what specific areas they wished to see addressed in prioritising an inclusive approach in Barbadian development. The paper therefore examines these areas – employment and labour force participation, entrepreneurship, transportation and legal reform. The paper concludes by reiterating the need to adopt a more inclusive approach and makes recommendations for legal reform and policy intervention as to how this can be done.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices with regard to sugar sweetened beverages and taxation among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Caribbean island of Barbados – A cross sectional survey in primary care

AimsBarbados implemented a 10% tax on sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) in 2015. We aimed to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices towards SSB consumption and taxation among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) attending public sector primary care clinics in Barbados. MethodsPeople with T2D attending public sector clinics completed a survey including the Beverage Intake Questionnaire (BEVQ-15). Waist circumference was measured. ResultsOf 384 participants (34.6% male, median age 67 years, interquartile range 60–74 years, African descent 97.6%) 45.9% had diabetes diagnosed for >10 years, 30.7% used insulin, 31.8% had not seen a dietician since diabetes diagnosis, and 62.2% had abdominal obesity. Most (91.1%) thought that consuming SSB was unhealthy and 91% felt that reducing intake would be easy. Only 44.7% favoured the current 10% tax and 29.7% favoured a 20% tax. The median daily SSB consumption was 26.6ml (IQR 3.0–53.2). Responses did not differ by age, gender or abdominal obesity status (p>0.5). Weight loss was being attempted by 45.6% and 21.1% with and without abdominal obesity respectively (p<0.0001). ConclusionsWhile most felt SSB consumption is harmful and the median reported consumption contributes few calories to the diet, a minority supported the current tax.

Marine gastropods of Accra Beach, Barbados, North Atlantic Ocean

The widespread occurrence of marine gastropods in coastal regions is a straightforward evidence of successful adaptation to different environments. In the Caribbean Sea, as one of Conservation International’s biodiversity hotspots, little is known about the gastropod fauna, especially in the Eastern Caribbean. The present study contributed to bridge this gap by studying the biodiversity of gastropods from Accra Beach, Barbados. Throughout random collections in September 2015, we collected 321 gastropods, comprising eight species, distributed in three families (Neritidae: Nerita tessellata, N. fulgurans, N. versicolor and N. peloronta; Littorinidae: Echinolittorina ziczac, E. angustior and E. tuberculata; and Muricidae: Plicopurpura patula). Nerites were more abundant and diverse, highlighting N. tessellata, representing 66% of the sampled gastropods. This paper also reports the first record of N. fulgurans and E. angustior for the island of Barbados.

Feeling neoliberal

AbstractWe live in a time of feelings. Anger, disgust, and anxiety abound in the public sphere and in social analyses. Positive feelings are also increasingly demanded and exchanged in the capitalist marketplace, including care and empathy, tenderness and affection. Indeed, the intensity with which feelings traverse these boundaries of individual‐social‐cultural‐political‐economic life is arguably a defining feature of our times. Yet much of the scholarship on neoliberalism has focused squarely upon the extractive and exhausting quality of contemporary affective life. Strikingly, feminist affect theory in particular interprets a fundamental cruelty at the core of cultural demands for optimism (Berlant 2011) or happiness (Ahmed 2010), a dark underbelly that forecloses any other transformative outcomes. In this essay, I suggest that feminist ethnographic analysis requires a more complex account of affective pursuits. I turn to the specific context of the post‐colonial Caribbean island of Barbados, where a new surge in desires for intimacy, emotional expressiveness, and affective life is bound up within the 21st century thrust of neoliberal entrepreneurialism. In a society known more for its conservative 'stiff‐upper lip' and 'grin‐and‐bear‐it' demeanor, 'tough love,' and material, transactional modes of support and exchange than expressions of intimate affection, I chart a growing desire for new modes of feeling, a growing cultural pull toward romantic love and intimacy, and emotional expressivity itself. I read within these Barbadian desires (and even within their disappointments) a profound optimism, pleasure, and bold self‐discovery that does not only/always succumb to despair.

Unique Opportunities of Island States to Transition to a Low-Carbon Mobility System

Small islands developing states (SIDS) contribute minuscule proportions to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption, but are highly exposed to climate change impacts, in particular to extreme weather events and sea-level rise. However, there is little research on potential decarbonization trajectories unique to SIDS. Here, we argue that insular topology, scale, and economy are distinctive characteristics of SIDS that facilitate overcoming carbon lock-in. We investigate these dimensions for the three islands of Barbados, Fiji, and Mauritius. We find that insular topologies and small scale offer an opportunity for both public transit corridors and rapid electrification of car fleets. The tourism sector enables local decision-makers and investors to experiment with shared mobility and to induce spillover effects by educating tourists about new mobility options. Limited network effects, and the particular economy thus enables to overcome carbon lock-in. We call for targeted investments into SIDS to transition insular mobility systems towards zero carbon in 2040. The decarbonization of SIDS is not only needed as a mitigation effort, but also as a strong signal to the global community underlining that a zero-carbon future is possible.

Nutritional adequacy and dietary disparities in an adult Caribbean population of African descent with a high burden of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The Caribbean island of Barbados has a high burden of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Dietary habits were last described in 2005. A representative population‐based sample (n = 363, aged 25–64 years) provided two nonconsecutive 24‐hr dietary recalls in this cross‐sectional study. Mean daily nutrient intakes were compared with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Subgroup differences by age, sex, and educational level were examined using logistic regression. High sugar intakes exist for both sexes with 24% (95% CIs 18.9, 30.0) consuming less than the recommended <10% of energy from added sugars (men 22%; 15.0, 31.6; women 26%; 18.9, 33.7). Sugar‐sweetened beverages provide 43% (42.2%, 44.4%) of total sugar intake. Inadequate dietary fiber intakes (men 21 g, 18.2, 22.8; women 18 g, 16.7, 18.9) exist across all age groups. Inadequate micronutrient intake was found in women for calcium, folate, thiamine, zinc, and iron. Older persons (aged 45–64 years) were more likely to report adequacy of dietary fiber (OR = 2.7, 1.5, 4.8) and iron (OR = 3.0, 1.7, 5.3) than younger persons (aged 25–44). Older persons (aged 45–64 years) were less likely to have an adequate supply of riboflavin (OR = 0.4, 0.2, 0.6) than younger persons. Men were more likely to have adequate intakes of iron (OR = 13.0, 6.1, 28.2), folate (OR = 2.4, 1.3, 4.6), and thiamine (OR = 3.0, 1.5, 5.0) than women. Education was not associated with nutrient intake. The Barbadian diet is characterized by high sugar intakes and inadequate dietary fiber; a nutrient profile associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related noncommunicable diseases.

Retrieval of Dust Microphysical Properties

An intense mineral dust event from the Saharan desert was observed over the Island of Barbados after a long-range transport over the Atlantic Ocean during SALTRACE Campaign in June 2014. We analyze data from a multi-wavelength Raman-lidar system of Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) called BERTHA (Back- scatter Extinction lidar Ratio Temperature Humidity profiling Apparatus) to derive the aerosol microphysical properties of the inspected layer via regularization using the software SphInX (Spheroidal Inversion eXperiments). These parameters were found to be within credible ranges.

Habitat use by an endemic and a non-native gecko: natural habitat provides a last refuge for the Barbados Leaf-Toed gecko

ABSTRACT Island endemic reptiles face many threats that potentially have a negative effect on their conservation status, such as habitat loss, interactions with introduced predators and competitors, and stochastic environmental events. Since confirmation of the continued existence of the Barbados Leaf Toed gecko (Phyllodactylus pulcher) on the island of Barbados, West Indies, efforts have been made to increase ecological knowledge of the gecko in order to inform conservation direction and safeguard this critically endangered endemic species. The present study is the first to determine the microhabitat use of P. pulcher and that of the non-native gecko Hemidactylus mabouia on Barbados, and makes comparison to patterns of displacement of native geckos following Hemidactylus spp. invasions seen elsewhere. Factor Analyses of gecko locations and habitat data collected during night-time surveys indicated a strong non-random selection by P. pulcher for structurally diverse, rock habitat with an abundance of natural crevices. Where H. mabouia is present in natural habitat along the Barbados coast, the species also selected for exposed rocky habitat, albeit to a significantly lesser degree than did P. pulcher. Measures of body condition suggest the non-native gecko is less able to exploit such habitats and that its ability to thrive on Barbados is due to utilisation of a broader niche as befitting a habitat “generalist”, rather than competitive displacement of the native gecko from cliff side habitat. Our findings highlight the importance for protection of the remaining natural cliff side habitat and promotion of biosecurity on Barbados as being key to the survival of P. pulcher.

Sun photometer retrievals of Saharan dust properties over Barbados during SALTRACE

Abstract. The Saharan Aerosol Long-Range Transport and Aerosol–Cloud-Interaction Experiment (SALTRACE) was devoted to the investigation of Saharan dust properties over the Caribbean. The campaign took place in June–July 2013. A wide set of ground-based and airborne aerosol instrumentation was deployed at the island of Barbados for a comprehensive experiment. Several sun photometers performed measurements during this campaign: two AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) Cimel sun photometers and the Sun and Sky Automatic Radiometer (SSARA). The sun photometers were co-located with the ground-based multi-wavelength lidars BERTHA (Backscatter Extinction lidar Ratio Temperature Humidity profiling Apparatus) and POLIS (Portable Lidar System). Aerosol properties derived from direct sun and sky radiance observations are analyzed, and a comparison with the co-located lidar and in situ data is provided. The time series of aerosol optical depth (AOD) allows identifying successive dust events with short periods in between in which the marine background conditions were observed. The moderate aerosol optical depth in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 was found during the dust periods. The sun photometer infrared channel at the 1640 nm wavelength was used in the retrieval to investigate possible improvements to aerosol size retrievals, and it was expected to have a larger sensitivity to coarse particles. The comparison between column (aerosol optical depth) and surface (dust concentration) data demonstrates the connection between the Saharan Air Layer and the boundary layer in the Caribbean region, as is shown by the synchronized detection of the successive dust events in both datasets. However the differences of size distributions derived from sun photometer data and in situ observations reveal the difficulties in carrying out a column closure study.

Moving the body: physical activity among Barbadians

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the beliefs, self-perceptions, and self-reported behaviors around physical activity among Barbadian women on the Caribbean island of Barbados, and among Barbadian migrant women in Atlanta, Georgia. It investigates their perceptions and practices of physical activity and its relationship to health, and how these ideas and practices differ between the two sites. Design/methodology/approach Situated within long-term ethnographic research conducted in both study sites, this paper focuses on qualitative interview data and quantitative physical activity logs from 31 Barbadian women. Findings Most study subjects expressed belief that physical activity is valuable to their health. Women in Barbados described their own lives as active, and documented this activity in their physical activity logs. However, women in Atlanta described patterns of limited activity that were evidenced in their logs. Qualitative interviews determined that the overarching reasons for this inactivity are the structural confines of wage labor and the built environment. Social implications These findings indicate that rather than health promotions that emphasize individual responsibility, physical activity levels in US migrant populations may more likely be altered by addressing the structural limitations of the American work day or the ubiquitous urban commute time. Originality/value This paper is unique in its contribution of dual-sited qualitative research that explores the motivations and limitations of physical activity in a migrant population. In addition, it enhances the existing literature by examining a native-English-speaking, middle-class population in migration.

A dynamic vulnerability approach for tourism destinations

Tourism destinations are vulnerable to increasing environmental change. The available scientific knowledge, however, is of little practical use as it is too aggregate, too conceptual, or too static. Various authors have called for dynamic vulnerability assessments, but the principles for dynamic vulnerability assessments have not been specified nor is it clear how to operationalise these principles. This paper formulates five principles: human agency, heterogeneity, feedbacks, uncertainty, and iteration. To address these principles, it proposes a dynamic approach that involves stakeholders. The approach’s proposed methodological tools enable system integration as well as the opportunity for both researchers and stakeholders to experience and experiment with dynamic vulnerabilities, which is key to moving beyond aggregate and static assessments. To demonstrate some of the approach’s added value for tourism destinations, a short illustration is provided of the critical challenge of sea level rise for coastal tourism in the Caribbean islands of Barbados and Curaçao. Future application of the approach can extend well beyond Caribbean coastal destinations to any other tourism destination vulnerable to environmental change.

Onshore wind energy potential for Small Island Developing States: Findings and recommendations from Barbados

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are often burdened with high electricity prices whilst being bestowed with excellent wind resources. Wind energy is the most proven of the modern renewable energy technologies and, in areas with a good resource, is often the cheapest form of electricity generation. Many small island states have yet to tap into their wind energy potential. Using the Caribbean island of Barbados as a case study, this paper applies basic engineering processes and a spatial planning methodology to determine an island’s maximum potential installed wind capacity. In order to encourage repeated studies for other islands, publicly available global historical hourly weather data is identified and forms part of a technical assessment to estimate the expected annual energy yield. The paper highlights the complexities of wind energy development on small islands when compared with mainland countries and explores the key factors that are to be addressed if SIDS are to make use of their wind resource. Economic analysis of the expected annual energy yield for Barbados predicts a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for wind of 0.13 US$/kWh (±0.01 US$/kWh), which compares favourably with other forms of generation that are an option for the island.

Peers or Parents?: An Examination of Risk and Protective Factors Influencing Use of and Curiosity about Marijuana among Adolescents in the Caribbean Island of Barbados

Recently, there has been increased support for the decriminalization of cannabis or marijuana. In the Caribbean, investigations have been conducted to determine whether cannabis should be legalised or decriminalized and for what purpose(s). This has brought about public discussions on the use and impact of cannabis use on the youth. Against this backdrop, this study sought to investigate the factors influencing marijuana use among adolescents in the Caribbean island of Barbados. It specifically focused on the risk and protective factors of peer groups and parents and their interaction effects. It utilized nationally representative data from the Barbados Secondary Schools survey of 2013 conducted by the National Council of Substance Abuse in Barbados. Logit regression analyses were performed to determine the relative roles of parental attachment, family structure, peer use and peer disapproval on adolescent past month use and curiosity to use marijuana. It was found that both parents and peers affect marijuana use among adolescents. Specifically, the adolescents least likely to use marijuana lived with both parents, had little no friends using marijuana, had peers who would disapprove of marijuana use and had strong bonds with their parents. More than this, parental attachment appeared to be more important for individuals without peers who would disapprove of marijuana use. However, only peer use had a consistent impact on adolescent curiosity about marijuana. Prevention interventions should emphasize the importance of friendship choices and well as involve parents in drug education.