Assessing the effects of logging on coral reefs in Solomon Islands

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Author(s)
Cooper, T.F.
Smith, M.P. Lincoln
Bell, J. D.
Pitt, Kylie Anne
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2002
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The corals occurring in bays adjacent to mouths of rivers in Western Province, Solomon Islands, are being studied to
quantify the effects of runoff associated with logging on coral reefs. The 5-year study aims to identify any effects of
runoff on fringing coral reefs by comparing abundance, diversity, survival and recruitment of corals adjacent to ,
actively logged, previously logged and unlogged catchments on each of 2 islands. A pilot study comparing diversity
and abundance of corals adjacent to actively logged and unlogged catchments indicated that effects of runoff on
corals did not always conform to predictions, and ...
View more >The corals occurring in bays adjacent to mouths of rivers in Western Province, Solomon Islands, are being studied to quantify the effects of runoff associated with logging on coral reefs. The 5-year study aims to identify any effects of runoff on fringing coral reefs by comparing abundance, diversity, survival and recruitment of corals adjacent to , actively logged, previously logged and unlogged catchments on each of 2 islands. A pilot study comparing diversity and abundance of corals adjacent to actively logged and unlogged catchments indicated that effects of runoff on corals did not always conform to predictions, and differed between islands. For example, there was more dead coral adjacent to logged catchments at Vangunu Island, whereas at Kolombangara Island, more live coral occurred adjacent to actively logged catchments. The comparison of bays adjacent to actively logged, previously logged and unlogged catchments over 5 years is expected to provide a robust test of any effects of runoff on diversity and abundance of corals, whilst also testing for recovery from any such impacts.
View less >
View more >The corals occurring in bays adjacent to mouths of rivers in Western Province, Solomon Islands, are being studied to quantify the effects of runoff associated with logging on coral reefs. The 5-year study aims to identify any effects of runoff on fringing coral reefs by comparing abundance, diversity, survival and recruitment of corals adjacent to , actively logged, previously logged and unlogged catchments on each of 2 islands. A pilot study comparing diversity and abundance of corals adjacent to actively logged and unlogged catchments indicated that effects of runoff on corals did not always conform to predictions, and differed between islands. For example, there was more dead coral adjacent to logged catchments at Vangunu Island, whereas at Kolombangara Island, more live coral occurred adjacent to actively logged catchments. The comparison of bays adjacent to actively logged, previously logged and unlogged catchments over 5 years is expected to provide a robust test of any effects of runoff on diversity and abundance of corals, whilst also testing for recovery from any such impacts.
View less >
Conference Title
Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium 2000
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2000. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. For information about this conference please refer to the conference’s website or contact the authors.
Subject
PRE2009-Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)