PELD - TAMS | Monitoring the occurrence of corals in shallow coastal reefs in Tamandaré - PE, Brazil

Study Extent

Tamandaré is located on the south coast of the State of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, being part of the ILTER (International Long-Term Ecological Research) network at site 18 (PELD TAMS). The area has a hot and humid tropical climate, with average annual temperatures varying between 25ºC and 30ºC. There are two well-defined seasons: a rainy season, from April to August, and a dry season, from September to March. The region is home to a complex seascape that includes reefs, estuaries and mangroves, and is part of the Environmental Protection Area (APA) Costa dos Corais, APA de Guadalupe and Tamandaré Fort Municipal Natural Park, that includes a no-take zone. The area has rich biodiversity, with tourism and fisheries as the main activities.

Sampling

Since 2003, the coral reefs in the Tamandaré coral reef complex have been continuously monitored. This effort involves underwater sampling when monitoring of coral reef cover is conducted by divers through the application of the point intercept transect methodology. Additional methodologies such as Photoquadrats and video transects are also routinely used for this purpose and aid on species identification.

Method steps

1. At each sampling site, divers deploy a minimum of four replicate transects, using plastic tape measures placed along the reef top or crest. Each tape measure is 20 meters long, and benthic cover is recorded on a PVC slate at every 50 cm interval, totaling 40 points registered per transect. Hard coral species, one of the measured indicator categories, are identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level.

N/A

1. Rhizangiidae
   rank: family
2. Scleractinia
   rank: order
3. Hydrozoa
   rank: class
4. Anthoathecata
   rank: order
5. Hexacorallia
   rank: class
6. Faviidae
   rank: family
7. Milleporidae
   rank: family
8. Montastraeidae
   rank: family
9. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
10. Cnidaria
    rank: phylum
11. Poritidae
    rank: family
12. Agariciidae
    rank: family

The Tamandaré reef complex is located in the south of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, and represents the typical coastal reef formations found along the Northeastern Brazilian coast. The coastal reefs resemble fringing reefs and are arranged in a particular pattern of three lines parallel to the coast with an internal lagoon.