PHYSICO-CHEMICAL INDICATOR´S MONITORING FOR WATER QUALITY IN THE SALINAS OF NORTHWEST BONAIRE, N.A. A BASE LINE STUDY JANUARY 2010 PHYSICO-CHEMICAL INDICATOR´S MONITORING FOR WATER QUALITY IN THE SALINAS OF NORTHWEST BONAIRE, N.A. A BASE LINE STUDY Joaquín Buitrago Martín Rada María. Elizabeth Barroeta Eneida Fajardo Euclides Rada Jesús Narváez Fernando Simal José Monente Juan Capelo Jesús Narváez JANUARY 2010 This document is formatted in PDF (Portable Data File) for copying, web posting and mailing convenience. However, some characters, especially those imported from GIS maps may be too small to read at the normal (100%) text viewing size. Fortunately, PDFs viewing text size can be easily increased. For bibliographical purposes, authors suggest that this document should be cited as follows: Buitrago, J., M. Rada, M. E. Barroeta, E. Fajardo, E. Rada, F. Simal, J. Monente, J. Capelo, J. Narváez. 2010. Physico-Chemical Indicator´s Monitoring for Water Quality in the Salinas of Northwest Bonaire, N.A.. A base line study. A technical report. Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita to STINAPA. 23 tables, 237 Figures. 214 p. 3. PREFACE This project was born as the result of Fernando Simal, former Washington Slagbaai National Park (WSNP) worries about the effects of a deteriorating terrestrial landscape on the Bonaire National Marine Park. As it is well known the economy of Bonaire is strikingly undiversified. The economic mainstay for Bonaire is tourism, particularly that related to SCUBA diving, and this depends strongly on reef health. Theory indicates that salinas serve as a deposit and filter for rain runoff, before water discharges reach the ocean and may affect the reef. The idea was to create a baseline, taking into account the baseline syndrome, to allow park managers to monitor some key indicators of salinas water quality. Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) identified by Daniel Pauly in 1995 for fisheries sciences (Campbell et al., 2009) and now recognized as a mayor problem in all ecological aspects. As a concept, SBS is simple to grasp and its logic is compelling. As ecosystems are continuously altered by human activities each generation of scientist accepts like “original” the status they first encountered. Ecological regime shifts are large, abrupt, long-lasting changes in ecosystems that often have considerable impacts on human economies and societies. Avoiding unintentional regime shifts is widely regarded as desirable, but prediction of ecological regime shifts is notoriously difficult (Biggs et al., 2009). So the salinas water quality baseline, probably does no has many similarities with the conditions existing, let’s say before the introduction of large mammals, wood cutting for charcoal and land clearances for Aloe cultivation. The idea was not to use the classical field sampling and lab processing, but instead to use as much as possible the available technology to collect continuous data. And when that was not possible, to use the most simple, but reliable technology available, to analyze samples in situ or at the park facilities. This project has encountered numerous obstacles in its way, equipment availability, chemical products transport, one of the most intensive rainy seasons of the last decades, so it has been very time consuming. However, in addition to the results specified in the study agreement between EDIMAR and STINAPA the team wanted to contribute with some tools that may be useful to WSNP staff in the future. The References section (10) not only includes those articles cited in the text but over a hundred references related with the study objectives. A WSNP GIS including the following maps is also offered in two different formats (MAPINFO tab and ESRI shp). -GENERAL MAPS (based in N.A. Cadastral Survey Department Maps) - LANDSCAPE; SOILS AND VEGETATION (FREITAS et al.) - SOILS SOILS IN CATCTHMENTS SOILS IN PARK - VEGETATION VEGETATION IN CATCTHMENTS VEGETATION IN PARK Chapter 3. PREFACE 1 - FENCES-ROUTES-WALKING TRAILS. - - GENERAL SALINAS physic-chemical behavior. - SALINAS CATCHMENTS DATA o BARTOL o FRANS o FUNCHI o GOTO o MATIJS o SLAGBAAI o TAM o WAYAKA This project was possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of Fernando Simal. The valuable help and support of STINAPA staff, and the kindly friendship of local people. Chapter 3. PREFACE 2 4. GENERAL INDEX 1. TITLE PAGE 2. SUGGESTED REFERENCE 3. PREFACE 4. GENERAL INDEX 5. INTRODUCTION 5.1. Theoretical aspects about tropical hypersaline coastal lagoons 5.2. Northwest Bonaire 5.2.1. General Description 5.2.1.1. Geology 5.2.1.2. Climate 5.2.1.3. Soils and Landtypes 5.2.1.4. Vegetation and landscapes 5.2.1.5. Physicochemical aspects of the water 5.2.1.6. Biology of the salinas. 6. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF THIS REPORT 7. METHODOLOGY 8. RESULTS 8.1. SALINAS’ BASINS 8.2. A GENERAL VIEW OF THE SALINAS. 8.2.1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Chapter 4. GENERAL INDEX 1 8.2.1.1 STORMS 8.2.1.2. “BAY BARRIER” MORPHODYNAMIC MONITORING 8.2.1.3. NONCONVECTIVE ESTRATIPHICATION 8.2.2 GENERAL MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 8.3. INDIVIDUAL SALINAS 8. 3.1 MATJIS 8.3.1.1. MATJIS BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.1.2. SALINA MATJIS WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3.1.3. SALINA MATJIS HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8.3.1.5. BEACH, DUNES, TABAKU THE PISKADO 8.3.1.6. MANAGEMENT RECOMENDATIONS 8. 3. 2 BARTOL 8.3.2.1. BARTOL BASIN LAND COVERS. 8.3.2.2.SALINA BARTOL WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 2. 3. SALINA BARTOL HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8.3.2. 4. MANAGEMENT RECOMENDATIONS 8. 3. 3. FUNCHI 8.3.3.1. FUNCHI BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.3.2. SALINA FUNCHI WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 3.3. SALINA FUNCHI HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8.3.3. 4. MANAGEMENT RECOMENDATIONS Chapter 4. GENERAL INDEX 2 8. 3. 4. WAYAKA 8.3.4.1. WAYAKA BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.4.2. WAYAKA SALINA WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 4. 3. SALINA WAYAKA HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8.3. 4. 4. MANAGEMENT RECOMENDATIONS 8. 3.5. SLAGBAAI 8.3.5.1. SLAGBAAI BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.5.2. SALINA SLAGBAAI WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 5.3. SALINA SLAGBAAI HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8.3.5. 4. MANAGEMENT RECOMENDATIONS 8. 3.6. FRANZ 8.3.6.1. FRANS BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.6.2. SALINA FRANS WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 6.3. SALINA FRANS HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8.3.6. 4. MANAGEMENT RECOMENDATIONS 8. 3.7. TAM 8.3.7.1. TAM BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.7.2. SALINA TAM WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 7.3. SALINA TAM HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 8. 3.8. GOTO Chapter 4. GENERAL INDEX 3 8.3.8.1. GOTO BASIN LAND COVER 8.3.8.2. SALINA GOTO WATER BALANCE, TIDAL vs RAIN INFLUENCE. 8.3. 8.3. SALINA GOTO HYDROGRAPHIC CONDITIONS 9. REFERENCES Chapter 4. GENERAL INDEX 4 5. INTRODUCTION In the Caribbean, beaches, coastal lagoons and other typical environments as mangrove forests, etc., are highly valued by coastal residents not only for tourism, relaxation, sports and simple enjoyment, but also for representing an important part of islanders’ natural heritage as well as areas for fishing, and also because they play the role of flexible barriers protecting valuable coastal habitats land and infrastructure during storms and hurricanes, which are very common in this region. The quality of Bonaire's coral reef is declining in comparison with historical data (Bak et al., 2005), this is thought to be caused by the high loads of nutrients that reach the sea (van Kekem et al,. 2006). 5.1. Theoretical aspects about tropical hypersaline coastal lagoons 5.1.1. Physicochemical aspects All coastal marine lagoons include highly complex components. The first of which are the physicochemical features. It is important to mention, that the key abiotic components (salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and ionic composition) are primarily influenced by the basic hydrologic balance of inputs (i.e. precipitation, groundwater inflow, ocean over wash or tidal underground input, sediment morphology, erosion rates, tides etc.). On the other hand are outputs (i.e. evaporation, groundwater seepage), as well as basin morphometry, surrounding geology, biologic activity and climate (Saenger et al, 2006; Gajardo et al., 2006). For example, the anchialine pools (a type of coastal lagoon) with lack of connections to the sea (Stephens and Daniel, 2006). They show a vertical salinity and dissolved oxygen zonation and a relative lack of food (Carey et al., 2001). In 1984, a panel of experts in the International Symposium on the Biology of Marine Caves held in Bermuda made a review of the concept of anchialine, leading to a more refined definition of it. Although they made an approach of the anchialine systems from a marine caves expert’s point of view, they exposed some important physicochemical characteristics. They defined the term anchialine as a habitat consisting of bodies of haline waters, usually with a restricted exposure to open air, always with more or less extensive subterranean connections to the sea, and showing noticeable marine as well as terrestrial influences. These waters are usually polyhaline or euhaline, but sometimes mesohaline or hyperhaline. Regarding to the connections with the sea these must be subterranean, otherwise the water body would classify as a lagoon, tidal pool, salt pan, etc. Also, the nature of the connection may vary from a large blue hole-like geomorphology, to a more horizontal submarine cave entrance, or smaller cracks and crevices, or macroporus connection through coral rubble, purnice, etc., provided that the water- filled interstices are large enough to allow animals to pass through (Stock et al., 1986). Chapter 5.