11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

18.670
Relationship Between Benthic and Fish Assemblages at Four Coral Reefs in
Venezuela
Carolina BASTIDAS* 1 , Sebastián RODRÍGUEZ 1 , Denise DEBROT 1 , Aldo
CRÓQUER 1
1 Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas, Venezuela
The structural complexity and the relative cover of benthic categories in coral reefs
contribute to their quality as habitats for many species. Among these species, the relative
abundance and composition of fish assemblages, have in turn an impact on the benthic
categories and, consequently, on reef accretion. Here, we analyzed the relationship
between benthic and fish assemblages for two continental and two oceanic reef sites in
Venezuela. At each site, data include four yearly samplings of (1) 10 permanent transects
of 10 m for the cover of 21 benthic categories using CARICOMP protocol, and (2) 10
belt-transects of 30 m x 2 m for fish abundance and biomass by visual censuses, using the
AGRRA fish protocol. Both, the structure of the benthic and of the fish assemblages
differed among reef sites rather than between coastal and oceanic reefs. Although, the
cover of benthic categories was stable in time, fish abundance showed an interaction
between sites and years (p = 0.001, PERMANOVA for 60 species of fishes). Despite
these temporal differences in fish abundances, there was a relationship between the
benthic and the fish assemblages for all years (Relate, p = 0.01; for two matrices of
similarity i.e. fishes and benthos). This relationship varied not only among fish guilds but
also within them. For example, the carnivorous Haemulon aurolineatum and Ocyurus
chrysurus had a strong and a weaker association to the abundance of massive corals,
respectively. Among species of scarids, abundances were more dependent on the cover of
turf algae and abiotic substrates, particularly for Scarus iseri. These trends will allow
formulating hypotheses on the role of diet, recruitment, behavior and vulnerability to
fishing pressure on this relationship between fish abundances and that of specific benthic
categories.
18.671
Making A Rapid Reef Assessment Of The Mexican Caribbean Coral Reefs To Find
Potentially Resilient Sites
Albert FRANQUESA RINOS* 1
1 Marine Program, Amigos de Sian Ka'an, A. C., Cancun, Mexico
As part of a TNC reef resilience project, a rapid reef assessment was carried out by
Amigos de Sian Ka’an and other collaborating organizations between September 2005
and December 2006. The survey included 121 sites distributed along all the continental
and insular coast of the Quintana Roo state. The AGRRA v.4 protocol was used by the 31
people involved in collecting data from 452 benthic transects (adding up more than 3,100
coral colonies) and 905 fish transects. The average coral cover did not vary greatly
between habitats (Fore reef, Reef flat, Patch Reef & others), with values around 8%. On
the other hand, the average percentage of colonies affected by diseases and average
percentage of recent dead tissue per colony were also extremely low; not going over 1%.
However, these and other values varied greatly among different sites. Therefore, a
selection of different indicators was done, and they were then compared with a GIS;
taking into account the location of each site. This analysis showed that the few sites with
high coral cover (16-29%) were scattered along the state (Cozumel, Banco Chinchorro,
and the north, center and south of the continental coast), so they were not aggregated in a
single or few areas. The same happened with other indicators like Diadema antillarum
abundance. However, variables such fish biomass or coral recruitment were only high at
certain areas. This is a first step to obtain valuable information from specific reef
variables at a regional scale, which could be used as indicators to find potentially resilient
sites.
Poster Mini-Symposium 18: Reef Status and Trends
18.672
Bali Barat National Park Coral Monitoring Report,
naneng SETIASIH 1 , Dwi Haryo ISMUNARTI 2 , Naneng SETIASIH* 1
1 Reef Check Foundation Indonesia, Denpasar, Indonesia, 2 Diponegoro University, Denpasar,
Indonesia
Bleaching at Bali Barat National Park (BBNP) in 1997-1998 has been reported to have up to
100 % mortality at some cases (Irdez et all, 1998). The park also hit by repeated Acanthaster
outbreak (1996, 2004, 2005), and a strong storm (2004).
The monitoring was conducted at 15 segments (inside and outside the park). The segments
were chosen based on manta tow result (2001), habitat representatives, and resilience factors:
current, mixing water, sedimentation (Salm and Grimsditch, 2006; Marshall and Schutenberg,
2006), and local adaptation.
The method implemented was LIT up to 5 taxa level (oliver et all, 2002), with 3 repetitions at 3
and 10 meter at each segment.
The area showed a generally promising condition. Segments within BBNP had a higher % hard
coral (%HC) and bigger colonies’ size compare to the adjacent areas, even to Tabuan Island that
naturally was one of the most resilience segments in the area.
Further detail analysis showed that each type of habitat (and thus the reef structure) showed
different reactions to the mass destruction event and its recovery. The highest %HC and
colonies’ size segment lay in an area dominated by high resilience taxa. Moreover, in general,
almost all the segments had a relatively higher slow growing taxa, which consistent with the
recovery after a mass coral bleaching, suggest a shifting community structure.
The monitoring also found that stronger protection area deliver a better %HC and colony size.
The findings further strengthen the need to put resilience understanding and management action
into the top agenda of every reef manager.
18.673
Status of the Philippine Coral Reefs: 2004-2007
Rhia Odessa GONZALES* 1 , Melchor DEOCADEZ 1 , Porfirio ALIÑO 1 , Cleto NAÑOLA 2 ,
Hazel ARCEO 3 , Rollan GERONIMO 1 , Wilfredo CAMPOS 4 , Severino SALMO III 5 , Andre Jon
UYCHIAOCO 6 , Clarissa REBOTON 7
1 Marine Science Institute, UP Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, 2 Department of Biological
Science and Environmental Studies, College of Science and Mathematics, UP Mindanao, Davao
City, Philippines, 3 DAI/USAID - Philippine Environmental Governance 2 Project, Cebu City,
Philippines, 4 UP Visayas, Miag-ao, Philippines, 5 Marine Science Institute, Quezon City,
Philippines, 6 Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA),
Quezon City, Philippines, 7 Silliman University Marine Lab, Institute of Environmental and
Marine Sciences, Dumaguete City, Philippines
The status of the Philippine Coral Reefs is being updated for almost 3 decades. In 2004, it was
reported that Philippine reefs are experiencing a steady-state decline in percent coral cover of
excellent reefs, and many of the fair and good reefs are experiencing a shift to degraded state.
This paper provides the status of Philippine reefs in the 6 biogeographic regions. It updates the
information on the status of Philippine reefs and presents for opportunities, the establishment of
a nationwide coral reef monitoring network. We also provide some alternate perspectives on
how to face the challenges of reef management through the Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
Support Network (MSN).
Data from survey sites of different projects has shown that overall proportions do not change
from the general modal categories reported previously: most of the reefs are in poor and fair
categories. About 50% of reefs are in fair category (26-50% coral cover), and around 40% in
poor category (0-25%), while less than 10% are in good to excellent condition. Though this
presents the overall modal state of reefs, further updates in relation to declines or improvements
would hardly shift the general trend unless these are based on a systematic monitoring scheme
of areas.
Based on the sites monitored from inside and outside the MPA within the MSN, there seems to
be more optimistic trends in these areas, i.e. around 60% of areas show steady or improved
trends, while less areas have shown declines. Unfortunately, these managed areas represent less
than 1% of the actual reefs. Based on data from partners of this network, there are over 1,000
MPAs currently established and about 150 are proposed. Establishing a coral reef monitoring
system inside and outside no-take areas in addition to further surveys helps improve our
understanding and management of Philippine reefs.
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