270
Communities of Corals in Reef Ecosystems
A,N lI,m
Ptl
IJ
oil
/f
/I'
'}IJ
8
.f
fltJ
72
/f
.YIJ /Ij
.1
2tJ
2IJ
2
JtJ
2/f
1
(J
tJ
!tJ(J
LIJtJ
IJ
JI/I/
.D
Fig. 7.10. Parameters of structure of coral-reef communities in different zones of reefs off
Mactan I., Philippines: A number of colonies m- 2 ; H' index of species diversity; N total
number of species m- 2 ; H depth; D distance from the shore, m. Letter indexes up the
profile of reef correspond to zones of dominance of the following corals: Pd Pavona
dicussata; Cp Cycloseris patelliformis; Me Montipora compressa; Pn Porites nigrescens; Pp
Pavona pruetoria. (Data by Sy et al. 1981)
As mentioned above, most scIeractinians may live along all levels of
depths, from shallow zones of the reef down to its base. Nevertheless, in
each zone their communities are dominated by one or by several key species
(Tables 7.2, 7.3). This domination is usually more pronounced in shallow
zones, subjected to physical stress, where the coral communities are
restricted in number of species, with the dominance of two to four of them
(Connell 1973; Kuhlmann 1971; Glynn 1976). In wavestressed biotopes
these dominating corals belong mostly to the opportunistic, ramose, fastgrowing species, which well with-stand the surf (Figs. 7.11, 7.12). Among
.), ';I.
Ft
FR
lllll
O'tJ
otJ
J
/\
...I/tJ
/
11 /
\
_ .....
ztJ ---...., ,:::....:- ,
./
' , - _ /
tJ, --'"
3
.7
7
.9
11
Fig. 7.11. Relationships between massive (M), ramose (R) and incrusting (I) corals along
the section across the reef of Reunion I.: S relative area covered by corals of a given
group, % of total area covered by corals; on abscissa numbers of quadrats at the
transsect. Reef zones: Fl reef fiat; RE reef edge; RS outer reef slope; FR fore-reef zone.
(Data by Bouchon 1981)
Communities of Corals in Reef Ecosystems
A,N lI,m
Ptl
IJ
oil
/f
/I'
'}IJ
8
.f
fltJ
72
/f
.YIJ /Ij
.1
2tJ
2IJ
2
JtJ
2/f
1
(J
tJ
!tJ(J
LIJtJ
IJ
JI/I/
.D
Fig. 7.10. Parameters of structure of coral-reef communities in different zones of reefs off
Mactan I., Philippines: A number of colonies m- 2 ; H' index of species diversity; N total
number of species m- 2 ; H depth; D distance from the shore, m. Letter indexes up the
profile of reef correspond to zones of dominance of the following corals: Pd Pavona
dicussata; Cp Cycloseris patelliformis; Me Montipora compressa; Pn Porites nigrescens; Pp
Pavona pruetoria. (Data by Sy et al. 1981)
As mentioned above, most scIeractinians may live along all levels of
depths, from shallow zones of the reef down to its base. Nevertheless, in
each zone their communities are dominated by one or by several key species
(Tables 7.2, 7.3). This domination is usually more pronounced in shallow
zones, subjected to physical stress, where the coral communities are
restricted in number of species, with the dominance of two to four of them
(Connell 1973; Kuhlmann 1971; Glynn 1976). In wavestressed biotopes
these dominating corals belong mostly to the opportunistic, ramose, fastgrowing species, which well with-stand the surf (Figs. 7.11, 7.12). Among
.), ';I.
Ft
FR
lllll
O'tJ
otJ
J
/\
...I/tJ
/
11 /
\
_ .....
ztJ ---...., ,:::....:- ,
./
' , - _ /
tJ, --'"
3
.7
7
.9
11
Fig. 7.11. Relationships between massive (M), ramose (R) and incrusting (I) corals along
the section across the reef of Reunion I.: S relative area covered by corals of a given
group, % of total area covered by corals; on abscissa numbers of quadrats at the
transsect. Reef zones: Fl reef fiat; RE reef edge; RS outer reef slope; FR fore-reef zone.
(Data by Bouchon 1981)