Netherlands Antilles Research Articles

New geographic records of Hamlets, Hypoplectrus spp. (Serranidae), in the Caribbean Sea

The exact number of species of hamlets, Hypoplectrus spp., in the Caribbean is controversial and the geographic distributions of these species/forms are poorly documented. We report Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, as a new locality for the Barred Hamlet, H. puella (Cuvier), and Shy Hamlet, H. guttavarius (Poey); and St. John and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, for the Tan Hamlet, Hypoplectrus sp. The Black Hamlet, H. nigricans (Poey), has previously been reported from Curacao, but we did not see it there. Rev. Biol. Trop. 54 (Suppl. 3): 171-173. Epub 2007 Jan. 15

Kingdom of the Netherlands: Netherlands Antilles: 2005 Article IV Consultation -- Staff Report; and Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion

Kingdom of the Netherlands: Netherlands Antilles: 2005 Article IV Consultation -- Staff Report; and Public Information Notice on the Executive Board Discussion

Kingdom of the Netherlands: Netherlands Antilles: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix

Kingdom of the Netherlands: Netherlands Antilles: Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix

LM v. Netherlands, Minister for Netherlands Antilles Affairs and Aruban Affairs and Others

681State immunity — Jurisdictional immunity — Claim against State for slander by one of its officials — Claim brought before courts of another State forming part of same constitutional union — Whether defendant State entitled to jurisdictional immunity — Status of constituent parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands — The law of the Netherlands

Conservation of amphibians and reptiles in Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire

Curacao and Bonaire form part of the Netherlands Antilles, while Aruba has a aparte within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. All three islands are relatively arid compared to a typical Caribbean island, with mean annual rainfall of 409-553 mm, and experience several periods of drought lasting two or more years each century. A short history of the islands is given, and protected areas are described. The laws and regulations protecting amphibians and reptiles are complex, with general laws originating from the Kingdom of the Netherlands participation in international conventions (such as CITES) together with supplemental laws of the Netherlands Antilles and individual islands. Sea turtles are generally well protected, although their nesting beaches would be vulnerable to a rise in sea level. Among the terrestrial herpetofauna, only the Aruba Island rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor) is on the IUCN Red List, being Critically Endangered. The status of this species and others of particular interest is described. The Curacao Island snake (Liophis triscalis) should probably be included as Vulnerable or even Endangered, though there is insufficient information at present. Iguana iguana populations on the different islands, and the Curacao whiptail (Cnemidophorus murinus murinus) on Klein Curacao, are distinctive and significant for conservation. An overview is given of introduced amphibians and reptiles and their possible effects on the native fauna. The arid climate of the islands may hinder the establishment of invasive species, which are often not able to survive in the bush and thus reduces their impact on native species.

The effect of water exchange on bacterioplankton depletion and inorganic nutrient dynamics in coral reef cavities

We studied the effect of water exchange on the depletion (or accumulation) of bacterioplankton, dissolved organic matter and inorganic nutrients in small open framework cavities (50–70 l) at 15 m depth on the coral reef along Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. The bacterioplankton removal rate in cavities increased with increasing water exchange rates up to a threshold of 0.0045 s−1, reaching values of 50–100 mg C m−2 total interior cavity surface area (CSA) per day. Beyond the threshold, bacterioplankton removal dropped. The cryptic community is apparently adapted to the average water exchange in these cavities (0.0041 s−1). Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), nitrate + nitrite (NO x ) in particular, accumulated in cavity water and the accumulation decreased with increasing water exchange. Net NO x effluxes exceeded net DIN effluxes from cavities (average efflux rate of 1.9 mmol NO x vs. 0.8 mmol DIN m−2 interior CSA per day). The difference is ascribed to net ammonium losses (NH4) in cavities at reef concentrations >0.025 μM NH4, possibly due to enhanced nitrification. Dissolved inorganic phosphate accumulated in cavities, but was not related to water exchange. The cryptic biota in cavities depend on water exchange for optimization of consumption of bacterioplankton and removal of inorganic nitrogen. Coral cavities are an evident sink of bacterioplankton and a source of NO x and PO 4 3− .

Early life-history dynamics of Caribbean coral species on artificial substratum: the importance of competition, growth and variation in life-history strategy

The development of a coral community was monitored for 6 years (1998–2004) on 46 m2 of artificial settlement substrate in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Growth and survival of recruits (n=1385) belonging to 16 different species were quantified in relation to characteristics of the benthic community developing around them. The early life history dynamics (i.e. growth rate, growth strategy and survival) of corals differed among species although these differences were small for species occupying similar habitats (i.e. underside versus topside of substratum). In contrast to recruit survival, juvenile growth rates were highly variable and unrelated to benthic community structure, at least at the scale of this study. Competing benthic organisms affected coral recruitment success through space preemption (mainly by macroalgae) or recruit overgrowth (mainly by sponges). The results highlight the small spatial scale (mm–cm) at which the processes responsible for recruitment success or failure occur and emphasize the need to include such small-scale observations in studies of coral early life-phase dynamics.

PCR Detection of Lizard Malaria Parasites: Prevalence of Plasmodium Infections with Low-Level Parasitemia Differs by Site and Season

Plasmodium-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers allowed detection of infections with very low-level parasitemia for 3 species of malaria parasites infecting Anolis lizards at 2 Caribbean sites, Puerto Rico and Saba, Netherlands Antilles. A verification study, using a single-tube nested PCR to eliminate contamination, showed that infections as low as 1 parasite per millions of erythrocytes could be detected by amplifying a 673 bp fragment of the cytochrome b gene. Very low-level parasitemia infections, subpatent under the microscope, were common in A. sabanus on Saba sites, with no significant seasonal difference (31% of infections appearing uninfected by microscopic examination in summer were found infected by PCR, 38% in winter). At the Puerto Rico site, the subpatent infections were also common in A. gundlachi, but were more prevalent in winter (53%) than in summer (17%). A similar high frequency of subpatent infections is known from studies on human and bird malaria, but a previous PCR-based study on a temperate lizard malaria system found few such low-level infections. Differences in the prevalence of subpatent infections by site and season suggest transmission biology may select for distinct life history strategies by the parasite.

Abandoned Lighthouse, Klein Curaçao Netherlands Antilles

Abandoned Lighthouse, Klein Curaçao Netherlands Antilles

Life history flexibility allows Sargassum polyceratium to persist in different environments subjected to stochastic disturbance events

Stochastic, stage-based matrix models were used to investigate the life history strategy of the seaweed Sargassum polyceratium in shallow intertidal and deep-water (18 m) populations. Matrix models were parameterized with 3 years of yearly transitions among four plant stages quantified from three bays on Curacao (Netherlands Antilles). There were years without a storm, with a moderate (winter) storm and with a strong storm (Hurricane Lenny). The stochastic population growth rate varied among populations (λs: 0.54–1.03) but was not related to depth. The most important stages for population growth were reproductive adults (shallow) and non-reproductive adults (deep). With the occurrence of storms, vegetative growth (mainly deep) and fertility (mainly shallow) became the most important processes. Recruitment (shallow) and regeneration from holdfasts (deep) only contributed to population persistence after the hurricane. It is concluded that S. polyceratium has a flexible, depth-dependent, life history strategy that is adjusted to disturbance events.

Pattern in the Co-occurrence of Fishes Inhabiting the Coral Reefs of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

We conducted an analysis of species associations using fish diversity and abundance surveys conducted in Bonaire Marine Park by recreational divers. We used data from the REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) Fish Survey Project to compute Bray–Curtis similarity coefficients for all species pairs for the 100 most abundant species. We quantified relationships between species using hierarchical agglomerative clustering and non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS) of the matrix of Bray–Curtis similarity coefficients. We identified three clusters of species from the analysis. MDS results showed species clusters occupied distinct regions across a continuous gradient of species in two-dimensional space, rather than form distinct clusters. While differences in habitat requirements can explain some of the pattern in pairwise species interactions, these results suggest that there are significant direct and indirect behavioral interactions mediating the distribution and abundance of species. Studies conducted to elucidate patterns of species-habitat relationships have been central to conservation planning for marine protected areas (MPAs). However, the role of behavioral interactions between species driving the dynamics of species composition within MPA networks, designed for representation of biological diversity, should be considered when selecting sites in order to be effective.

Sustainability of Scuba Diving Tourism on Coral Reefs of Saba

We examine the effects of recreational scuba diving in the Saba Marine Park in the Netherlands Antilles over a nine-year period. Levels of diving have remained low whereas dive fees have provided a major source of income to this park. We studied 5 dive sites where the average number of dives per site per year ranged from 445 to 2,163. At each site we recorded benthic parameters and levels of damage within at least 25 randomly placed quadrats in areas designated to be High use (0–20 m from mooring) or Low use (40–60 m from moorings), at yearly or biennial intervals. Within the same dive site, there was significantly more broken coral and fragments of live coral in High use areas than Low use. However, across sites, damage was not significantly related to diving intensity and nor did it accumulate over time. The Saba Marine Park shows that it is possible to fund protection at sustainable levels of use.

Globalization and Migration: Post-Colonial Dutch Antillean and Aruban Immigrant Political Incorporation in the Netherlands

For much of its colonial history, the Netherlands experienced little contact with its island possessions in the Caribbean. Subsequent Dutch policy was formulated in the shadow of the Netherlands primary concern with its prosperous colony of Indonesia. The 1985 closing of the oil refineries in Aruba and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba’s “status aparte” in 1986 triggered a mass migration from those Dutch “overseas countries” to the Netherlands. These recent migrations of thousands of Dutch post-colonial citizens have added to the Dutch reevaluation of its colonial past and debates about its multicultural democratic future.

Multiple origins and incursions of the Atlantic barnacle Chthamalus proteus in the Pacific

Chthamalus proteus, a barnacle native to the Caribbean and western Atlantic, was introduced to the Pacific within the last few decades. Using direct sequencing of mitochondrial DNA (COI), we characterized genetic variation in native and introduced populations and searched for genetic matches between regions to determine if there were multiple geographical sources and introduction points for this barnacle. In the native range, we found great genetic differences among populations (max. F(ST) = 0.613) encompassing four lineages: one endemic to Panama, one endemic to Brazil, and two occurring Caribbean-wide. All four lineages were represented in the Pacific, but not equally; the Brazilian lineage was most prevalent and the Panamanian least common. Twenty-one individuals spread among nearly every island from where the barnacle is known in the Pacific, exactly matched six haplotypes scattered among Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles; St John, US Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico; and Brazil, confirming a multigeographical origin for the Pacific populations. Significant genetic differences were also found in introduced populations from the Hawaiian Islands (F(CT) = 0.043, P < 0.001), indicating introduction events have occurred at more than one locality. However, the sequence, timing and number of arrival events remains unknown. Possible reasons for limited transport of this barnacle through the Panama Canal are discussed. This and a preponderance of Brazilian-type individuals in the Pacific suggest an unexpected route of entry from around Cape Horn, South America. Unification in the Pacific of historically divergent lineages of this barnacle raises the possibility for selection of 'hybrids' with novel ecological adaptations in its new environment.

The relevance of cultural factors in predicting condom-use intentions among immigrants from the Netherlands Antilles

A study into the relevance of cultural factors in predicting condom-use intentions among Antillean migrants in the Netherlands is described in this article. The association between the intention to use condoms with a new sexual partner and a perceived taboo on discussing sex, beliefs about sex education and machismo beliefs on gender and power relationships is addressed. The study was conducted among 346 Dutch Antilleans from a random sample of an Antillean population aged 15-50 years. The response rate was 37.8%. The results showed that condom-use intentions were primarily determined by perceived subjective norms, the perceived taboo on discussing sex, machismo attitudes, gender, age and educational background. Moreover, the respondent's opinion regarding machismo was an effect modificator for the association between condom-use intentions and subjective social norm. It is concluded that, in predicting condom-use intentions, factors specific to the culture of a population contribute significantly to the determinants drawn from the general social-cognition models. It is recommended that future research should use measurement instruments that are adapted to culture-specific beliefs, and should explore the influence of cultural factors on actual condom use. Moreover, interventions promoting condom use among migrant populations should target the cultural correlates of condom use.

Severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn in a setting where limited resources exclude the use of inhaled nitric oxide: successful treatment with sildenafil

We present the case of a full term neonate with severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) after birth asphyxia cared for at the St. Elizabeth Hospital in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Although the child was ventilated with high pressures and was given high doses of cardiovascular pressors, the arterial oxygen levels remained low with an alveolar-arterial O2 gradient of 651 mmHg. As a last resort, sildenafil (1.5 mg/kg) was given via a nasogastric tube. This resulted in an immediate and sustained elevation of arterial oxygenation and subsequent complete recovery. After administration of sildenafil there was a transient hypotension which was corrected by a single bolus of saline. We discuss the current treatment modalities of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn and the potential use of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors such as sildenafil in a situation where the standard of practice with inhaled nitric oxide and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is not available.

Screening for cervical carcinoma

Differences exist between defined groups of women in their attendance to screening programs for cervical carcinoma. Data from the screening organization in the southwest Netherlands were used to evaluate differences between subpopulations to get information to improve the screening procedure. Between 1998 and 2001, a total of 251,446 women had been invited to participate in the screening program. The ethnic background of all invited women was documented. Both the results of Papanicolaou tests and the reason women did not participate were stored in a data base that was matched with the invitation data base. The resulting data set was analyzed with regard to participation rates and results of screening in relation to age, ethnic background, and socioeconomic status. Overall participation was 55.7%. Women who were born in The Netherlands participated at a rate of 56.8%, whereas women who were born in other Western countries participated at a rate of 45.3%. The participation rate for women who had a Moroccan background was as low as 35.9%. The prevalence of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion was 6.2 times higher among women in the younger age groups compared with women in the oldest age group. Women with low socioeconomic status were 1.5 times more likely to have high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. Women from The Netherlands Antilles had greater percentages of both low-grade and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (1.6 and 3.0 times more frequent, respectively) compared with women who were born in The Netherlands. Although cervical screening is free of charge in The Netherlands, participation rates differed greatly between ethnic groups and between women from different socioeconomic strata. Abnormalities were found more often in women who were not born in The Netherlands and in women with lower socioeconomic status. In these groups, attendance at the screening program was lower compared with the attendance of women who were born in The Netherlands.

Status and Breeding of Caribbean Coot in the Netherlands Antilles

The Caribbean Coot (Fulica caribaea) is endemic to the Caribbean region where it is uncommon to rare. Little is known about its breeding biology. From museum specimens, archives and correspondence, we document 134 records for Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles, from the years 1955-2004, and map their distribution. The islands are arid and rainfall can be unpredictable but with the establishment of permanent freshwater ponds since the 1970s, the Caribbean Coot appears to have become more common. We recorded 68 cases of breeding for the three islands. Although breeding can occur in almost any month, there is a clear preponderance for birds to breed in the first few calendar months of the year, approximately three months after the annual peak in rainfall.

FISH AGGREGATION RESULTS IN INVERSELY DENSITY-DEPENDENT PREDATION ON CONTINUOUS CORAL REEFS

Spatially density-dependent predation is a leading hypothesis describing mechanisms of population regulation in coral reef fish. However, studies supporting this hypothesis predominantly have been conducted on small, isolated patch reefs. Here, we searched for evidence of spatially density-dependent predation on the continuous reefs of the Netherlands Antilles in a study of a dominant planktivore, the blue chromis (Chromis cyanea). Across space, we quantified both the patterns of loss from site-attached aggregations of C. cyanea through time and the behavioral reaction of predators to these aggregations. Looking across C. cyanea densities, we found that loss from aggregations was not characteristic of direct density dependence, but instead was commonly inversely related to density. Individual C. cyanea in larger aggregations were less likely to be lost from the group than were individuals in smaller aggregations. Thus, the observed density dependence increased spatial heterogeneity of C. cyanea. Predators showed behaviors that were consistent with these demographic patterns. Using remote videography, we quantified predator visitation and strike rates across a range of C. cyanea aggregation sizes. Predators consistently visited and struck at individuals in C. cyanea aggregations in a pattern that was strongly inversely density dependent, suggesting that aggregation is an effective means of minimizing per capita risk of predation for prey reef fish. Differences in spatial distribution of resources for predators (i.e., prey fish) between continuous and patch reef habitats may explain the difference between these results and those of previous studies on patch reefs.

Effects of wave exposure and depth on biomass, density and fertility of the fucoid seaweed Sargassum polyceratium (Phaeophyta, Sargassaceae)

Sargassum polyceratium is widely distributed around the island of Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles) where it inhabits strongly contrasting habitats. Changes in population structure have been followed in three bays with increasing levels of wave exposure at two depths: shallow (0 m) and deep (18 m). The effects of increasing wave exposure were investigated by studying three deep-water populations; and the effects of depth by studying shallow- and deep-water populations in the two calmer bays. Total density and stage density (reproductive thalli, juvenile thalli) were determined and total and individual thallus biomass was estimated non-destructively. In the most wave-exposed deep-water population thalli were twice as long with more than twice the biomass than in the calmest deep-water population. Total density and juvenile density were highest in the bay with intermediate wave exposure. Depth was an important factor at both the individual and population level. Shallow-water thalli had basal holdfast areas that were four times larger than those from deep water, and thallus biomass was positively correlated with holdfast area. Shallow-water juveniles invested more in the development of a holdfast and lateral growth than deep-water juveniles. Total biomass per quadrat was up to 10-fold higher in shallow- than in deep-water populations. In shallow-water populations reproductive thalli were present throughout the year whereas in deep-water populations they were present only during autumn and winter. We conclude that both wave exposure and depth affect population structure. Thalli were generally bigger and total biomass higher in the more exposed bay(s) and in shallower water, contradicting the general pattern in macroalgae of reduced size and biomass with increasing wave exposure.