Masig Reef
Surveyed 20-Feb-2013 as part of the NERP-TE Project 2.3
Masig Island Reef was surveyed for the first time using manta tow in 2013. Median reef-wide live coral cover was moderate (10-20%) and small numbers of crown-of-thorns starfish were recorded below outbreak levels. Signs of white syndrome and coral bleaching were restricted to small numbers of individual colonies on the back reef during surveys in 2013. No signs of black band disease were observed. Masig Island Reef was classified as No Outbreak.
At Masig Island Reef there was some formation of a reef crest community and in some places the coral community extended down the reef slope to 10-12m. Estimates of coral cover on the reef crest from Reef Health and Impact Surveys (RHIS) averaged 27% for hard coral and 7% for soft coral. Photo transects were sampled from the reef flat, the reef crest and the reef slope at Masig Island Reef. The reef flat was dominated by extremely high cover of algae, composed of brown macroalgae (71%) and turfing algae (16%). Sand covered 6% of the reef flat whilst hard coral covered 5% on the reef flat. Poritidae, Acroporidae and Pocilloporidae occupied 2%, 1% and 1% of the reef flat benthos. There was no soft coral on the reef flat. The reef crest and reef slope were similar with around 40% hard coral cover, but had a different composition. Poritidae was the dominant hard coral family with 20% on the reef crest and 26% cover on the slope. The reef crest had higher cover of Acroporidae (13%) and Faviidae (4%) than the reef slope (4% and 1% respectively). On the reef slope other hard coral families covered 8% of the benthos. Soft coral cover was similar between the reef crest (8%) and the reef slope (10%). Soft coral was predominantly composed of Alcyoniidae and was variable between sites on the reef crest (6-15%) and reef slope (5-12%). The algal community had moderate cover, composed predominantly of turf algae.
Manta Tow:
Fish and Benthos Surveys:
RHIS surveys:
