Pubblicazione scientifica

Spatial heterogeneity of coral reef benthic communities in Kenya

FILONE TECNOLOGICO	TEMA
economia circolare e sostenibilità

RIASSUNTO

Spatial patterns of coral reef benthic communities vary across a range of broad-scale biogeographical levels to fine-scale local habitat conditions. This study described spatial patterns of coral reef benthic communities spanning across the 536-km coast of Kenya. Thirty-eight reef sites representing different geographical zones within an array of habitats and management levels were assessed by benthic cover, coral genera and coral colony size classes. Three geographical zones were identified along the latitudinal gradient based on their benthic community composition. Hard coral dominated the three zones with highest cover in the south and Porites being the most abundant genus. Almost all 15 benthic variables differed significantly between geographical zones. The interaction of habitat factors and management levels created a localised pattern within each zone. Four habitats were identified based on their similarity in benthic community composition; 1. Deep-Exposed Patch reef in Reserve areas (DEPR), 2. Deep-Exposed Fringing reefs in Unprotected areas (DEFU), 3. Shallow Fringing and Lagoon reefs in Protected and Reserve areas (SFLPR) and 4. Shallow Patch and Channel reefs (SPC). DEPR was found in the north zone only and its benthic community was predominantly crustose coralline algae. DEFU was found in central and south zones mainly dominated by soft corals, Acropora, Montipora, juvenile corals and small colonies of adult corals. SFLPR was dominated by macroalgae and turf algae and was found in north and central zones. SPC was found across all geographical zones with a benthic community dominated by hard corals of mostly large colonies of Porites and Echinopora. The north zone exhibits habitat types that support resistance properties, the south supports recovery processes and central zone acts as an ecological corridor between zones. Identifying habitats with different roles in reef resilience is useful information for marine spatial planning and supports the process of designing effective marine protected areas.

DATA

Data di pubblicazione: 26/08/2020

AUTORI

KARISA JULIET FURAHA
OBURA DAVID OBARE
CHEN CHAOLUN ALLEN

ENTE DI AFFERENZA

BIODIVERSITY RSCH CTR ACAD SINICA TAIPEI TAIWAN
BIODIVERSITY PROGRAM TAIWAN INTL GRADUATE PROGRAM ACAD SINICA & NATL TAIWAN NORMAL UNIV TAIPEI TAIWAN
DEPT LIFE SCIENCE NATL TAIWAN NORMAL UNIV TAIPEI TAIWAN
KENYA MARINE & FISHERIES RSCH INST MOMBASA KENYA
CORDIO EAST AFRICA MOMBASA KENYA
INST OCEANOGRAPHY NATL TAIWAN UNIV TAIPEI TAIWAN
DEPT LIFE SCIENCE TUNG HAI UNIV TAICHUNG TAIWAN
UNIV ANTIOQUIA COLOMBIA

RIVISTA

PLoS ONE, 15(8), e0237397

IMPACT FACTOR

2,870

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