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Information on how school-based programs is implemented and sustained during crises is limited. In this study, we assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of a HIV prevention intervention in The Bahamas. Data were collected from 139 Grade 6 teachers in 2021–2022. Teachers attended virtual training and received implementation monitoring from coordinators. On average, teachers taught 26.4 (SD = 9.2) of the 35 core activities, and 7.4 (SD = 2.4) out of 9 sessions. More than half (58.3%) of teachers completed 28 or more core activities; 69.1% covered eight or all nine sessions, which is equivalent to 80% of the HIV intervention curriculum. Almost half of the teachers (43%) reported that the pandemic negatively impacted their ability to teach the program; 72% of teachers maintained that the program remained "very important" during times of crisis. Greater self-efficacy and supports increased implementation fidelity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face profound challenges from pollution, exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and resource limitations. This paper examines the longstanding pollution issues plaguing SIDS, highlighting their vulnerability to environmental degradation due to underdeveloped waste management systems and unique oceanographic conditions. The case study of Eleuthera Island in The Bahamas illustrates these challenges vividly, showcasing the island’s struggle with e-waste management. This example reinforces the urgency of integrated strategies to enhance environmental resilience and sustainable development in SIDS. Emerging concerns include the proliferation of technology-critical elements (TCEs) in e-waste, driven by rapid urbanization and tourism growth. Despite their crucial role in technological advancement, TCEs pose significant recycling and management difficulties, particularly in the context of limited waste infrastructure. The paper also highlights the imperative for comprehensive regulatory frameworks and sustainable practices to mitigate pollution impacts and safeguard ocean and human health, particularly by shedding light on legislative gaps and opportunities for enhancing pollution control measures in The Bahamas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tax haven leaks have attracted negative public attention in recent years, prompting scrutiny of corporate behavior in leaked jurisdictions. We investigate whether U.S. companies with subsidiaries in implicated tax havens change their disclosure behavior after a leak. The Offshore Leaks, Panama Papers, Bahamas Leaks, and Paradise Papers are included in this study. We analyze the leaks as separate exogenous shocks to the affected firms' behavior using a difference-in-differences approach. First, we focus on the readability of tax footnotes in annual reports. Our results suggest that tax footnotes are less readable after a firm's tax haven is implicated in a leak. This finding suggests that implicated firms try to obfuscate information and hide unethical conduct. Second, we investigate firms' disclosures of tax expenses using GAAP effective tax rates and find that companies report higher tax expenses after a leak. These changes in behavior could indicate that firms are concerned about the increasingly critical public attitude toward doing business in leaked low-tax jurisdictions and that they are taking measures to counteract possible negative reputational consequences. JEL Classification: F23, G14, H26, M41 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, is an iconic apex predator, playing an important ecological role across its range. Persistent bycatch and overfishing led to white shark declines, but recent studies in the North Western Atlantic (NWA) revealed evidence for regional recovery, and highlighted the importance of Southeastern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico as overwintering grounds for maturing white sharks. However, despite its proximity to Florida and comparably productive habitats, records of white sharks in The Bahamas are extremely rare, with a comprehensive survey of sightings and captures describing only one white shark between 1800 - 2010. Here, we reveal acoustic tracking detections of ten white sharks from 2020 - 2024 along the western edge of the Tongue of the Ocean off Central Andros Island, The Bahamas. White sharks were originally tagged off the coast of the United States and Canada, and detected off Andros Island, The Bahamas from November-May. White sharks were detected along the drop-off zone of the reef at ca. 25 m, exclusively between dusk and dawn, with the number of detections suggesting transient behavior. These findings expand our knowledge of white shark distribution in the NWA, highlighting data gaps in The Bahamas and underlining the importance of collaborative protective measures for species recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the dynamic relationship between sharksuckers and Atlantic Nurse sharks within a fish cleaning station in South Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Despite the prevalent symbiotic association between echeneid fishes and sharks, the specifics of their interactions, behavioral adaptations, and the influence of food availability remain understudied. The research employed a comprehensive observational approach, focusing on free-swimming and attached sharksucker' behaviors (Echeneis spp.) in the presence of Atlantic Nurse sharks. Through a month-long study, both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the behaviors were conducted. The results challenge the traditional perception of a purely mutualistic or parasitic relationship, suggesting a more complex dynamic between sharksuckers and sharks. Specifically, the study indicates an increase in boldness and competitive behaviors towards sharks in a controlled feeding setting, indicating that sharksuckers' behaviors and relationships with their hosts are constantly evolving and should not be treated as simply symbiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The family Pipunculidae is being recorded from Martinique for the first time. During a dipterological expedition on the island in January – February 2018, mainly based on the pan-trap method, four specimens of Eudorylas dumbardonisp. nov. were collected. This species is described, illustrated, and compared with E. cressoni Johnson, a similar species based mainly on the yellow body coloration, originally described from the Bahamas and Jamaica, and also recorded from the Dominican Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstruction of ancient sea level during the Late Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage 5e (MIS 5e), from ∼129 to 116 ka, has the potential to improve the accuracy of future global sea level projections by providing a key benchmark for model calibration during a past warm period. Shallow‐water carbonate exposures comprising the tectonically stable Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands contain a regional unconformity that suggests MIS 5e sea level variability. It is not yet fully understood whether this intra‐MIS 5e unconformity was formed under subaerial or submarine conditions. The current study applies next generation sedimentologic, stratigraphic and petrographic analyses across the intra‐MIS 5e erosional unconformity exposed at four locations on West Caicos to reconstruct the conditions in which it formed. The unconformity is characterized with field mapping and digital terrain models, combined with U‐Th coral dating from previous studies. Marine and meteoric diagenetic alteration events were determined by integrating field observations and high‐resolution brightfield and autofluorescence microscopy to compile a comprehensive paragenetic sequence of the intra‐MIS 5e unconformity. Results indicate the erosional unconformity coincided with a rapid 1–3 m sea level fall resulting in beveled in situ coral heads and spatially constrained meteoric diagenesis. Current models of solar insolation and global‐scale ice sheet dynamics currently do not predict an intra‐MIS 5e sea level fall or associated climatic fluctuations. Illuminating the magnitude and timing of an intra‐MIS 5e sea level fall will provide better constraints on numerical models that link ice sheet collapse and climate change. Key Points: High‐resolution microscopy is applied to Marine Isotope Stage 5e (MIS 5e) coral reef, beach and dune deposits on West Caicos to reconstruct sea level historyA 1–3 m sea level fall formed an intra‐MIS 5e erosional surface between lower (127.1 ± 1.1 ka) and upper 5e (121.0 ± 1.0 ka) depositionIsland stratigraphy preserves a record of millennial sea level and climate variability not reflected in current LIG numerical models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation and spatial management of marine species with limited adult mobility, such as queen conch, is dictated by larval connectivity. Effectively placed reserves provide larval spillover to harvested areas while replenishing their own population. In past studies proximate to the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP), surveys and probabilistic larval transport modeling demonstrated a spillover effect from the ECLSP to surrounding fished areas, while suggesting that incoming larval sources are lacking. Previous work was expanded in both upstream and downstream directions, enabling the statistical examination of (1) how queen conch abundance was linked to predicted larval transport from breeding populations in the ECLSP and (2) how age and size changed throughout the island chain as divided by management and connectivity. Biophysical modeling predictions of larval transport from breeding within the ECLSP were significantly associated with the relative abundance of juvenile conch observed across a nearly 200‐km span. Further, the abundance and shell lip thickness (relative age) of adults and the size of juveniles were significantly larger in ECLSP than unprotected areas. This empirical support for an effective, well‐enforced marine reserve and for using biophysical larval transport modeling as a spatial planning tool should be strongly considered in conch conservation and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slopes adjacent to the Bahamian carbonate platform revealed a large variety of depositional processes. In this study, we present a synthesis summarizing 109,000 km2 of bathymetric and reflectivity data with ∼7,900 km of seismic lines and 311 m of sediment cores that were obtained over the last 50 years. These data are used to develop a conceptual model of sedimentation patterns on Quaternary carbonate slope systems and their interaction with the adjacent shallow‐water carbonate platforms. Our data highlight that during the Quaternary, factors controlling large‐scale sedimentation on Bahamian slopes have numerous similarities as they have higher sedimentation rates during interglacials. At a small scale, every slope has its own characteristics that are contemporary controlled by two main characteristics: (a) facies on the adjacent shallow‐water platform, and (b) the impact of shallow‐ and deep‐water currents. Large‐scale tectonics influence sediment deposition as it determines the position of the islands and impacts platform facies distribution. Plain Language Summary: The factors that allow sediment to be exported from carbonate platforms to the deep‐sea need discussion. To gain a better understanding of the processes involved, the sedimentary archives of the slopes connected to these carbonate platforms are consulted. The sediments encountered vary and range from grains finer than 20 μm to coarse sandy sediments, a few millimeters in size. To understand the different processes that export those different types of sediment, we analyze various slopes of the Bahamas, a well‐known pure carbonate platform system. We used both numerical data (bathymetry, reflectivity, seismic) and sediment samples from this area and compared those records for the different Bahamian slopes. We highlighted that every slope displays a different sediment record; for every slope transect the adjacent platform facies together with deep‐sea processes (currents) determine the sediment distribution. The processes that export and transport the sediments are of equal importance. Key Points: Main factors controlling Bahamian slope sedimentation are revisedNumerous data types acquired offshore were synthesizedOur data suggest a strong influence of platform fine‐grained concentration and currents on slope sedimentation models [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2–10‐km‐thick, mainly carbonate cap of the 14,000 km2 Bahamas carbonate platform (BCP) has impeded imaging of its underlying crustal structure. The deeper structure of the BCP records both its Mesozoic rift and hotspot history and its later deformation related to its Paleogene collision with the Great Arc of the Caribbean (GAC). We use regional gravity data to model the crustal structure, type, and deformational processes of the BCP by: (a) integrating publicly available seismic data; (b) inverting the Moho along 2D regional gravity transects across the collisional zone; (c) modeling flexural uplift of a forebulge that reflects the attempted subduction of the BCP beneath the GAC; and (d) using downhole temperatures and radiogenic heat production in 1D basin models to differentiate crustal types related to the Mesozoic rift history. We interpret three crustal domains underlying the BCP: (a) 27–12‐km‐thick, rifted, and thinned continental crust of the northern Bahamas between the Blake Plateau and Exuma Sound; (b) 24–12‐km‐thick, volcanically‐thickened oceanic crust related to the Triassic‐Jurassic Bahamas hotspot in the central Bahamas southeast of Long Island; and (c) 20–12‐km‐thick, thickened oceanic crust north of Hispaniola. We propose that these crustal types reflect northwest‐southeastward, Triassic‐Jurassic rifting of the Bahamas region during the breakup of Pangea and accompanying magmatic activity related to the Triassic‐Jurassic Bahamas hotspot and early oceanic spreading. Growth of the BCP during the Cretaceous in this area was followed by Late Cretaceous‐Paleogene subduction‐related flexure and terminal Paleogene collision between the GAC and the BCP. Plain Language Summary: We investigate the thickly‐sedimented and difficult‐to‐image Bahamas carbonate platform (BCP) by generating different gravity‐based models of its sub‐surface crustal structure. These models help us better understand the crustal types extended and formed during Mesozoic rifting and hotspot activity and the later deformation of these crustal types during the Paleogene collision between the Cuban island arc and the BCP. Key Points: Regional, gravity‐based crustal models are generated for the Paleogene collisional zone between the Bahamas carbonate platform and the Great Arc of the CaribbeanFlexural modeling of the basement beneath the Bahamas reveals a suture‐parallel, forearc bulge produced by Paleogene underthrustingBurial plots of deep wells across the platform reveal the timing and extent of Mesozoic rift, passive margin, and collisional events [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report updates our understanding of whale shark occurrences in The Bahamas by drawing upon a variety of data sources. Our findings reveal previously unreported sighting locations, often associated with tourism activities, underscoring the pivotal role played by nontraditional data sources in addressing knowledge gaps. These revelations emphasize the ongoing necessity for monitoring efforts. Additionally, we have found cases that raise concerns related to unregulated human–shark interactions in the region, highlighting the pressing need for sustainable tourism practices within Bahamian waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) assessing the expressive language of dual language learners may encounter challenges in making clinical judgments of language difference, developmental errors (e.g., overgeneralization), and language disorder. The purpose of this tutorial is to provide SLPs with language assessment information for children of Bahamian descent who speak Bahamian Creole English and English. Method: Using three cases as examples, we propose and describe a contextualized assessment approach. With this approach, we use multiple pieces of assessment data and place a child in a basic framework to ascertain what the context requires the child to do and what the child is currently doing and also determine how to support the child's language development. Results: The tutorial highlights the core components of the assessment process (i.e., referral, case history, assessment, and diagnosis). Guidelines for treatment are also addressed. Conclusions: Potential issues that can arise during the assessment of the language development of Bahamian children are addressed using a contextualized assessment approach. Assessment resources are provided within this tutorial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the redevelopment of the Nassau Airport in The Bahamas and how this airport is constantly adapting to meet the needs of a tourism-dependent country while protecting itself from potential shocks that may disrupt tourism demand. By diversifying its revenue streams and expanding its physical footprint, the airport is positioning itself to provide commercial opportunities and generate sustainable income beyond passenger traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess the factor structure and measurement invariance of the three-factor (nurturance, monitoring, discipline) 29-item Parenting Practices Scale across four Caribbean islands—Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, The Bahamas, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines—with data from 1948 adolescent Caribbean grade 10 students. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted, and the findings supported the original three-factor model, and factor loading invariance was found across the four Caribbean islands. These findings suggest that this parenting measure may be used to compare perceptions of parental behaviors among adolescents in the English-speaking Caribbean with some limitations that are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the ways second-generation Haitians in The Bahamas strategically manage their Haitian identity. In The Bahamas, there is a stigma of being Haitian and anti-Haitian sentiment is heavily ingrained in Bahamian society. While there are individuals who hide their Haitian identity, there are others who actively engage in processes of choosing whether to conceal or disclose their Haitian ethnicity. Using coming out literature as a framework and interviews with second-generation Haitians, I argue that second-generation Haitians who do not readily reveal their Haitian identity may not necessarily be hiding their identity, but instead actively engaging in processes of negotiating and strategically managing their identity in the context of place by choosing whether to conceal or disclose their Haitian heritage. Living in a society that is hostile to people of Haitian descent, it can be important to negotiate the spaces wherein one discloses their heritage in order to protect one's spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The objective is not to refute that there are individuals who deny they are Haitian but instead to explore the ways second-generation Haitians negotiate anti-Haitian spaces and strategically manage their identity as it relates to disclosing or concealing their Haitian heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suspension is the key mechanism by which fine‐grained sediment (≤125 μm) is winnowed and transported across shallow‐water carbonate platforms into adjacent deep waters. Unlike sliding and saltation, which deliver sedimentary structures via bedload, the sedimentological signature of suspended sediment is more cryptic. This study focuses on suspended sediment, and its drivers – wind, waves and tides – to better constrain the processes responsible for the transport of fine‐grained sediments. By building forward from remote sensing algorithms developed for deep‐waters, sediment suspension in the shallow water column can be mapped from satellite. By applying machine learning to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data for Great Bahama Bank, this study demonstrates how the drivers of sediment suspension change over 18 years across this 100 000 km2 carbonate platform. Through time, both seasonal patterns of suspension, as well as those induced by El Niño‐Southern Oscillation and, more subtly, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation were tracked. El Niño‐Southern Oscillation modulates wind‐induced currents, while Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation affects local sea level. Across space, this study shows how the eastern margin of Great Bahama Bank, which is traditionally considered to be wind‐dominated, primarily owes its suspended sediment to tidal currents focused between islands. Sediment suspension across the leeward margin of Great Bahama Bank, meanwhile, can be attributed to wind‐induced currents and waves. The authors consider this work a step towards delivering a quantitative, reproducible, process‐based understanding of sediment suspension atop carbonate platforms using Earth observation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale, evidence-based interventions face challenges to program fidelity of implementation. We developed implementation strategies to support teachers implementing an evidence-based HIV prevention program in schools, Focus on Youth in The Caribbean (FOYC) and Caribbean Informed Parents and Children Together (CImPACT) in The Bahamas. We examined the effects of these implementation strategies on teachers' implementation in the subsequent year after the initial implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 79 Grade 6 teachers in 24 government elementary schools. Teachers completed training workshops and a pre-implementation questionnaire to record their characteristics and perceptions that might affect their program fidelity. School coordinators and peer mentors provided teachers with monitoring, feedback, and mentoring. In Year 1, teachers on average taught 79.3% of the sessions and 80.8% of core activities; teachers in Year 2 covered 84.2% of sessions and 72.9% of the core activities. Teachers with "good" or "excellent" school coordinators in the second year taught significantly more sessions on average (7.8 vs. 7.0, t = 2.04, P < 0.05) and more core activities (26.3 vs. 23.0, t = 2.41, P < 0.05) than teachers with "satisfactory" coordinators. Teachers who had a "good" or "satisfactory" mentor taught more sessions than teachers who did not have a mentor (7.9 vs. 7.3; t = 2.22; P = 0.03). Two-level mixed-effects model analysis indicated that teachers' program fidelity in Year 1, confidence in the execution of core activities, and school coordinators' performance were significantly associated with Year 2 implementation dose. Implementation of FOYC + CImPACT was significantly associated with improved student outcomes. Teachers maintained high fidelity to a comprehensive HIV prevention program over 2 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future program implementers should consider additional implementation support to improve the implementation of school-based programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misty Groupers (Hyporthodus mystacinus) are one of the largest and most geographically widespread grouper species and one of the few grouper species known to occur at depths greater than 200 m. However, aspects of their basic biology, behavior, and ecology remain poorly understood, leaving significant gaps in our ability to evaluate their functional role throughout the vertical water column, as well as our understanding of their conservation needs in a changing ocean. Through in-situ video observation obtained using deep-sea landers in both The Bahamas and Cayman Islands over multiple years, we documented Misty Grouper occurrence up to 470 m depth in the mesopelagic zone. These observations provide a new depth range extension for the species and illuminate the potential importance of deep-water habitats for large grouper species in the wider Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It should come as no surprise that a music and arts festival dogged by scandal would lead to two separate documentaries that each raise ethical concerns. The 2017 demise of the Fyre Festival, a would-be luxury music event in the Bahamas targeted at millennials, inspired late-night comedians' jokes, social media schadenfreude and so far, two documentaries detailing how things went so wrong. Both films detail the maddening twists and turns during the preparations for the Fyre Festival and make it clear to viewers that it was doomed from the start. Both films also contain potential conflicts of interest that are notable, and notably absent from discussion or clarification in either film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pelagic zone of the ocean can be a challenging environment in which to conduct research and as a result we lack the robust baseline abundance and diversity data, compared to what is available in more accessible coastal habitats, to be able to track changes or stressors to the biota in this environment. Many large‐scale fisheries target pelagic fish, and much of the information available on these species is based on fisheries‐dependent data that may be biased towards hotspots and commercially valuable fishes. Here, a long‐term video and visual fish survey was conducted on two subsurface moored fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the pelagic waters of the central Bahamas to determine the feasibility of using moored pelagic FADs as tools for collecting fish abundance and diversity data. A wide range of species was documented, including large migratory fish that are the focus of commercial and recreational fisheries, and smaller often overlooked species on which little abundance or seasonality information exists. We found that FADs colonize quickly and reach a peak stable (albeit seasonally cyclical) abundance and diversity within the first several months after deployment. Species richness was higher in video surveys, but abundance was higher in visual surveys, except for sharks. Our results highlight the need to tailor survey methods to fit the context and study objective, and provide further evidence for the importance of fisheries‐independent data in monitoring pelagic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodents are notorious pests, known for transmitting major public health diseases and causing agricultural and economic losses. The lack of site-specific and national standardised rodent surveillance in several disadvantaged communities has rendered interventions targeted towards rodent control as often ineffective. Here, by using the example from a pilot case-study in the Bahamas, we present a unique experience wherein, through multidisciplinary and community engagement, we simultaneously developed a standardised national surveillance protocol, and performed two parallel but integrated activities: (1) eight days of theoretical and practical training of selected participants; and (2) a three-month post-training pilot rodent surveillance in the urban community of Over-the-Hill, Nassau, The Bahamas. To account for social and environmental conditions influencing rodent proliferation in the Bahamas, we engaged selected influential community members through a semi-structured interview and gathered additional site-specific information using a modified Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) exterior and interior rodent evaluation form, along with other validated instruments such as tracking plates and snap trapping, to test and establish a standardised site-specific rodent surveillance protocol tailored for the Bahamas. Our engagement with community members highlighted poor disposal of animal and human food, irregular garbage collection, unapproved refuse storage, lack of accessible dumpsters, poor bulk waste management, ownership problems and structural deficiencies as major factors fuelling rodent proliferation in the study areas. Accordingly, results from our pilot survey using active rodent signs (that is, the presence of rodent runs, burrows, faecal material or gnawed material) as a proxy of rodent infestation in a generalized linear model confirmed that the variables earlier identified during the community engagement program as significantly correlated with rodent activities (and capturing) across the study areas. The successful implementation of the novel site-specific protocol by trained participants, along with the correlation of their findings with those recorded during the community engagement program, underscores its suitability and applicability in disadvantaged urban settings. This experience should serve as a reference for promoting a standardised protocol for monitoring rodent activities in many disadvantaged urban settings of the Global South, while also fostering a holistic understanding of rodent proliferation. Through this pilot case-study, we advocate for the feasibility of developing sustainable rodent control interventions that are acceptable to both local communities and public authorities, particularly through the involvement of a multidisciplinary team of professionals and community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ooids are abundant carbonate grains throughout much of Earth's history, but their formation is not well understood. Here, an in‐depth study of microbial bioerosion features of Holocene ooids from the Schooner Cays ooid shoals (Great Bahama Bank, Eleuthera, Bahamas) and the Shalil al Ud ooid shoals in the Arabian/Persian Gulf (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) is presented. No obvious differences were found in ooid size distribution, cortex layer thickness, the composition of nuclei or euendolithic community when comparing ooids from both locations. Microendolithic borings are present in most studied ooid surfaces, but the intensity of (micro‐)bioerosion varies significantly. Applying an epoxy vacuum cast‐embedding technique allowed the identification of ichnotaxa and their inferred producers (various genera of diatoms, cyanobacteria, coccolithophores and unspecified bacteria). Euendolithic taxa have specific low‐light tolerances and light optima. This implies that information about the relative bathymetry (seafloor versus burial within an ooid shoal) and ecology for ooid cortex formation can be obtained via the presence or absence of their respective ichnotaxa. The history of a statistically significant number of ooid cortices can be translated into dune dynamics and the temporal variations thereof by allocating the inferred index producer to a defined burial or light penetration zone. In this context, ooid formation can be divided into four stages: (i) an agitation stage in the water column, characterized by the colonization of grains by photoautotrophs; (ii) a resting stage, characterized by temporary burial of the ooid, leading to immobilization and a shift towards heterotrophs; (iii) a sleeping stage, characterized by prolonged burial and colonization by organotrophs; and (iv) a reactivation stage, characterized by a resurfacing of the ooid and a subsequent shift towards photoautotrophs. The sleeping stage is presumably a stage of ooid degradation where bioerosion, mainly by heterotrophic fungi and bacteria is particularly active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the behavior of pelagic sharks can be challenging due to the logistical difficulties of locating migratory individuals in the open ocean. This is further compounded by their rarity in certain ocean regions due to overfishing. The accessibility of deep-water basins in The Bahamas provides a unique model system for describing how pelagic sharks connect surface and deep ocean habitats through vertical behavior. Using custom deep-sea landers in The Bahamas, we provide novel depth data for two species of pelagic sharks: a depth range extension for the dusky shark at 767 m and novel occurrence at twilight zone depth for the silky shark at 470 m. These observations expand the vertical niche for these two species, suggesting that deep diving behavior is likely more common than previously thought and likely important for ecosystem connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective management and conservation of threatened species biodiversity requires knowledge of reproductive biology, such as cyclicity, mode, and age at maturity. We combined reproductive endocrinology and in-situ ultrasonography to examine reproductive characteristics of female Caribbean reef sharks Carcharhinus perezi, a widely distributed, threatened marine predator which remains largely understudied throughout its range. Unique to this study was the opportunity to conduct longitudinal assessments of two individuals, recaptured across multiple seasons during sampling in The Bahamas. Within- individual, paired hormone analyses and in-situ ultrasounds of female sharks that were confirmed as either pregnant, non-pregnant, or reproductively active, suggest a biennial reproductive cycle for Carcharhinus perezi. This unique opportunity to assess the reproductive biology of the same individuals over time underscore the importance of repeated sampling for elucidating population reproductive cyclicity of highly mobile sharks in the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used pollen and charcoal analyses of sediments from two lakes at the southern end of Eleuthera Island, the Bahamas, to reconstruct vegetation and fire history over the past 5000 years. We obtained a 254-cm long sediment sequence from Shad Pond on the south end of Eleuthera near the coast. We obtained a 140-cm long sediment sequence from Duck Pond Blue Hole midway from either coast. Shad Pond sediment from 180 to 240 cm is fibrous peat dating from ~ 3800 to 4800 cal yr BP. The pollen spectrum in the peat is dominated by red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) indicating the presence of a red mangrove swamp during this period. Duck Pond Blue Hole sediment from 100 to 140 cm is fine calcareous mud with only traces of pollen present. Palm pollen dominate the middle portion of both sediment sequences with pollen from rockland and coppice species also present. Palm pollen decline in both lakes ~ 1200 to 1300 cal yr BP, the start of Lucayan occupation. Palm pollen nearly disappear from Shad Pond sediments after ~ 1200 cal yr BP coincident with a spike in charcoal particles. Palm pollen drop by over one-half in Duck Pond Blue Hole after ~ 1200 cal yr BP, but there is only a small increase in charcoal particles. Palm pollen return in modest amounts toward the top of the Shad Pond sediments and there is a second, smaller peak in charcoal ~ 350 cal yr BP. This suggests a recovery of palms near the coast during the Plantation Period. Palm pollen gradually decline, charcoal increases, and pollen from disturbance species become very dominant toward the top of Duck Pond Blue Hole sediments after ~ 350 cal yr BP. The decline of palm pollen and increase in pollen from disturbance species in sediments from both sites ~ 1200 cal yr BP suggests heavy exploitation of palms by Lucayans, particularly near the coast. The later increase in charcoal and the significant increase in pollen from disturbance species in sediments from the inland Duck Pond Blue Hole site ~ 350 cal yr BP suggests inland land clearing during the Plantation Period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bahamian Archipelago has been the subject of extensive studies of stratigraphy, carbonate island morphology and diagenetic overprinting for many decades. A recently‐acquired dataset comprised of high‐resolution light detection and ranging, tightly spaced cored boreholes with image logs, thin sections, porosity and permeability measurements, and isotopic geochemical analyses provides a unique opportunity to perform detailed sequence stratigraphic analysis. This multi‐faceted study first establishes a new high‐resolution sequence stratigraphic framework for the Sandy Point area of San Salvador Island, encompassing six unconformity bound sequences (exposure surfaces) representing varying lengths of missing time. The stratigraphically lowest sequence is Late Pliocene in age and is dominated by reef facies capped by an extensive laminar caliche that represents 1.5 million years of exposure. The overlying Early Pleistocene is split into two sequences, EP1 and EP2, which are both dominated by low‐energy subtidal facies. The upper three sequences are tied to the Marine Isotope Stage 11, 9 and 5e interglacials, and are distinctly different in facies composition and architecture, being dominated by higher energy facies distributed in a more complex mosaic. The new stratigraphic framework highlights significant changes in depositional style and facies architecture that can be linked to increasing sea‐level amplitude oscillations and greater climate gradient at the Mid Pleistocene Transition. The well‐constrained framework is then used to provide key context for observed complex diagenetic evolution through repeated sea‐level inundation and subaerial exposure. These results suggest that well‐developed subaerial exposure surfaces drive increases in non‐matrix features in the subsequent stratigraphic package following exposure as the well‐cemented exposure surface acts to concentrate fluid flow and dissolution. Integration of non‐matrix features within this framework highlights the importance of dissolution/cementation patterns on formation of these modified unconformity surfaces for focusing later meteoric diagenesis and creating enhanced fluid flow pathways for continued multicyclic diagenetic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment cores from blue holes have emerged as a promising tool for extending the record of long‐term tropical cyclone (TC) activity. However, interpreting this archive is challenging because storm surge depends on many parameters including TC intensity, track, and size. In this study, we use climatological‐hydrodynamic modeling to interpret paleohurricane sediment records between 1851 and 2016 and assess the storm surge risk for Long Island in The Bahamas. As the historical TC data from 1988 to 2016 is too limited to estimate the surge risk for this area, we use historical event attribution in paleorecords paired with synthetic storm modeling to estimate TC parameters that are often lacking in earlier historical records (i.e., the radius of maximum wind for storms before 1988). We then reconstruct storm surges at the sediment site for a longer time period of 1851–2016 (the extent of hurricane Best Track records). The reconstructed surges are used to verify and bias‐correct the climatological‐hydrodynamic modeling results. The analysis reveals a significant risk for Long Island in The Bahamas, with an estimated 500‐year stormtide of around 1.63 ± 0.26 m, slightly exceeding the largest recorded level at site between 1988 and 2015. Finally, we apply the bias‐corrected climatological‐hydrodynamic modeling to quantify the surge risk under two carbon emission scenarios. Due to sea level rise and TC climatology change, the 500‐year stormtide would become 2.69 ± 0.50 and 3.29 ± 0.82 m for SSP2‐4.5 and SSP5‐8.5, respectively by the end of the 21st century. Plain Language Summary: Paleohurricane sediment records can capture tropical cyclone (TC) landfall and associated storm surge severity over several millennia, providing an extended record to quantify long‐term storm surge risk. Interpretation of these records is difficult because storm surge depends on many parameters such as TC intensity, track, and size. In this study, we use hydrodynamic modeling to identify which historical TCs between 1851 and 2016 transported sediment into underwater sinkholes near Long Island in The Bahamas. Supplementing the historical record with synthetic TCs created by a computer model, we leverage our interpretation of the paleorecord to approximate the size and surge level for storms prior to 1988 for which observations are unavailable. Next, we integrate the reconstructed storm surge levels and climatological‐hydrodynamic modeling to estimate long‐term storm surge hazards for the area. Finally, we apply the integrated model to assess storm surge risk for Long Island under future climates (SSP2‐4.5 and SSP5‐8.5) and sea level rise and find a significant increase in TC hazard risk for this location by the end of the century. Key Points: Hydrodynamic modeling is used to identify event beds in paleorecordsStorm sizes and surges at the sediment site are reconstructed for 1850–2016 to bias‐correct climatological‐hydrodynamic modeling resultsThe surge risk under two carbon emission scenarios (SSP2‐4.5, SSP5‐8.5) and sea level rise is quantified for Long Island, Bahamas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reproductive phenology of plants has profound influence on ecosystem dynamics including plant–animal interactions. Broad phenological patterns, especially the timing of reproduction, may result from long‐term climate trends and co‐evolution between plants and their pollinators, dispersers, and predators. Yet, interannual climate variation and local abiotic conditions may also affect the timing and magnitude of plant reproduction. Understanding the patterns of and controls on plant reproduction are crucial for conservation efforts under a changing global climate and rapidly expanding human development. However, phenology studies from the Neotropics are sparse. Here, we examine the relative timing and magnitude of fleshy‐fruited plant reproduction during the winter dry season in subtropical dry forest on Eleuthera, The Bahamas over a nine‐year period. At least 47 species were observed with some dry season reproductive activity, but only 17% showed evidence of a fruiting peak or continuous reproduction. Overall fruit abundance generally declined through the dry season, but flower production increased between mid and late dry season. Variation in fruit and flower abundance among years was related to temperature and rainfall, but local site conditions—particularly successional stage and groundwater availability—explained more variability in reproductive activity than climate variation. Groundwater availability had a particularly strong positive influence on flower and fruit abundance at the end of the dry season, a critical time for migrant frugivores preparing to return to their breeding grounds. This emphasizes the importance of protecting sites with accessible groundwater to conserve biodiversity in the archipelago and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal dry tropical forests (CDTFs) are important yet vulnerable ecosystems. In this paper, we highlight the special conservation issues facing CDTFs by focusing on one variant of the type, those that occupy limestone substrate in the northeastern Caribbean. Our analysis draws largely from the coastal terrestrial broadleaf forests of the northern Bahamas, the Florida Keys, and southwestern Puerto Rico. Based on the surveys of storm surge recorded during major hurricanes during the last 50 years, we define CDTFs as coastal terrestrial broadleaf forests on ground surfaces elevated up to 5 m above sea level and occurring within 5 km of the coast. These forests are not only threatened by land‐use change from urbanization but also climate‐driven sea level rise (SLR) and hurricanes, which have degraded them and reduced their extent. CDTFs are distinguished from other dry tropical forests by the occasional influence of marine water incursion during periodic storms, requiring species common to these forests to have some level of salt tolerance despite experiencing well‐drained, fresh water conditions during most of their life span. With precipitation being the sole freshwater source for most CDTFs, SLR and the resulting salinization in the rooting zone subjects these forests to increasingly stressful conditions. Hence, even a modest rise in sea level can push numerous imperiled and endangered species and coastal terrestrial broadleaf communities to the edge of their tolerance, causing a decline in extent or their complete disappearance. Outside of protected areas, rapid urbanization has fragmented these forests and reduced their extent, which in turn have modified the interaction between rising seas and forest function. This work emphasizes the need for refined risk assessments to be completed and for conservation measures to be enforced so that resources can be directed appropriately to prevent further loss of CDTFs. Abstract in Spanish is available with online material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outside of short, infrequent visits to reproductive habitats, sea turtle lifespans are largely spent in foraging areas. Supporting imperilled populations in an era of biodiversity declines and environmental change requires improvements in the understanding of foraging distributions, plus the migratory corridors that connect foraging and reproductive habitats.This study evaluates the migratory strategies and foraging geography of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Western Atlantic. The post‐nesting migrations of 22 females were tracked via satellite telemetry from Long Island, Antigua, during 2016–2019, and a state‐space model was utilized to estimate true turtle locations from Argos satellite fixes. Model output was used to characterize migratory routes and home ranges occupied during non‐migratory inter‐nesting and foraging periods.Hawksbill migrations (N = 19) resulted in displacements to foraging areas ranging 7–2300 km. Foraging geography varied considerably—whereas eight turtles remained in the immediate vicinity of Antigua and Barbuda (<30 km), there were also longer‐distance migrations (>470 km) to locations such as The Bahamas and Nicaragua. Inter‐nesting core home ranges (50% utilization distributions) ranged from 7 to 72 km2, while foraging core areas ranged from 7 to 46 km2.These results add to evidence suggesting that, broadly, post‐nesting hawksbills forage in neritic habitats throughout the Wider Caribbean, including several high‐use areas. Short displacements to foraging habitats relatively nearby to nesting beaches appear to be the most common migratory behaviour, but individuals in a single population may exhibit various migratory strategies, resulting in basin‐wide connectivity between nesting and foraging sites. Given that a single individual or nesting population may inhabit several management jurisdictions, an idealized scenario for regional hawksbill conservation would entail data sharing between managers at linked nesting areas, foraging habitats and migratory corridors such that policies to protect key habitats and mitigate human impacts are designed and evaluated based on best‐available science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinkholes develop on carbonate landscapes when caves collapse and can subsequently become lake-like environments if they are flooded by local groundwater. Sediment cores retrieved from sinkholes have yielded high-resolution reconstructions of past environmental change, hydroclimate, and hurricane activity. However, our understanding of the internal sedimentary processes of these systems remains incomplete. Here, we use a multiproxy approach including sedimentology (stratigraphy, coarse-grained particle density, bulk organic matter content), micropaleontology (ostracods), and geochemistry (δ13C and δ2H on n-alkanoic acids) to reconstruct evidence for paleolimnology and regional hydroclimate from a continuous stratigraphic record (Emerald Pond sinkhole) in the northern Bahamas that spans the middle to late Holocene. Basal peat at 8.9 m below modern sea level documents the maximum sea-level position at ~ 8200 cal. yr BP. Subsequent upward vertical migration of the local aquifer caused by regional sea-level rise promoted carbonate-marl deposition from ~ 8300 to 1700 cal. yr BP. A shift in coarse particle deposition and ostracods at 5500 cal. yr BP suggests some environmental change, which may be related to one or multiple internal or external drivers. Sapropel deposition from ~ 1700 to 1300 cal. yr BP indicates a fundamental change in limnology to promote increased organic matter preservation, perhaps related to the regional cooling during the Dark Ages Cold Period. We find δ2H28 values are largely invariant from 7700 to 6150 cal. yr BP suggesting a generally stable hydroclimate (mean − 133‰, 1σ = 5‰). The shift to more depleted values (− 156‰, 1σ = 19‰) at ~ 6000–4800 cal. yr BP may be linked to a weakened (eastern displaced) North Atlantic Subtropical High. Nevertheless, additional local hydroclimate records are needed to better disentangle uncertainties from either internal or external influences on the resultant measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphology of some lithified wind-blown, carbonate dunes in The Bahamas preserves the signature of erosion from paleo-marine processes: wave-induced swash, scarping, and longshore transport. Digital elevation models were used to distinguish between two dune morphotypes—those disconnected versus connected to beach processes. Dune sinuosity and upwind slope were quantified and used to interpret which dunes remained beach-attached and subject to marine erosion and processes versus dunes that became disconnected from the shoreline via inland migration or shoreline regression. Disconnected dunes possess low slopes over stoss surfaces with sinuous planforms mimicking their crestlines. Beach-connected foredunes preserve steep, kilometers-long linear upwind faces, which are interpreted to be signatures of beach-dune morphodynamics. Foredune morphology serves as a proxy for shoreline position during past sea-level high-stands, while the basal elevations of their stoss dune toes provide an upper limit on the beach and adjacent sea level. A growing library of digital topography will allow for this tool to be used to interpret global paleo-shoreline positions through time and space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical place, socioeconomic status and citizenship matter in the context of climate change. The most vulnerable members of society are frequently the ones hardest hit by climate‐induced extreme events. Vulnerable communities often live in climate‐exposed locations, and have access to fewer resources to prepare for and respond to disasters. This is the case for Haitian migrants in The Bahamas—vulnerable communities located within a climate‐vulnerable country. Haitian communities were the locus of the majority of deaths and missing people attributed to the 2019 Hurricane Dorian and faced a series of distributional, procedural and recognition injustices. We investigate the historical factors and contemporary conditions of Haitian communities in The Bahamas that resulted in significant inequities, disproportional impacts and infractions of human rights by the Bahamian government. We show how this experience complexifies discourse on loss and damage and climate‐induced migration in small island developing states and exemplifies the need for human rights approaches to loss and damage that incorporate multi‐scalar dimensions of climate justice. We investigate the historical factors and contemporary conditions of Haitian communities in The Bahamas that resulted in significant inequities, disproportional impacts and infractions of human rights by the Bahamian government. We show how this experience complexifies discourse on loss and damage and climate‐induced migration in small island developing states and exemplifies the need for human rights approaches to loss and damage that incorporate multi‐scalar dimensions of climate justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present previously unknown stacked bowl-shaped bioherms reaching a size of 45 cm in diameter and 40 cm in height from weakly solidified peloidal sand from the upper Sarmatian of the Paratethys Sea. The bioherms were mostly embedded in sediment, and the "growth stages" reflect a reaction on sediment accretion and sinking into the soft sediment. The bioherms are spirorbid–microclot–acicular cement boundstones with densely packed Janua tubes surrounded by microclots and acicular cement solidifying the bioherm. The surrounding sediment is a thrombolite made of peloids and polylobate particles (mesoclots) which are solidified synsedimentarily by micrite cement and dog-tooth cement in a later stage. The shape of the bioherms reflects a series of growth stages with an initial stage ("start-up stage") followed by a more massive "keep-up stage" which grades into a structure with a collar-like outer rim and a central protrusion and finally by a termination of growth ("give-up stage"). The setting was a shallow subtidal environment with normal marine or elevated saline, probably oligotrophic, conditions with an elevated alkalinity. The stacked bowl-shaped microbialites are a unique feature that has so far been undescribed. Modern and Neogene microbialite occurrences are not direct analogues to the described structures, but the marine examples, like in The Bahamas, Shark Bay and the Persian Gulf, offer insight into their microbial composition and environmental parameters. The microbialites and the surrounding sediment document a predominance of microbial activity in the shallow marine environments of the Paratethys Sea during the late Middle Miocene, which was characterized by a warm, arid climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations of the green turtle (Chelonia mydas), a megaherbivore that maintains distinct areas of seagrass via cultivation grazing, are recovering worldwide. Evaluating seagrass regrowth dynamics in grazed areas following prolonged, known-durations of herbivory is challenging in situ, but is critical to understand ecosystem function as meadows return to a natural grazed state. Based on a 27-month study in a subtropical Caribbean seagrass meadow (The Bahamas; 23.46° N, 76.06° W), we evaluate Thalassia testudinum regrowth dynamics over 11 months following two durations of simulated green turtle grazing (11 and 16 months; 11clip and 16clip, respectively). By the end of the clipping treatments, simulated grazing had induced significant changes in most T. testudinum leaf morphology and nutrient variables in clipped plots compared to reference plots, while belowground biomass and nutrient content were unaffected. However, most leaf variables in clipped plots returned to levels comparable to reference plots by 6.5 months after the cessation of clipping, with the exception of leaf area index (LAI) and leaf width. The effects of grazing duration on regrowth in clipped treatments were evident in 11clip and 16clip plots. In 11clip plots, LAI increased to reference plot levels within 6.5 months after cessation of clipping, while leaves did not rewiden until 11 months post-clipping. However, LAI in 16clip plots did not reach reference plot levels until 11 months post-clipping, and leaves remained significantly narrow throughout the experiment. These regrowth patterns indicate the capacity of T. testudinum to rebound following prolonged, repetitive cropping of leaf biomass by green turtles, and that decreased leaf width and LAI after cessation of grazing may be a lingering effect of shifts in plant growth allocation in grazed systems. This study provides a valuable contribution to understand the effects of cultivation grazing and grazing duration on T. testudinum regrowth dynamics and tolerance to herbivory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory connectivity of marine fishes is difficult to quantify yet critical for effective species management. Anchor tagging and acoustic telemetry tracking projects on bonefish (Albula vulpes), an economically important coastal exploited species, discovered three bonefish that moved from coastal waters of the Florida Keys to Andros Island, Bahamas. The anchor tagging project had two bonefish make this Florida–Bahamas movement and the acoustic telemetry project had one bonefish make this movement. Outlier analysis was done on the linear distance of these three Florida–Bahamas movements compared to the linear distances of bonefish tagged and recaptured in Florida waters. Also, comparisons were made between the mean distances between tagging locations and mean distances between recapture locations to evaluate whether relocations were active or passive. The linear distance analysis determined the three Florida–Bahamas movements were not outliers. Second, the mean distance between the tagging locations in Florida coastal waters (111 km; 95% CI 63.7–158.4 km) and the mean distance between recapture locations in Andros Island coastal waters (30 km; 95% CI 25.0–35.0 km) may suggest that these relocations are not random dispersal. This paper provides evidence that bonefish can make long distance movements (> 100 km) over deep water (> 200 m). This evidence suggests the need for more research to evaluate the potential for connectivity between neighboring nations for bonefish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A specimen belonging to the deep-sea feather-star family Atelecrinidae was collected in April 2018 at the Kocebu Guyot at 1294 m deep. Based on its morphological characters, the specimen was identified as Paratelecrinus cubensis (Carpenter, 1881). This species of feather star is restricted to the deep sea and was known only from 12 records from the Bahamas and Cuba at depths of 567-892 m. The data represent the first record from the Western Pacific Ocean and the deepest record known, extending the depth where this feather star has been found to beyond 1000 m. The morphological characteristics of the Kocebu Guyot specimen were essentially identical to the morphology of the neotype, with a slight difference in the dorsal spine at the end of the cirri. The phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S rRNA genes, 28S rRNA genes, and 18S rRNA genes reveal a close relationship of P. cubensis with P. wyvilli. Results of our molecular phylogenetic analysis are consistent with our morphological identifications. Our find extends the known geographical distribution of the feather star P. cubensis to the Western Pacific Ocean and provide insights into deep-sea biodiversity in the Kocebu Guyot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The works collected here are made up of individual parts of debris found in the artist's studio and through his daily movings in the Bahamian landscape. The artist keeps a sketchbook, but in recent years has also depended more heavily on the juxtapositions of these very simple found elements that make up both his public and personal environments. The works are musings, experimentation, and play, used to consider not only the spaces he is in but also the influences these spaces have on him and, in turn, he on them. This is a defining partnership in Schmid's works, works that he calls "a hymn to home." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 2020 Common Era (CE) experienced the highest number of named tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean since 1850 CE, but the short instrumental record makes it challenging to assess if this level of activity is statistically meaningful. Here, we present two near‐annually resolved hurricane reconstructions from sediment archived in two blue holes located only 300 m apart on the northern margin of Grand Bahama. These two blue holes provide a replicated signal of hurricanes passing within a 50–100 km radius over the last 1,800 years, and the long‐term reconstructions document multiple 50‐to‐150‐year intervals when hurricane frequency was significantly higher than it has been over the last 100 years. These two records were first merged into a single stack, and then compiled with five other high‐resolution reconstructions from across the Bahamian Archipelago to form a single 1500‐year record of Bahamian hurricane frequency. This new Bahamian Compilation documents more hurricanes passing ∼75°W from 21°N to 26°N during the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1300–1850 CE) relative to the prior millennium and the last 170 years. The US Eastern Seaboard also experienced heightened hurricane activity during the LIA, whereas the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Caribbean were inactive. This suggests that despite a globally cooler climate, regional climate conditions during the LIA remained favorable for cyclogenesis and intensification along certain Atlantic hurricane pathways. Perhaps heightened Sahel rainfall during the LIA indicates an increase in African Easterly waves, which in turn possibly seeded more tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Main Development Region. Key Points: Two new paleo‐hurricane reconstructions from Grand Bahama expand spatiotemporal scope of regional hurricane historyA new regional compilation of Bahamian hurricane activity suggests heightened regional hurricane frequency during the Little Ice AgeRegional hurricane increase may reflect increased cyclogenesis in the Atlantic Main Development Region driven by more African Easterly waves [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profound changes in Earth's biogeochemical cycles are recorded in the sedimentology and geochemistry of carbonate sediments, with much of the early geological history of our planet recorded in carbonate mud precipitated from seawater. Despite their relevance for understanding early Earth, the trigger for whitings—carbonate spontaneously precipitated from the water column—remains intensely debated. Here, we used a neural network to map whitings imaged by daily MODIS Aqua satellite overpasses between 2003 and 2018 on Great Bahama Bank (GBB). Our results show that the frequency of whitings after 2011 increased by 3.3× compared to those recorded between 2003 and 2010, with the frequency of winter whitings increasing more than those in the summer. We contend that the period of increased whitings frequency was spurred by concurrent perturbations to the North Atlantic Oscillation, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, and the El Niño Southern Oscillation in 2010 that facilitated enhanced hydrodynamic mixing between the waters atop GBB and those that surround it. We conclude that whitings can exhibit a sensitive but non‐linear response to ocean‐atmosphere dynamics which is unlikely to be resolved in the geological record using conventional stratigraphic techniques. This pronounced fluctuation in mud production on short timescales contrasts with expectations of persistent tranquility in the depositional environments that produce lime mud. Our results suggest that long‐established links between ocean‐atmosphere dynamics and the lime mud budget through Earth history may require reevaluation. Plain Language Summary: The size, composition, and distribution of carbonate sediment produced in the oceans are quantifiable features that enable reconstructions of environmental conditions throughout Earth history. Lime mud is a fine‐grained carbonate sediment that is commonly found in ancient rocks, but relatively rare in the modern oceans. However, Great Bahama Bank (GBB) has significant accumulations of lime mud thought to be produced by ongoing whitings. Whitings are a geological phenomenon that can be observed from orbit as milky white patches of seawater. Using a combination of satellite‐based remote sensing observations and deep learning, we created a two‐decade record of the frequency of whitings. Our results show, for the first time, that a pronounced change in ocean‐atmosphere dynamics more than tripled the frequency of whitings on GBB. Conventional geological methods cannot resolve such short‐time scale dependencies, so our study of modern lime mud formation provides useful insights into processes that happened in the ancient geological record, facilitating more accurate interpretations of environmental conditions throughout Earth history. Key Points: A perturbation to North Atlantic ocean‐climate dynamics in 2010 spurred a 3.3× increase in whitings lime mud productionLime mud production by whitings responds non‐linearly and disproportionately to subtle ocean‐atmosphere interactions on decadal timescalesClimate control on lime mud production provides new insight into one of the principal sedimentary archives of Earth's biogeochemical cycles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the genetic basis of novel adaptations in new species is a fundamental question in biology. Here we demonstrate a new role for galr2 in vertebrate craniofacial development using an adaptive radiation of trophic specialist pupfishes endemic to San Salvador Island, Bahamas. We confirmed the loss of a putative Sry transcription factor binding site upstream of galr2 in scale-eating pupfish and found significant spatial differences in galr2 expression among pupfish species in Meckel's cartilage using in situ hybridization chain reaction (HCR). We then experimentally demonstrated a novel role for Galr2 in craniofacial development by exposing embryos to Garl2-inhibiting drugs. Galr2-inhibition reduced Meckel's cartilage length and increased chondrocyte density in both trophic specialists but not in the generalist genetic background. We propose a mechanism for jaw elongation in scale-eaters based on the reduced expression of galr2 due to the loss of a putative Sry binding site. Fewer Galr2 receptors in the scale-eater Meckel's cartilage may result in their enlarged jaw lengths as adults by limiting opportunities for a circulating Galr2 agonist to bind to these receptors during development. Our findings illustrate the growing utility of linking candidate adaptive SNPs in non-model systems with highly divergent phenotypes to novel vertebrate gene functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mastogloia frickei Hustedt was found in Guam and studied with scanning electron microscopy. A species known by that name in Florida/Bahamas is shown to be a different species and is described as Mastogloia floridensis sp. nov. Both have alveolate striae, which is unusual in the genus. A third alveolate species was present in Florida samples and had been misidentified previously. It is described as Mastogloia lucayensis sp. nov. Ultrastructure observations of these species expand the diversity of alveolate stria morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within digital finance, CBDCs are booming. As there are currently four operational CBDCs and as many as ninety-four central banks, jurisdictions or currency areas are testing or investigating the launch of a retail CBDC. The study was based on a sample of 34 countries or currency areas, which were classified into three groups. This research aimed to answer the following research questions: 1. Can CBDCs be considered green and sustainable? 2. How can we determine whether a CBDC is green and sustainable? 3. Which countries are closest to having green CBDCs? It has been calculated the total and the percentage of CBDCs that could be considered green or sustainable according to each country or currency area; in this model, it has been considered one monetary unit issued in a green/sustainable CBDC format for each point that a country obtains in this model that is adjusted according to four variables: Electricity prices for households and for businesses, renewable electricity production and CO2 emissions. The countries that could launch a higher percentage of green/sustainable CBDCs in circulation would be the countries in the Eurozone and the United Kingdom, with these countries exceeding 70%. This was followed by Sweden (60%), Australia (58%) and the Bahamas (close to 54%). Only the Bahamas has its CBDC already launched and operational. Jamaica is also in the top ten and has its CBDC up and running. Japan closes the top 10 with just over 51%. Those countries with cleaner sources of power generation will be able to keep their CBDCs operating more sustainably. The environmental impact, however, will vary depending on the design choices of a CBDC and the country where it operates, according to the variables of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the blue economy development in The Bahamas with an analysis of the conditions for using blue bonds as a financing mechanism. As part of the activities to be pursued for the issuance of a blue bond, the paper provides an identification of investment projects that could be financed through blue bonds. In addition to its blue economy activities, the government seeks to enhance the coastal ecosystems' resilience and their capacity to reduce the effects of strong climatic events following the Dorian Hurricane in September 2019. In this context, investments in the protection and restoration of ecosystems that increase public goods are therefore needed, especially in the context of the 30 × 30 target. The paper furthermore highlights the key challenges The Bahamas is facing for the development of suitable blue financial mechanisms, including the need for a robust institutional framework to ensure an efficient implementation of a blue financing scheme. By explicitly reflecting on the challenges for a country like the Bahamas, the paper seeks to provide a realistic account of the role and potential of bonds for financing sustainable development in marine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection and identification of species, subspecies or stocks of whales, dolphins and porpoises at sea remain challenging, particularly for cryptic or elusive species like beaked whales (Family: Ziphiidae). Here we investigated the potential for using an acoustically assisted sampling design to collect environmental (e)DNA from beaked whales on the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) in The Bahamas. During 12 days of August 2019, we conducted 9 small-boat surveys and collected 56 samples of seawater (paired subsamples of 1L each, including controls) using both a spatial collection design in the absence of visual confirmation of whales, and a serial collection design in the proximity of whales at the surface. There were 7 sightings of whales, including 11 Blainville's beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris). All whales were located initially with the assistance of information from a bottom-mounted acoustic array available on the AUTEC range. Quantification by droplet digital (dd)PCR from the four spatial design collections showed no samples of eDNA above the threshold of detection and none of these 20 samples yielded amplicons for conventional or next-generation sequencing. Quantification of the 31 samples from four serial collections identified 11 likely positive detections. eDNA barcoding by conventional sequencing and eDNA metabarcoding by next-generation sequencing confirmed species identification for 9 samples from three of the four serial collections. We further resolved five intra-specific variants (i.e., haplotypes), two of which showed an exact match to previously published haplotypes and three that have not been reported previously to the international repository, GenBank. A minimum spanning network of the five eDNA haplotypes, with all other published haplotypes of Blainville's beaked whales, suggested the potential for further resolution of differences between oceanic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present so far unknown stacked bowl-shaped bioherms reaching a size of 45 cm in diameter and 40 cm in height from weakly solidified peloidal sand from the upper Sarmatian of the Paratethys Sea. The bioherms were mostly embedded in sediment and the 'stages' reflect a reaction on sediment accretion and sinking into the soft sediment. The bioherms are spirorbid-microclots-acicular cement boundstones with densely packed Janua tubes surrounded by microclots and acicular cement solidifying the bioherm. The surrounding sediment is a thrombolite made of peloids and polylobate particles (mesoclots) which are solidified synsedimentarily by micrite cement and dog-tooth cement in a later stage. The shape of the bioherms reflects a series of growth stages with an initial stage ('start-up' phase) followed by a more massive 'keep-up stage' which grades into a structure with a collar-like outer rim and a central protrusion and finally by a termination of growth ('giveup stage'). The setting was a shallow subtidal environment with normal marine or hypersaline, oligotrophic conditions with an elevated alkalinity. The stacked bowl-shaped microbialites are a unique feature so far undescribed. Modern and Neogene microbialite occurrences are no direct analogues to the described structures but the marine examples, like at the Bahamas, Shark Bay and the Persian Gulf offer insight into the microbial composition and environmental parameters. The microbialites and the surrounding sediment document a predominance of microbial activity in the shallow marine environments of the Paratethys Sea during the late Middle Miocene, which was characterized by a warm, arid climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]