@article {hernandez_puzzling_2024,
	title = {Puzzling parrotfishes: Radiocarbon age validation and updated longevity estimates for western Atlantic species in support of sustainable fisheries management},
	journal = {PLOS ONE},
	volume = {19},
	number = {5},
	year = {2024},
	note = {Publisher: Public Library of Science},
	month = {05/2024},
	pages = {e0302854},
	abstract = {For management efforts to succeed in Caribbean fisheries, local fishers must support and be willing to comply with fishing regulations. This is more likely when fishers are included in a stock assessment process that utilizes robust scientific evidence, collected in collaboration with fishers, to evaluate the health of fish stocks. Caribbean parrotfishes are important contributors to coral reef ecosystem health while also contributing to local fisheries. Scientifically robust stock assessments require regional species-specific information on age-based key life history parameters, derived from fish age estimates. Evaluation of the accuracy of age estimation methods for fish species is a critical initial step in managing species for long-term sustainable harvest. The current study resulted from a collaborative research program between fish biologists and local fishers investigating age, growth, and reproductive biology of the seven parrotfish species landed in U.S. Caribbean fisheries; specifically, we validated age estimation for stoplight parrotfish Sparisoma viride and queen parrotfish Scarus vetula. This is the first study to directly validate age estimation for any parrotfish species through analysis of Δ14C from eye lens cores. Our age estimation validation results show that enumeration of opaque zones from thin sections of sagittal otoliths for a Sparisoma and a Scarus species provides accurate age estimates. The oldest stoplight parrotfish and queen parrotfish in the Δ14C age estimation validation series were 14 y and 16 y; while the oldest stoplight parrotfish and queen parrotfish we aged to-date using the Δ14C validated age estimation method were 20 y and 21 y, respectively. Fish longevity (maximum age attained/life span) is a key life history parameter used for estimation of natural mortality, survivorship, and lifetime reproductive output. Past reviews on parrotfishes from the Pacific and Atlantic concluded that most Caribbean/western Atlantic parrotfish species are relatively short-lived with estimated maximum ages ranging from 3{\textendash}9 y. However, information from our collaborative research in the U.S. Caribbean combined with recently published age estimates for Brazilian parrotfish species indicate that many western Atlantic parrotfishes are relatively long-lived with several species attaining maximum ages in excess of 20 y.},
	keywords = {Caribbean, coral reefs, Eye lens, Fish biology, Fisheries, Marine fish, Otolith, Spawning},
	issn = {1932-6203},
	doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0302854},
	url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0302854},
	author = {Hernandez, Jesus M. Rivera and Shervette, Virginia R.}
}
@article {overly_caribbean_2023,
	title = {Caribbean deepwater snappers: Application of the bomb radiocarbon age estimation validation in understanding aspects of ecology and life history},
	journal = {PLOS ONE},
	volume = {18},
	number = {12},
	year = {2023},
	note = {Publisher: Public Library of Science},
	month = {12/2023},
	pages = {e0295650},
	abstract = {Reef fishes have been utilized as food fish throughout the U.S. Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico waters for centuries, with increasing fishing effort in recent decades. As a result, many species have experienced declines in landings, including deepwater snappers such as queen snapper Etelis oculatus and blackfin snapper Lutjanus buccanella. However, little to no peer-reviewed published research exists on basic life history parameters for either species. Confirming the accuracy of an age estimation method for a fish species is essential for ensuring sustainable fisheries management. This is because in the assessment of fisheries species population age-based parameters, including longevity, age at sexual maturity, growth rate, mortality, age-specific reproductive output, and lifetime reproductive output, are important in understanding overall life history strategies of managed stocks. The past stock assessment on U.S. Caribbean queen snapper utilized an estimated longevity of 8 y, derived from length frequencies for fish from St. Lucia. Blackfin snapper has an estimated longevity of 27 y based on a relatively small study from offshore waters of the southeastern U.S. The focus of our investigation was to estimate maximum longevity of two data-poor species in the U.S. Caribbean. The accuracy of ageing methods was tested via bomb radiocarbon age estimation validation and effects of depth on Δ14C in otolith cores and eye lens core values were examined. Results from our work indicate a maximum validated age of 45 y for queen snapper, and 43 y for blackfin snapper. Our findings indicate queen snapper and blackfin snapper are long-lived (> 40 y). The resulting Δ14C comparison between eye lens cores and otolith cores has important implications for the study of age validation, specifically when deepwater species are involved.},
	keywords = {Caribbean, Eye lens, Eyes, Fisheries, Larvae, Marine fish, Otolith, Reefs},
	issn = {1932-6203},
	doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0295650},
	url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0295650},
	author = {Overly, Katherine E. and Shervette, Virginia R.}
}
@article {2754,
	title = {Organic matter sources and lateral sedimentation in a Bahamian karst basin (sinkhole) over the late Holocene: Influence of local vegetation and climate},
	journal = {Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology},
	volume = {506},
	year = {2018},
	month = {Jan-10-2018},
	pages = {70 - 83},
	abstract = {Karst basins (e.g., blueholes, sinkholes) accumulate well-preserved sedimentary successions that provide transformative paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental information. However, the sedimentary processes within these basins are not yet fully understood. Here we present stable carbon isotopic values (δ13Corg) and C:N ratios of bulk organic matter in well-dated sediment cores from Blackwood Sinkhole (Abaco, The Bahamas) to investigate the changing flux of organic matter into the sinkhole during the late Holocene. The provenance of preserved organic matter changed through the late Holocene between three primary sources, as determined by three-endmember mixing modeling: wetland organic matter from the adjacent epikarst surface, authigenic primary productivity in the oligohaline meteoric lens, and terrestrial organic matter from the surrounding landscape. Expansion of wetlands on the adjacent epikarst surface played a critical role by increasing the flux of wetland organic matter to the sinkhole, especially during the last 1000 years. Hurricanes and regional rainfall may have mediated organic matter delivery to the benthos, either through hampering wetland development (prior to 1000 cal yr BP) or by changing dissolved nutrient concentrations available in the basin for primary producers. These results demonstrate that organic matter provenance in karst basins is not constant through time, and is significantly dependent upon both landscape vegetation on the epikarst surface and changing hydrographic conditions that impacts nutrient availability to primary producers.},
	keywords = {Caribbean, Karst, Mixing model, Stable isotopes, Subtropical landscape},
	issn = {00310182},
	doi = {10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.06.014},
	url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0031018218300683},
	author = {Tamalavage, Anne E. and van Hengstum, Peter J. and Louchouarn, Patrick and Molodtsov, Sergey and Kaiser, Karl and Donnelly, Jeffrey P. and Albury, Nancy A. and Fall, Patricia L.}
}
@article {1856,
	title = {Coral growth rates from the Holocene Canada Honda fossil reef, Southwestern Dominican Republic: Comparisons with modern counterparts in high sedimentation settings},
	journal = {Caribbean Journal of Science},
	volume = {45},
	year = {2009},
	note = {695voTimes Cited:0
Cited References Count:47
},
	month = {2009},
	pages = {94-109},
	abstract = {The Holocene Canada Honda fossil reef, located in southwestern Dominican Republic, provides a unique opportunity to examine a well-preserved fossil coral reef that thrived in a high-sedimentation environment between 9,000 to 5,000 years ago. Measurements of coral growth rates from the corals Montastraea faveolata and Siderastrea siderea were conducted and comparisons made with growth rate data of these same species from modern coral reefs throughout the Caribbean. Also, assessments of coral species abundance, morphology, age, and distribution, as well as reef sediment composition, were made to determine the paleoenvironment of reef accretion. This reef is characterized by a high relative abundance of sediment-tolerant coral species that have a tendency to form almost monospecific stands. Individual colonies have a propensity to grow as encrusting, dome-shaped, platy-like forms and specimens of Montastraea faveolata commonly contain bands of sediment incorporated into the skeleton. Calibrated radiocarbon ages of fossil corals range from 9,256 +/- 137 to 6,737 +/- 94.5 BP. Correlation of radiocarbon ages with well-established Holocene sea-level curves indicates that most corals on this reef developed at depths >15m. Measured growth rates in Siderastrea siderea (0.2-0.4 cm/yr) and Montastraea faveolata (0.09-0.44 cm/yr) are relatively low compared with growth rates from modern reef sites, indicating reduced light intensity caused by coral growth at depths greater than 15 m. Reef sediment is characterized by more than 85\% carbonate material. A significant portion of the carbonate is allochtonous and was derived from nearby Neogene limestones. The reef was able to survive under high-sedimentation conditions because the high carbonate content of incoming terrigenous sediment would have allowed better light penetration and probable sporadic storms would provide intervening low-sedimentation periods during which reef corals could respond and grow back, keeping-up with sedimentation.},
	keywords = {australia, Belize, Caribbean, community, degradation, enriquillo valley, florida, great-barrier-reef, linear extension, montastraea-annularis, paluma shoals, record, siltation stress, skeletal extension, turbidity},
	isbn = {0008-6452},
	author = {Cuevas, D. N. and Sherman, C. E. and Ram{\'\i}rez, W. and Hubbard, D. K.}
}
@conference {1625,
	title = {Environmental Factors Controlling Community Structure, Morphology and Linear Extension of Mid-Holocene Reef Corals from Ca{\~n}ada Honda, Southwestern, Dominican Republic},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida},
	year = {2008},
	note = {id: 1979},
	month = {2008},
	abstract = {The Ca{\~n}ada Honda (CH) fossil coral reef, located in SW Dominican Republic, provides a unique opportunity to examine reef accretion in a high-sedimentation environment between 9.0-5.0 ky ago. Annual linear extension of fossil corals was determined for comparison with data from modern coral reefs. The reef is characterized by the high abundance of sediment-tolerant coral species, their tendency to form almost monospecific stands and grow as domes-cones with ragged margins. Also, colonies of Montastraea faveolata commonly contain bands of sediment incorporated within their skeletons. Calibrated radiocarbon ages of fossil corals range from 9,256{\textpm}137 to 6,737{\textpm}94.5 BP. Correlation with Holocene sea-level curves indicates that most corals on CH developed at depths greater than 15m. Growth rates varied from 0.09-0.44 cm/yr and suggest reduced light penetration caused by coral growth at such depths. Reef sediment is characterized by more than 85\% carbonate material. A significant portion of the carbonate is allochtonous and was derived from nearby Neogene limestones. The reef was able to survive under these conditions because of the high carbonate content of incoming terrigenous sediment and that storms probably occurred sporadically providing intervening lowsedimentation periods during which reef corals could respond and grow back, {\textquotedblleft}keeping-up{\textquotedblright} with sedimentation.},
	keywords = {Caribbean, Holocene, ICRS11, Lessons from the past, linear extension, siltation},
	author = {Cuevas, D. and Sherman, C. and Ram{\'\i}rez, W. and Hubbard, D.}
}
@article {2005,
	title = {Evidence of past intense tropical cyclones from backbarrier salt pond sediments: A case study from Isla de Culebrita, Puerto Rico, USA},
	journal = {Journal of Coastal Research},
	volume = {SI42},
	year = {2005},
	note = {Sp. Iss. 42947fu
Times Cited:16
Cited References Count:40
},
	month = {Spr},
	pages = {201-210},
	abstract = {Tropical cyclones pose a significant threat to lives and resources in heavily-populated regions and can extensivelymodify coastal landforms. In appropriate depositional environments a sedimentological record of past tropical cyclones can be preserved. Given the relative rarity of landfalling tropical cyclones and the shortness of the instrumental record, little is known about past patterns of hurricane activity. The development of long-term records of tropical cyclone activity will make it possible to examine how past climate change may have influenced the frequency, intensity, and locations (origin, tracks) of hurricanes. Previous work has shown that intense hurricane strikes produce a distinctive sedimentary signature that can be used to reconstruct long-term records of these events. Numerous coastal salt ponds and lagoons in eastern Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are well situated to receive allocthonous sediments during intense tropical cyclone landfalls. Coastal salt ponds, normally low-energy environments, are dominated by fine-grained organic sediments, with the exception of episodic deposition of coarser-grained mineral sediments from the beach and nearshore during extreme storms. Sediment obtained from a series of cores taken from Big Culebrita Salt Pond on the Isla de Culebrita, Puerto Rico reveal a record of flooding-induced sedimentation within mangrove and salt-pond sediments dating back more than 2000 years. Reconstructing the history of storm-surge deposition from backbarrier salt-pond sediments may allow for the reconstruction of a millennial-scale record of tropical cyclones for the northeastern Caribbean and other regions.},
	keywords = {Caribbean, climate, coast, deposits, florida, grain-size analysis, Holocene, hurricane, hurricanes, new-jersey, record, south-carolina, storm, tsunami},
	isbn = {0749-0208},
	url = {http://www.jstor.org/stable/25736985},
	author = {Donnelly, J. P.}
}
