CONDITION OF CORAL REEFS SUBJECTED TO RECENT NATURAL PRESSURES: LOW FROM SANCHO PARDO, CUBA
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| Autores: | , |
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| Formato: | artículo original |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de Publicación: | 2011 |
| Descripción: | The condition of the barrier reef in Bajos de Sancho Pardo (NW Cuba) was assessed. This area is located far from anthropogenic disturbances (except overfishing) and has suffered a period of frequent hurricanes, coral disease outbreaks, and coral bleaching events. In August 2010, the AGRRA sampling methodology was applied to 21 coral communities;three crest stations, three rear zones, and 15 fore reef stations. Thirty-two coral species were identified, considering only colonies larger than 10 cm maximum diameter. The biological indicators analyzed suggest some degree of heterogeneity of environmental conditions and different levels of coral resiliency to natural disturbances. Average live coral cover was 23% on reef crests, 27% on back reefs and 9% on fore reefs. Average coral linear density was 8 colonies/10 m on reef crests, 11 colonies/10 m on back reefs and 5 colonies/10 m on fore reefs. Recent mortality was observed resulting from active diseases. Old mortality was higher in back reefs and reef crests, apparently due to the higher influence of hurricanes due to their shallow depths. Reefs were disturbed by a significant fleshy algae cover provably due to low levels of herbivory. |
| País: | Portal de Revistas UNA |
| Institución: | Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica |
| Repositorio: | Portal de Revistas UNA |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ojs.www.una.ac.cr:article/3283 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://www.revistas.una.ac.cr/index.php/revmar/article/view/3283 |
| Palabra clave: | AGRRA coral reefs hurricanes natural disturbances Cuba arrecifes de coral huracanes disturbios naturales recifes de coral furacões distúrbios naturais Cuba. |