title: Evaluation of stony coral indicators for coral reef management.
abstract: Colonies of reef-building stony corals at 57 stations around St. Croix, US Virgin Islands were characterized by species, size and percentage of living tissue. Taxonomic, biological and physical indicators of coral condition were derived from these measurements and assessed for their response to gradients of human disturbance-a requirement for indicators used in regulatory assessments under authority of the Clean Water Act. At the most intensely disturbed location, five of eight primary indicators were highly correlated with distance from the source of disturbance: Coral taxa richness, average colony size, the coefficient of variation of colony size, total topographic coral surface area, and live coral surface area. An additional set of exploratory indicators related to rarity, reproductive and spawning mode and taxonomic identity were also screened. The primary indicators demonstrated sufficient precision to detect levels of change that would be applicable in a regional-scale regulatory program.
authors: US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Gulf Breeze, FL 32561, United States. Fisher.william@epa.gov
authors: William S
authors: WS
authors: Fisher
authors: Leska S
authors: LS
authors: Fore
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Hutchins
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Quarles
authors: Jed G
authors: JG
authors: Campbell
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: LoBue
authors: Wayne S
authors: WS
authors: Davis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006802:Human Activities; D014767:United States Virgin Islands