Abstract
This study aims to determine the community structure changes and to determine the abundance of herbivorous fish and coralivorous fish in Krueng Raya waters during and after the occurrence of coral bleaching. This research was conducted in three stages: June 2016, October 2016, and February 2017. There are 3 locations for data collection, including Benteng Inong Balee, Ahmad Rhang Manyang, and Lhok Mee in Mesjid Raya Sub-District, Aceh Besar District. Reef fish abundance data were collected at a depth of 36 meters using the visual census technique (VCT) -belt transect method. The study results show that there were six families, 17 genera, and 47 species belonging to the herbivorous and coralivorous fish groups. The mostabundantfamilywasthe Chaetodontidae family,while the leastfishfamily wasthe Kyphosidae family. The highest abundance of corallivorous fish was found at station 2 in October 2016, with a value of 509 ind/ha. The lowest was found at station 3 in October 2016, with a value of 182 ind/ha. The highest abundance of herbivorous fish was found at station 3 in February 2017, with a value of 498 ind/ha. The lowest was found at station 3 in October 2016, with a value of 150 ind/ha.
Highlights
Coral reefs are a typical ecosystem found in shallow tropical waters, with primary productivity and high diversity
Reef fish have an essential role as a supporter of existing relationships in coral reef ecosystems
The existence of reef fish is strongly influenced by the condition and health of coral reefs, which can be assessed from the percentage of live coral cover [5]
Summary
Coral reefs are a typical ecosystem found in shallow tropical waters, with primary productivity and high diversity. An indication of good ecosystem health can be seen from the recovery level, namely the ability of the ecosystem to repair itself after experiencing damage [1]. For coral reef ecosystems, the level of recovery of coral reef ecosystems is an essential indication of its management. This information is needed to assess the vulnerability of coral reefs to be managed and estimate the length of the ecosystem repair process, whether through restoration or rehabilitation [3,4]. The existence of reef fish is strongly influenced by the condition and health of coral reefs, which can be assessed from the percentage of live coral cover [5]. The diversity of reef fish will decrease if coral reefs are damaged. [6], stated that of the estimated 12,000 marine fish species in the world, approximately 7,000 species (58.3%) are fish that live in coral reef areas
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