MANFRINO, C.; COELHO, V.R.*; SORANNO, A.; Kean University, and Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Dominican University of California, and Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Central Caribbean Marine Institute: Coral Diversity and Mortality Between 1999 and 2002 at Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

Four reef sites were surveyed at Little Cayman to identify changes in coral cover and species richness between 1999 and 2002 using the AGRRA protocol. Sites were selected on both windward (south side) and leeward (north side) regions of the island for comparison. Seven coral species (Montastrea annularis, M. faveolata, M. cavernosa, Agaricia sp, Porites porites, Diploria strigosa, Siderastrea siderea) comprise more than 70% of all corals in Little Cayman, with the Montastrea complex dominating the reefs. Recruitment in 1999 was high among the Agaricia sp, and in 2002 this genus became more prevailing on these reefs. Species richness ranged from 14 to 22, and increased at 3 of 4 sites between 1999 and 2002. The live coral cover declined 21% on average. During the 1999 survey, white plague disease was cited as the active disease impacting largely the Montastrea species. In 2002, mortality and disease occurrence continued to be highest among the Montastrea annularis and M. faveolata species. The number of corals affected by diseases increased at almost all sites (except at one site where disease occurrence declined by 85%). Fleshy algae cover was highest at the leeward sites, but total mortality of corals was not different in leeward and windward sites.