That coral reefs are in decline worldwide, particularly in the Caribbean, will come as no surprise. This decades-long decline has reached a potential tipping point as the weight of the effects of climate change have come decidedly to bear on the planet’s most diverse marine ecosystem. Whether coral reefs …

Tropical western Atlantic reefs have gradually shifted from being dominated by corals to being mainly covered by macroalgae. The mass-mortality of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum in the 80s and the slow to non-existent recovery exacerbated this shift. Chemical cues associated with these reefs are expected …

The world’s population is consistently increasing and as such is the demand for food. Current industrial farming methods pollute the environment and are unsustainable on multiple levels. To be able to feed future populations it is necessary to look for new, efficient, and more sustainable ways to feed …

Fish assemblages of different types of artificial reefs can differ greatly in abundance, biomass and composition, with some reef types harboring over five times more herbivores than others. It is assumed that higher herbivorous fish abundance results in a higher grazing intensity, affecting the benthic …

The 1983-1984 die-off of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum stands out as a catastrophic marine event because of its detrimental effects on Caribbean coral reefs. Without the grazing activities of this key herbivore, turf and macroalgae became the dominant benthic group, inhibiting coral recruitment …

The massive die-off of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum in 1983–1984 is one the main reasons for low coral recruitment and little coral recovery in the Caribbean. As the natural recovery of D. antillarum is slow to non-existent, multiple restoration studies have been attempted. There are currently three …

The massive die-off of the herbivorous sea urchin Diadema antillarum in 1983 and 1984 resulted in phase shifts on Caribbean coral reefs, where macroalgae replaced coral as the most dominant benthic group. Since then, D. antillarum recovery has been slow to non-existent on most reefs. Studying settlement …

This study originates from an increasing demand for seaweed cultivation. HZ University of Applied Sciences, together with farmers, under the umbrella “Living Lab Schouwen Duiveland” will conduct a field study to assess the possibilities for introducing brown seaweed cultivation at or near existing mussel …

Coastal lagoon ecosystems are transitional waters, that provide important ecological features and deliver valuable services to mankind. However, due to their geographical positioning at the coast line and physical restrictions, coastal lagoon ecosystems are highly vulnerable towards environmental and …

Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia affecting over 46 million worldwide, yet contemporary medication is unable to prevent or slow its neurodegeneration. Recently, fucosterol and saringosterol, two phytosterols from brown macroalgae, have emerged as possible mediators of the disease. …