Articles | Volume 21, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-945-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-945-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 May 2025
Research article |
| 27 May 2025
| 27 May 2025
Flow patterns, hotspots, and connectivity of land-derived substances at the sea surface of Curaçao in the southern Caribbean
Vesna Bertoncelj
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Ocean Systems Department, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, the Netherlands
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Department of Physics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Furu Mienis
Ocean Systems Department, NIOZ, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, the Netherlands
Paolo Stocchi
Dipartimento di Scienze Pure e Applicate, Università degli Studi di Urbino “Carlo Bo”, 61029 Urbino, Italy
I4CCS Institute for Climate Change Solutions, Via Sorchio, 61040 Frontone, Pesaro e Urbino, Italy
Erik van Sebille
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Department of Physics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Related authors
No articles found.
Meike F. Bos, Irina I. Rypina, Larry J. Pratt, and Erik van Sebille
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-64, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-64, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
Short summary
Short summary
Macroplastic items in the ocean can move differently than the water surrounding them, because their size and density are different than that of water. We investigate how to implement this effect for macroplastic items in simulations in the North West European Shelf region. For this region we find that the large drag force makes the macroplastics trajectories very closely follow the water itself, meaning that simulating macroplastic is simpler than previously expected.
Erik van Sebille, Celine Weel, Rens Vliegenthart, and Mark Bos
Geosci. Commun., 9, 69–86, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-9-69-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-9-69-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Many climate scientists intuitively fear their credibility decreases when they engage in advocacy. We find that the opposite is the case. By surveying almost 1000 Dutch adults, we found that the credibility of a fictional climate scientists who wrote an article about the greening of gardens was higher when that text included advocacy statements, compared to when it was
neutral. This is because personalization increases the goodwill of readers for the academic who writes a text.
Jimena Medina-Rubio, Madlene Nussbaum, Ton S. van den Bremer, and Erik van Sebille
Ocean Sci., 22, 49–74, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-49-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-49-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We study how tides, wind, and waves interact at the ocean surface by tracking ultra-thin drifters released in the southern North Sea for two months. Using model data together with data-driven machine learning models, we determine the relative contribution of each forcing mechanism in driving the drifters' velocity and improve the prediction of their trajectories. We also test the generalisability of this method by applying it to the same drifters in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Marc Emanuel Schneiter, Rolf Hut, and Erik Van Sebille
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6170, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-6170, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
Short summary
Short summary
We study land-water transitions of 24 small floating position-trackers that approximately mimic floating plastic litter. We describe how to automatically identify such transitions from recorded tracks, and we characterize our observations with respect to sea and wind conditions. The insights can be integrated in model simulations and used for the planning of beach cleanups. We released the trackers in the Wadden Sea, a shallow body of water that is strongly influenced by tides and wind.
Virginia Sánchez Barranco, Nienke C. J. van de Loosdrecht, Furu Mienis, Jasper M. de Goeij, Rick Hennekam, Gert-Jan Reichart, Jan-Berend Stuut, and Lennart J. de Nooijer
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4873, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4873, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
We studied how pollution from bays in Curaçao reaches nearby coral reefs and changes with seasons. By collecting suspended particulate matter at different locations during dry and wet seasons, we found that sheltered reefs receive more fine particles and pollutants, especially during rainy months, while exposed reefs are less affected. This shows that both location and seasonal rainfall determine reef vulnerability, highlighting the hidden impacts of human activity on these fragile ecosystems.
Claudio M. Pierard, Siren Rühs, Laura Gómez-Navarro, Michael Charles Denes, Florian Meirer, Thierry Penduff, and Erik van Sebille
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 32, 411–438, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-32-411-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-32-411-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Particle-tracking simulations compute how ocean currents transport material. However, initializing these simulations is often ad hoc. Here, we explore how two different strategies (releasing particles over space or over time) compare. Specifically, we compare the variability in particle trajectories to the variability of particles computed in a 50-member ensemble simulation. We find that releasing the particles over 20 weeks gives variability that is most like that in the ensemble.
Aike Vonk, Mark Bos, and Erik van Sebille
Geosci. Commun., 8, 297–317, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-8-297-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-8-297-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Research institutes communicate scientific findings through press releases, which journalists use to write news articles. We examined how journalists use content from press releases about ocean plastic research. Our findings show that they closely follow the press releases story, primarily quoting involved scientists without seeking external perspectives. Causing the focus to stay on researchers, personalizing science rather than addressing the broader societal dimensions of plastic pollution.
Nieske Vergunst, Tugce Varol, and Erik van Sebille
Geosci. Commun., 8, 67–80, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-8-67-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-8-67-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We developed and evaluated a board game about sea level rise to engage young adults. We found that the game positively influenced participants' perceptions of their impact on sea level rise, regardless of their prior familiarity with science. This study suggests that interactive and relatable activities can effectively engage audiences on climate issues, highlighting the potential for similar approaches in public science communication.
Mark V. Elbertsen, Erik van Sebille, and Peter K. Bijl
Clim. Past, 21, 441–464, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-441-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-21-441-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This work verifies the remarkable finds of late Eocene Antarctic-sourced iceberg-rafted debris on the South Orkney Microcontinent. We find that these icebergs must have been on the larger end of the size scale compared to today’s icebergs due to faster melting in the warmer Eocene climate. The study was performed using a high-resolution model in which individual icebergs were followed through time.
Siren Rühs, Ton van den Bremer, Emanuela Clementi, Michael C. Denes, Aimie Moulin, and Erik van Sebille
Ocean Sci., 21, 217–240, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-217-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-217-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Simulating the transport of floating particles on the ocean surface is crucial for solving many societal issues. Here, we investigate how the representation of wind-generated surface waves impacts particle transport simulations. We find that different wave-driven processes can alter transport patterns and that commonly adopted approximations are not always adequate. This suggests that ideally coupled ocean–wave models should be used for surface particle transport simulations.
Evert de Froe, Igor Yashayaev, Christian Mohn, Johanne Vad, Furu Mienis, Gerard Duineveld, Ellen Kenchington, Erica Head, Steve W. Ross, Sabena Blackbird, George A. Wolff, J. Murray Roberts, Barry MacDonald, Graham Tulloch, and Dick van Oevelen
Biogeosciences, 21, 5407–5433, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5407-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-5407-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Deep-sea sponge grounds are distributed globally and are considered hotspots of biological diversity and biogeochemical cycling. To date, little is known about the environmental constraints that control where deep-sea sponge grounds occur and what conditions favour high sponge biomass. Here, we characterize oceanographic conditions at two contrasting sponge grounds. Our results imply that sponges and associated fauna benefit from strong tidal currents and favourable regional ocean currents.
Anna Leerink, Mark Bos, Daan Reijnders, and Erik van Sebille
Geosci. Commun., 7, 201–214, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-201-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-201-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Climate scientists who communicate to a broad audience may be reluctant to write in a more personal style, as they assume that it hurts their credibility. To test this assumption, we asked 100 Dutch people to rate the credibility of a climate scientist. We varied how the author of the article addressed the reader and found that the degree of personalization did not have a measurable impact on the credibility of the author. Thus, we conclude that personalization may not hurt credibility.
Frances Wijnen, Madelijn Strick, Mark Bos, and Erik van Sebille
Geosci. Commun., 7, 91–100, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-91-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-7-91-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Climate scientists are urged to communicate climate science; there is very little evidence about what types of communication work well for which audiences. We have performed a systematic literature review to analyze what is known about the efficacy of climate communication by scientists. While we have found more than 60 articles in the last 10 years about climate communication activities by scientists, only 7 of these included some form of evaluation of the impact of the activity.
Anna-Selma van der Kaaden, Sandra R. Maier, Siluo Chen, Laurence H. De Clippele, Evert de Froe, Theo Gerkema, Johan van de Koppel, Furu Mienis, Christian Mohn, Max Rietkerk, Karline Soetaert, and Dick van Oevelen
Biogeosciences, 21, 973–992, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-973-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-973-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Combining hydrodynamic simulations and annotated videos, we separated which hydrodynamic variables that determine reef cover are engineered by cold-water corals and which are not. Around coral mounds, hydrodynamic zones seem to create a typical reef zonation, restricting corals from moving deeper (the expected response to climate warming). But non-engineered downward velocities in winter (e.g. deep winter mixing) seem more important for coral reef growth than coral engineering.
Philippe F. V. W. Frankemölle, Peter D. Nooteboom, Joe Scutt Phillips, Lauriane Escalle, Simon Nicol, and Erik van Sebille
Ocean Sci., 20, 31–41, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-31-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-31-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Tuna fisheries in the Pacific often use drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs) to attract fish that are advected by subsurface flow through underwater appendages. Using a particle advection model, we find that virtual particles advected by surface flow are displaced farther than virtual dFADs. We find a relation between El Niño–Southern Oscillation and circular motion in some areas, influencing dFAD densities. This information helps us to understand processes that drive dFAD distribution.
Tor Nordam, Ruben Kristiansen, Raymond Nepstad, Erik van Sebille, and Andy M. Booth
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 5339–5363, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5339-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5339-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We describe and compare two common methods, Eulerian and Lagrangian models, used to simulate the vertical transport of material in the ocean. They both solve the same transport problems but use different approaches for representing the underlying equations on the computer. The main focus of our study is on the numerical accuracy of the two approaches. Our results should be useful for other researchers creating or using these types of transport models.
Stefanie L. Ypma, Quinten Bohte, Alexander Forryan, Alberto C. Naveira Garabato, Andy Donnelly, and Erik van Sebille
Ocean Sci., 18, 1477–1490, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1477-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-1477-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In this research we aim to improve cleanup efforts on the Galapagos Islands of marine plastic debris when resources are limited and the distribution of the plastic on shorelines is unknown. Using a network that describes the flow of macroplastic between the islands we have identified the most efficient cleanup locations, quantified the impact of targeting these locations and showed that shorelines where the plastic is unlikely to leave are likely efficient cleanup locations.
Reint Fischer, Delphine Lobelle, Merel Kooi, Albert Koelmans, Victor Onink, Charlotte Laufkötter, Linda Amaral-Zettler, Andrew Yool, and Erik van Sebille
Biogeosciences, 19, 2211–2234, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2211-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-2211-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Since current estimates show that only about 1 % of the all plastic that enters the ocean is floating at the surface, we look at subsurface processes that can cause vertical movement of (micro)plastic. We investigate how modelled algal attachment and the ocean's vertical movement can cause particles to sink and oscillate in the open ocean. Particles can sink to depths of > 5000 m in regions with high wind intensity and mainly remain close to the surface with low winds and biological activity.
Victor Onink, Erik van Sebille, and Charlotte Laufkötter
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 1995–2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1995-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1995-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Turbulent mixing is a vital process in 3D modeling of particle transport in the ocean. However, since turbulence occurs on very short spatial scales and timescales, large-scale ocean models generally have highly simplified turbulence representations. We have developed parametrizations for the vertical turbulent transport of buoyant particles that can be easily applied in a large-scale particle tracking model. The predicted vertical concentration profiles match microplastic observations well.
Mikael L. A. Kaandorp, Stefanie L. Ypma, Marijke Boonstra, Henk A. Dijkstra, and Erik van Sebille
Ocean Sci., 18, 269–293, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-269-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-269-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A large amount of marine litter, such as plastics, is located on or around beaches. Both the total amount of this litter and its transport are poorly understood. We investigate this by training a machine learning model with data of cleanup efforts on Dutch beaches between 2014 and 2019, obtained by about 14 000 volunteers. We find that Dutch beaches contain up to 30 000 kg of litter, largely depending on tides, oceanic transport, and how exposed the beaches are.
Peter D. Nooteboom, Peter K. Bijl, Christian Kehl, Erik van Sebille, Martin Ziegler, Anna S. von der Heydt, and Henk A. Dijkstra
Earth Syst. Dynam., 13, 357–371, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-13-357-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-13-357-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Having descended through the water column, microplankton in ocean sediments represents the ocean surface environment and is used as an archive of past and present surface oceanographic conditions. However, this microplankton is advected by turbulent ocean currents during its sinking journey. We use simulations of sinking particles to define ocean bottom provinces and detect these provinces in datasets of sedimentary microplankton, which has implications for palaeoclimate reconstructions.
Matthew P. Humphreys, Erik H. Meesters, Henk de Haas, Szabina Karancz, Louise Delaigue, Karel Bakker, Gerard Duineveld, Siham de Goeyse, Andreas F. Haas, Furu Mienis, Sharyn Ossebaar, and Fleur C. van Duyl
Biogeosciences, 19, 347–358, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-347-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-19-347-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A series of submarine sinkholes were recently discovered on Luymes Bank, part of Saba Bank, a carbonate platform in the Caribbean Netherlands. Here, we investigate the waters inside these sinkholes for the first time. One of the sinkholes contained a body of dense, low-oxygen and low-pH water, which we call the
acid lake. We use measurements of seawater chemistry to work out what processes were responsible for forming the acid lake and discuss the consequences for the carbonate platform.
C. Kehl, R. P. B. Fischer, and E. van Sebille
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., V-4-2021, 217–224, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-V-4-2021-217-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-V-4-2021-217-2021, 2021
Rebeca de la Fuente, Gábor Drótos, Emilio Hernández-García, Cristóbal López, and Erik van Sebille
Ocean Sci., 17, 431–453, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-431-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-17-431-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Plastic pollution is a major environmental issue affecting the oceans. The number of floating and sedimented pieces has been quantified by several studies. But their abundance in the water column remains mostly unknown. To fill this gap we model the dynamics of a particular type of particle, rigid microplastics sinking rapidly in open sea in the Mediterranean. We find they represent a small but appreciable fraction of the total sea plastic and discuss characteristics of their sinking motion.
David Wichmann, Christian Kehl, Henk A. Dijkstra, and Erik van Sebille
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 28, 43–59, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-43-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-28-43-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Fluid parcels transported in complicated flows often contain subsets of particles that stay close over finite time intervals. We propose a new method for detecting finite-time coherent sets based on the density-based clustering technique of ordering points to identify the clustering structure (OPTICS). Unlike previous methods, our method has an intrinsic notion of coherent sets at different spatial scales. OPTICS is readily implemented in the SciPy sklearn package, making it easy to use.
Cited articles
Andrews, J. C. and Gentien, P.: Upwelling as a source of nutrients for the Great Barrier Reef ecosystems: A solution to Darwin's question?, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 8, 257–269, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps008257, 1982.
Auclair, F., Benshila, R., Bordois, L., Boutet, M., Brémond, M., Caillaud, M., Cambon, G., Capet, X., Debreu, L., Ducousso, N., Dufois, F., Dumas, F., Ethé, C., Gula, J., Hourdin, C., Illig, S., Jullien, S., Le Corre, M., Le Gac, S., Le Gentil, S., Lemarié, F., Marchesiello, P., Mazoyer, C., Morvan, G., Nguyen, C., Penven, P., Person, R., Pianezze, J., Pous, S., Renault, L., Roblou, L., Sepulveda, A., and Theetten, S.: Coastal and Regional Ocean COmmunity model (1.3.1), Zenodo [code], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11036034, 2023.
Bak, R. P., Nieuwland, G., and Meesters, E. H.: Coral reef crisis in deep and shallow reefs: 30 years of constancy and change in reefs of Curacao and Bonaire, Coral Reefs, 24, 475–479, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-005-0009-1, 2005.
Barron, C. N., Kara, A. B., Martin, P. J., Rhodes, R. C., and Smedstad, L. F.: Formulation, implementation and examination of vertical coordinate choices in the Global Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM), Ocean Model., 11, 347–375, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2005.01.004, 2006.
Beier, E., Bernal, G., Ruiz-Ochoa, M., and Barton, E. D.: Freshwater exchanges and surface salinity in the Colombian Basin, Caribbean Sea, PLoS One, 12, e0182116, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182116, 2017.
Bertoncelj, V.: VMADCP data for validation of SCARIBOS model, V3, NIOZ [data set], https://doi.org/10.25850/nioz/7b.b.xh, 2024.
Bertoncelj, V.: SCARIBOS hydrodynamic model outputs, V1, NIOZ [data set], https://doi.org/10.25850/nioz/7b.b.xh, 2025a.
Bertoncelj, V.: SCARIBOS model configuration, Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14697794, 2025b.
Bertoncelj, V.: OceanParcels/SCARIBOS_ConnectivityCuracao: SCARIBOS scripts V 1.0 (1.0), Zenodo [code], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15488598, 2025c.
Brown, C. J., Jupiter, S. D., Albert, S., Klein, C. J., Mangubhai, S., Maina, J. M., Mumby, P., Olley, J., Stewart-Koster, B., Tulloch, V., and Wenger, A.: Tracing the influence of land-use change on water quality and coral reefs using a Bayesian model, Sci. Rep., 7, 4740, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05031-7, 2017.
Carlson, R. R., Crowder, L. B., Martin, R. E., and Asner, G. P.: The effect of reef morphology on coral recruitment at multiple spatial scales, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 121, e2311661121, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2311661121, 2024.
Carton, J. A. and Chao, Y.: Caribbean Sea eddies inferred from Topex/Poseidon altimetry and a 1/6 Atlantic Ocean model simulation, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 104, 7743–7752, https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900081, 1999.
Chadee, X. T. and Clarke, R. M.: Large-scale wind energy potential of the Caribbean region using near-surface reanalysis data, Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 30, 45–58, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2013.09.018, 2014.
Chang, Y.-L. and Oey, L.-Y.: Coupled response of the trade wind, SST gradient, and SST in the Caribbean Sea, and the potential impact on Loop Current's interannual variability, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 43, 1325–1344, https://doi.org/10.1175/JPO-D-12-0183.1, 2013.
Coles, V. J., Brooks, M. T., Hopkins, J., Stukel, M. R., Yager, P. L., and Hood, R. R.: The pathways and properties of the Amazon River Plume in the tropical North Atlantic Ocean, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 118, 6894–6913, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JC008981, 2013.
Croquer, A., Bone, D., Bastidas, C., Ramos, R., and García, E.: Monitoring coastal pollution associated with the largest oil refinery complex of Venezuela, PeerJ, 4, e2171, https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2171, 2016.
Dai, A. and Trenberth, K. E.: Estimates of freshwater discharge from continents: Latitudinal and seasonal variations, J. Hydrometeorol., 3, 660–687, https://doi.org/10.1175/1525-7541(2002)003<0660:EOFDFC>2.0.CO;2, 2002.
De'ath, G. and Fabricius, K.: Water quality as a regional driver of coral biodiversity and macroalgae on the Great Barrier Reef, Ecol. Appl., 20, 840–850, https://doi.org/10.1890/08-2023.1, 2010.
Delandmeter, P. and van Sebille, E.: The Parcels v2.0 Lagrangian framework: new field interpolation schemes, Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 3571–3584, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3571-2019, 2019.
Droghei, R., Buongiorno Nardelli, B., and Santoleri, R.: Combining in-situ and satellite observations to retrieve salinity and density at the ocean surface, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 33, 1211–1223, https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-15-0194.1, 2016.
Dubinsky, Z. and Stambler, N.: Marine pollution and coral reefs, Glob. Change Biol., 2, 511–526, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.1996.tb00064.x, 1996.
Egbert, G. D. and Erofeeva, S. Y.: Efficient inverse modeling of barotropic ocean tides, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 19, 183–204, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<0183:EIMOBO>2.0.CO;2, 2002.
EMODnet Bathymetry Consortium: EMODnet Digital Bathymetry (DTM 2022) – Tile Caribbean, EMODnet Bathymetry Consortium, https://doi.org/10.12770/ff3aff8a-cff1-44a3-a2c8-1910bf109f85, 2022.
Fabricius, K. E.: Effects of terrestrial runoff on the ecology of corals and coral reefs: review and synthesis, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 50, 125–146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2004.11.028, 2005.
Fabricius, K. E., Cooper, T. F., Humphrey, C., Uthicke, S., De'ath, G., Davidson, J., Le Grand, H., Thompson, A., and Schaffelke, B.: A bioindicator system for water quality on inshore coral reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 65, 320–332, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.09.004, 2012.
Fairall, C. W., Bradley, E. F., Hare, J. E., Grachev, A. A., and Edson, J. B.: Bulk parameterization of air–sea fluxes: Updates and verification for the COARE algorithm, J. Climate, 16, 571–591, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2003)016<0571:BPOASF>2.0.CO;2, 2003.
GEBCO Compilation Group: GEBCO 2023 grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/1c44ce99-0a0d-5f4f-e063-7086abc0ea0f, 2023.
Godfrey, J. S. and Beljaars, A. C. M.: On the turbulent fluxes of buoyancy, heat and moisture at the air-sea interface at low wind speeds, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 96, 22043–22048, https://doi.org/10.1029/91JC02015, 1991.
Guinehut, S., Dhomps, A.-L., Larnicol, G., and Le Traon, P.-Y.: High resolution 3-D temperature and salinity fields derived from in situ and satellite observations, Ocean Sci., 8, 845–857, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-8-845-2012, 2012.
Hellweger, F. L. and Gordon, A. L.: Tracing Amazon River water into the Caribbean Sea, J. Mar. Res., 60, 603–623, https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/journal_of_marine_research/2443 (last access: 22 May 2025), 2002.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Hirahara, S., Horányi, A., Muñoz-Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Abdalla, S., Abellan, X., Balsamo, G., Bechtold, P., Biavati, G., Bidlot, J., Bonavita, M., De Chiara, G., Dahlgren, P., Dee, D., Diamantakis, M., Dragani, R., Flemming, J., Forbes, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A., Haimberger, L., Healy, S., Hogan, R. J., Hólm, E., Janisková, M., Keeley, S., Laloyaux, P., Lopez, P., Lupu, C., Radnoti, G., de Rosnay, P., Rozum, I., Vamborg, F., Villaume, S., and Thépaut, J. N.: The ERA5 global reanalysis, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020.
Hirsh, H. K., Oliver, T. A., Barkley, H. C., Wren, J. L., Monismith, S. G., Manzello, D. P., and Enochs, I. C.: Predicting coral reef carbonate chemistry through statistical modeling: constraining nearshore residence time around Guam, Aquat. Geochem., 29, 73–94, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-023-09411-6, 2023.
Jackett, D. R. and McDougall, T. J.: Minimal adjustment of hydrographic profiles to achieve static stability, J. Atmos. Ocean. Tech., 12, 381–389, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(1995)012<0381:MAOHPT>2.0.CO;2, 1995.
Johns, W. E., Townsend, T. L., Fratantoni, D. M., and Wilson, W. D.: On the Atlantic inflow to the Caribbean Sea, Deep-Sea Res. Pt. I, 49, 211–243, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(01)00041-3, 2002.
Jouanno, J., Sheinbaum, J., Barnier, B., Molines, J.-M., Debreu, L., and Lemarié, F.: The mesoscale variability in the Caribbean Sea. Part I: simulations and characteristics with an embedded model, Ocean Model., 23, 82–101, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2008.04.002, 2008.
Lamb, J. B., Willis, B. L., Fiorenza, E. A., Couch, C. S., Howard, R., Rader, D. N., True, J. D., Kelly, L. A., Ahmad, A., Jompa, J., and Harvell, C. D.: Plastic waste associated with disease on coral reefs, Science, 359, 460–462, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aar3320, 2018.
Large, W. G., McWilliams, J. C., and Doney, S. C.: Oceanic vertical mixing: A review and a model with a nonlocal boundary layer parameterization, Rev. Geophys., 32, 363–403, https://doi.org/10.1029/94RG01872, 1994.
Leichter, J. and Genovese, S.: Intermittent upwelling and subsidized growth of the scleractinian coral Madracis mirabilis on the deep fore-reef slope of Discovery Bay, Jamaica, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 316, 95–103, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps316095, 2006.
Lellouche, J.-M., Greiner, E., Bourdallé-Badie, R., Garric, G., Melet, A., Drévillon, M., Bricaud, C., Hamon, M., Le Galloudec, O., Regnier, C., Candela, T., Testut, C.-E., Gasparin, F., Ruggiero, G., Benkiran, M., Drillet, Y., and Le Traon, P.-Y.: The Copernicus global 1/12° oceanic and sea ice GLORYS12 reanalysis, Front. Earth Sci., 9, 1–27, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.698876, 2021.
Lin, Y., Sheng, J., and Greatbatch, R. J.: A numerical study of the circulation and monthly-to-seasonal variability in the Caribbean Sea: the role of Caribbean eddies, Ocean Dynam., 62, 193–211, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-011-0498-0, 2012.
Meteorological Department Curaçao: Weekly Climatological Summary 1999–2023, https://www.meteo.cw/climate_reports.php?Lang=Eng &St=TNCC (last access: 18 July 2024), 2024.
Murphy, S. J., Hurlburt, H. E., and O'Brien, J. J.: The connectivity of eddy variability in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Atlantic Ocean, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 104, 1431–1453, https://doi.org/10.1029/1998JC900010, 1999.
Nama, S., Shanmughan, A., Nayak, B. B., Bhushan, S., and Ramteke, K.: Impacts of marine debris on coral reef ecosystem: A review for conservation and ecological monitoring of the coral reef ecosystem, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 189, 114755, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114755, 2023.
Pepe, B.: Assessing the impact of stony coral tissue loss disease on coral cover in Bonaire's reef ecosystems, M.S. thesis, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, 47 pp., https://studenttheses.uu.nl/handle/20.500.12932/46214 (last access: 22 May 2025), 2024.
Pors, L. and Nagelkerken, I. A.: Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, in: CARICOMP – Caribbean Coral Reef, Seagrass and Mangrove Sites, edited by: Kjerfve, B., UNESCO, Paris, 127–140, https://www.vliz.be/en/imis?module=ref&refid=245893 (last access: 22 May 2025), 1998.
Raapoto, H., Monaco, C., Van Wynsberge, S., Le Gendre, R., and Le Luyer, J.: Assessing regional connectivity patterns of Bivalvia in fragmented archipelagos: Insights from biophysical modeling in French Polynesia, Ecol. Modell., 489, 110626, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110626, 2024.
Radice, V. Z., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Fry, B., Fox, M. D., and Dove, S. G.: Upwelling as the major source of nitrogen for shallow and deep reef-building corals across an oceanic atoll system, Funct. Ecol., 33, 1120–1134, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13314, 2019.
Richardson, P. L.: Caribbean Current and eddies as observed by surface drifters, Deep-Sea Res. Part II, 52, 429–463, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2004.11.001, 2005.
Rio, M.-H., Mulet, S., and Picot, N.: Beyond GOCE for the ocean circulation estimate: Synergetic use of altimetry, gravimetry, and in situ data provides new insight into geostrophic and Ekman currents, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 8918–8925, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL061773, 2014.
Rühs, S., van den Bremer, T., Clementi, E., Denes, M. C., Moulin, A., and van Sebille, E.: Non-negligible impact of Stokes drift and wave-driven Eulerian currents on simulated surface particle dispersal in the Mediterranean Sea, Ocean Sci., 21, 217–240, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-21-217-2025, 2025.
Sheng, J. and Tang, L.: A numerical study of circulation in the western Caribbean Sea, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 33, 2049–2069, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0485(2003)033<2049:ANSOCI>2.0.CO;2, 2003.
Stuhldreier, I., Sánchez-Noguera, C., Roth, F., Cortés, J., Rixen, T., and Wild, C.: Upwelling increases net primary production of corals and reef-wide gross primary production along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Front. Mar. Sci., 2, 113, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2015.00113, 2015.
van Dam, J. W., Negri, A. P., Uthicke, S., and Mueller, J. F.: Chemical pollution on coral reefs: Exposure and ecological effects, Mann. Bentham Science Publishers, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 187–211, https://doi.org/10.2174/978160805121211101010187, 2011.
van Der Boog, C., de Jong, M., Scheidat, M., Leopold, M., Geelhoed, S., Schulz, K., Dijkstra, H., Pietrzak, J., and Katsman, C.: Hydrographic and biological survey of a surface-intensified anticyclonic eddy in the Caribbean Sea, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 124, 6235–6251, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014877, 2019.
Vermeij, M. J., Bakker, J., van der Hal, N., and Bak, R. P.: Juvenile coral abundance has decreased by more than 50 % in only three decades on a small Caribbean island, Diversity, 3, 296–307, https://doi.org/10.3390/d3030296, 2011.
Vogt-Vincent, N. S., Burt, A. J., Kaplan, D. M., Mitarai, S., Turnbull, L. A., and Johnson, H. L.: Sources of marine debris for Seychelles and other remote islands in the western Indian Ocean, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 187, 114497, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114497, 2023.
Vogt-Vincent, N. S., Burt, A. J., van der Ven, R. M., and Johnson, H. L.: Coral reef potential connectivity in the southwest Indian Ocean, Coral Reefs, 43, 1037–1051, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02521-9, 2024.
Waitt Institute: Marine Scientific Assessment: The state of Curaçao's coral reefs, https://www.researchstationcarmabi.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Waitt-2017-Status-of-Curacaoan-reefs_Low-Res-1.pdf (last access: 22 May 2025), 2017.
Wang, C.: Variability of the Caribbean low-level jet and its relations to climate, Clim. Dynam., 29, 411–422, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-007-0243-z, 2007.
Wear, S. L. and Thurber, R. V.: Sewage pollution: mitigation is key for coral reef stewardship, Ann. NY. Acad. Sci., 1355, 15–30, https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12785, 2015.
Xu, X., Chassignet, E. P., Miron, P., and Zavala-Romero, O.: Seasonality of marine litter hotspots in the wider Caribbean region, J. Mar. Sci. Eng., 12, 319, https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12020319, 2024.
Short summary
This study explores ocean currents around Curaçao and how land-derived substances like pollutants and nutrients travel in the water. Most substances move northwest, following the main current, but at times, ocean eddies spread them in other directions. This movement may link polluted areas to pristine coral reefs, impacting marine ecosystems. Understanding these patterns helps inform conservation and pollution management around Curaçao.
This study explores ocean currents around Curaçao and how land-derived substances like...
