A review of research in The Blue Holes

A review of research in
The Blue Holes of The Bahamas
Michael P. Pateman
Sr. Assist. Archaeologist
Antiquities, Monuments
and Museums
Corporation
Nassau, The Bahamas

� What is the AMMC?
� Introduction to the Project
� Blue Holes Unveiled
� Understanding Past Climate Change
� Biological Diversity
� Paleontology & Archaeology: From Tortoises
to Lucayans
� Community Based Approach

� Principle Heritage Conservation Agency for
The Bahamas governed by 1998 Act and
1999 Regulations
� Responsible for the Management of Forts,
Pompey Museum, Balcony House, Museums
A review of research in The Blue Holes of The Bahamas
Throughout The Bahamas, etc..
� Three Technical Areas
◦ Museums
◦ Historic Preservation
◦ Archaeology
� www.ammcbahamas.com

Climate: Recover deepest and most complete stalagmite sample record to
date
Biology : Recover mircobial and complex order living samples for genetic
analysis
Paleontology: Recover oldest pre-Columbian and extinct faunal remains
in region
Water Resource Mgmt.: Connect & map world’s most extensive island
cave system
Outreach and Education
99.9% guarantee of significant new discoveries

� One of the Earth’s least explored frontiers, comparable only to the deep sea hydrothermal vents
and the tropical forest canopy ecosystems;
� Stable carbonate platform w/ cave formations ideal for reconstructing past climate;
� Unique animals some known only from a single cave, so destruction or pollution of caves is
likely to result in their extinction;
� Finest quality preservations of human, plant and animal fossils available;
� Reservoir of microbes comparable to those during earth’s early evolution;
� Bahamas as microcosm of global vulnerability of water resources to climate change and human
impacts.
� FUN!!!!!

Florida
Grand Bahama
Cuba
Andros
Abaco
New Providence
The Bahamas
Eleuthera
Exuma
Cat Island
San Salvador
Long Island
Crooked / Acklins

Inland Blue Hole Ocean Blue Hole

Fresh Water Lens
Hydrogen Sulfide
Mixed Water Chemistry
Anoxic Sea Water

� Dean’s Blue Hole is world’s deepest
� Over 600 ft (668)
� However, the cave passages can extend for
miles

S
Dan’s Cave and Ralph’s Chimney East to West Profile
N

PHOTO COURTESY OF
DR. ROBERT DILL
Global Climate Change Study
Dating of speleothems (crystal cave formations)
Recently collected formations
In Dan’s Cave have been dated
At 350,000 years old.
MARINE
LAYERS

Global Climate Change Study
Dating of speleothems (crystal cave formations)
Abaco caves have the oldest speleothems on record
• Lost Reel Blue Hole – 250,000 YBP
• Dan’s cave – Depth 80 feet – 350,000 YBP

African Sahara Desert Dust

Cave Critters
Photo by Wes Skiles

Photo by Dr. Thomas Iliffe
Thermosbeanacean
Remipedia
New class of crustacean found by Jill Yager
in the 1980’s
Photo by Dennis Williams
Lucifuga spelaeotes
(blind Bahamian cave fish)
Deevia Ostrocod
Photo by Brian Kakuk
Photo by Dr. Thomas Iliffe

New Species from Sawmill Sink, Espeleonaushonia sp.
Photo by Brian Kakuk

PHOTO: CURT BOWEN

PHOTO: BRIAN KAKUK

Two Species of Crocodiles Compared
American Crocodile
(Crocodylus acutus, left, bottom)
Cuban Crocodile
(Crocodylus rhombifer, right, top)
Sawmill Sink, Abaco

PHOTOS: NANCY ALBURY

Extinct giant land tortoise
Bahamian hutia (large rodent)
White Ibis & other waterfowl,
including an extinct flightless
rail

Trace Fossils and Paleoecology
Tortoise shells with
crocodile bite marks
Crocodile
coprolites

PHOTO: NANCY ALBURY

Why is the community important?
PHOTO: NANCY ALBURY

“Mermaid’s Blue Hole” - Abaco
PHOTO: TIM CALVER

Community meetings held on each island explain the significance of blue
holes, the history they often reveal, and the interconnectivity of the inland
blue holes and marine blue holes and marine resources.
PHOTO: TIM CALVER

School presentations and field trips engage students in hands-on
learning about the natural history of their islands and the delicate
balance of the freshwater resources and pollution issues.

School presentations and field trips engage students in hands-on
learning about the natural history of their islands and the delicate
balance of the freshwater resources and pollution issues.

For more information on Blue Holes
Research, Exploration and Conservation
www.bahamascaves.com
www. ammcbahamas.com
www.bahamasunderground.com
www.cavebiology.com
www.friendsoftheenvironment.org
National Geographic/Nova Documentary –
Extreme Cave Diving – United States
Diving the Labyrinth - International
On PBS – Feb 2010
National Geographic Magazine – Cover Story

RESEARCH TEAM
DR. KEITH L. TINKER, Director, The National Museum of the Bahamas / The AMMC
NANCY ALBURY, Project Coordinator and Diving, The National Museum of the Bahamas / The AMMC
MICHAEL PATEMAN, Anthropologist, The National Museum of the Bahamas / The AMMC
BRIAN KAKUK, Underwater Operations Coordinator, The National Museum of the Bahamas / The AMMC
KENNETH BROAD, Diving & Cultural Anthropology, RSMAS, University of Miami
DANIEL DRUMMOND, Pilot, Aerial Survey & Reconnaissance
DAVID STEADMAN, Curator of Ornithology, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
RICHARD FRANZ, Herpetology & Paleontology, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
GARY MORGAN, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, The New Mexico Museum of Natural History
PETER SWART, Marine Geology and Geophysics, RSMAS, University of Miami
THOMAS ILIFFE, Hydrology & Marine Biology, Texas A & M University at Galveston
JENNIFER MACALADY, Microbiology & Geochemistry, Penn State University
JANET FRANKLIN, Terrestrial plant ecology & Biogeography, Arizona State University
TERRY LOTT, Paleobotany, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
DAVID JARZEN, Palynology, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
RICHARD HULBERT, Collections Manager, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
ROGER PORTELL, Invertebrate Paleontology, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
DOUGLAS JONES, Director, The Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida
JOHN MYLROIE, Geology, Mississippi State University
WES SKILES, Photography & Diving, Karst Productions

RESEARCH FUNDING, SUPPORT, PERMISSION & FIELD ASSISTANCE
FOR THE BAHAMAS BLUE HOLES AND BIODIVERSITY STUDY WERE PROVIDED BY:
The Antiquities, Monuments, and Museums Corporation (AMMC)
The National Museum of the Bahamas
National Geographic Society
PBS
Friends of the Environment
Bahamas National Trust
Departments of Agriculture and Marine Resources
Bahamas Water and Sewerage Corporation
Bahamas Department of Environmental Health Services
Local Government, Central & South Abaco
Florida Museum of Natural History
National Geographic Society
New Mexico Museum of Natural History
The Wildlife Conservation Society
John D. and Catherine C. MacArthur Foundation
Mississippi State University
University of Miami
AirGate Aviation
Karst Productions
Trend Aviation
James York
Advanced Diver Magazine
Contributions from Team Members

Future questions mpateman@ammcbahamas.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!