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Description:
Title:
Results of the Territorial Monitoring Program of American Samoa for 2009, benthic section, including information on the tsunami effects
Author(s):
Fenner, Douglas
United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)
American Samoa, Coral Reef Advisory Group
Corporate Name:
United States, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Coral Reef Conservation Program (U.S.)
American Samoa, Coral Reef Advisory Group
Dates of Publication:
2011
Abstract:
Because of the Sept. 29, 2009 tsunami and a variety of other delays, only 7 sites were monitored in 2009. Coral cover, which had risen slightly in 2008, remained at that level, with 28.6% cover in 2009. Coralline algae continues to dominate the reefs and macroalgae continues to be rare. The live coral index increased slightly from the 2008 value which was already over 90%, and there is no overall trend from 2005-2009. The value is much higher than the South Pacific average, indicating relatively healthy reefs. Coral lifeforms continue to be dominated by encrusting corals. Porites was the most common single genus of corals, followed by Acropora and Montipora. The most common coral species is Poritesrus, followed by encrusting Montipora. While there was no overall trend in the number of lifeforms or genera per site, there was a small overall increase in the number of coral species recorded per site over the five years of monitoring.
Keywords:
Benthos
Coral bleaching
Coral reef conservation
Coral reef restoration
Coral reefs and islands
Corals
Environmental aspects
Habitat
Monitoring
Tsunamis
Place Keywords:
American Samoa
Local Corporate Name:
CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)
Type of Resource:
Professional Paper
Note:
Because of the Sept. 29, 2009 tsunami and a variety of other delays, only 7 sites were monitored in 2009. Coral cover, which had risen slightly in 2008, remained at that level, with 28.6% cover in 2009. Coralline algae continues to dominate the reefs and macroalgae continues to be rare. The live coral index increased slightly from the 2008 value which was already over 90%, and there is no overall trend from 2005-2009. The value is much higher than the South Pacific average, indicating relatively healthy reefs. Coral lifeforms continue to be dominated by encrusting corals. Porites was the most common single genus of corals, followed by Acropora and Montipora. The most common coral species is Poritesrus, followed by encrusting Montipora. While there was no overall trend in the number of lifeforms or genera per site, there was a small overall increase in the number of coral species recorded per site over the five years of monitoring.
2011
CoRIS (Coral Reef Information System)
Library
Public Domain
1858
URL:
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