Quantifying the reefscape transformation of a coastal Caribbean coral reef during a phase shift and the associated coastal landscape change

Caribbean coral reefs are under strong natural and human pressures and many have undergone phase shifts as a result of local and global change. However few studies have quantified the extent of these phase shifts and the potential impacts that they have on coral reef communities. A temporal comparative analysis of several coral reefscape and landscape metrics was conducted for data from Mahahual, Quintana Roo, Mexico, between the years 2000 and 2006, when a phase shift occurred. Landscape metrics were calculated from coral reef and coastal cover maps obtained by multispectral satellite image classification using IKONOS satellite imagery. These metrics showed that the coastal landscape and reefscape of Mahahual lost 85 ha of vegetation cover and 43 ha of coral cover over 6 years, respectively. Coastal landscape transformation was induced by the construction of a cruise ship pier and multiple associated tourist developments along the coast, such as hotels and restaurants, meanwhile alteration of the reefscape may be associated with potential stressors such as coastal development, bleaching events and hurricanes.     

中国珊瑚礁资源状况及其药用研究调查 Ⅱ.资源衰退状况、保护与管理

对中国珊瑚礁资源衰退状况和原因进行了调查和分析.结果表明,中国南海珊瑚礁资源衰退状况严重,珊瑚礁破坏率高达 90%以上,其中,占全国珊瑚礁总面积98%的海南,80%～95%的珊瑚礁受到破坏.除自然因素外,对珊瑚礁资源的不当的、过度的开发利用,社会经济发展带来的海洋环境污染等人为因素,是珊瑚礁资源衰退的主要原因.建立南中国海珊瑚礁生态系统保护与管理国际合作机制,正确评估珊瑚礁的生态功能与价值,建立珊瑚礁自然保护区及监测网络系统,是中国珊瑚礁资源保护性开发利用的可行对策.     

霞浦核电基地海洋生物放射性本底水平及辐射剂量评价

为掌握霞浦核电基地海洋生物的放射性本底水平,在其周边50 km范围内采集5类9种海洋生物样品,测量其中的天然放射性核素²³⁸U、²³²Th、²²⁶Ra、⁴⁰K,以及人工放射性核素¹³⁷Cs、¹³⁴Cs、⁹⁰Sr、⁵⁸Co、⁶⁰Co、⁵⁴Mn、^110mAg、⁶⁵Zn的活度浓度并进行辐射剂量评价。结果显示,所有样品中¹³⁴Cs、⁵⁸Co、⁶⁰Co、⁵⁴Mn、^110mAg、⁶⁵Zn的活度浓度均低于最小可探测活度浓度,²³⁸U、²³²Th、²²⁶Ra、⁴⁰K、¹³⁷Cs和⁹⁰...     

长棘海星的暴发及其防治

为有效控制长棘海星暴发,保护珊瑚礁生态系统,文章概述长棘海星的生物特征以及暴发周期、破坏程度和暴发原因,同时基于对我国西沙群岛海域的相关调查和分析,提出防治措施。研究结果表明:长棘海星的主要食物为造礁石珊瑚,具有个体大、数量多和生长快等特点,其暴发严重破坏珊瑚礁生态系统;我国西沙群岛盘石屿海域存在长棘海星暴发的迹象,主要原因包括台风过境、全球变暖和天敌减少等;可综合采取投放天敌、人工清理以及跟踪监测和预警等措施,加强对长棘海星的防治。     

全球变化背景下暖水珊瑚礁生态系统的适应性与修复研究

暖水珊瑚礁生态系统是热带海域最具生物多样性和代表性的生态系统之一。本研究分析了全球变化背景下暖水珊瑚礁生态系统的变化和风险,开展了受损暖水珊瑚礁生态系统退化和消失的致灾因子归因分析,综述了暖水珊瑚礁生态系统的适应性与修复技术研究。分析表明:①过去几十年来,暖水珊瑚礁生态系统快速退化,包括大面积白化和死亡、多样性明显减少和生态功能显著衰退,主要归因于海洋升温与人类活动等致灾因子的影响;②在温室气体高排放浓度情景下(RCP 8.5),相比工业革命前,到本世纪中叶,南海升温将可能远超过2℃,这表明南海暖水珊瑚礁生态系统正在逼近其气候临界点,即全球升温高于2℃时,90%~99%以上的暖水珊瑚将消失;③1980年代以来,海洋升温、海洋热浪和强热带气旋等海洋气候变化致灾因子对南海暖水珊瑚的危害性(影响的强度、范围和时间)明显增加,对暖水珊瑚礁生态系统产生了严重的影响;与此同时,近岸海域的过度或破坏性捕捞、采挖和潜水等人类活动,对暖水珊瑚造成了严重损害,增加了暖水珊瑚的气候脆弱性,而这种人类活动既是局部的,也是全球性的现象,使得暖水珊瑚更难以适应全球变暖的影响。分析还表明,为了增强暖水珊瑚适应气候与环境变化的恢复力(韧性),人们开展了诸多受损珊瑚礁生态系统的适应性与修复研究,但主要是采用无性繁殖或结合人工基质的修复方式,而应用有性繁殖技术恢复受损珊瑚礁的方式仍较少;最近,暖水珊瑚耐热的基因适应性研究取得了重要进展,为暖水珊瑚适应全球变暖提供了一种新的途径。本研究最后探讨了中国受损珊瑚礁生态系统的修复问题与对策。     

Climate change and coral reef bleaching: An ecological assessment of long-term impacts,recovery trends and future outlook

Since the early 1980s, episodes of coral reef bleaching and mortality, due primarily to climate-induced ocean warming, have occurred almost annually in one or more of the world's tropical or subtropical seas. Bleaching is episodic, with the most severe events typically accompanying coupled ocean–atmosphere phenomena, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which result in sustained regional elevations of ocean temperature. Using this extended dataset (25+ years), we review the short- and long-term ecological impacts of coral bleaching on reef ecosystems, and quantitatively synthesize recovery data worldwide. Bleaching episodes have resulted in catastrophic loss of coral cover in some locations, and have changed coral community structure in many others, with a potentially critical influence on the maintenance of biodiversity in the marine tropics. Bleaching has also set the stage for other declines in reef health, such as increases in coral diseases, the breakdown of reef framework by bioeroders, and the loss of critical habitat for associated reef fishes and other biota. Secondary ecological effects, such as the concentration of predators on remnant surviving coral populations, have also accelerated the pace of decline in some areas. Although bleaching severity and recovery have been variable across all spatial scales, some reefs have experienced relatively rapid recovery from severe bleaching impacts. There has been a significant overall recovery of coral cover in the Indian Ocean, where many reefs were devastated by a single large bleaching event in 1998. In contrast, coral cover on western Atlantic reefs has generally continued to decline in response to multiple smaller bleaching events and a diverse set of chronic secondary stressors. No clear trends are apparent in the eastern Pacific, the central-southern-western Pacific or the Arabian Gulf, where some reefs are recovering and others are not. The majority of survivors and new recruits on regenerating and recovering coral reefs have originated from broadcast spawning taxa with a potential for asexual growth, relatively long distance dispersal, successful settlement, rapid growth and a capacity for framework construction. Whether or not affected reefs can continue to function as before will depend on: (1) how much coral cover is lost, and which species are locally extirpated; (2) the ability of remnant and recovering coral communities to adapt or acclimatize to higher temperatures and other climatic factors such as reductions in aragonite saturation state; (3) the changing balance between reef accumulation and bioerosion; and (4) our ability to maintain ecosystem resilience by restoring healthy levels of herbivory, macroalgal cover, and coral recruitment. Bleaching disturbances are likely to become a chronic stress in many reef areas in the coming decades, and coral communities, if they cannot recover quickly enough, are likely to be reduced to their most hardy or adaptable constituents. Some degraded reefs may already be approaching this ecological asymptote, although to date there have not been any global extinctions of individual coral species as a result of bleaching events. Since human populations inhabiting tropical coastal areas derive great value from coral reefs, the degradation of these ecosystems as a result of coral bleaching and its associated impacts is of considerable societal, as well as biological concern. Coral reef conservation strategies now recognize climate change as a principal threat, and are engaged in efforts to allocate conservation activity according to geographic-, taxonomic-, and habitat-specific priorities to maximize coral reef survival. Efforts to forecast and monitor bleaching, involving both remote sensed observations and coupled ocean–atmosphere climate models, are also underway. In addition to these efforts, attempts to minimize and mitigate bleaching impacts on reefs are immediately required. If significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved within the next two to three decades, maximizing coral survivorship during this time may be critical to ensuring healthy reefs can recover in the long term.     

我国热带生物海岸的现状及生态系统的修复与重建

评述了以红树林和珊瑚礁为代表的我国热带生物海岸的分布及其面积、生物群落的破坏、海岸保护与管理、科学研究等各个方面的现状，以及生态系统修复与重建技术研究进展，指出热带生物海岸及其上的红树林、珊瑚礁热带海岸生态系统具有特殊的资源价值和生态效益，对热带海岸社会经济可持续发展的十分重要；另一方面对日益频繁的人类开发活动和自然环境变异十分敏感和脆弱，而且其直接经济价值相对较低而通常易于被忽视，随着我国自然环境变异十分敏感和脆弱，而且其直接经济价值相对较低而通常易于被忽视，随着我国社会经济近20年来的快速发展，导致热带海岸地区人口、资源、环境压力加剧，热带生物海岸红树林和珊瑚礁资源已经受到生态破坏性开发活动的极大破坏而急需保护。尽管政府采取了保护管理的各种措施，包括相关法律、自然保护区、科学研究、生态系统修复与重建的实验、研究和推广，但是总体上衰退的趋势尚未扭转，热带生物海岸在我国河口海岸生态环境变异和资源可持续利用研究中具有特别重要要的意义，应该加强我国热带生物海岸的调查、监测、评估、研究，以适应热带生物海岸和相关生态系统的保护、管理、恢复、重建和可持续发展的紧迫要求。     

海南临高海岸带典型生态环境问题与对策研究

为改善临高县海岸带生态环境、提升海岸带生态价值及保障海岸带生态安全,文章在实地考察、文献查阅和资料梳理的基础上,概述了当前临高县海岸带面临的典型生态环境问题,分析生态环境退化的主要原因,提出了海岸带保护修复的对策建议。研究结果表明：临高海岸带地区砂质海岸、红树林、珊瑚礁和白蝶贝等面临较严重的海岸侵蚀、生态环境退化和生物资源枯竭等问题;砂质海岸侵蚀主要受海平面上升、风暴潮等自然因素影响,红树林生态系统主要受围海养殖、环境污染影响,珊瑚礁、白蝶贝等海洋生态系统则主要受渔业捕捞、水体污染等人为活动影响;基于海岸生态退化现状及原因分析,提出文澜河口、抱吴港等岸段开展沙滩喂养及生态堤建设,新盈湾、黄龙湾、金牌湾等重点区实施红树林修复,珊瑚礁、白蝶贝保育区加强自然封育、严防人工干扰等建议措施。     

基于Ecopath模型的七连屿礁栖性生物的生态承载力分析

生态承载力评估是开展生物资源增殖放流, 维持珊瑚礁生态系统健康的基础和前提。本文基于2019年渔业资源和生态环境的综合调查数据, 构建了七连屿珊瑚礁海域生态系统的生态通道(Ecopath)模型, 分析和探讨了相关功能组增殖放流的生态承载力。结果显示, 七连屿珊瑚礁海域生态系统各功能群营养级范围为1.00~3.81; 生态系统的总能量转化效率为13.45%; 生态系统以牧食食物链占据主导地位, 直接来源于初级生产者的能流占比为57%。系统总初级生产量/总呼吸量为2.54; 总初级生产量/总生物量为19.07; 系统连接指数和系统杂食性指数分别为0.36和0.22, 表明当前七连屿珊瑚礁海域生态系统的成熟度和稳定性偏低, 系统对于外界的干扰抵抗能力较弱。在未改变七连屿珊瑚礁生态系统结构和功能的前提下, 各功能组中珊瑚、双壳类和植食性鱼类的生态承载力分别为25.09~53.77t•km^-2、2.55~39.95t•km^-2和4.89~17.94t•km^-2, 因此仍具有较大的增殖空间。珊瑚礁鱼类群落的最大生态承载力同珊瑚礁无脊椎动物群落的增殖密切相关, 在未来的珊瑚礁渔业管理中应从生态系统整体结构的角度综合考虑增殖放流的方法设计。     

Physical habitat and social conditions across a coral reef shape spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation in a demersal fish

As coral reef ecosystems decline in health worldwide, reef‐associated fishes are being impacted by changes to their coral reef habitats. While previous studies have shown coral reef structure to affect the demography of reef fishes, changes in reef conditions may also impact the behavior of reef fishes as they cope with altered habitats. In this study, we examined spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation in the bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus) across the fringing reefs of Curaçao (Caribbean Sea), and explored how this behavioral variation associated with physical and social conditions on the reef. Principal components analysis (PCA) condensed physical parameters of the reef into principal component 1 (PC1), comprising depth, coral cover (%), rugosity, and average hole size (cm²), and principal component 2 (PC2), which represented the number of holes. PC1, but not PC2, increased spatially across the reef as the habitat transitioned from coral rubble in the shallows to live coral on the reef slope. This transition in reef structure was paralleled by changes in social conditions including decreases in bicolor damselfish density in habitats with higher PC1 values. The behavior of bicolor damselfish also varied spatially with greater aggression and more frequent shelter use in habitats with lower PC1 values. Path analysis revealed robust associations between this behavioral variation and physical habitat conditions of the reef, indicating that physical – rather than social – habitat variation is the primary determinant of these spatial patterns of intraspecific behavioral variation. Taken as a whole, this coupling between physical reef structure and behavior suggests that reef fish may show altered behaviors on coral reefs degraded by anthropogenic impacts.     

Dynamic simulation of tropical coral reef ecosystem being disturbed by multiple situations

In consideration of the rapid degradation of coral reef ecosystems, the establishment of models is helpful to comprehend the degradation mechanism of coral reef ecosystems and predict the development process of coral reef communities. According to the characteristics of complex ecosystem of tropical coral reefs in China, the coral reef functional group is the core level variable; combined with the multiple feedback effects of coral reef functional groups and environmental changes, the study presents a coral reef ecosystem dynamics model with hermatypic corals as the core. Based on the simulation of the assumed initial value and the internal feedback of the system, the results show that in the basic simulation(relative health conditions), the coverage area of live corals and coral reefs generally decreased first and then increased, and increased by 4.67% and 6.38% between2010 and 2050, respectively. Based on the calibration model and the current situation of the studied area, the multi-factor disturbance effects of coral reef communities were simulated and explored by setting up three scenarios involving fishing policy, terrestrial deposition, and inorganic nitrogen emissions. Among them, in the single factor disturbance, the fishing policy exerts the most direct impact on the community decline; and the succession phenomenon is obvious; the terrestrial sedimentation has a faster and more integrated effect on the community decline; the effect of inorganic nitrogen emission on the community decline is relatively slow. In the double/multi-factor disturbance, the superimposed disturbance will aggravate the multi-source feedback effect of the coral reef communities development, accelerate the community decay rate, and make its development trajectory more complicated and diverse. This method provides a scientific and feasible method for simulating the damage of long-term coral reef community and exploring the development law and adaptive management of coral reef ecosystems. In the future, it can be further studied in the ecological restoration process and decisionmaking direction of coral reefs.     

Exploring social-ecological dynamics of a coral reef resource system using participatory modeling and empirical data

Coral reef resource systems are complex adaptive social-ecological systems providing vital and valuable ecosystem services for human societies such as food provision, coastal protection and recreational activities. Their sustainability is questioned in many places around the world as they experience combined effects of multiple chronic anthropogenic and natural drivers at local to global scales. From a management perspective, there is a crucial need to understand how the impact of these drivers cascade through the social-ecological system components. This study develops a transdisciplinary and participatory approach to investigating the social-ecological dynamics of a Polynesian coral reef coastal system. A preliminary conceptual model using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact (DPSI) framework is first being built through participatory modeling workshops. Then, pressure-state relationships are assessed with the help of empirical datasets as a first step towards the validation of the DPSI model. Results shows striking social-ecological interactions with different patterns in the lagoon and in the fore reef. Local management should be: (1) less resource-focused to account more specifically to the existing typology of actors; (2) more spatially-explicit to better distinguish management objectives and actions for the lagoon and the fore reef sub-systems; and (3) more coordinated with terrestrial agencies for a coherent land-sea connection and integration that would both (i) account for existing land-sea interactions and (ii) better reflect the Polynesian cultural heritage that considers nature from ridge to reef as a whole. Such conceptual models of social-ecological systems are a useful tool to build exploratory scenarios to ultimately support planning decision-making processes.     

融合地理空间认知的珊瑚礁地貌单元高分遥感分类方法

近年来,在人为活动和自然因素的影响下,全球珊瑚礁面临着大规模退化问题,开展珊瑚礁监测研究对珊瑚礁生态系统评估、修复和保护工作具有重要作用。本文以西沙群岛北礁和华光礁为研究区,应用2015年高分二号（GF-2）和WorldView-2高空间分辨率卫星影像和现场调查数据,基于不同珊瑚礁地貌单元的空间位置特征,提出了融合地理空间认知（Geo-Spatial Cognition,GSC）的珊瑚礁地貌单元高分遥感分类方法。研究结果表明：针对因空间位置不同和底质组成高度近似导致珊瑚礁地貌单元漏分和错分的问题,本文提出的方法更能有效获取精准的珊瑚礁地貌单元信息。其中,融合地理空间认知的随机森林（Integrating Geo-Spatial Cognition-Random Forest,GSC-RF）方法展现出了最优的分类表现,在北礁和华光礁珊瑚礁地貌单元分类中总体精度分别为98.06%和91.93%,Kappa系数分别为0.98和0.91。相比于仅使用光谱信息的随机森林（Random Forest,RF）、多元逻辑回归（Multinomial Logistic Regression,MLR）和支...     

The health and future of coral reef systems

Coral reefs are among the most productive and diverse ecosystems on earth and provide a multitude of valuable ecosystem services. Moreover, the resources derived from coral reefs are essential to the food security of millions of people living within tropical coastal communities. Unfortunately, burgeoning human populations in coastal regions are placing an unsustainable burden on these resources such that degradation of coral reefs is common. In addition, during 1998, El Niño driven increases in sea temperature caused a mass bleaching event that further degraded many of the world's coral reefs. This article provides a brief review of the status of the world's coral reefs and highlights their value to society. Also, the anthropogenic and natural disturbances that threaten the future of coral reefs are discussed and finally, this article offers some potential remedies that promote sustainable use of coral reef resources thus ensuring their future survival.     

珊瑚礁监测技术发展现状及原位在线监测建设

随着沿海地区社会和经济活动不断增加,在人类活动和全球气候变化的双重压力下,全球珊瑚礁生态健康状况日益衰退。如何有效地监测珊瑚礁生态系统,使管理部门能够及时采取保护措施防止珊瑚礁生态系统的退化,已成为拥有珊瑚礁资源的国家亟需解决的环境问题。各主要国家均在大力发展珊瑚礁监测技术与装备。文中综述了国内外在珊瑚礁生态系统监测技术方面的研究现状,基于前人提出的原位在线监测技术,在南海某岛礁海域建设了珊瑚礁生态环境原位在线监测系统,并进行了1年多的业务化运行。在业务化运行期间,原位在线监测系统成功监测到了珊瑚礁的"白化-死亡-微藻附着-珊瑚骨骼腐烂-大型藻占领"这一退化过程,表明该监测系统能够实现珊瑚礁的长期、实时、连续监测。本文研究对于进一步认识珊瑚礁生态系统的时间变化特征及其影响机制均具有重要意义。     

Long-term environmental impact of coral mining at the Wakatobi marine park, Indonesia

Coral mining for use as construction material is a major cause of reef degradation in several coastal nations. We studied the long-term impact of coral mining at the Wakatobi marine park, Indonesia, where a substantial mining event was undertaken two decades ago in order to supply building material for a jetty. The mined area shows significant differences in reef viability compared to a control reef 1000 m away: the percentage of dead coral in the substrate, the percentage of live coral coverage, the species richness and abundance of hard corals are all greatly reduced. For the most part, soft corals and other (non-coral) invertebrates do not show significant differences in richness, abundance or diversity, but their species composition differs greatly: the control site abounds giant clams, whereas these are absent at the mined site; instead, the dominant species there is Strombus, an algae-grazing gastropod associated with stressed reefs. We conclude that the mined reef flat failed to recover from the severe mining event, despite being un-mined for over 20 years. Our results demonstrate that without effective management and enforcement, coral mining may cause a long-term, destructive impact on the coral reef ecosystem. We propose the following management steps: first, law enforcement measures must become more stringent; second, alternative income sources such as aquaculture, ecotourism, or even land-based alternatives need to be actively promoted and financed; third, alternative building materials such as landrock and concrete should become more accessible and affordable; and fourth, education and awareness regarding both the MPA regulations and the environmental impact of coral mining have to be strengthened.     

Ensuring appropriate and proportionate responses to environmental threats: A response to Caras and Pasternak

The ecological consequences of coral mining can be severe, with immediate reduction in reef-associated biodiversity and longer term implications for linked habitats such as mangrove forests and seagrass meadows. However, research into the effects of coral mining must take into account other environmental processes which may affect reef communities and the socio-economic context within which coral mining takes place if appropriate and proportionate management responses are to be identified. This article builds upon recently published research detailing the adverse effects of coral mining in Indonesia to illustrate the significance of these points. We use the previous paper to demonstrate that accurate identification of the ecological impacts of coral mining requires the use of appropriate control sites and recognizing natural stresses which may account for short-term variability in ecological parameters. We also underline the need to appreciate that government institutions can directly or indirectly facilitate coral mining, whilst proposed alternative income-generating activities intended to reduce coral mining should be tailored to the local economic, cultural and environmental context if they are to gain community support. This demonstrates the value of an integrated approach to analyzing marine resource usage which combines information from the natural and social sciences to address environmental problems such as coral mining.     

Mapping the change of coral reefs using remote sensing and in situ measurements: a case study in Pangkajene and Kepulauan Regency,Spermonde Archipelago,Indonesia

As elsewhere in Indonesia, local inhabitants in the Pangkajene and Kepulauan (PANGKEP) Regency, Spermonde Archipelago area and along the south-west coast of Sulawesi traditionally regard the coral reefs as their livelihood source. Since human activities as well as natural disturbances pose major threats to the coral reefs, these livelihoods may also be at risk. Currently, no comprehensive information on the status and condition of coral reefs in this area is available for this resource management. We determined the changes of coral reef habitat over a period of 20 years from 1994 to 2014 using a satellite Landsat multi-temporal image substantiated with in situ measurement data collected in 2014. The spectral value of coral reefs was extracted from multi-temporal Landsat imagery data, while the diffuse attenuation coefficient of water was obtained by using statistical analysis between the ratio of live coral cover and the spectral value of the visible bands. By using the unsupervised classification integrated with the data ground truth, it is stated that there has been a decline in live coral cover over a period of 20 years from 7716 ha in 1994 to 4236 ha in 2014, with a degradation rate of 174 ha/year. Based on the results, the ratio of the coral cover in the coral reef transects varied from the average of 24% for live corals to 96% for coral rubbles, implying the degraded status of coral reefs in the study area.     

Catching a wave? A case study on incorporating storm protection benefits into Habitat Equivalency Analysis

Since Hurricane Sandy, there has been heightened attention to increasing the resilience of coastal communities to extreme events, including storm protection provided by coastal ecosystems. Storm protection benefits (SPB) are the ability of ecosystems, including wetlands, reefs, and beaches/dunes, to attenuate waves and storm surge. SPB are a topic of growing interest in the scientific and policy spheres, including discussions of how to incorporate SPB into existing policies. As an engine for restoration and a leading mechanism for the evaluation of ecosystem services, Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) provides a platform for better internalizing this and other services into decision-making particularly using Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA). HEA does not explicitly account for impacts to ecosystem services that flow from one habitat to an adjacent one. This study examines a hypothetical case study of an oil spill that impacts a marsh with resulting impacts on SPB to the adjacent upland forest. To more fully assess these impacts, a “nested HEA” was developed which accounts for cross-habitat ecosystem service flows. The nested HEA captures the impacts of the marsh loss on the forest due to wave and saltwater intrusion that would not be captured by a traditional HEA. By adapting the HEA approach with a nested HEA, NRDA could quantify direct ecosystem services losses as well as additional cross-service flows between habitats. However, additional data are needed in order to perform a nested HEA, and in the case of SPB, location-specific data likely will be needed to appropriately specify the model.     

The influence of reef type and seasonality on population structure of coral‐reef fishes within Malindi Marine Park,Kenya

Effective conservation requires knowledge of the effects of habitat on distribution and abundance of organisms. Although the structure of coral reef fish assemblages is strongly correlated with attributes of reef structure, data relating reef types to fish assemblages are scarce. In this study we describe the influence of gross habitat characteristics and seasonality on coral reef fish assemblages of fringing and patch reefs in Kenya. Results showed that total fish abundance was not significantly different between the reefs; however, the fringing reef had higher species diversity during both the northeast (42 spp.) and southeast (36 spp.) monsoon seasons when compared to the patch reef. The more fished species (e.g. Siganus sutor and Lethrinus mahsena) were more abundant on the patch reef in both seasons. Statistical analysis indicated common species between the reefs were more abundant on the fringing reef. Seasons affected abundance of the more vagile species (S. sutor), whereas the reef‐attached sky emperor, L. mahsena was affected more by reef type than by seasons. No significant interaction effects of habitat and seasons were found, indicating independence of habitat and environmental variability in affecting fish assemblages on the reefs. Smaller sized fish dominated the fringing reef more than the patch reef, whereas the skewness index (Sk) indicated a normal‐sized frequency distribution on the patch reef. Trophic structure of the fishes varied more within than between reefs, whereas fish assemblage structure was affected more by seasons on the fringing reef. These results suggest that conservation measures such as marine protected area (MPA) design and setting should consider effects of reef morphology and environmental variability on coral‐reef fish assemblage structure.