11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

Poster Mini-Symposium 26: Biodiversity and Diversification of Reef Organisms
26.1162
Inventory And Distribution Of Coral Reef Ascidians Biodiversity In Bearau
Regency Waters Of East Kalimantan
Muhammad ABRAR* 1 , Anna E.W. MANNUPUTY 2
1 Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Jakarta, Indonesia,
2 Research Center for Oceanography, Indoensian Institute of Sciences, Jakarta, Indonesia
Inventory of Ascidian (Tunicate) biodiversity on some island in Bearau Regency, East
Kalimantan was conducted in September 2004. Site selected were islands with placed far
from Kalimantan mainland with assumption that as far as from mainland have biggest of
river run off, the Ascidian biodiversity to be reduced. The island selected was placed in
north to south consist of Panjang Island, RabuRabu Island, and Derawan Island were
representative of islands nearest from mainland and Maratua Island was representative of
island far from mainland. Inventory was done by visualization with census on coral reef
from site selected. The census was conducted by snorkeling and diving to reach 15 – 20
meter deep. Recording was covered, life form, color and substrate. A total of Ascidian
species founded were 41 species from 9 family. The higher number founded from
Family Didemnidae, they were 12 species and the low number founded from Family
Pheroporidae and Corellidae, they were 1 species. The high biodiversity founded on
Raburabu island and low on Derawan island and Maratua island.
Key words: Inventory, Biodiversity, Ascidian
26.1163
Diversity Of Marine Ornamental Fishes in Gulf Of Mannar Biosphere, India
Rajagopalsamy CHINNAKONDA* 1 , Venkataramani VK 2 , Jawahar PAULRAJ 1
1 fisheries Biology And Capture Fisheries, Fisheries College And Research Institute,
Tuticorin, Tamilnadu State, India, 2 fisheries College And Research Institute, Tuticorin,
Tamilnadu State, India
Gulf of Mannar is one of the world’s richest marine biosphere and which occupies an
area of 10,500 sq.km. There are 21 coral reef islands which extend between 80 47’ N Lat.
780 12’ E Long. To 90 15’ N Lat. 790 14’ E Long. from Pamban to Thoothukudi as an
arc and these islands provides a very interesting heterogeneous group of fauna and flora.
About 3600 species of fauna and flora has been identified from this region. Only limited
research work was made on the biodiversity of marine ornamental fishes in the Gulf of
Mannar. In the present study, Six fish landing centres were selected for estimating the
diversity of marine ornamental fishes available in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere. Fifty
five marine ornamental fish species were found to occur during the period of three
months of study from the six fish landing centers such as Thoothukudi(28 nos.),
Valinokam(14 nos.), Chinna Ervadi(10 nos.), Keelakarai(28 nos.), Mandapam North(20
nos.) and Mandapam South(23 nos.). The Simpsons diversity (D) value of marine
ornamental fishes calculated for different landing centers (Thoothukudi 0.068 - 0.086;
Valinokam 0.1 - 0.128; Chinna Ervadi 0.123 - 0.156; Keelakarai 0.071 - 0.107;
Mandapam North 0.113 - 0.124 and Mandapam South 0.111 - 0.164 ) indicates that
diversity was highest in Thoothukudi and lowest in Chinna Ervadi. This research work
has been funded by the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust, Ramanathapuram,
Tamilnadu, India under the UNDP-GEF assisted project “Conservation and sustainable
use of Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve’s Coastal Biodiversity”
26.1164
Alpha And Functional Biodiversity-Biomass Relationships in Coral Reef Fishes Of The
South Pacific
Kulbicki MICHEL* 1 , Vigliola LAURENT 2 , Wantiez LAURENT 3 , Moutham GERARD 4
1 Marine Biology, IRD, Perpignan, France, 2 IRD, Plouzane, France, 3 Marine Biology, UNC,
Noumea, New Caledonia, 4 Marine Biology, IRD, Noumea, New Caledonia
The production of biomass is one of the major services supplied by natural ecosystems to
humankind. Theoretical considerations, field, and experimental data all indicate strong
relationship between biodiversity and biomass in many terrestrial and marine ecosystems,
suggesting that biomass production is an ecosystem service delivered, at least partly, by
biodiversity. As such, a better understanding of factors influencing diversity-biomass
relationships appears crucial. Here, we used data collected by underwater visual censuses across
28 South Pacific islands to study the influence of local (reef type, coral cover, algae cover,
depth, fishing level) and large scale factors (island size, island isolation, distance to the
biodiversity center, latitude) on reef fish alpha and functional diversity-biomass relationships at
four spatial scales: within reefs, among reefs, among islands, and among regions. Functional
groups were based on the combination of four life history traits (diet, size, home range and
schooling behavior) and redundancy was defined as the average number of species per
functional group. Results revealed that fish biomass tended to level off for very large alpha
diversities and that slopes between alpha diversity and biomass were largest on smaller and
more isolated island. Slopes also increased with oceanic influence as these were largest on
barrier reefs, intermediate on lagoon reefs, and lowest on fringing reefs. Slope of functional
diversity-biomass relationships decreased with redundancy at most spatial scales. Our results
suggest that coral reef fishes better utilize available resources when these are limited and/or
when there is limited competition between species within a functional group.
26.1165
A Practical Guide To The Large And Abundant Diatoms in Farmer-Fish Territories
Christopher LOBBAN* 1
1 Natural Sciences - CNAS, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam
Diatoms are abundant in damselfish (farmer fish) territories, despite limited recognition in the
literature. Diatoms were scarcely mentioned in studies of farmer-fish ecology until Jones et al.
(2006: Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 328: 215) documented their importance in farmer-fish turfs and
guts: for three farmer fishes in Papua New Guinea, diatoms made up 30–80% by volume of
stomach contents. Jones et al. also concluded that these damselfish facilitate rather than deplete
diatoms in their territories. The taxa involved have not yet been documented but in Guam (and
presumably elsewhere) several large and readily-recognized chain-forming centrics can form
blooms on the seaweed turf or macroalgae or directly on rock surfaces in these territories. The
objective of this on-going study is to document some of the dominant species present and to
advance knowledge of the diatom biodiversity of Guam. Chrysanthemodiscus floriatus and
Biddulphiopsis membranacea are particularly common and abundant in the territories of
damselfishes on Guam (such as Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus and Stegastes nigricans). The
giant centric diatom Stictocyclus stictodiscus is also common and easily recognized. Stalked
pennate diatoms, particularly Licmophora spp. and Climacosphenia elongata are also common.
I present illustrations to help biologists not familiar with diatoms to take account of this
component of farmer-fish diets.
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