Spatial distribution of settlement of Diadema antillarum around Saba, Dutch Caribbean

The mass mortality event of the herbivorous sea urchin Diadema antillarum in 1983–1984 has been a major contributor to the diminished resilience of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean. The reduction in grazing pressure resulted in algae proliferation, which inhibited coral recruitment after disturbances such as disease, hurricanes, pollution and climatic change induced marine heat waves. Natural recovery of D. antillarum after the 1983–1984 die-off has been slow. However, the few locations with recovered populations exhibit signs of improvement in coral reef health, prompting interest in D. a... Mehr ...