Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica and National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan.
PLoS One. 2020 Aug 26;15(8):e0237397. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237397. eCollection 2020.
Spatial patterns of coral reef benthic communities vary across a range of broad-scale biogeographical levels to fine-scale local habitat conditions. This study described spatial patterns of coral reef benthic communities spanning across the 536-km coast of Kenya. Thirty-eight reef sites representing different geographical zones within an array of habitats and management levels were assessed by benthic cover, coral genera and coral colony size classes. Three geographical zones were identified along the latitudinal gradient based on their benthic community composition. Hard coral dominated the three zones with highest cover in the south and Porites being the most abundant genus. Almost all 15 benthic variables differed significantly between geographical zones. The interaction of habitat factors and management levels created a localised pattern within each zone. Four habitats were identified based on their similarity in benthic community composition; 1. Deep-Exposed Patch reef in Reserve areas (DEPR), 2. Deep-Exposed Fringing reefs in Unprotected areas (DEFU), 3. Shallow Fringing and Lagoon reefs in Protected and Reserve areas (SFLPR) and 4. Shallow Patch and Channel reefs (SPC). DEPR was found in the north zone only and its benthic community was predominantly crustose coralline algae. DEFU was found in central and south zones mainly dominated by soft corals, Acropora, Montipora, juvenile corals and small colonies of adult corals. SFLPR was dominated by macroalgae and turf algae and was found in north and central zones. SPC was found across all geographical zones with a benthic community dominated by hard corals of mostly large colonies of Porites and Echinopora. The north zone exhibits habitat types that support resistance properties, the south supports recovery processes and central zone acts as an ecological corridor between zones. Identifying habitats with different roles in reef resilience is useful information for marine spatial planning and supports the process of designing effective marine protected areas.
珊瑚礁底栖生物群落的空间格局在广泛的生物地理水平到精细的局部生境条件上都有所不同。本研究描述了肯尼亚 536 公里海岸跨越的珊瑚礁底栖生物群落的空间格局。在一系列生境和管理水平中，有 38 个珊瑚礁点代表不同的地理区域，通过底栖生物覆盖、珊瑚属和珊瑚群体大小类别进行评估。根据其底栖生物群落组成，在纬度梯度上确定了三个地理区域。在这三个区域中，硬珊瑚占主导地位，南部的覆盖率最高，而 Porites 是最丰富的属。几乎所有 15 个底栖生物变量在地理区域之间都有显著差异。生境因素和管理水平的相互作用在每个区域内创造了局部模式。根据底栖生物群落组成的相似性，确定了四种生境；1. 保护区内的深暴露斑块礁（DEPR），2. 无保护区域内的深暴露边缘礁（DEFU），3. 受保护和保护区内的浅边缘和泻湖礁（SFLPR）和 4. 浅斑块和海峡礁（SPC）。DEPR 仅在北部区域发现，其底栖生物群落主要由壳状珊瑚藻组成。DEFU 分布在中部和南部区域，主要由软珊瑚、Acropora、Montipora、幼年珊瑚和小群体的成年珊瑚组成。SFLPR 以大型藻类和草坪藻类为主，分布在北部和中部区域。SPC 分布在所有地理区域，其底栖生物群落主要由 Porites 和 Echinopora 等硬珊瑚的大型群体组成。北部区域的生境类型支持抗性特性，南部区域支持恢复过程，而中部区域则充当区域之间的生态走廊。确定在珊瑚礁恢复力方面具有不同作用的生境是海洋空间规划的有用信息，并支持设计有效海洋保护区的过程。
