Table 1 Characteristics of the benthic, reef, seagrass, and mangrove habitats of the BahÃa Portete-Kaurrele MPA
From: Seascape connectivity: ontogenetic migration for Haemulon flavolineatum
| Â | Ecosystems - benthic habitats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seagrass | Fringing Reef | Mangrove Roots | Soft bottom | Literature | |
Ecosystems benthic area (Bay Total = 14080 ha) | 1152 | 201 | 1227 | 9904 | [2] |
Extensive and continous meadows | Â | Â | Lithoclastic & lithobioclastic | Â | |
Relative percent cover of potentially used habitats by H. flavolineatum | 45 | 8 | 47 | Â | Â |
Major structural species | 3 (seagrasses) | 11 (scleractinian corals) | 1 (mangrove) | Â | Â |
Confirmed presence of H. flavolineatum | Yes (juvenile- see photo & adults) | Yes (juvenile & adults around Orbicella-Colpophyllia & Siderastrea) | Yes (juvenile) | Â | Â |
Habitat used by H. flavolineatum | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (Not suitable habitat) | Â |
Species composition (coast toward middle of the bay) | Thalassia | Reef crest with Millepora (50% cover) & Porites (5%) | Rhizophora mangle | Â | Â |
Thalassia & Syringodium | Big massive coral colonies: Orbicella-Pseudodiploria-Colpophyllia | Â | Â | Â | |
Thalasssia & Millepora | Slope - coral-rubble-sand | Â | Â | Â | |
Thalassia & Sponges | Â | Â | Â | Â | |
Thalassia & Octocorals | Â | Â | Â | Â | |
Thalassia & coral patch | Â | Â | Â | Â | |
Thalassia & Siderastrea | Â | Â | Â | Â | |
Habitat Depth (m) | 0-2.5 | 0-4 | 1 | 5-20 | Â |
Bottom substrate type | Clay>Silt>sand | Gravel-sand | Silt-clay | Silt-clay-rubble | Â |
Thalassia Leaf average height (range & average; cm) | 22-36; 26 | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Syringodium leaf height (range & average; cm) | 59-64.5; 62 | Â | Â | Â | [1] |
Thalassia Shoot density (range & average - 25x25 cm) | 30-105; 50 | Â | Â | Â | [1] |
Shoot density (range & average - m2) | 120-420; 200 | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Dominant species in the habitat | Thalassia testudinum | Porites astreoides | Rhizophora mangle | NA | Â |
Syringodium filiforme | Porites porites | Â | Â | Â | |
Millepora alcicornis | Favia fragum | Â | Â | Â | |
Altilogorgia | Orbicella faveolata | Â | Â | Â | |
Plexaura | Pseudodiploria strigosa | Â | Â | Â | |
Briareum | Colpophyllia natans (2m diameter) | Â | Â | Â | |
Erect and encrusting sponges | Diploria clivosa | Â | Â | Â | |
Siderastrea siderea | Siderastrea siderea | Â | Â | Â | |
Fish community | Gobiidae, Haemulidae y Scaridae | NA | Â | Â | [1] |
Fish richness | 217 (67 families) | NA | NA | NA | [2] |
| Â | Â | NA | NA | Â | |
Other Haemulon observed | Haemulon bonariense | NA | NA | NA | [1] |
Haemulon sciurus | NA | NA | NA | Â | |
Haemulon plumierii | NA | NA | NA | Â | |
Haemulon aurolineatum (large groups) | NA | NA | NA | Â | |
Fish juveniles observed | Surgeons and snappers | NA | NA | NA | [1] |
Dominant fish trophic guilds | Omnivores (<60%) and carnivores (18%) | NA | NA | NA | [1] |
H. flavolineatum habitat quality based on relative density (ind/2500m2) | 10 | NA | NA | NA | [1] |
Percent of relative abundance of H. flavolineatum (respect to the total species sampled) | 1.8 | NA | NA | NA | Â |
Habitat conservation status (scale from 0-10; 10=highest value) | 10 | 10 (Millepora crest) - 6 (massive corals) | 10 | NA | Â |
(qualitative assessment from an expert; Navas-Camacho, R.) | |||||
 Habitat health | No presence of fungus (Labyrinthula sp.) | 40 - 50% Live coral cover (Reef crest) | NA |  |  |
| Â | C. natans (white plague) | Â | Â | Â | |
 Rehabilitation | Neccesary (North) | Only to massive corals along the crest | Neccesary (Central) |  |  |
 Stressor | Sedimentation | Anchor damage | Pollution - oil |  |  |
Artesanal indigenous fishing | Fishing | Â | Â | Â | |
Fishing - nets, line, fork type harpoon | Hurricanes | Â | Â | Â | |
Boat and ships transit | Â | Â | Â | Â | |
Marine waste - plastic | Â | Â | Â | Â | |