@article{fdi:010083305,
  title = {{S}patial patterns of coral community structure in the {T}oliara region of {S}outhwest {M}adagascar and implications for conservation and management},
  author = {{B}otosoamananto, {R}. {L}. and {T}odinanahary, {G}. and {R}azakandrainy, {A}. and {R}andrianarivo, {M}. and {P}enin, {L}. and {A}djeroud, {M}ehdi},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he {G}reat {R}eef of {T}oliara, on the southwestern coast of {M}adagascar, has been documented as harbouring flourishing reef communities in the 1960s, but has since been affected by various threats, causing a coral decline last reported in 2008. {I}n 2017, we examined the spatial heterogeneity in coral community structure in the region of {T}oliara. {C}oral assemblages were characterized by a marked spatial variability, with significant variation for most of the descriptors among the three major habitats and also among stations within habitats. {W}e recorded high coral cover, with values > 40% at six of the 10 stations, which was associated with high abundance of coral colonies. {W}e also documented the return to an {A}cropora-dominated coral assemblage. {W}hile these positive results suggest a recent return to healthier coral assemblages, they must be tempered, as the diversity that we recorded was lower than in the 1960s. {M}oreover, we found a high cover of algae at several stations, suggesting that the ecosystem is likely close to the tipping point toward a phase shift. {F}inally, the population size-structure of major coral taxa was positively skewed, with few large colonies to ensure the replenishment of local populations. {T}he marked spatial variation suggests that marine protected areas should integrate a sufficiently large area to capture the scale of this spatial heterogeneity.},
  keywords = {coral reefs ; scleractinian corals ; community structure ; spatial variability ; {M}adagascar ; {MADAGASCAR} ; {OCEAN} {INDIEN} ; {TULEAR}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{D}iversity},
  volume = {13},
  numero = {10},
  pages = {486 [15 ]},
  year = {2021},
  DOI = {10.3390/d13100486},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010083305},
}