Title
Status of Kenyan coral reefs
Author(s)
McClanahan T.R., Obura D.
Published
1994
Publisher
Proceedings of the colloquium on global aspects of coral reefs, Miami, 1993
Abstract
Kenyan coral reefs have been relatively well-studied from the view of human impacts largely due to the existence of four marine parks and numerous reefs experiencing intense human resource use. Removal of finfish is having the largest impact on unprotected reefs and has a number of secondary and tertiary effects on other faunal groups and ecological processes. The high abundance of sea urchins in unprotected reefs may result from a reduction in their predators due to overfishing. Sea urchins are associated with reefs of lower coral cover, topographic complexity, and reduced calcium carbonate deposition rates. Some species of gastropod appear to be affected by shell collecting, but the total fauna seem more impacted by removal of their predators. River sediment discharges and eutrophication are of secondary importance. -from Authors
Keywords
coral reef; coral reefs; ecological monitoring; environmental protection; eutrophication; gastropod; overfishing; sea urchin; sedimentation; Kenya

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PUB13002