Ecological stages of Maldivian reefs after the coral mass mortality of 1998

摘要

The bleaching event of 1998 caused widespread mortality on coral reefs in the Maldives. Nearly 10 years after the coral mass mortality, the state of Maldivian reefs was evaluated paying specific attention to three ecological stages, linked to the 3D structure of the coral community: young (high living hard coral cover), mature (a balance between living coral cover and loose sediment), and regressive (high amount of rubble and sand). The relative importance of three biogeomorphological descriptors (living hard corals; rubble and sand; coralline algae on rock) in the reef flat (2–7 m depth) and in the slope (7–18 m) of three reefscapes related to wave exposure was assessed. The role of wave energy in shaping ecological stages is different in the reef flat (early stages are found in low energy conditions) and in the slope (early stages are associated with high energy sites).