Fung, Ho Lam. / Thesis submitted in: November 2006. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 343-360). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / Contents --- p.xii / List of Tables --- p.xix / List of Figures --- p.xxxi / Chapter Chapter 1: --- General Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Objectives --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3 --- Monitoring methods investigated in this research --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4 --- The distribution of corals in Hong Kong --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5 --- Study sites --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6 --- Thesis Outline --- p.25 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- "Coral Mapping in Cheung Sha Wan, A Ye Wan and A Ma Wan, Tung Ping Chau" / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2 --- Study sites --- p.37 / Chapter 2.3 --- Methods and Materials --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Fieldwork procedure --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Laboratory work procedure --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Data analysis --- p.40 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results and Discussion --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Species count --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Coral coverage --- p.42 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Species composition --- p.43 / Chapter 2.4.4 --- Diversity index --- p.43 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- "Evaluation of Monitoring Methods in Cheung Sha Wan, Tung Ping Chau, a Coral Community with Low (< 10%) Coral Cover" / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.52 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.61 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Line Intercept Transect (LIT) Method --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Point Intercept Transect (PIT) Method --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Random Point Video Transect (RPVT) Method --- p.63 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Quadrat (QUAD) Method --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Sampling effort in each monitoring method --- p.65 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Sample size determination --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.7.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.7.2 --- Unit effort sample size --- p.67 / Chapter 3.2.8 --- Statistical analysis --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2.8.1 --- Univariate analysis --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2.8.2 --- Multivariate analysis --- p.69 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results --- p.70 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.70 / Chapter 3.4.1.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.71 / Chapter 3.4.1.2 --- Species count --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4.1.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.72 / Chapter 3.4.1.4 --- Community structure --- p.73 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Sampling efforts in different monitoring methods --- p.75 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Sample size under fixed effort --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.3.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4.3.2 --- Species count --- p.78 / Chapter 3.4.3.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.78 / Chapter 3.4.3.4 --- Community structure --- p.80 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion --- p.84 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.84 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Coral cover --- p.86 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Species count --- p.90 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Diversity Indices --- p.93 / Chapter 3.5.5 --- Community structure --- p.96 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- "Evaluation of Monitoring Methods in A Ye Wan and A Ma Wan, Tung Ping Chau: Coral Communities with Mid to High Percent Coral Cover (25% to 50%)" / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.146 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methods and material --- p.149 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Field monitoring --- p.149 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Laboratory work --- p.149 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Sampling effort in each monitoring method --- p.150 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Sample size determination --- p.150 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Statistical analysis --- p.151 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Univariate analysis --- p.151 / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- Multivariate analysis --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- A Ye Wan --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.152 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.154 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.2 --- Species count --- p.154 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.155 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.4 --- Community structure --- p.155 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- Sampling efforts in different monitoring methods --- p.157 / Chapter 4.3.1.3 --- Sample size under fixed effort --- p.158 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.158 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.2 --- Species Count --- p.159 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.160 / Chapter 4.3.1.3.4 --- Community structure --- p.162 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- A Ma Wan --- p.165 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.165 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.167 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.2 --- Species count --- p.167 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.168 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.4 --- Community structure --- p.169 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Sampling efforts in different monitoring methods --- p.171 / Chapter 4.3.2.3 --- Sample size under fixed effort --- p.172 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.1 --- Percent coral cover --- p.172 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.2 --- Species Count --- p.173 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.3 --- Diversity indices --- p.174 / Chapter 4.3.2.3.4 --- Community structure --- p.175 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.178 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Optimal sample size --- p.178 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Coral Cover --- p.178 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Species Count --- p.181 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Diversity Indices --- p.182 / Chapter 4.4.5 --- Community Structure --- p.184 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Role of Community Characteristic on the Performance of Monitoring Methods / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.281 / Chapter 5.2 --- Methods and materials --- p.284 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Coral Mapping --- p.284 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Monitoring Methods --- p.285 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Statistical analysis --- p.286 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results --- p.286 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Sample size as a function of different reef characteristics --- p.286 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Performance of reef monitoring methods in sites with different reef characteristics --- p.287 / Chapter 5.3.2.1 --- Coral cover --- p.287 / Chapter 5.3.2.2 --- Species count and Margalef's Index --- p.288 / Chapter 5.3.2.3 --- Other diversity indices --- p.289 / Chapter 5.3.2.4 --- Community structure --- p.290 / Chapter 5.4 --- Discussion --- p.291 / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Effect of reef characteristics on sampling time --- p.291 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Effect of reef characteristics on the performance of monitoring methods --- p.293 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Recommendation on the choice of monitoring method --- p.301 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Summary and Prospectives --- p.337 / References --- p.343

Mesophotic reefs represent biodiverse ecosystems that may act as a refuge for depth-generalist coral species threatened in shallow habitats. Despite the importance of coral-algal symbioses, few studies focus on mesophotic zooxanthellae assemblages and their influence on connectivity. This study compared zooxanthellae in Montastraea cavernosa at shallow and mesophotic depths at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and McGrail Bank. Mesophotic corals contained more zooxanthellae and more chlorophyll a and c2 per unit area coral. Increased zooxanthellae within mesophotic corals may represent an adaptive strategy to optimize light capture in low-light environments. Genetic profiles for zooxanthellae assemblages from shallow and mesophotic corals showed similar diversity across banks and between depths. The dominant sequence making up assemblages was identified as Symbiodinium type C1. Similar assemblage diversity suggests that zooxanthellae assemblages will not limit connectivity potential between shallow and mesophotic corals at these reefs. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection