Dominance of the scleractinian coral Alveopora japonica in the barren subtidal hard bottom of high-latitude Jeju Island off the south coast of Korea assessed by high-resolution underwater images.

ABSTRACT: Coastal benthic communities in temperate regions have been influenced by climate change, including increasing sea-surface temperature. Nevertheless, scleractinian coral Alveopora japonica Eguchi, 1968, is thriving in shallow subtidal hard bottoms around Jeju Island, off the southern coast of Korea. The presence of this corals has negatively impacted subtidal kelp populations in Jeju Island. However, there is no study to document how the presence or absence of this coral relates to other benthic communities. This study investigated the benthos in three shallow subtidal sites (Shinheung (SH), Bukchon (BC), and Seongsan (SS)) in northern Jeju using underwater photography. Macro-benthic organisms appearing on a 1 × 20 m line transect installed at depths of 5, 10, and 15 m at each site were ana

SUBMITTER: Lee KT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9635743 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature