Diadema sea-urchins play a vital role in maintaining a balanced coral reef ecosystem by grazing away algae and creating a bare substrate for coral recruitment. The RAAK PRO Diadema project aims to develop interventions to improve larval recruitment and juvenile survival to increase local Diadema populations. To do this, researchers are investigating the larval and settlement stage of Diadema populations around the islands of Saba and St. Eustatius. The first results show that some locations have high suitability for “assisted natural recovery”.
In 1983, unbeknownst to everyone, the Caribbean seascape was about to drastically change. Starting off the coast of Panama, a new disease began to spread, following water currents, decimating Caribbean sea urchin populations. Within a few years, 98% of the long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) populations had been completely wiped out. Now, 37 years later, these populations have only recovered at an average of 12% Caribbean wide. Why have these populations been so slow to recover? Is there anything scientists can do to help this recovery along?
