Publication Date:
2024-02-12
Description:
Highlights:
• Change in sea urchin species composition from RBC and NRBC habitats.
• Sand coverage is an important factor that influences the sea urchin species composition.
• The relationship between sea urchins and their habitat is species-specific.
Sea urchins are important components of marine ecosystems and can act as bioindicators, reflecting the health of reefs. The spatial patterns of sea urchins are largely shaped by the type of habitat. In Hong Kong, coral communities are divided into two distinct types: reef -building coral habitats and non -reef -building coral habitats. In summer 2020, a qualitative survey was conducted using SCUBA at 56 sites across eastern and western waters, recording a total of 11 species from 6 families of sea urchins. Out of these 56 sites, 14 were selected for a quantitative survey to investigate the relationship between sea urchin assemblages and the two types of coral habitat. We found that the species composition of sea urchins differed significantly between the two habitats, and the presence of sand was a critical factor influencing the species composition of sea urchins. Sand coverage had a positive effect on Salmasic sphaeroides abundance but a negative effect on the abundance of Diadema setosum and Heliocidaris crassispina. The distribution of sea urchins across different degrees of sand coverage may be associated with food availability or species -specific adaptive behaviour, likely due to niche preferences.
Type:
Article
,
PeerReviewed
Format:
text
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