terms of density of colonies with a mean of 5.05 col/m
2 (Table 36). Mustard-hill coral
eoides) ranked second with 1.04 col/m
2
. Colonies of the two
forementioned species were present in all video-transects surveyed.
he Shannon-Weiner index of diversity for scleractinian corals within video-transects
veraged 0.74 (range: 0.36 – 1.18) (Table 37). Scleractinian coral diversity was lower at
Agelas, compared to the SW Wall, reflecting the relatively higher dominance of the
Agaricia spp. complex at Agelas Reef. Transect one presented the highest diversity with
a total of four species distributed in seventeen colonies, whereas transects five and six
had the lowest diversity with two and tree species distributed in 17 and 23 colonies,
respectively.
Abiotic substrate cover by coralline sand and coral rubble averaged only 2.4 % (range:
1.4 – 4.6 %), reflecting the remarkably high biogenic cover by algae, sponges and
scleractinian corals at a depth of 48 - 53 meters on Agelas Reef.
Table 36. Density of scleractinian coral colonies within video-transect areas at Agelas Reef,
Isla Desecheo, 2004
Scleractinian Corals
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
Mean
(Porites astr
a
T
a
Agaricia spp.
3.75
5.00 3.75 4.58 6.25 8.75 3.33 5.00
5.05
Porites astreoides
1.67
1.67 1.25 1.67 0.84 0.42 0.42 0.42
1.04
Mycetophyllia lamarkiana
0.84
0.42
0.42
0.21
Montastrea annularis
0.84
0.42
0.42
0.21
Montastrea cavernosa
0.42
0.42
0.11
Eusmilia fastigiata
0.42
0.42
0.11
Meandrina meandrites
0.42
0.05
Madracis sp.
0.42
0.05
Colpophyllia natans
0.42
0.05
TOTALS (# col/m
2
)
7.10
7.93 5.84 6.67 7.08 9.59 4.17 6.68
6.88
120