Testing for correspondence between coral reef invertebrate diversity and marine park designation on the Masoala Peninsula of eastern Madagascar

Abstract

Abstract Justifying the designation of protected areas often depends on the ability to select areas in good ecological conditions, with high taxonomic richness, and unique habitats or species assemblage characteristics. The ecology of scleractinian coral and prosobranch snails were examined along the Masoala Peninsula of north‐eastern Madagascar using rapid assessment methods to evaluate the correspondence between unique invertebrate faunal characteristics and park designation. The reefs along this peninsula are in good ecological condition and have a coral and snail fauna similar to most of the western Indian Ocean, with no indications of local endemism in these groups. There was no relationship between the taxonomic richness of snails and corals. Corals were better at distinguishing locations based on taxonomic richness while snails were better based on unique faunal characteristics. Corals had the highest taxonomic richness on the extreme windward north and south and the lowest richness on the leeward side of the peninsula. The leeward side did, however, have an unusual habitat of corals growing on granite rock with a unique coral and snail fauna. A northern and southern assemblage characterized snail fauna on the windward side of the peninsula. The composite findings indicate that the currently designated park areas cover two of the three areas that have either high diversity or unique faunas. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.