Lhyra Amante¹, Christian S. Apolinario¹, Miles B. Chin¹, Ariette A. De Asis¹,
Jomar Von R. Laforteza²
¹Department of Biology, Northern Iloilo State University, Estancia, Iloilo
²Office of the Scientific Publications, Northern Iloilo State University, Estancia, Iloilo
Abstract
This study assessed genus-level coral community structure of reef flat-building corals in the intertidal zone of Brgy. Alipata, Sicogon Island, Carles, Iloilo, a coastal area within the Coral Triangle with limited published data on coral assemblages. Three 50-m transects were surveyed using 1 × 1 m photo-quadrats at 5-m intervals to characterize coral composition and relative abundance across the study site. A total of 15 genera were presumptively identified, including Porites, Acropora, Dipsastrea, Platygyra, Goniastrea, Alveopora, Oculina, Psammocora, Stylophora, Pocillopora, Palythoa, Pavona, Seriatopora, Turbinaria, and Oulophyillia. Community structure indices (Simpson, Shannon-Weiner, and Pielou’s Evenness) indicated low to moderate genus-level diversity with strong dominance by Porites, a pattern characteristic of intertidal reef-flat environments. This study provides crucial initial characterization of coral community structure that can serve as ecological reference data for future monitoring and conservation planning in Sicogon Island.
Keywords: baseline data, conservation management, spatial heterogeneity, marine biodiversity, Visayan Sea