Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Bleaching and hurricane disturbances to populations of coral recruits in Belize

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Peter Mumby

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

In 1998, coral populations in Belize were disturbed simultaneously by a severe coral bleaching event and Hurricane Mitch. The impact of these disturbances was assessed for naturally occurring populations of coral recruits (2 to 20 mm diameter), at a depth of 8 to 10 m on the forereef of Glovers Atoll. Bleaching took place at all 4 study sites but the hurricane only affected 2 sites, enabling the effects of bleaching to be compared to those arising from bleaching plus hurricane damage. Predisturbance recruit density, size-frequency distribution, and community structure were similar between sites (at kilometre scales). The bleaching event lasted ca 3.5 mo. From 70 to 90 % of adult colonies bleached and at least 25 % of recruits exhibited signs of bleaching. A month after adult colonies had regained usual colouration, only 1 % of recruits showed even partial bleaching. Surprisingly, coral bleaching alone had no measurable effect on either recruit density or community structure. The combination of bleaching and hurricane disturbance reduced total recruit densities to 20 % of pre-disturbance levels. Effects of bleaching/hurricane disturbance on community structure were spatially patchy, and I suggest that such patchiness may arise from variable cover of protective microhabitat and/or different storm conditions mediated by proximity to reef cuts (breaks in the reef crest).


Publication metadata

Author(s): Mumby PJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Marine Ecology - Progress Series

Year: 1999

Volume: 190

Pages: 27-35

Print publication date: 14/12/1999

ISSN (print): 0171-8630

ISSN (electronic): 1616-1599

Publisher: Inter-Research

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps190027

DOI: 10.3354/meps190027


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share