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Interannual Variation in Coral Reef Plant Communities of Central Belize
Author(s) -
Rhodes M. J.,
Nelson T. A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1046/j.1529-8817.38.s1.89.x
Subject(s) - seagrass , transect , reef , atoll , oceanography , thalassia testudinum , coral , fringing reef , coral reef , geology , ecology , biology , habitat
Algal and seagrass community composition were monitored biennially along three transect lines in Belize from 1997 through 2001. Two sites were on South Water Caye. The first was on the seaward side, between the reef crest and the caye. The second was on the landward side of the caye. The third site was on Long Caye, Glover's Reef Atoll. This transect line ran from a coral rubble filled embayment, through a small channel (formed by hurricane Hattie in 1960, bisecting Long Caye), and into a seagrass meadow in the interior of the atoll. After a 38‐year hiatus, hurricanes struck Belize in 1998, 2000 and 2001, giving us the opportunity to examine changes in plant community structure before and after the storm sequence. Minimal interannual changes were seen at South Water Caye. The seagrasses at Long Caye were nearly eliminated along the transect line due to burial by sand. Peak density of Thalassia testudinum at Long Caye was over 60 shoots/m 2 in 1997 and less than 2 shoots/m 2 in 1999 and 2001. Halodule wrightii and Syringodium filiforme were both completely eliminated between 1997 and 1999. Padina and Dictyota spp. flourished in the embayment following the hurricane, but had been virtually absent prior to the sequence of storms. Future monitoring will be conducted to follow recovery of the meadow and look for other long‐term changes.