Quantitative fish and benthic community surveys of the reefs of Malakula Island, Vanuatu

Replicate line and belt transects of various sizes were used to estimate densities of several groups of marine organisms around Malakula and associated islands in Vanuatu in 1988.The eight sites chosen for surveys were located at Atchin Island, Crab Bay, Port Sandwich (Lamap), Metai Island (Maskelyne Islands), south east, south and north west of Sakao Island (Maskelyne Islands) and Cook Bay (Maskelyne Islands).Corals, seagrass and other sessile benthic organisms were assessed using 20m line intersect transects. Each site was subdivided into a number of habitats (reef flat, reef crest, shallow slope and deep slope) and five replicate transects were positioned haphazardly within each of these habitats. Reef crests and slopes were surveyed on SCUBA while reef flats were surveyed on snorkel.Permanent transects were established on the south east side of Sakao Island.Invertebrate food and commercial resource species (various Holothurian species, clams (Tridacnidae), Trochus niloticus and Turbo marmoratus (green snail)) were also surveyed. Five (10 in some instances) haphazard 50x5m belt transects were used to survey these species in both the reef crest and reef slope habitats.Selected species of fish were quantified using 50x10m belt transect visual counts. Fish surveyed included , large non-secretive cods and coral trout (Serranidae); snappers or sea perch ( Lutjanidae); sweetlips (Haemulidae); emperors (Lethrinidae); butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae); large wrasses (Labridae); and parrotfishes (Scaridae). This component of the survey was designed to provide a detailed picture of marine resources around Malakula Island and associated islands. This research was a component of a survey of Vanuatu marine resources conducted in March/April 1988 and was funded by the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau.The objectives of the survey were1. to survey and describe the shallow water reef habitats from selected islands of Vanuatu, adequately covering geographical and environmental variation2. to survey and describe the marine habitats around the shores of Malakula, including offshore islands3. to derive a coastal management plan for Malakula and offshore islands which can serve as a basis for Coastal Zone Management plans for the rest of the country4. to train Ni-Vanuatu personnel in marine survey and marine conservation methods

1988年，研究人员采用不同规格的重复样线与样带（line and belt transect），对瓦努阿图马拉库拉岛（Malakula）及周边群岛周边的多类海洋生物种群密度进行了估算。本次调查共选定8个采样点，分别位于阿钦岛（Atchin Island）、蟹湾（Crab Bay）、桑威奇港（Port Sandwich，又名拉马普（Lamap））、梅泰岛（Metai Island，马斯克林群岛（Maskelyne Islands）），以及萨考岛（Sakao Island，马斯克林群岛）的东南侧、南侧与西北侧，还有库克湾（Cook Bay，马斯克林群岛）。珊瑚、海草及其他固着底栖生物（sessile benthic organisms）采用20米样线截距法（line intersect transect）开展评估。每个采样点被划分为若干生境类型：礁坪（reef flat）、礁冠（reef crest）、浅坡与深坡，且各生境内随机布设5条重复样线。礁冠与礁坡生境采用水肺潜水（SCUBA）开展调查，礁坪生境则通过浮潜完成。研究人员在萨考岛东南侧设立了永久性样线。无脊椎动物食用与商业资源物种亦纳入本次调查范围，包括各类海参（Holothurian species）、砗磲（Tridacnidae）、夜光螺（Trochus niloticus）与带壳马蹄螺（Turbo marmoratus，又名绿蜗牛）。针对礁冠与礁坡生境中的该类物种，研究人员采用5~10条（部分点位布设10条）随机布设的50×5米样带（belt transect）开展调查。选定鱼类类群则采用50×10米样带目视计数法进行定量统计。本次调查涵盖的鱼类类群包括：大型非隐蔽性石斑与珊瑚鳢（Serranidae，鮨科）、笛鲷（Lutjanidae，笛鲷科）、胡椒鲷（Haemulidae，石鲈科）、裸颊鲷（Lethrinidae，裸颊鲷科）、蝴蝶鱼（Chaetodontidae，蝴蝶鱼科）、大型隆头鱼（Labridae，隆头鱼科）以及鹦嘴鱼（Scaridae，鹦哥鱼科）。本次调查模块旨在全面刻画马拉库拉岛及周边群岛的海洋资源现状。本次研究为1988年3/4月开展的瓦努阿图海洋资源调查的组成部分，由澳大利亚国际发展援助局（Australian International Development Assistance Bureau）资助。本次调查的目标如下：1. 对瓦努阿图选定岛屿的浅海礁生境开展调查与描述，充分覆盖区域地理与环境异质性；2. 对马拉库拉岛沿岸及周边离岸群岛的海洋生境开展调查与描述；3. 为马拉库拉岛及离岸群岛制定海岸管理计划，该计划可作为该国其余地区海岸带管理（Coastal Zone Management）计划的参考依据；4. 培训瓦努阿图本国人员掌握海洋调查与海洋保护技术。