![]() No ‘poor’ sites were found in PTMP and PB, implying that both areas face minimal impact from the local stressors. PTMP and PB recorded the highest C composition, suggesting distance from the mainland as a factor to PTMP while low human intervention is an attributable factor to PB. The reefs nearby the mainland and intense human activities consequently resulting in coral health status with some sites rated as ‘poor’ condition. ![]() High ALG composition was found in PPMP and some sites in LMP, indicating the high commercial use in the ‘Area’ have induced the algae colonisation. ‘Areas’ close to the mainland such as PKMP and LMP was mainly dominated by abiotic components. Lower C composition and high cover of ALG, DC and SR can be associated with the decreasing proximity of the reef ‘Area’ to the mainland and the criteria of ‘Tourism Development’. The variation of biotic and abiotic components was significantly influenced by ‘Area’ and ‘Tourism Development’, which implied that the reefs were influenced by proximity from the mainland and varying human-induced stressors within the site in the survey area. The Coral Video Transect (CVT) technique was utilised to examine the biotic and abiotic composition, coral health status and coral communities. This study attempts to update such information by evaluating the data of coral assessment on the reef areas in the southern part of the South China Sea (SCS) the Labuan Marine Park (LMP), Pulau Tioman Marine Park (PTMP), Pulau Kapas Marine Park (PKMP), Pulau Bidong (PB) and Pulau Perhentian Marine Park (PPMP). In enhancing coral reef management, identifying the key threats that influence the coral reefs ecosystem needs accurate information on the current knowledge of coral health status and coral communities. Overall, although there were changes in some of the parameters listed above, and in coral genus abundance patterns, no evidence for decreased diversity and ecological health of sedimentinfluenced reefs could be found for our set of community-level measurements of the shallow-water coral assemblage. Reefs exposed to high sediment influence were dominated by sediment tolerant and intermediate coral genera during both surveys, while reefs exposed to low sediment influence were dominated by sediment-intolerant and intermediate genera. Acropora, Astreopora, Favites and Porites were intermediate between these groups. Positive correlation between differences in coral genus abundance and differences in mean coral colony sizes over time and among reefs suggests a suite of sediment-tolerant ( Echinopora, Galaxea, Hydnophora, Millepora and Platygyra) and sedimentintolerant ( Favia, Montipora and Pocillopora) genera. ![]() Generic richness, diversity and dominance of corals were broadly similar among all reefs except for higher dominance in the control reef. Coral cover increased significantly over time at the intermediate reef, to levels comparable to the low and high-sediment influenced reefs. ![]() Soft coral and sponge cover were higher at increasing levels of sediment influence, though this trend is confounded by a parallel increase in water motion. Within algal categories (turf, calcareous, fleshy and coralline) there were no consistent differences among treatment groups consistent with sediment influence. Total algal cover increased between surveys only at the control (low sediment) reef, to levels comparable to the sediment influenced reefs. Line transect surveys of shallow (< 5 m at low tide) coral reef communities were conducted in 1985–19–1993 on a gradient of sediment influence in the Watamu (low influence) and Malindi (intermediate and high influence) National Marine Parks. Since the early 1960s increased soil erosion due to changing land-use practices in the Sabaki River catchment basin, has increased river-sediment discharge into coastal waters around Malindi, Kenya.
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