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The Rotuma Coral Reef Conservation Project (page 2 of 4)

Fig 3. Graph comparing overall SHALLOW substrate cover for October 2003 and May 2004
  • Overall there were a lot more soft corals (+0.48%) and sponges (+0.76%) on average for 2004.

3.2 ALGAE

Table 2. Mean algae cover for re-surveyed reefs of Ut'utu, Lopta, Lulu Bay, Malhaha and Roupure

 

Deep

Shallow

Algae Type

2003

2004

2003

2004

Algal Assemblage (AA)

5.63

6.50

1.46

2.92

Coralline Algae(CA)

21.63

21.75

28.33

20.42

Halimeda (HA)

14.25

15.50

4.38

3.75

Macro-Algae (MA)

0.25

1.38

0.21

0.63

Turf Algae (TA)

1.00

1.38

0.00

10.63

Total Percentage Algae

42.75

46.50

34.38

38.33

 

Table 3. Mean overall percentage of alga cover in shallow and deep transects comparing October 2003 and May 2004

 

Deep

Shallow

Algae Type

2003

2004

2003

2004

Algal Assemblage (AA)

2.61

6.5

0.75

2.57

Coralline Algae (CA) 

25.68

21.75

37.06

14.06

Halimeda (HA)

16.53

15.5

4.56

5.25

Macro-Algae (MA)

0.28

1.38

0.38

1.56

Turf Algae (TA)

2.5

1.38

3.94

7.88

Total Percentage Algae

47.61

46.5

46.69

31.32
  • As for alga cover, Coralline Algae remained the higher component followed by Halimeda.
  • For re-surveyed reefs total algae increase by at least 4% for the respective depths.

3.3 CORAL

Table 4. Comparing overall percentage for LIVE CORAL cover and other Benthic communities  (as growth morphology) for October 2003 with May 2004

Live Coral

Oct 2003 Data

May 2004 Data

Coral Growth Type

Deep

Shallow

Deep

Shallow

Acropora Branching (ACB)

Encrusting (ACE)

Submasive (ACS)

Digitate (ACD)

Tabulate (ACT)

Non-Acropora Coral Branching (CB)

Coral Encrusting (CE)

Coral Foliose (CF)

Coral Massive (CM)

Coral Submassive (CS)

Mushroom Corals (CMR)

Blue Corals Heliopora (CHL)

Fire Corals Millepora (CME)

Organ Pipe Corals Tubipora musica (CTU)

4.15

0.34

0.34

0.23

1.88

1.93

12.10

0.68

4.09

1.88

0.00

0.17

0.34

0.00

5.50

0.19

1.19

1.50

1.00

2.06

7.50

0.19

2.13

2.69

0.00

0.06

0.63

0.00

2.63

0.25

0.25

0.75

1.75

1.00

10.57

2.42

2.38

3.25

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

9.24

0.07

1.25

1.88

0.28

1.32

3.06

0.63

1.25

12.15

0.00

0.49

1.46

0.00

 
28.13

24.63

25.24

33.06
Total Live Coral %  

26.38

29.15
  • Encrusting coral morphology remained the dominant form apart from submassive forms in the form of Pavona sp.
  • Pavona sp was the dominant form of coral growth in Juju (shallow) transect.
Plate 4. Acropora Digitate (ACD).
Plate 5.Coral Submassive (CS).
Plate 6. Blue Coral (CHL).  Heliopora sp.

 

Fig 4. Graph of Mean Live Coral Cover for re-surveyed deep sites of Ut'utu, Lopta, Lulu, Malhaha and Roupure

 

Fig 5. Re-surveyed Mean Live Coral Cover of shallow sites
  • For re-surveyed shallow sites mean live coral cover increased by 0.21% in the 7 months between surveys.
  • In contrast, deep sites had a decline of 6.25%. The trend also shows in overall sites for 2004.
    [See Tables 1 & 4.].
Plate 7. Coral Encrusting (CE)
Plate 8. Dead Coral

Plate 9. Acropora Tabulate Favia sp. with Algae (DCA).

Plates 1 - 8: Courtesy of Diane Walker. LRI Volunteer - Rotuma, October 2003

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