Akumal's reefs: stony coral communities along the developing Mexican Caribbean coastline.

摘要: Fringing coral reefs along coastlines experiencing rapid development and human population growth have declined worldwide because of activity natural causes. The “Mayan Riviera” in Quintana Roo, Mexico, attracts large numbers tourists part it still retains some the diversity is important to obtain baseline information monitor changes over time area. In this paper, condition stony corals developing coastline Akumal-area fore characterized at start new millennium two depths, an inferred sedimentation gradient. Transect surveys were conducted five fringing starting haphazardly chosen points. with respect species composition, live cover, colony density, relative exposure TAS mats and, for one (Diploria strigosa, Dana, 1848), tissue regression rates presence mats. Fish density herbivory are also assessed. Data from line intercept transects (n=74) show that peripheral colonies turf algal/sediment (TAS) inversely related sediment stress gradient 13m. 2000, cover had decreased by 40-50% sites studied 1990 Munoz-Chagin de la Cruz- Aguero (1993). About half loss apparently occurred between 1998 2000 during outbreak white plague disease mostly affected Montastraea faveolata, M. annularis. At a 13 m site, where relatively high, series photography tagged Diploria (n=38) showed average 70 cm2 tissue/coral/year encroachment same period. Whereas densities carnivorous fishes herbivores (echinoids, scarids, acanthurids Microspathodon chrysurus) low belt 10-19 (n=106), turf-algal gardening pomacentrids common on these reefs.