Communities Structure of Reef Corals
263
1982). The change in composition of coral communites at cross-sections via
reef to outer slope and reef to lagoonal slope to the bottom of the lagoon is
given in Tables 7.2, 7.3, 7.4. The tables demonstrate that different reef
zones are inhabited by different taxonomic groups of corals with the
dominance of two to four species within them (Kuhlmann 1974, 1975). The
dominance is especially remarkable in the wave-stressed environments,
where several dominant species may occupy up to half the total surface of
the bottom, covered by corals. Many of them form various ecomorphs
(Morton 1974; Preobrazhensky 1975; Pichon 1978; Glynn 1982). Species
which form in the upper illuminated and in wind-stressed zones massive or
Table 7.3. Percentage of cover of bottom surface (S) by corals and their dominating
species in zones of lagoonal reef off Noumea, New Caledonia, subjected to medium
wave-stress. (Data by Faure et al. 1981)
Zone, depth, m
Submerged flat;
0-0.5m
Reef edge; 0.5-2 m
Reef slope; 2-8 m
Base of slope; 8-10 m
Bottom of lagoon
covered by rubble;
9-15m
Same, bottom covered
by sand; 15-25 m
Dominating corals
Acropora digitifera, A. humilis, A. millepora,
A. variabilis, Pocillopora, Goniastrea
Favia favus, F. rotumana, F. pallida, Montastrea
hirta, Leptoria phrigia, Platygyra daedalea,
Hydrophora microcones
A. digitifera, A. humilis, A. florida, A. splendida,
A. clathrata, A. hyacinthus, Pavona, Mycedium,
Pashyseris, LobophyUia, Echinopora, Pectinia,
Montipora
Porites lutea, Platygyra, Leptoria, Stylophora,
Acropora formosa, A. palifera, Favia,
Leptastrea
Turbinaria, Hydnophora, Goniopora, Fungia,
Cyphastrea, Astraeopora, Montipora
Trachyphylla, Heteropsammia, Heterocyathus,
Cycloseris, Pocillopora, Seriatopora, Montipora
S, %
80
60-80
80-100
50-60
-5%
<5%
Table 7.4. Characteristics of structure of coral communities in different zones of the reef
Apo-Ato, Mindoro I., Philippines (Data by Ross and Hodson 1981)
Parameters of
Reef zones
community
structure
Leeward
Flat Reef crest Reef edge Upper zone Buttress
part of flat
of reef slope zone
Percent of cover of 41
33
41
35
46
16
projective bottom
surface
Number of species
17
25
44
70
90
35
Shannon's Index of
1.6
2.1
2.7
3.7
3.7
3.1
species diversity
(H')
263
1982). The change in composition of coral communites at cross-sections via
reef to outer slope and reef to lagoonal slope to the bottom of the lagoon is
given in Tables 7.2, 7.3, 7.4. The tables demonstrate that different reef
zones are inhabited by different taxonomic groups of corals with the
dominance of two to four species within them (Kuhlmann 1974, 1975). The
dominance is especially remarkable in the wave-stressed environments,
where several dominant species may occupy up to half the total surface of
the bottom, covered by corals. Many of them form various ecomorphs
(Morton 1974; Preobrazhensky 1975; Pichon 1978; Glynn 1982). Species
which form in the upper illuminated and in wind-stressed zones massive or
Table 7.3. Percentage of cover of bottom surface (S) by corals and their dominating
species in zones of lagoonal reef off Noumea, New Caledonia, subjected to medium
wave-stress. (Data by Faure et al. 1981)
Zone, depth, m
Submerged flat;
0-0.5m
Reef edge; 0.5-2 m
Reef slope; 2-8 m
Base of slope; 8-10 m
Bottom of lagoon
covered by rubble;
9-15m
Same, bottom covered
by sand; 15-25 m
Dominating corals
Acropora digitifera, A. humilis, A. millepora,
A. variabilis, Pocillopora, Goniastrea
Favia favus, F. rotumana, F. pallida, Montastrea
hirta, Leptoria phrigia, Platygyra daedalea,
Hydrophora microcones
A. digitifera, A. humilis, A. florida, A. splendida,
A. clathrata, A. hyacinthus, Pavona, Mycedium,
Pashyseris, LobophyUia, Echinopora, Pectinia,
Montipora
Porites lutea, Platygyra, Leptoria, Stylophora,
Acropora formosa, A. palifera, Favia,
Leptastrea
Turbinaria, Hydnophora, Goniopora, Fungia,
Cyphastrea, Astraeopora, Montipora
Trachyphylla, Heteropsammia, Heterocyathus,
Cycloseris, Pocillopora, Seriatopora, Montipora
S, %
80
60-80
80-100
50-60
-5%
<5%
Table 7.4. Characteristics of structure of coral communities in different zones of the reef
Apo-Ato, Mindoro I., Philippines (Data by Ross and Hodson 1981)
Parameters of
Reef zones
community
structure
Leeward
Flat Reef crest Reef edge Upper zone Buttress
part of flat
of reef slope zone
Percent of cover of 41
33
41
35
46
16
projective bottom
surface
Number of species
17
25
44
70
90
35
Shannon's Index of
1.6
2.1
2.7
3.7
3.7
3.1
species diversity
(H')