Drivers of Soft and Stony Coral Community Distribution on the High-Latitude Coral Reefs of South Africa

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Schleyer ◽  
Sean N. Porter
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
High Latitude ◽  
Coral Community ◽  
Stony Coral

Coral dominance at the reef - sediment interface in marginal coral communities at Sodwana Bay, South Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 967 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Schleyer ◽  
L. Celliers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
High Latitude ◽  
Slow Growth ◽  
Coral Community ◽  
Reef Complex ◽  
Tolerant Species ◽  
Coral Communities ◽  
Disturbed Environment ◽  
Sediment Interface

Sedimentation is an important factor that influences the composition of coral communities. The high-latitude, marginal coral community in the central reef complex at Sodwana Bay, South Africa, is subjected to sedimentation at the reef–sediment interface. A lens of bioclastic sediment surrounds the sandstone reefs in the area and acts as a scouring and smothering agent. This affects the composition of the subcommunity on the reef margin at the reef–sediment interface. The interface was studied on two reefs in the complex and their subcommunities did not differ. Alcyoniidae and Scleractinia (34.4% and 34.4% cover, respectively) are the dominant taxa in the reef–sediment subcommunity, which includes genera such as Sinularia, Lobophytum, Sarcophyton, Montipora, Favia and Astreopora (in decreasing order of abundance). Sediment-tolerant species are prevalent, the Alcyoniidae being the most prominent and tolerant by virtue of their morphology. Corals in this environment are generally flat and fairly rigid colonies of Lobophytum and Sinularia spp. (14% and 10% cover, respectively), some with lobes to channel the movement of surge-driven sediment, or are erect, soft and pliable forms such as Sarcophyton spp. (10% cover) that easily shed sediment. Their dominance in this constantly disturbed environment may also be attributable to the low mortality, slow growth and overall persistence of the Alcyoniidae described in the literature.

scholarly journals Environmental Variation and How its Spatial Structure Influences the Cross-Shelf Distribution of High-Latitude Coral Communities in South Africa

Diversity ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean N. Porter ◽  
Michael H. Schleyer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
High Latitude ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Shelf Edge ◽  
Spatial Differences ◽  
Coral Communities

Coral communities display spatial patterns. These patterns can manifest along a coastline as well as across the continental shelf due to ecological interactions and environmental gradients. Several abiotic surrogates for environmental variables are hypothesised to structure high-latitude coral communities in South Africa along and across its narrow shelf and were investigated using a correlative approach that considered spatial autocorrelation. Surveys of sessile communities were conducted on 17 reefs and related to depth, distance to high tide, distance to the continental shelf edge and to submarine canyons. All four environmental variables were found to correlate significantly with community composition, even after the effects of space were removed. The environmental variables accounted for 13% of the variation in communities; 77% of this variation was spatially structured. Spatially structured environmental variation unrelated to the environmental variables accounted for 39% of the community variation. The Northern Reef Complex appears to be less affected by oceanic factors and may undergo less temperature variability than the Central and Southern Complexes; the first is mentioned because it had the lowest canyon effect and was furthest from the continental shelf, whilst the latter complexes had the highest canyon effects and were closest to the shelf edge. These characteristics may be responsible for the spatial differences in the coral communities.

scholarly journals STATUS TERUMBU KARANG DI PERAIRAN PESISIR NEGERI HUKURILA

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-45
Author(s):  
Dicky Sahetapy ◽  
Laura Siahainenia ◽  
Debby A J Selanno ◽  
Johannes M S Tetelepta ◽  
Novianty C Tuhumury
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
Similarity Index ◽  
Ecological Index ◽  
Stony Coral ◽  
The Status ◽  
Coral Communities ◽  
Line Intercept

Coral reef is one of the important coastal ecosystems that have high biodiversity. This study aims to analyze the composition of the taxa and the distribution of coral species, the ecological index of coral communities and the status of coral reefs. The research was conducted from April-May 2019 in the coastal waters of Hukurila Village, South Leitimur District, Ambon City. Collecting coral data by using the Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method. Determination of coral reef condition based on percent data (value) of coral reef cover. During the study, 116 species of stony coral from 49 genera and 16 families were found, which 50 species of them are protected and 23 species of ornamental coral. The similarity index of stony coral species between coral reef locations ranges from 0.52-0.76 or there is the similarity of stony coral species between locations coral reef in the amount of 52-76%. The coral reefs of Hukurila Village have high diversity of coral species, with a low dominance of coral species in the community, and the compatibility of coral species in the community is classified as stable. Acropora corals contributed a low covering percent value (9.98%), while Non-Acropora corals contributed a relatively high percent of covering value (43.56%). The status of coral reefs between locations in the coastal waters of Hukurila Village is in the criteria of good (healthy).   ABSTRAK Terumbu karang merupakan salah satu ekosistem pesisir penting yang emiliki kenanekaragaman hayati tinggi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis komposisi taksa dan sebaran spesies karang, indeks ekologi kominitas karang dan status terumbu karang. Penelitian dilakukan dari April-Mei 2019 di perairan pesisir Negeri Hukurila Kecamatan Leitimur Selatan Kota Ambon. Pengumpulan data karang menggunakan metode Line Intercept Transect (LIT). Penentuan kondisi terumbu karang berdasarkan data (nilai) persen penutupan karang batu. Selama penelitian ditemukan 116 spesies karang batu dari 49 genera dan 16 famili, dimana 50 spesies diantaranya dilindungi dan 23 spesies karang hias. Indeks similaritas spesies karang batu antar stasiun terumbu karang berkisar antara 0,52-0,76 atau terdapat kesamaan spesies karang batu antar lokasi terumbu karang sebesar 52-76%. Terumbu karang Negeri Hukurila memiliki diversitas spesies karang tinggi, dengan dominansi spesies karang rendah dalam komunitas, dan keserasian spesies karang dalam komunitas tergolong stabil. Karang Acropora memberi kontribusi nilai persen penutupan rendah (9,98%), sementara karang Non-Acropora memberi kontribusi nilai persen penutupan karang batu relatif tinggi (43,56%). Status terumbu karang antar stasiun terumbu perairan pesisir Negeri Hukurila berada dalam kriteria baik (sehat).   Kata kunci: terumbu, karang batu, keragaman spesies, kesamaan, persen penutupan

scholarly journals Nocturnal Predation of Christmas Tree Worms by a Batwing Coral Crab at Bonaire (Southern Caribbean)

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Ellen Muller ◽  
Werner de Gier ◽  
Harry A. ten Hove ◽  
Godfried W. N. M. van Moorsel ◽  
Bert W. Hoeksema
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Coral Species ◽  
Christmas Tree ◽  
Stony Coral ◽  
Southern Caribbean

Christmas tree worms (Serpulidae: Spirobranchus) occur in shallow parts of coral reefs, where they live as associates of a large number of stony coral species [...]

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