Preliminary Survey of Coral Reefs at Vakare with special emphasis on Kayankerni Reef
Preliminary Survey of Coral Reefs at Vakare with special emphasis on Kayankerni Reef
Preliminary Survey of Coral Reefs at Vakare with special emphasis on Kayankerni Reef
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favites, m<strong>on</strong>tastrea, pl<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>ygyra, Leptoria, Pav<strong>on</strong>a spp.etc.) Almost all coral are imm<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>ure col<strong>on</strong>ies which<br />
may be 2-4 years old the southward placement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this reef p<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>ch facing the directi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <strong>Kayankerni</strong><br />
reef may indic<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>e larval recruitment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> corals from th<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g> reef. The corals in this area seem to be<br />
prolifer<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>ing and expanding <str<strong>on</strong>g>with</str<strong>on</strong>g> little new dead coral seen the substr<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>e dominance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> algae could pose<br />
a thre<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g> to the reef if any growth trigger in algae is experienced. In additi<strong>on</strong> the new coral is growing <strong>on</strong><br />
a thick base <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dead and decaying coral rubble; which makes it pr<strong>on</strong>e to significant damage in the event<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a storm dislodging the unstable coral rubble base.<br />
The outer reef areas facing the<br />
western slope <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the reef c<strong>on</strong>tain<br />
good popul<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>i<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> large dome<br />
coral domin<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed envir<strong>on</strong>ment. the<br />
reef slopes from exposed reef crests<br />
to depths <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> over 6m. the area<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tain a mixed assemblage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
species <str<strong>on</strong>g>with</str<strong>on</strong>g> Porites,<br />
Pl<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>ygyra,Favids,M<strong>on</strong>tastrea,<br />
Pachyseris, Pav<strong>on</strong>a etc. The fish<br />
popul<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>i<strong>on</strong>s are moder<str<strong>on</strong>g>at</str<strong>on</strong>g>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>with</str<strong>on</strong>g> large<br />
groups <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Parrotfishes prominent.