Patterns of Coral Distribution and Benthic Space Partitioning on the Fringing Reefs of Southern Taiwan

. The distribution pattern of corals and benthic space partitioning patterns on the fringing reefs of southern Taiwan were studied by the line‐transect method. The bathymetric distribution of corals in the study area was basically homogeneous except on the protected reef slopes and the exposed reef fronts and terraces. Corals on protected reef slopes are mainly foliaceous, including Montipora foliosa, Merulina ampliata, Mycedium elephantotus , and Pachyseris speciosa , but the dominant species on a reef slope vary from site to site. The formation of the foliaceous coral community is possibly related to a complex of environmental factors, chance, and biological interactions. The reef fronts and submarine terraces of exposed areas are dominated by alcyonacean corals. The most abundant species are Sarcophyton trocheliophorum, S. crassocaule , and Lobophytum sarcophytoides ; their distributions are relatively homogeneous. The formation of alcyonacean‐dominated assemblages can be related to the special adaptive strategies of these corals. In regard to space partitioning patterns, the major space occupiers on those reefs exposed to storm disturbances are alcyonacean soft corals, scleractinian corals, and algae; on reefs protected from storms, scleractinian corals and algae dominate. Two conspicuous features of the study area are the high proportion of space occupied by algae and the abundant unoccupied space. The dense algal cover is possibly caused by sewage pollution and overfishing of the reef area. The unoccupied space is most likely related to the high frequency of typhoon disturbances.