Mangrove Creek Egrets
(Bahamas AI Image - ©A. Derek Catalano)
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Showing posts with label Flora. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flora. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Coccoloba uvifera: The Ecology, Culture, and Legacy of the Bahamian Seagrape
Seagrape Tree
©A. Derek Catalano
Coccoloba uvifera: The Ecology, Culture, and Legacy of the Bahamian Seagrape
The Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera) stands as one of the most defining botanical icons of the Bahamian coastal landscape. A resilient, evergreen member of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), this coastal woody plant thrives along sandy shorelines, limestone bluffs, and coastal coppice communities across the archipelago. Its striking visual features—leathery round leaves, vibrant red venation, and dense clusters of grape-like fruit—make it instantly recognizable, while its ecological and cultural value renders it indispensable to island life.
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Guardians of the Archipelago: The Mangrove Forests of The Bahamas
Mangrove Creek with White Egrets and Fish
Guardians of the Archipelago: The Mangrove Forests of The Bahamas
At the interface of terrestrial stability and oceanic fluid dynamic lies one of the planet's most resilient yet fragile ecosystems: the mangrove forest. Known colloquially as the "blue forests," these halophytic (salt-tolerant) trees occupy the intertidal zones of tropical and subtropical coastlines across the globe.
Nowhere is the dynamic relationship between land, sea, and community more pronounced than in The Bahamas. Comprising an archipelago of over 700 islands, cays, and islets spread across nearly 100,000 square miles of ocean, the Bahamian landscape is defined by low-lying limestone platforms and ultra-shallow marine waters. Within this fragile geographic framework, over 600,000 acres of mangroves form a biological shield. They serve as vital nurseries for the nation's marine life, a primary barrier against cataclysmic storm surges, and a key frontier in the global effort toward carbon sequestration.
Monday, September 7, 2026
Yellow Sapote or Eggfruit
From a tree at least 30 years old. A peculiar tropic fruit that some people like and some don't. It doesn't seem to have the fondness or appeal to most people I've met, like we have for many other native fruit. It's a strange, powdery texture with a banana, orange taste. I think you can eat the skin too but I just eat the inside.
Derek
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Monday, August 31, 2026
Saturday, August 29, 2026
Plaza Bougainvillea
At Harbour Bay Plaza, Nassau, Bahamas
Plaza Bougainvillea
©A. Derek Catalano
Download full size: 2809x2541
Saturday, August 15, 2026
Monday, August 10, 2026
Sunday, August 9, 2026
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Thursday, July 23, 2026
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Sunday, July 19, 2026
The Silent Blaze: Wildfires in The Bahamas
Bahamas Wildfire
The Silent Blaze: Wildfires in The Bahamas
Introduction
When the global public visualizes The Bahamas, the prevailing imagery is one of pristine turquoise waters, low-lying coral islands, and luxury tourism. Rarely do images of towering smoke columns or charred forest floors enter the collective consciousness. Yet, behind the coastal postcard lies a complex terrestrial reality: The Bahamas is home to vast, fire-dependent forest ecosystems that are increasingly caught in a volatile tug-of-war between natural evolutionary processes and human-induced climate pressures. In recent years, most notably during intense dry-season heatwaves, the phrase "The Bahamas is burning" shifted from a metaphorical warning to a literal crisis. Understanding the dynamics, impacts, and management of wildfires in this archipelagic nation is critical to safeguarding both its rich biodiversity and its human populations.
Friday, July 17, 2026
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Old Paintings
Two old acrylic paintings I did in 1994.
"Coconut Lizard" - ©A. Derek Catalano
Download full size: 2066x2041
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
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