By conducting our study we plan to demonstrate the importance of having a diverse parrotfish community in order to sustain the coral reefs surrounding Bonaire. We know that parrotfish eat algae along with the dead coral that the algae are found on. The fish then convert the dead coral into sand. The eating of the algae is critical to maintaining a healthy reef system. To accomplish our study we will count stoplight, redband, yellowtail, rainbow, queen, princess, striped, and blue parrotfish in the initial and terminal phases, while excluding the juvenile phase. Then we will determine the diversity using Simpson's diversity index. From this we will infer whether an area of the reef with more diversity of parrotfish is more healthy and productive than one with less diversity. In most situations a greater diversity of animals indicates a more sustainable system. We plan to investigate the areas of Donkey Beach and a more southern beach, as well as various other sites around the island.
Sarah Hendrickson and Laura Hegarty
