[CDHC] New paper: Raymundo et al

Cheryl Woodley cheryl.woodley at noaa.gov
Fri Jul 13 20:03:21 EDT 2007


Hi CDHC Members,
Here is a paper that may interest you from Laurie Raymundo and group.
Cheryl*

Marine Pollution Bulletin 54 (2007) 1009–1019

Can dynamite-blasted reefs recover? A novel, low-tech approach to 
stimulating natural recovery in fish and coral populations*
L.J. Raymundo, A.P. Maypa, E.D. Gomez, Pablina Cadiz

Abstract
Throughout Southeast Asia, blast fishing creates persistent rubble 
fields with low coral cover and depauperate fish communities. We 
stabilized a 20-year-old rubble field in a Marine Protected Area in the 
Philippines, using plastic mesh and rock piles in replicated 17.5 m2 
plots, thereby increasing topographic complexity, fish habitat, and 
recruitment substrate surface area. Multivariate analysis revealed fish
community shifts within the rehabilitated area from that characteristic 
of rubble fields to one similar to the adjacent healthy reef within 
three years, as measured by changes in fish abundance and body size. 
Coral recruitment and percent cover increased over time, with 63.5% 
recruit survivorship within plots, compared with 6% on rubble. Our 
low-cost approach created a stable substrate favoring natural recovery 
processes. Both rehabilitation and the elimination of poaching were 
integral to success, emphasizing the synergism between the two and the 
need to incorporate both when considering mitigation.

-- 
Cheryl Woodley, Ph.D.
Coral Health and Disease Program

DOC/NOAA/NOS/NCCOS
Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research
Hollings Marine Laboratory
331 Fort Johnson Rd
Charleston, SC 29412
843.762.8862 Phone
843.762.8737 Fax
cheryl.woodley at noaa.gov




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