The Correlation Between Coral Cover and The Associated Reef Fishes Abundance in Enggano Island Bengkulu

Abstract

The coral reef is the habitat for more than a million marine species. The damage of the coral reef could decrease associated marine biodiversity, and the coral reef fishes are one of the groups impacted by the coral reef destruction. This study aimed to measure the coral coverage, to estimate the abundance of coral fishes, and to determine the correlation between coral coverage and abundance of coral reef fishes in Enggano Island, Bengkulu. The line intercept transect method was used by applying 25 m length transects to measure the coral cover in 12 sampling stations. The visual census method was implemented to count the presence of coral reef fishes around the transect line. The correlation between coral coverage and abundance of coral reef fishes was estimated using the multiple-linear-regression method. The results revealed that the coral coverage in Enggano Island varies from 99.6%-6.6%. The highest coverage was observed in station one at the leeward of Dua Island, whereas the lowest was found in station nine at Kahabi. The depth that measured 21 m could cause low coral coverage in condition. The substratum at this depth receives low sunlight intensity; thus, photosynthesis could not function efficiently. The highest coral reef fish abundance estimated at 603 ind/125 m2 was found in station 12 at Berhau, whereas the lowest at 8 ind/125m2 was in station eight at Kahabi. The analysis showed a positive but considerably a weak correlation between coral coverage and abundance of coral reef fishes with an r-value of 0.61 and the determination coefficient of 61.00%.