Publisher : Bulletin of Marine Science
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2008
Thematic : Coral Reef
Language : English
Note
The nature and degree of impact of ship groundings on coral reefs and subsequent
recovery is not well understood. Disturbed benthic and associated fish assemblages
may take years-decades to return to pre-impact levels or may attain alternate stable
states. Rose Atoll, a small, remote coral atoll in the central South Pacific, was impacted
by a major ship grounding and associated contaminant spill in October 1993.
Coral reef fish assemblages were quantitatively surveyed at the site of impact and
compared to other nearby sites along the western outer reef slope in August 1995,
February 2002, February 2004, and March 2006. In 1995, herbivorous surgeonfishes
dominated the site, likely attracted to the early algal blooms. During 2002–2006,
both numbers and biomass of pooled herbivorous fishes were significantly greater
at the wreck site than at the other reef-slope survey sites. This greater abundance,
where some corroding steel debris remained, was associated with significantly
greater substratum cover by opportunistic algae (both turf and cyanobacteria). Thus,
more than 13 yrs later, the grounding of this ship is still impacting algal growth and
herbivorous reef-fish populations. While continued ecosystem monitoring at Rose
Atoll is necessary for a full understanding of recovery rates by fish assemblages from
such major anthropogenic disturbances, in the event of future groundings, containment
of the contaminant spill and prompt removal of all metallic debris is recommended
to preserve ecosystem integrity.
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Keywords : Lepidochelys kempii
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
