Current state and recent changes in zooxanthellate scleractinian corals in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki Island, Japan

Abstract

We investigated the current state of the zooxanthellate scleractinian coral community in Kabira Bay, Ishigaki Island, Japan. The composition of the coral community in Kabira Bay depended on differences in topography. A greater number of internal coral species were found inside the bay. Skeletons of branch-formed and bottle wash brush-formed Acroporidae were found along the east coast of the central part of the bay probably because of coral bleaching in 2007. On the other hand, Acroporidae survived along the west coast of the inner part of the bay. In addition, turbidity was found to be higher in the inner part of the bay. It is thought that the turbidity of the inner part of the bay reduced coral bleaching.