Mapping the Distribution of Digitate and Tabulate Acropora Corals in Selected Reefs of Zanzibar
| dc.contributor.author | Mwakalapa, Eliezer. Brown | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-12-15T10:39:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-12-15T10:39:23Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2013 | |
| dc.description | This Thesis was Published in 2013 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Mapping the boundaries and distribution of reef corals, especially at growth form level, is an important coastal zone management step. Digitate and tabulate Acropora are growth forms of stone corals associated with abundance of reef fishes and are important in building reef framework. In this study boundaries of coral reefs and the distribution of digitate and tabulate Acropora around Bawe and Mnemba Islets, Zanzibar Island were mapped and results compared with environmental parameters. Data were collected by manta tow technique, line intercept transect, belt intersect transect, GPS unit and an underwater camera. Geo-referenced data was processed using ArcMap 9.3 software. The border line was set where live coral cover was above 5%. At the boundaries reef corals are intermixed with seagrasses, sand, rock and algal mats. The estimated area of coral reef was 1.9 km2 at Bawe Island and 20 km2 at Mnemba Island. Tabulate Acropora were aggregated on Bawe and Mnemba coral reefs, while digitate Acropora were aggregated on the reef flats, randomly distributed on Bawe and dispersed on Mnemba reef slopes. Small sized colonies of 11 to 40 cm and 21 to 60 cm diameters dominated the distributions of digitate and tabulate Acropora respectively. Higher contribution of digitate Acropora (2.07 cm) were observed in terms of coral cover as compared to tabulate Acropora (0.03 cm). The study also revealed that the distribution of tabulate and digitate Acropora is influenced by depth, turbidity and habitat type. This study provides useful information on the location and distribution of digitate and tabulate Acropora and provides recommendations for management and future studies on ecosystem changes and vulnerability. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://repository.must.ac.tz/handle/123456789/111 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Mbeya University of Science and Technology | |
| dc.title | Mapping the Distribution of Digitate and Tabulate Acropora Corals in Selected Reefs of Zanzibar | |
| dc.type | Thesis |