BIOLOGIYA MORYA, 2015, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. 92-99 |
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Space-time variability and stability of Vietnamese reef communities A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok 690041 E-mail: In 2010 and 2013, during the RV "Akademik Oparin" expeditions a number of coral reefs were reinvestigated in terms of species composition and structure of benthic communities. These reefs were first studied and described in the eighties of the last century. It was found that over time the geomorphological structure of reefs, the species composition and community structure of Con Dao, Lý Son, and Thu islands have not changed much. Reefs of Hon Mieu island in Nha Trang Bay and Namsu in the Gulf of Siam experienced significant changes because of increasing human influence. Reefs of Cu Lao Cham and Tho Chau islands were almost completely or very heavily damaged by powerful typhoons of 2006 and 2009. The present state of coral reefs is described, and significant changes in the abundance of some species of hydrobionts are recorded. The possible causes for the observed changes are analyzed, including those due to increasing human impact. Key words: coral reefs, composition, structure, distribution, scleractinians, macrobenthos, Vietnam. |
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