Revista de Biología Tropical ISSN Impreso: 0034-7744 ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075

OAI: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/oai
Coral communities condition in varying wave exposure: the gulf of Cazones, Cuba
PDF
HTML

Keywords

coral reefs
wave exposure
coral community condition
coral cover
Cuba.

How to Cite

Caballero Aragon, H., Alcolado, P. M., Rey-Villiers, N., Perera Valderrama, S., & González Méndez, J. (2016). Coral communities condition in varying wave exposure: the gulf of Cazones, Cuba. Revista De Biología Tropical, 64(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v64i1.18231

Abstract

Wave exposure can influence community structure and distribution of shallow coral reefs, by affecting organisms both directly and indirectly. To assess the current stony coral community condition under different degrees of wave exposure at a marine protected area of the Gulf of Cazones (SW Cuba), two expeditions were carried out in May 2010 and June 2012. Four sampling sites were sampled at reef crests (1.5 m deep), and twelve at fore-reefs, at 10, 15 and 20 m deep in four geographic locations. Live coral cover, species richness and composition, colony density, and maximum diameter were assessed using the AGRRA 2001 methodology. Multivariate and non-parametric statistics were applied to compare sites. The coral community structure within reef crests was not homogenous. The observed variability of indicators apparently was determined by great coral mortality events resulting from natural disturbances that occurred in the past (hurricanes, bleaching and diseases). Fore-reef coral communities displayed better condition and lower coral mortality than reef crests. Species richness and coral composition varied, while multivariate and statistical methods did not reveal site grouping with regard to wave exposure. The remaining biological condition indicators were similar among sites, except in the most exposed one, where coral cover and coral size were slightly lower. Wave exposure in the gulf of Cazones seemed not to have a significant influence on differences in condition and structure of the assessed coral communities.

https://doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v64i1.18231
PDF
HTML

References

Acropora Biological Review Team. (2005). Atlantic Acropora Status Review Document (Report to National Marine Fisheries Service). Unite States: Southeast Regional Office.

Alcolado, P. M., Hernández-Muñoz, D., Caballero, H., Busutil, L., Perera, S., & Hidalgo, G. (2009a). Efectos de un inusual período de alta frecuencia de huracanes sobre el bentos de arrecifes coralinos. REVMAR, 1, 74-94.

Alcolado, P. M., Caballero, H., & Perera, S. (2009b). Tendencia del cambio en el cubrimiento vivo por corales pétreos en los arrecifes coralinos de Cuba. Serie Oceanológica, 5, 1-23.

Alcolado, P. M., Morgan, I. E., Kramer, P. A., Ginsburg, R. N., Blanchon, P., de la Guardia, E., … Hernández, M. (2010). Condition of remote reefs off southwest Cuba. Ciencias Marinas, 36, 179-197.

Alcolado, P. M., Caballero, H., Lara, A., Arriaza, L., Rey-Villiers, N., Lugioyo, G. M., … Castellanos, S. (2013). La resiliencia en crestas arrecifales del este del Golfo de Batabanó, Cuba, y sus factores determinantes probables (Informe de Investigación). Cuba: Instituto de Oceanología.

Alfonso, I., Frias, M. P., Campos, A., & Baisre, J. A. (1991). Distribución y abundancia de larvas de la langosta Panulirus argus en aguas alrededor de Cuba. Revista de Investigaciones Marinas, 12, 5-19.

Álvarez del Castillo, P. A., Reyes-Bonilla, H., Álvarez-Filip, L., Millet-Encalada, M., & Escobosa-González, L. E. (2008). Cozumel Island, México: A disturbance history. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, 18, 7-11.

Álvarez-Filip, L., Dulvy, N. K., Gill, J. A., Côté, I. M., & Watkinson, A. R. (2009). Flattening of Caribbean coral reefs: Region-wide declines in architectural complexity. Proceeding of Real Society of Biology, 276, 1-7.

Anderson, M. J., Gorley, R. N., & Clarke, K. R. (2008). PERMANOVA + for PRIMER: Guide to Software and Statistical Methods. Plymounth, UK: PRIMER-E.

Anthony, K. R. N., Ridd, P. V., Orpin, A., Larcombe, P., & Lough, J. M. (2004). Temporal variation in light availability in coastal benthic habitats: effects of clouds, turbidity and tides. Limnology and Oceanography, 49, 2201-2211.

Aronson, R. B., & Precht, W. F. (2001). White-band disease and the changing face of Caribbean coral reefs. Hydrobiologia, 460, 25-38.

Arriaza, L., Hernández, M., Lorenzo, S., Olivera, J., Rodas, L., Montesino, D., … Navarro-Padrón, J. (2012). Modelación numérica de corrientes marinas alrededor del occidente de Cuba. Serie Oceanológica, 10, 11-22.

Ballester, M. (1997). Los sures en la mitad occidental de Cuba: cronología actualizada, potencial de daños y tendencias. SOMETCUBA, 3, 25-36.

Brown, B. E. (1997). Disturbance to coral reefs in recent times. In C. Birkeland (Ed.), Life and Death of Coral Reefs (pp. 354-379). New York: Chapman Hill.

Busutil, L., Caballero, H., Hidalgo, G., Alcolado-Prieto, P., Alcolado, P. M., & Martínez-Daranas, B. (2011). Condición del bentos de los arrecifes coralinos de Santa Lucía (nordeste de Cuba) antes y después del paso del huracán Ike. Serie Oceanológica, 8, 30-42.

Caballero, H., Alcolado, P. M., & Semidey, A. (2009). Condición de los arrecifes de coral frente a costas con asentamientos humanos y aportes terrígenos: El caso del litoral habanero, Cuba. REVMAR, 1, 49-72.

Caballero, H., & Alcolado, P. M. (2011). Condición de arrecifes de coral sometidos a presiones naturales recientes: Bajos de Sancho Pardo, Cuba. REVMAR, 3, 51-65.

Chollett, I., & Mumby, P. J. (2012). Predicting the distribution of Montastraea reefs using wave exposure. Coral Reefs, 31, 493-503.

Chollett, I., Mumby, P. J., Müller-Karger, F. E., & Hu, C. (2012). Physical environments of the Caribbean Sea. Limnology and Oceanography, 57, 1233-1244.

Clero-Alonso, L., Pina, Hernández, F. L., Martín, F., Zúñiga, D., … Caldwell. S. (2006). Biota acuática del norte de la provincia Ciego de Ávila. In Ecosistemas costeros: biodiversidad y gestión de recursos naturales (Compilación por el XV Aniversario del Centro de Investigaciones de Ecosistemas Costeros) (pp.182-184). Cuba: CIEC.

Cramer, K. L., Jackson, J. B. C., Angioletti, C.V., Leonard-Pingel, J., & Guilderson, T. P. (2012). Anthropogenic mortality on coral reefs in Caribbean Panama predates coral disease and bleaching. Ecology Letters, 15, 561-567.

Denny, M. (1994). Extreme drag forces and the survival of wind and water-swept organisms. Journal Experimental Biological, 194, 97-115.

Fabricius, K., De’ath, G., McCook, L., Turak, E., & Williams, D. M. (2005). Changes in algal, coral and fish assemblages along water quality gradients on the inshore Great Barrier Reef. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 51, 384-398.

Fernández de la Llera, M., Hidalgo-González, R. M., López-García, D., García-Ramil, I., & Penié-Rodríguez, I. (1990). Caracterización hidroquímica de la Fosa de Jagua y de la Zona Económica Exclusiva al sur de Cuba (Informe Final). Cuba: Instituto de Oceanología, Academia de Ciencias.

Fisco, D. (2008). Post hurricane dynamics and status of coral reefs St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, 23, 1098-1102.

Gardner, T. A., Cote´, I. M., Gill, J. A., Grant, A., & Watkinson, A. R. (2005). Hurricanes and caribbean coral reefs: impacts, recovery patterns, and role in long-term decline. Ecology, 86, 174-184.

Geister, J. (1977). The influence of wave exposure on the ecological zonation of Caribbean coral reefs. In D. L. Taylor (Ed.), Proc. 3rd Int. Coral Reef Symp (pp. 23-29). Florida, USA: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

González-Ferrer, S., Cantelar, K., Pina, F., Jiménez, A., Espinosa, J., Hernández, M., & Hernández, J. L. (2007). Estado de los ecosistemas marinos y costeros, y algunas características ambientales y tendencias. In P. M. Alcolado & M. Arellano-Acosta, (Eds.), Ecosistema Sabana-Camagüey. Estado actual, avances y desafíos en la protección y uso sostenible de la biodiversidad (pp. 38-45). Cuba: Proyecto PNUD/GEF Sabana- Camagüey, CUB/98/G32, CUB/99/G81.

Gutiérrez, E., Montolio, M., & Frías, M. P. (1990). Composición de la comunidad ictioplanctónica de las aguas territoriales al sur de Cuba. La Habana, Cuba: Memorias del II Congreso de Ciencias del Mar.

Hernández, R., Sherman, C., Weil, E., & Yoshioka, P. (2009). Spatial and temporal patterns in reef sediment accumulation and composition, southwestern insular shelf of Puerto Rico. Caribbean Journal Science, 45, 138-150.

Herrera, A., & Martínez-Estallela, N. (1987). Efecto de la contaminación sobre las comunidades de corales escleractíneos al oeste de la Bahía de La Habana. Simposio de Ciencias del Mar, VII Jornada Científica del Instituto de Oceanología XX Aniversario, 2, 253-257.

Jackson, J. B. C., Donovan, M. K., Cramer, K. L., & Lam, V. V. (2014). Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012. Gland, Switzerland: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, IUCN.

Kuntz, N. M., Kline, D. I., Sandin, S. A., & Rohwer, F. (2005). Pathologies and mortality rates caused by organic carbon and nutrient stressors in three Caribbean coral species. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 294, 173-180.

Langmead, O., & Sheppard, C. (2004). Coral reef community dynamics and disturbance: a simulation model. Ecology Modern, 175, 271-290.

Lapointe, B. E., Langton, R., Bedford, B. J., Potts, A. C., Day, O., & Hud, C. (2010). Land-based nutrient enrichment of the Buccoo Reef Complex and fringing coral reefs of Tobago, West Indies. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 60, 334-343.

Lirman, D., & Fong, P. (2007). Is proximity to land-based sources of coral stressors an appropriate measure of risk to coral reefs? An example from the Florida Reef Tract. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 779-791.

Littler, M. M., Littler, D. S., Brooks, B. L., & Lapointe, B. E. (2006). Nutrient manipulation methods for coral reef studies: A critical review and experimental field data. Journal Experimental Marine Biological and Ecology, 336, 242-253.

Loza, S. (2010). Estructura y funcionamiento del fitoplancton menor de 133 µm en las aguas oceánicas de Cuba (Tesis de Doctorado). Universidad de la Habana, Cuba.

Lugioyo, G. M. (2003). Distribución, relaciones tróficas y diversidad del bacterioplancton de las aguas oceánicas de Cuba (Tesis de Doctorado). Universidad de la Habana, Cuba.

Lugioyo, G. M., Miravet, M. E., Pérez, R., Álvarez, C., & Espinosa, G. (2007). Evaluación del estado trófico de las aguas oceánicas adyacentes al sur de Cuba a partir de indicadores microbiológicos y fitoplanctónicos. Revista Investigaciones Marinas, 28, 201-207.

McClanahan, T. R., Carreiro-Silva, M., & DiLorenzo, M. (2007). Effect of nitrogen, phosphorous, and their interaction on coral reef algal succession in Glover’s Reef, Belize. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54, 1947-1957.

Meesters, H. E., Bos, A., & Gast, G. J. (1992). Effects of sedimentation and lesion position on coral tissue regeneration. Seventh international coral reef symposium, Guam, 2, 671-678.

Mumby, P. J., & Steneck, R. S. (2008). Coral reef management and conservation in light of rapidly-evolving ecological paradigms. Trends Ecology Evolution, 23, 555-563.

Orozco-Llerena, M. V. (1997). Microzooplancton en las aguas oceánicas al sur de Cuba (Tesis de Maestría). Universidad de La Habana, Cuba.

Pandolfi, J., & Jackson, J. B. C. (2001). Community structure of Pleistocene coral reefs of Curaçao, Netherland Antilles. Ecology Monographic, 71, 49-67.

Pandolfi, J. M., Jackson, J. B. C., Baron, N., Bradbury, R. H., Guzman, H. M., Hughes, T. P., … Sala, E. (2005). Are US coral reefs on the slippery slope to slime? Science, 307, 1725-1726.

Patterson, K. L., Porter, J. W., Ritchie, K. B., Polson, S. W., Mueller, E., Peters, E. S., … Smith, G. W. (2002). The etiology of white pox, a lethal disease of the Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 99, 8725-8730.

Pavlidis, Y. A., Ionin, A. S., Ignatov, E. I., Luis, M., & Avelio, O. (1973). Condiciones de la formación de la oolita en las regiones someras de los mares tropicales. Serie Oceanológica, 18, 1-18.

Perera, S., Alcolado, P. M., Caballero, H., Guardia, E., & Cobián, D. (2013). Condición de los arrecifes coralinos del Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes, Cuba. REVMAR, 5, 41-62.

Pérez, R., Gil, C., & Loza, S. (1990). Variaciones estacionales de fitoplancton en aguas oceánicas al sur de Cuba (Informe Final). Cuba: Instituto de Oceanología de Cuba.

Precht, W. F., Bruckner, A., Aronson, W. R. B., & Bruckner, R. J. (2002). Endangered acroporid corals of the Caribbean. Coral Reef, 21, 41-42.

Rogers, C. S. (1990). Responses of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 62, 185-202.

Rogers, C. S., & Miller, J. (2006). Permanent ‘phase shifts’ or reversible declines in coral cover? Lack of recovery of two coral reefs in St. John, US Virgin Islands. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 306, 103-114.

Sheppard, C. R. C. (1982). Coral population on reef slopes and their major controls. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 7, 83-115.

Schuttenberg, H., & Marshall, P. (2008). Managing for mass coral bleaching: Strategies for supporting socio-ecological resilience. In C. Wilkinson and D. Souter (Eds.), Status of Caribbean Coral Reefs after Bleaching and Hurricanes in 2005 (pp. 115-127). Townsville, Australia: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Rainforest Research Centre.

StatSoft, Inc. (2002). STATISTICA 6.0 for Windows (Computer Program Manual). Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA: StatSoft.

Torres, J., & Morelock, J. (2002). Effect of Terrigenous Sediment Influx on Coral Cover and Rates of Three Caribbean Massive Coral Species. Caribbean Journal Science, 1, 222-229.

Wessel, P., & Smith, W. H. F. (1996). A global, self-consistent, hierarchical, high-resolution shoreline database. Geophysics Journal, 101, 8741-8743.

Wolanski, E., Fabricius, K., Spagnol, S., & Brinkman, R. (2005). Fine sediment budget on an inner-shelf coral-fringed island, Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Estuarine Coast Shelf Science, 65, 153-158.

Comments

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2016 Revista de Biología Tropical

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.