Environmental Effects on the Distribution of Corallimorpharians in Tanzania
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Date
2002
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Abstract
This study examined the distribution and abundance of
corallimorpharians (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) in Tanzania in
relation to different aspects of the coral reef environment.
Five reefs under varying degrees of human disturbance
were investigated using the line intercept transect and point
technique. Corallimorpharian growth and the composition
of the substratum were quantified in different habitats within
reefs: the inner and middle reef flat, the reef crest, and at
the 2 and 4 m depths on the reef slope. Corallimorpharians
occurred on all the reefs and 5 species were identified:
Rhodactis rhodostoma, R. mussoides, Ricordea yuma,
Actinodiscus unguja and A. nummiforme. R. rhodostoma
was the dominant corallimorpharian at all sites. Within
reefs, they had the highest densities in the shallow
habitats. While R. rhodostoma occurred in all habitats, the
other corallimorpharian species showed uneven distributions.
Corallimorpharians ranked second, after scleractinian
coral, in percent living cover. Results from this study
suggested that corallimorpharians benefitted from disturbance
compared with other sessile organisms. They
preferred inhabiting areas with dead coral, rock and rubble
whilst live coral was avoided. There was a positive relationship
between percent cover of corallimorpharians and
water turbidity and they dominated the more disturbed
reefs, i.e. reefs that were affected by higher nutrient loads
and fishing.
Description
Keywords
Environmental Effects, Corallimorpharians
Citation
Muhando, C.A., Kuguru, B.L., Wagner, G.M., Mbije, N.E. and Öhman, M.C., 2002. Environmental effects on the distribution of corallimorpharians in Tanzania. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, 31(7), pp.558-561.