Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) of scleractinian coral diversity on Solomon Islands reefs

Zooxanthellate scleractinian corals were surveyed at 66 sites in the Solomon Islands in 2004, using "Rapid Ecological Assessment" (REA) methods. Surveys were conducted using SCUBA to a maximum depth of 50m and covered a wide range of habitats. Two surveys were conducted at each site, one deep (>10m) on the deeper reef slope and one shallow (Initial species identification was made visually, underwater. Where taxonomic or identification problems arose, samples were collected for further examination. Voucher specimens were lodged with the Department of Fisheries of the Solomon Islands. The aim of this study was:1. to build a cumulative total of zooxanthellate scleractinian coral species for the entire Solomon Islands group2. to provide information to allow comparisons with other study sites in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. This project was a component of the Solomon Islands Marine Assessment, which was an initiative of The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

2004年，研究团队采用快速生态评估（Rapid Ecological Assessment, REA）方法，在所罗门群岛的66个调查点位开展虫黄藻共生型石珊瑚（zooxanthellate scleractinian corals）调查。本次调查依托水肺潜水（SCUBA）开展，最大下潜深度达50米，覆盖了多种类型的栖息生境。每个采样点均开展两次调查：一次为水深大于10米的深水礁坡调查，另一次为浅水区调查；物种鉴定最初均通过水下目视完成。当遇到分类学难题或无法准确鉴定的类群时，研究人员会采集标本以供后续专业检视。所有凭证标本（voucher specimens）均存放于所罗门群岛渔业部。
本研究的核心目标包括：
1. 累积构建覆盖整个所罗门群岛全域的虫黄藻共生型石珊瑚物种名录；
2. 提供可与巴布亚新几内亚、印度尼西亚其他研究区域开展对比的调查数据。
本项目是所罗门群岛海洋评估项目的组成部分，该评估是自然保护协会（The Nature Conservancy, TNC）发起的专项行动。