[Coral-List] Request for information concerning Rainbow Gardens and the Bommie

[Phillip Dustan]

We recently investigated the changes occurring at Rainbow Gardens Reef, 
a small patch reef near Lee Stocking Island. Rainbow Gardens was once 
known as a place of great biodiversity, and a favorite spot for local 
recreational snorkeling and diving by marine laboratory personnel from 
the nearby Caribbean Marine Research Center. The stony and soft coral 
assemblages of Rainbow Gardens were documented in 1991 by Allison King 
(1995), who developed methods of non-invasive monitoring. Using King's 
original, permanently marked transects, we investigated the changes in 
coral cover, abundance, and phenotypic condition.

A massive Montastrea annularis colony, about 7m in diameter, nicknamed 
"the Bommie" suffered about 80% loss in coral cover, as the rest of 
Rainbow Gardens. We are trying to get together pictures of the Bommie 
that scientists visiting LSI may have taken since 1991, in order to get 
a time series  of pictures showing its degradation.

Any feedback on the condition of the Bommie, as well as pictures would 
be highly appreciated. Of course authorship will be fully acknowledged. 
If possible, we are also interested n any pictures that could be used 
for point counts of the substrate to gain information on the gorgonians 
as well as corals. We can use pictures in any format- slides, digital, 
video, etc.
If you’re interested we can send you a composite picture  of the Bommie 
from October 2004.
		Thanks for your help,
		Eric and Phil

Reference:
A.J. King. 1995. Digital analysis of a patch reef community: Rainbow 
Gardens Reefs, Lee Stocking Island, Exuma Cays, Bahamas. College of 
Charleston. MS Thesis

-- 
Phillip Dustan  Ph.D.
Department of Biology
College of Charleston
Charleston   SC  29424
(843) 953-8086 voice
(843) 953-5453 (Fax)