Structure of marginal coral reef assemblages under different turbidity regime.
Miguel Loiola, Igor C S Cruz, Danilo S Lisboa, Eduardo Mariano-Neto, Zelinda M A N Leão, Marilia D M Oliveira, Ruy K P Kikuchi
Author Information
Miguel Loiola: Laboratory of Coral Reefs and Global Changes-RECOR, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40210-340, Bahia, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Ecology and Biomonitoring, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Bahia, Brazil. Electronic address: miguelloiolam@gmail.com.
Igor C S Cruz: Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Department of Oceanography, Institute of Geosciences, Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40210-340, Bahia, Brazil.
Danilo S Lisboa: Laboratory of Coral Reefs and Global Changes-RECOR, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40210-340, Bahia, Brazil.
Eduardo Mariano-Neto: Postgraduate Program in Ecology and Biomonitoring, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40170-115, Bahia, Brazil.
Zelinda M A N Leão: Laboratory of Coral Reefs and Global Changes-RECOR, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40210-340, Bahia, Brazil.
Marilia D M Oliveira: Laboratory of Coral Reefs and Global Changes-RECOR, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40210-340, Bahia, Brazil.
Ruy K P Kikuchi: Laboratory of Coral Reefs and Global Changes-RECOR, Institute of Geosciences, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Barão de Jeremoabo Street, Ondina, Salvador, 40210-340, Bahia, Brazil.
Sediment load can influence both the population distribution and structures of coral reef communities. We investigated whether coral assemblages on inshore and more turbid reefs differ from those on offshore reefs in the largest coral reefs of the Southwest Atlantic. We compared inshore and offshore reefs (with different turbidity climatologies) in terms of benthic and coral assemblage structures, abundances and individual sizes of coral populations and recruitment patterns. Unexpectedly, the inshore reefs showed higher coral cover and abundance, larger colonies and more recruits. This finding is related to the predominance of sediment-tolerant species on the turbid reefs. In contrast, only Mussismilia braziliensis (main builder of Abrolhos) showed better performance (greater coverage, larger diameter and more recruits) on offshore reefs, apparently behaving as a strong competitor in less turbid environments. These results reinforce the recent thinking of coral reef of turbid environments as resistant ecosystems and potential refuges considering the unnatural increase of sediment supply.
