Publication Date

1980

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Ende, Carl von

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Biological Sciences

LCSH

Coral reef animals--Hawaii; Invertebrates--Hawaii

Abstract

Marine invertebrate colonization for a complete annual cycle was examined on two coral patch reefs in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. Polyvinyl chloride panels provided the substratum for settlement and their placement on the reefs was along windward to leeward (upstream to downstream) transects. Counts of individual organisms and area covered by colonies provided data for site by site and inter-reef comparisons of temporal and spatial colonization trends. Over 80% of the total invertebrate settlements could be ascribed to five taxonomic groups: oysters, barnacles, serpulid worms, bryozoans, and turnicates. The patterns of colonization exhibited by these five groups are analyzed and discussed in detail. The greatest numbers of new settlements consistently occurred at the shallow windward site of each reef, whereas the least amount of colonization took place in the middle of the study reefs. These colonization phenomena are discussed with respect to the influence of various physical and biological factors. Five months into the study, all of the fishes were removed from the smaller of the two patch reefs, providing at least temporarily, a means of examining the effects of fish on invertebrate colonization. Visual transects were used prior to and after fish removal to assess the resident fish population. Due to the rapid recolonization of the reef, particularly by dominant herbivores, major effects on invertebrate colonization patterns were not detected.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.||Includes illustrations.

Extent

vi, 132 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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