Discovery of a living coral reef in the coastal waters of Iraq

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

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Keanekaragaman dan Biomassa Ikan Karang serta Keterkaitannya dengan Tutupan Karang Hidup di Perairan Manggis, Kabupaten Karangasem, Bali

Journal of Marine and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.24843/jmas.2019.v05.i02.p02 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 164

Author(s):

I Made Raditya Putra ◽

I Gusti Ngurah Putra Dirgayusa ◽

Elok Faiqoh

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Live Coral ◽

Strong Positive Correlation ◽

Living Coral ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Live Coral Cover

The existence of coral reef fish is closely related to the availability of coral reef resource as a habitat. Coral reef fish is a biota that has a fascination with a variety of color patterns and fascinating. Differences in coral cover conditions will affect the abundance of coral reef fish, especially those with strong linkages to living corals. This research was conducted in June - August 2017 by using line intercept transect (LIT) method for coral cover percentage and visual census method for biodiversity and biomass of coral reef fish with 3 research stations in Manggis waters, Karangasem. From the research results, it shows that the diversity index ranged between 2.54 - 2.70 which means the diversity of coral reef fish in the medium category and the stability of the community is in the medium. Furthermore, total biomass of coral reef fish ranged between 186,17 - 1692,08 kg / ha. The results stated that the percentage of live coral cover in Manggis waters ranged from 3.83% to 12.44% which means that live coral cover is categorized as bad. A very strong positive correlation between living coral conditions and coral reef fish biomass was 92.42%. Meanwhile, the relationship between living coral conditions and the diversity of coral reef fish had a strong positive correlation of 65.4%. The diversity of coral reef fish in waters is not only caused by live coral cover; however, it is caused by coral reef ecosystems that are associated in the bottom of the waters.

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Abundance of Herbivorous Fish at Fish Apartment in Tangah Island Coastal Waters of Pariaman City, West Sumatera

Metamorfosa Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.24843/metamorfosa.2019.v06.i01.p15 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 97

Author(s):

Suci Frimanozi ◽

Indra Junaidi Zakaria ◽

Jabang Nurdin

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Coral Reefs ◽

Habitat Quality ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Herbivorous Fish ◽

Coral Recruitment ◽

Visual Census ◽

West Sumatra ◽

And Control ◽

Reef Condition

Herbivorous fish have an influence on habitat quality and a major factor in determining coral reef community. This herbivorous fish used as indicator of monitoring refers to reef resilience since of its ability to retain and restore the coral reef condition after disturbance. The presence of herbivores is important in influencing succession of algae, it can reduce and control algae on coral reefs. It’s causes in the availability of space or substrate for corals to recruit. So the research conducted that aims to know the abundance of herbivorous fish in fish apartment as one indicator of monitoring based on endurance. This study had conducted after six months of fish apartment placed in the coastal waters of Tangah Island, Pariaman City, West Sumatra. Then, the observation had done every month for six months in July 2015 - January 2016 at the location of the fish apartment. Observation abundance of herbivorous fish had done by visual census method at fish apartment location. From the results of observations for six months found 10 species of herbivorous fish with total as many as 289 individuals. Zebrasoma scopas is a species with the most individuals than 97 individu. However, to see the effect of herbivorous fish on coral recruitment in fish apartment needs to do further research. Keywords: abundance, herbivorous fish, fish apartment

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Spatial and Temporal Variation of Scleractinian Coral Recruitment in Balok Coastal Waters and Bidong Island, Malaysia

Malaysian Journal of Applied Sciences ◽

10.37231/myjas.2021.6.1.246 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Fikri Akmal Khodzori ◽

Shahbudin Saad ◽

Husaini Rani

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Temporal Variation ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Scleractinian Coral ◽

Larval Settlement ◽

Artificial Reef ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽

Coral Recruitment ◽

Recruitment Patterns

Understanding coral recruitment is important as increasing of regional decline of coral reef worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal coral recruitment patterns around reef sites in Balok coastal waters and Bidong Island, Malaysia. Recruitment density was determined by quantifying number of coral recruits settled on the terra-cotta tiles and artificial reef settlement plates. In Balok coastal waters, a total of 159 coral recruits were counted with 0.09 ± 0.03 n/m2 mean recruitment density per plate, while in Bidong Island, a total of 319 coral recruits were counted with 0.19 ± 0.02 n/m2 mean recruitment density per plate. Coral recruits were dominated by genus Pocillopora followed by Stylopora and Seriatopora in Bidong. Meanwhile in Balok, genus Platygyra was dominant coral recruits followed by Porites and Fungia. Additionally, minor spawning event was predicted in Balok coastal waters in September due to increase number of Platygyra coral. Recruitment density varied significantly between locations, types of settlement plates and plate’s orientation at both study areas. Current findings highlighted the significant use of artificial reef plates to increase the chances of larval settlement. This research also provides important information in assessing coral resilience towards different environmental conditions between coastal and sheltered reef areas.

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Coral Reefs: Beyond Mortality?

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1100/tsw.2000.6 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 7-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Charles Sheppard

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Soft Coral ◽

Arabian Gulf ◽

Personal Communication ◽

Coral Mortality ◽

Living Coral ◽

Whole Number ◽

Reef Communities ◽

The Indian Ocean ◽

Chagos Archipelago

The scale of the collapse of coral reef communities in 1998 following a warming episode (Wilkinson, 2000) was unprecedented, and took many people by surprise. The Indian Ocean was the worst affected with a coral mortality over 75% in many areas such as the Chagos Archipelago (Sheppard, 1999), Seychelles (Spencer et al., 2000) and Maldives (McClanahan, 2000). Several other locations were affected at least as much, with mortality reaching 100% (to the nearest whole number); this is being compiled by various authors (e.g., CORDIO, in press). For example, in the Arabian Gulf, coral mortality is almost total across many large areas of shallow water (Sheppard, unpublished; D. George and D. John, personal communication). The mortality is patchy of course, depending on currents, location inside or outside lagoons, etc., but it is now possible to swim for over 200 m and see not one remaining living coral or soft coral on some previously rich reefs.

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Review Lecture - Living corals

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.1968.0014 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 169 (1017) ◽

pp. 329-344 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Calcium Carbonate ◽

Coral Reefs ◽

Sea Level ◽

Living Coral ◽

Precise Nature ◽

Functional Aspects

Coral reefs have a dramatic impact owing to their frequent vast extent; above sea level they may form the basis of inhabited islands while below the surface they constitute major hazards to navigation. Perhaps for this reason the precise nature of the animals primarily responsible for their creation tends to be overlooked. Literature on the ‘coral reef problem a matter of primarily geological and geographical concern, is far greater than that on corals themselves. It is as though these animals have become buried under the vast mass of the skeletons they secrete, of the calcium carbonate they extract from the sea to convert into aragonite. Perhaps even the beauty of living coral colonies distracts from consideration of the animal itself. In the hope of in some measure correcting the balance, this lecture is concerned solely with the animal, in particular with the functional aspects of structure together with development and ecology, all viewed from a broadly evolutionary standpoint.

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Coral reef condition in the coastal waters of Kei Besar Island, Southeast Maluku-Indonesia

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/805/1/012002 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 805 (1) ◽

pp. 012002

Author(s):

D Sahetapy ◽

G V Limon ◽

J M S Tetelepta ◽

J A Pattikawa ◽

F Rijoly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Reef Condition

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Coral Reef Coverage Percentage on Binor Paiton-Probolinggo Seashore

Journal of Marine and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.24843/jmas.2016.v2.i01.6-10 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dwi Budi Wiyanto

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Life Form ◽

Good Condition ◽

Construction Materials ◽

Biological Data ◽

The Other ◽

Living Coral ◽

Transect Line ◽

Mortality Index ◽

Future Policy

The coral reef damage in Probolinggo region was expected to be caused by several factors. The first one comes from its society that exploits fishery by using cyanide toxin and bomb. The second one goes to the extraction of coral reef, which is used as decoration or construction materials. The other factor is likely caused by the existence of large industry on the seashore, such as Electric Steam Power Plant (PLTU) Paiton and others alike. Related to the development of coral reef ecosystem, availability of an accurate data is crucially needed to support the manner of future policy, so the research of coral reef coverage percentage needs to be conducted continuously. The aim of this research is to collect biological data of coral reef and to identify coral reef coverage percentage in the effort of constructing coral reef condition basic data on Binor, Paiton, and Probolinggo regency seashore. The method used in this research is Line Intercept Transect (LIT) method. LIT method is a method that used to decide benthic community on coral reef based on percentage growth, and to take note of benthic quantity along transect line. Percentage of living coral coverage in 3 meters depth on this Binor Paiton seashore that may be categorized in a good condition is 57,65%. While the rest are dead coral that is only 1,45%, other life form in 23,2%, and non-life form in 17,7%. A good condition of coral reef is caused by coral reef transplantation on the seashore, so this coral reef is dominated by Acropora Branching. On the other hand, Mortality Index (IM) of coral reef resulted in 24,5%. The result from observation and calculation of coral reef is dominated by Hard Coral in Acropora Branching (ACB) with coral reef coverage percentage of 39%, Coral Massive (CM) with coral reef coverage percentage of 2,85%, Coral Foliose (CF) with coral reef coverage percentage of 1,6%, and Coral Mushroom (CRM) with coral reef coverage percentage of 8,5%. Observation in 10 meters depth resulted in coral reef coverage percentage of 63,33%. 75% of living coral found on this 10 meters depth are dominated by Acropora branching coral, while the rest 25,21% are filled by Acropora tabulate coral and non-Acropora coral in the life form of branching, massive, sub-massive, foliose, and mushroom, where coral Mortality Index (IM) reached 28,5%. The high number of coral reef coverage percentage on Paiton is caused by successful coral transplantation and low activity of society in this location. The domination of large size Acropora branching coral were estimated comes from a few types, showing that coral resulted from transplantation has grown large and form a complex 3 dimension structure that is suitable for the life form of fish and living benthic.

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Some features of marine dynamics caused by damrey typhoon (11/2017) and its impacts on coral reef in Ninh Van waters, Khanh Hoa province

Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ Biển ◽

10.15625/1859-3097/19/4/14691 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 545-555

Author(s):

Bui Hong Long ◽

Tran Van Chung ◽

Phan Minh Thu ◽

Latupov Y.

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Natural Disaster ◽

Hydrodynamic Model ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Severe Damage ◽

The Social ◽

Before And After ◽

The Impact ◽

Typhoon Damrey

Typhoon Damrey (Vietnamese name is Typhoon No.12 in 2017) landed in South Phu Yen - North Khanh Hoa provinces in the morning of 4th Nov 2017 causing severe damage to people, material and serious consequences on the social and economy of the region (especially Khanh Hoa Province). So far, there have been no published papers and reports on the results of analysis of observing and monitoring data, calculations on marine dynamics as well as their impact on some marine ecosystems. Based on the results of coral reef survey in the study area before and after storm as well as hydrodynamic model results, the paper presents some results of data analysis of monitoring water level, calculations of wave field, currents caused by Damrey Typhoon in coastal waters of Khanh Hoa Province. On that basis, there have initial comments on the impact of storm on the coral reef of this region for management, forecasting and mitigation of local natural disaster damage in the future.

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