Long-term decline in Acropora species at Kut Island, Thailand, in relation to coral bleaching events
Yeemin, T.; Pengsakun, S.; Yucharoen, M.; Klinthong, W.; Sangmanee, K.; Sutthacheep, M. (2013). Long-term decline in Acropora species at Kut Island, Thailand, in relation to coral bleaching events. Mar. Biodiv. 43(1): 23-29. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12526-012-0138-z
In: Marine Biodiversity. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 1867-1616; e-ISSN 1867-1624, more
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| Keywords |
Population functions > Mortality
Acropora Oken, 1815 [WoRMS]
ISEW, Thailand Gulf [Marine Regions]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
Coral bleaching; Local extinction |
| Authors | | Top |
- Yeemin, T.
- Pengsakun, S.
- Yucharoen, M.
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- Klinthong, W.
- Sangmanee, K.
- Sutthacheep, M.
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| Abstract |
Coral reefs in the Gulf of Thailand suffered from severe bleaching in the summer of 2010. Coral taxa were affected with various levels of intensity, eventually causing high mortality among many coral species, such as Acropora spp. Surveys at three sites at Kut Island in the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand revealed that, before the 2010 bleaching event took place, live cover of Acropora was very low (0.35–1.46 %) and later even decreased to 0.1 %. Only A. millepora colonies were affected. The low Acropora coverage at the study sites before the event was still a result of the previous massive coral bleaching in 1998. Densities of juvenile Acropora colonies before the 2010 bleaching event were also very low at the study sites (on average 0.01–0.03 m-2), with no recruitment for up to nearly 2 years. Several Acropora species that were previously found at Kut Island are presently at risk for local extinction or may have already disappeared |
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