Enhancement of fish recruitment through coral transplantation
1999
Alino, P.M. (Philippines Univ. Diliman, Diliman, Quezon City (Philippines). Marine Science Inst.)
The corals Pavona cactus and Porites cylindrica were transplanted on artificial reefs to determine the effect on fish recruitment and community structures. Fish visual census using SCUB A was undertaken monthly for one year on patches with coral (live and dead) transplants and coral patches without coral transplants. Community structure and recruitment were analyzed using a classification and ordination techniques and analysis of variance. Results showed that patterns of recruitment in terms of species composition and distribution were not different between patches with coral transplants, without coral transplants and sites. However, significant differences were seen in the number of recruits between treatments. There were more recruits in blocks with live coral cover than in control. More fish recruits were observed in the silty area. Juvenile apogonids, pomacentrids, lutjanids and breams were dominant in the silty site, while most apogonids and labrids in the clear site. The pattern could be attributed to the degree of development of the associated benthos on the blocks and the additional shelter provided by the corals. Results indicate that live coral transplants can contribute to the structuring of reef fish communities through the enhancement of natural colonization, species diversity, and productivity of depauperate areas
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