Initiation of a long-term monitoring program for coral reefs in the Virgin Islands National Park
Rogers CS and Zullo ES. 1987. Initiation of a long-term monitoring program for coral reefs in the Virgin Islands National Park. Biosphere Reserve Research Report No. 17. National Park Service; Virgin Islands Resource Management Cooperative; Island Resources Foundation. St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Established transects on coral reefs in Fish, Reef and Hawksnest Bays for long-term monitoring. Measured percent of live coral cover. A tropical storm passed by during the study period which made it possible to look at the difference in coral cover before and after in Fish Bay. A long-term monitoring program was initiated for the coral reefs of the Virgin Islands National Park and Biosphere Reserve in recognition of the need for quantitative baseline data to provide information for resource assessment and effective management. Major stresses to the reefs in the park include terrigenous runoff, storm damage, and boat damage. Transects were established on reefs in Reef. Fish, and Hawksnest Bays. During the study period, the most conspicuous damage to St. John's reefs resulted from heavy seas associated with Tropical Storm Klaus in November 1984. The storm resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the mean percent of live coral cover (from 26 to 21). an increase in diversity and evenness, and a slight decrease in spatial index at the Fish Bay site. The percent cover by the dominant coral Agaricia agaricites decreased significantly from 17 to 11. At Reef and Hawksnest Bays (for which there are only post-storm data), mean percent coral cover was 20 and 26, respectively. Monitoring of changes in the amount of living coral cover and other parameters along the transects on reefs in these three bays will allow assessment of future damage from turbidity and other stresses.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Rogers, Caroline; Zullo, Evonne
- Date of Issue
- 1987-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service; Virgin Islands Resource Management Cooperative; Island Resources Foundation
- Units
- VIIS
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Coral, Fish Bay, Hawksnest Bay, Impacts, Monitoring, Reef Bay, St. John, Storms, Transects, US Virgin Islands