Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Department
Biology
College
College of Science
First Advisor
Erin J. Burge
Abstract/Description
The long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, is a well-studied keystone herbivore on Caribbean coral reefs. The sea urchin controls benthic algae populations by grazing on macroalgae. Destruction caused by Hurricane Allen in 1980, along with the mass mortality of this urchin in 1983, greatly impacted Caribbean reef systems. In Discovery Bay, Jamaica, Diadema densities have been heavily studied over the years, allowing a review of their recovery and a prediction of their future. In Discovery Bay, densities were recorded to be up to 9.3 and 13.9 ± 2.8 m-2 at 5 m depth on the forereef before the mass mortality. After this event, values were found to be zero, or nearly zero, at multiple depths up until the mid 19902. Diadema have shown a recovery in numbers as densities in the late 2000s ranged between 3.94 ± 0.68 and 4.39 ± 0.4 m-2 at 4 – 6 m depth. In most of the wider Caribbean, recovery has been absent with values in many locations still nearly zero, with the exception of St. Croix and Dominica. We predict that Diadema densities will continue to increase in the future, but the rate will be slower than that recorded over the past 27 years.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Keller, Jessica, "Recovery of the Long-Spine Sea Urchin, Diadema antillarum, in Discovery Bay, Jamaica, 27 Years After its Mass Mortality" (2011). Honors Theses. 125.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/honors-theses/125