Post-bleaching alterations in coral reef communities

Journal article

Coral reefs in the waters of Liukangloe Island were reported to have experienced a bleaching phenomenon in May 2016 and rehabilitation efforts were carried out in 2019. This study aimed to analyze the structure of the herbivorous fish community and its role in controlling algal cover in the rehabilitation area. Observations of herbivorous fish were carried out using visual census techniques on an area of ​​4m2 and observation of algae in 0.5x0.5 m2 transects on several coral attachment media from dead coral substrates. The results showed that the proportion of herbivorous fish species in the transplant area ranged from 15.81-58.67% and the proportion of individuals ranged from 12.51-34.62%. The dynamics of the number of species and abundance of herbivorous reef fish did not show significant differences between substrates and had the same dynamic pattern in all substrates uses but varied temporally according to the time of observation. The exception is the rubble area which continues to increase until the end of the observation. A high number of herbivorous fish species richness was observed in the branching and natural coral substrates and low in the rubble substrate.  The abundance of herbivorous reef fish showed a significant and negative relationship to algal cover and confirmed that the presence of herbivorous reef fish could control or reduce the value of algal cover.Terumbu karang di perairan Pulau Liukangloe dilaporkan mengalami fenomena bleaching di bulan Mei 2016 dan usaha rehabilitasinya telah dilakukan di tahun 2019.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis struktur komunitas ikan herbivora dan perannya dalam mengontrol tutupan alga di area rehabilitasi.  Pengamatan ikan herbivora dilakukan dengan teknik visual sensus pada luasan 4m2 dan pengamatan alga dalam transek 0,5x0,5 m2 pada beberapa media pelekatan karang dari substrat karang mati. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa proporsi jumlah jenis ikan herbivora  di area transplantasi berkisar 15,81 – 58,67% dan proporsi jumlah individunya berkisar 12,51 – 34,62%.   Dinamika jumlah jenis dan kelimpahan ikan karang herbivora tidak menunjukkan perbedaan nyata antara substrat dan memiliki pola dinamika yang sama di semua  penggunaan substrat, namun bervariasi secara temporal menurut waktu pengamatan.  Pengecualian pada area rubble yang terus meningkat sampai akhir pengamatan. Kekayaan jumlah jenis ikan herbivora yang tinggi teramati di substrat branching dan karang alami dan yang rendah di substrat rubble.  Kelimpahan ikan karang herbivora memperlihatkan hubungan yang negatif dan nyata terhadap tutupan alga dan menegaskan bahwa kehadiran ikan karang herbivora dapat mengontrol atau menurunkan nilai tutupan alga

Authors: Elma, E; Gullström, M; Yahya, SAS; Jouffray, J-B; East, HK

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Marine Pollution Bulletin
• Volume: 186
• Pages: 114479-114479
• Publication date: 2022-12-20
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114479
• EISSN: 1879-3363
• ISSN: 0025-326X
• Language: English
• Keywords: Algae; Herbivore; Environmental issues with coral reefs; Geology; Fringing reef; Benthic zone; Coral reef; Coral reef organizations; Coral reef protection; Resilience of coral reefs; Ecology; Oceanography; Aquaculture of coral; Biology; Coral; Coral reef fish; Coral bleaching; Reef; Fishery