11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

18.771
Bathymetric Distribution Of The Benthic Marine Flora In Chemuyil, Mexico.
Alicia GONZÁLEZ* 1 , Daniel TORRUCO 1
1 Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto
Politécnico Nacional, Mèrida, Mexico
We determined 39 species of benthic marine flora between 0.5 m and 115´.
Enteromorpha flexuosa, Halimeda incrassata, Coralline articulate, Lobophora variegata
and Galaxaura oblongata was dominant and E. Flexuosa was very comon. The sampling
methodology this based essentialy on 117 coral reef phoptotransects to several dephts in
each location. The diversity indices and density tend to be higher at greater depths. Most
frequent species, with relative numerical abundance higher than 10%, were: El flexuosa
and H. Incrassata. In this work, they are analyzed the importance of some ecological
attributes in the regional distribution of this group. The most diverse location was
between 22 to 27 m. The similarity analysis it give one high definition between the
locations, from they here are argued the importance of the factors like: substrata
availability, wave protection and environmental conditions.
Keywords: Algae, Yucatan, Biodiversiversity.
18.772
Two Centuries Of Structuration Of Tropical Benthic Comunities On The Lava
Flows Of Piton De La Fournaise (Reunion Island)
J. Henrich BRUGGEMANN* 1 , Mireille M.M. GUILLAUME 1,2
1 ECOMAR, Université de la Réunion, Saint-Denis, Reunion, 2 Milieux et Peuplements
Aquatiques, UMR 5178 CNRS-UPMC-MNHN, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle,
Paris, France
Two centuries of structuration of tropical benthic comunities on the lava flows of Piton
de la Fournaise (Reunion Island)
Poster Mini-Symposium 18: Reef Status and Trends
18.773
Florida Keys Coral Reef Evaluation And Monitoring Project: Patch Reefs
Michael COLELLA* 1
1 Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL
The Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP) has assessed the condition of 10
patch reefs in the Upper, Middle and Lower Florida Keys for the past 11 years using video
transects, species richness, and, for the past 6 years, clionid sponge data. While each patch reef
site has unique characteristics, regional differences in patch reef data are observed. For the
Upper Keys patch reef stations: 1) coral cover and species richness is the lowest of the three
regions and has shown some decline through time, 2) there is little or no area affected by clionid
sponges. For the Middle Keys patch reef stations: 1) coral cover and species richness is the
intermediate of the three regions and has shown no decline through time, 2) the area affected by
clionid sponges is slightly higher than the Upper Keys and is consistent through time. For the
Lower Keys patch reef stations: 1) coral cover and species richness is the highest of the three
regions and has shown some decline through time, 2) the area affected by clionid sponges is by
far the highest of the three regions, but has shown some decrease through time. While coral
reefs typically exist in clear, low nutrient waters these locations are found in areas that would be
considered detrimental to coral growth. Despite adverse environmental conditions, the 10 patch
reef sites monitored by the CREMP have not exhibited the same decline in coral reef condition
(i.e. coral cover) through the years that have been observed at many of the reefs in the Florida
Keys. Several possible explanations for this exist. The coral species and individual colonies
found here may be better adapted to surviving these marginal environmental conditions.
Alternatively, while the environmental conditions are not ideal, they may have protected these
reefs from some of the impacts observed in other habitat types.
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