On the Benefits of Using Both Dual Frequency Side Scan Sonar and Optical Signatures for the Discrimination of Coral Reef Benthic Communities

Abstract. Ocean acidification (OA) poses a severe threat to tropical coral reefs, yet much of what is know about these effects comes from individual corals and algae incubated in isolation under high pCO2. Studies of similar effects on coral reef communities are scarce. To investigate the response of coral reef communities to OA, we used large outdoor flumes in which communities composed of calcified algae, corals, and sediment were combined to match the percentage cover of benthic communities in the shallow back reef of Moorea, French Polynesia. Reef communities in the flumes were exposed to ambient (~ 400 μatm) and high pCO2 (~ 1300 μatm) for 8 weeks, and calcification rates measured for the constructed communities including the sediments. Community calcification was reduced by 59% under high pCO2, with sediment dissolution explaining ~ 50% of this decrease; net calcification of corals and calcified algae remained positive but was reduced by 29% under elevated pCO2. These results show that, despite the capacity of coral reef calcifiers to maintain positive net accretion of calcium carbonate under OA conditions, reef communities might transition to net dissolution as pCO2 increases, particularly at night, due to enhanced sediment dissolution.

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Relationship Between Species Composition of Butterflyfishes and Coral Cover (Study case: Taka Bonerate National Park)

ILMU KELAUTAN Indonesian Journal of Marine Sciences ◽

10.14710/ik.ijms.25.3.121-126 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 121-126

Author(s):

Ana Faricha ◽

Isa N. Edrus ◽

Sasanti R. Suharti ◽

Rizkie S. Utama ◽

Agus Budiyanto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Species Composition ◽

National Park ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Benthic Communities ◽

Reef Environment ◽

Dietary Specialization ◽

Coral Coverage ◽

Specific Species

The coral reef environment has a strong influence on associated organisms such as fishes, mollusks, and others. Wherein, the butterflyfishes are marine fishes which closely associated with the tropic group as dietary specialization i.e. obligate coral feeder, facultative, and generalist. The obligate may respond only to change in preferred corals and not indicate others. However, generalist show in different response in habitat deteriorates and may allow switching feeding to a less preferred one. Many questions remain about food specific at the species level which may potentially as bio-indicator for coral conditions. Here, we studied the species composition among coral coverage. We explore the environmental degradation in Taka Bonerate National Park impact on food resources and fishes especially for butterflyfishes community. This study focused on family Chaetodontidae with UVC method and UPT method for coral cover. This study was carried out at Taka Bonerate National Park, South Sulawesi between May and June 2019. There were 342 individuals observed and dominated by Chaetodon kleinii, Hemitaurichthys polylepis, Heniochus chrysostomus, C. lunulatus, C. melannotus, C punctatofasciatus, and Forcipiger flavissimus. However, we found a site with diversity index and coral cover has across conditions. Whilst, these benthic communities mostly dominated by Acropora, which may be preferenced by specific species. Butterflyfishes have several types of foraging tasks and may impact in utilizing the coral reef and other social habitats used. The species composition and abundance of butterflyfishes had relations not only by coral coverage but also benthic compositions. However, factors that regulate its specific species distribution and species compositions are still under study.

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Sponge community (Porifera) in coral reef ecosystem in Sabang, Aceh Province, Indonesia

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d220647 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

Author(s):

Elsa Dianita Aulia ◽

Tri Aryono Hadi ◽

Rizkie Satria Utama

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Benthic Communities ◽

Stable State ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Coral Reef Ecosystem ◽

Significant Relationships ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Aceh Province ◽

Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽

Reef Ecosystem

Abstract. Aulia ED, Hadi TA, Utama RS. 2021. Sponge community (Porifera) in coral reef ecosystem in Sabang, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 3394-3402. Sponges are one of the most influential benthic organisms in coral reef ecosystems. Many studies about sponge communities have been carried out globally, from tropical to temperate regions. In Indonesia, however, sponge communities have not been adequately observed, especially their diversity and interaction with habitats. Sabang, a developing city located in the northwest of Indonesia, has a lack of information about benthic communities and no reports about sponges. This study investigated the sponge community (species richness, coverage, and morphological characters) and the interactions, both within sponges and with corals and substrates, in Sabang. The study found that the sponge richness (species and morphology) and coverage are categorized as poor, having only 24 species with seven morphologies, and coverage of 1.79 ± 1.03% (SE). The interaction analyses showed significant relationships occur among sponge variables but not between sponges and corals, nor between sponges and their substrates. These results could be attributed to the hydrodynamic-related stresses in Sabang, which are likely influenced by exposure to the open ocean, a condition that is less favorable to diversity and interaction. It is necessary to regularly monitor the condition of benthic communities in Sabang in order to better understand their stable state and detect any change over time.

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Peer Review #2 of "Spatial variation in coral reef fish and benthic communities in the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea (v0.2)"

10.7287/peerj.3410v0.2/reviews/2 ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Spatial Variation ◽

Peer Review ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Red Sea ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Benthic Communities ◽

Saudi Arabian

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Four-year monthly sediment deposition on turbid southwestern Atlantic coral reefs, with a comparison of benthic assemblages

Brazilian Journal of Oceanography ◽

10.1590/s1679-87592012000100006 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 49-63 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Clovis Barreira e Castro ◽

Bárbara Segal ◽

Fábio Negrão ◽

Emiliano Nicolas Calderon

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Coral Reefs ◽

Benthic Communities ◽

Sediment Deposition ◽

Southwestern Atlantic ◽

Benthic Assemblages ◽

Deposition Rates ◽

Reef Communities ◽

High Sedimentation ◽

Coral Reef Communities

High sedimentation is often related to stress in coral reef communities. Most southwestern Atlantic reefs are characterized by high sedimentation. However, there are no temporal series of sediment deposition rates. We evaluated sediment deposition, the sediment carbonate composition and coral and zoanthid covers on six reefs in Brazil over four-years. Sediment deposition rates varied from near zero to 233 mg cm-2 day-1, with peaks between August and December, and yearly averages ranging from nine to 104 mg cm-2 day-1. Deposition rates presented site-specific correlations with wind, indicating that resuspension must be a major factor. The presence of carbonates varied from 38% to 90%, with two sites showing seasonal differences. Benthic communities were fairly similar among sites, but the analyses suggested particular frequencies at each site. There was no significant correlation between sediment and benthic communities. However, Palythoa caribaeorum usually occur in high sediment deposition areas. Our results did not corroborate previous data that suggested that a 10 mg cm-2 day-1 would be a "critical limit for coral survival". Some coral reefs may be associated with high sedimentation environments including carbonatic fractions, but which does not per se hinder the development of southwestern Atlantic coral reef communities.

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