Coral cover and rubble cryptofauna abundance and diversity at outplanted reefs in Okinawa, Japan.

ABSTRACT: Global climate change is leading to damage and loss of coral reef ecosystems. On subtropical Okinawa Island in southwestern Japan, the prefectural government is working on coral reef restoration by outplanting coral colonies from family Acroporidae back to reefs after initially farming colonies inside protected nurseries. In order to establish a baseline for future comparisons, in this study we documented the current status of reefs undergoing outplanting at Okinawa Island, and nearby locations where no human manipulation has occurred. We examined three sites on the coast of Onna Village on the west coast of the island; each site included an outplanted and control location. We used (1) coral rubble sampling to measure and compare abundance and diversity of rubble cryptofauna; and (2) coral

SUBMITTER: Biondi P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7518162 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature