The effect of reef health on the abundance, impact and biological control of corallivores species in Kenya

Coral reefs are one of the most complex and fragile ecosystems on our planet. Coral reefs have multiple threats, both natural and human-made. One natural threat is consumption by corallivorous species. Corallivores are a wide... [ view full abstract ]

Coral reefs are one of the most complex and fragile ecosystems on our planet. Coral reefs have multiple threats, both natural and human-made. One natural threat is consumption by corallivorous species. Corallivores are a wide group of organisms, represented by five invertebrate phyla and twelve fish families. Corallivorous species can have minor to lethal impact on the coral reef. A direct effect is the negative impact on coral growth and survival. In extreme outbreaks of the invertebrates species Acanthaster planci or Drupella spp., a coral reef could degrade so much that the reef could shift to a macro-alga dominated reef. Indirect impacts are bio-erosion and disease transfer. In almost every region in the world, corallivorous species are present, also in Kenya. In the South of Kenya, three types of experiments are being conducted on three different locations; Wasini Channel, Kisite Marine National Park and Mpunguti Reserve. The three types of experiments consist of surveys and predator experiments. The aim of this research is to gain more knowledge about the presence, identification and abundance of the corallivorous species, and about their dependency on the health of a coral reef. This will help with the conservation and managment of tropical marine ecosystems. One of the hypothesis is that there is a positive correlation between coral reef health and corallivorous species.