June 29th, 2010 Palynological Study Shows Aruba was Greener and Quite Wet 400 Years Ago
Aruba was greener and definitely much more humid 400 years ago, before the arrival of the first European. That is the conclusion of Biologist Kees Nooren, who completed a palynological study here on behalf of the Aruba national park, Arikok. Palynology is the study of pollen, grains and spores, as well as other organic microfossils. Nooren conducted his investigation in the park, but particularly at the Spanish Lagoon area where he extracted fossilized spores and pollen from the ground, taking him back thousands of years.
The pollen and spores he collected were later analyzed at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and showed that Aruba’s vegetation was different as compared to how it is now, and similar to what can be found in Puerto Rico and the Windward Islands. For instance, there were a total of seven different species of ferns growing here, including a fern tree.
The study took two years and was financed by the Prins Bernhard Fund, and illustrates the vegetation history of Aruba. According to the results, Aruba’s vegetation was able to flourish without human intervention until some 6,500 years ago. That is when the study first showed human presence near the Spanish Lagoon and at other sites. That was also when the first fruit plant was introduced to the Aruba. However, the impact of humans was minimal.
Some 1,000 years ago, the island was lush, with enough rain to support a growing population. But things changed upon the arrival of Europeans, first the Spaniards, then the Dutch. With lack of minerals, the only valuable resource on the island was wood of the trees. A drastic deforestation took place on Aruba and according to biologist Nooren, this had an impact on the soil and eventually on the rainfall. The erosion of soil made it difficult for the vegetation to restore quickly. Even though no similar studies were conducted in the region, it can be assumed that similar activities took place in the nearby islands and the northern coast of South America, and thus also impacted the weather pattern.
Regeneration was also hampered by the aloe industry that took root in particularly the 19th century. Most of the fields were cleared for aloe plantations and thus, trees did not have the opportunity to regenerate.
But the news is not all bad. Nooren showed pictures of the area surrounding the Spanish Lagoon of some 100 years ago. The hills were relatively barren without tall growth. Nowadays, comparative photos show that the mangroves in the lagoon itself are more abundant, while the area, including the Frenchmen’s Pass has large, overgrown trees. Nooren attributes this to the diminished importance of aloe for the island’s economy and thus open fields were able to regenerate. The vegetation consists now of secondary, fast growing plants and trees, particularly the thorny acacia tree, Hubada.
Kees Nooren believes this is a good thing, as these ‘scavengers’ will help contribute to soil generation which eventually will enable local plants, who are under the threat of extinction, to regenerate. In fact, Nooren points out the existence of young saplings, indicating the success of the survival of some of the endemic trees.
The national park considers the study of high importance in light of its reforestation project. The results of the study make it clear what directions to take, and how the process should take place to ensure success. Arikok National Park spokesperson Jimmy Mijer says there are also plans to re- introduce the Aruba parrot in the wild, but before that happens, “we have to make sure the animal will be able to find its food in the wild.” And the reforestation project will contribute to that.
The next step is to safeguard Spanish Lagoon. The wetland area is of utmost value for the ecosystem on Aruba and has yet to enjoy legal protection here, even though it resorts under the Ramsar Wetland Treaty. The intention is for the Spanish Lagoon to resort under management of Parke Nacional Arikok.
For more information about Arikok National Park click here.
Mangrove plants
