| Rapid urban and industrial development is causing water quality deterioration in coastal marine environments. Sediment and nutrient inputs increase water turbidity, limiting light availability and reducing the photosynthetic capacity of the reef. Turbidity can also lead to organism stress, suffocation or death. Consequently, many coral reefs are declining, resulting in a loss of biodiversity and economic yield. This study investigates the relationship between water turbidity, measured as vertical attenuation of PAR (Kd), and coral and fish communities. At 35 reef sites in southwest Puerto Rico spanning a range of water turbidity, Kd was measured, and fish and coral communities were characterized. Coral and fish parameters varied with turbidity, showing higher diversities and abundances in clearer waters. Reef fishes responded to a combination of habitat characteristics. Turbidity, reef rugosity and percentage of live coral were significant variables affecting the reef fish community, and therefore are useful predictors of reef community health. |
