Anne Constant Cohen
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BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 45(2): 316-337, ]989 COMPARISON OF MYODOCOPID OSTRACODES IN TWO ZONES OF THE BELIZE BARRIER REEF NEAR CARRIE BOW CAY WITH CHANGES IN DISTRIBUTION 1978-1981 Anne Constant Cohen ABSTRACT The number of myodocopid species (51) in the vicinity of Carrie Bow Cay, Belize, is the highest yet reported for any geographic area of similar size. Replicate sampling in two different sand-bottomed zones, a shallow (1.5 m) lagoon site and a deeper (18-30 m) fore-reef site, from 1978-1981, shows that myodocopid species and families differed between the zones, and that species and family composition varied from year to year, possibly due to disturbance by and recovery from a hurricane. Myodocopids were less abundant, but species diversity greater and yearly changes much smaller in the deeper, less disturbed fore-reef site than in the shallower lagoon site which is subject to greater storm disturbance. Some changes in species and family abundance following a storm may be related to differences in life-history strategies. With one exception (Kornicker, 1958), previous collections ofmyodocopids on coral reefs have consisted of descriptions of a few species and/or have been from single samples made in each of a relatively few locations (Poulsen, 1962; 1965; Hartmann, 1964; Kornicker and King, 1965; Hall, 1985). Kornicker (1958) dis- cussed the systematics and distribution of myodocopids (21 species) on the Ba- hama Bank near Bimini, an island in the northern part of the range of Caribbean coral reefs and with reefs less developed than on the barrier reef off Belize. My study is part of a larger research project begun in 1972 by the Smithsonian Institution at Carrie Bow Cay in the central province of the 100-mile-Iong coral barrier reef lying 10-12 miles off the coast of Belize (Riitz1er and Macintyre, 1982). The central province has the highest coral species abundance and sea level reef development on the barrier reef (Burke, 1982). In 1978 Belize was hit by Hurricane Greta, providing an opportunity to study the effects of a major dis- turbance on the stability and persistence of the myodocopid fauna. Field studies on abundance of two or more species in any community covering a number of generations are rare, but important (Connell and Sousa, 1983). "The finding of nonstable conditions on a local scale and/or over the course of a few turnovers has important ecological and evolutionary implications. Disturbances causing local nonstable or persistent conditions are frequently essential for the stability or persistence of species on larger scales" (Connell and Sousa, 1983). This study is the first survey of the myodocopid fauna on a well developed coral reef. It is also the first analysis of distribution of the myodocopid fauna in relation to reef zonation, temporal fluctuations, and life-history. METHODS Collection Site. -Specimens were collected from a variety of habitats in the vicinity of Carrie Bow Cay (16°48'N, 88°05'W) mostly from 1976 to 1981 (Fig. I). Samples used for numerical comparisons were taken during 1978-1981 in the following two reef zones near a fixed transect line crossing the barrier reef just north of Carrie Bow Cay: the sand and rubble zone of the lagoon (Figs. 2, 3A) and the sand trough of the outer fore-reef (Figs. 2, 3B). These two sites were chosen for three reasons: (I) the fixed reef transect line had been previously photographed, mapped and divided into units defined and described on the basis of dominant biological and geological features (Riitzler and Macintyre, 1982); (2) although the two zones differed in reef zonation and depth, each had broad sandy bottoms 316 COHEN: OSTRACOD DISTRIBUTIONS OF CARRIE BOW CAY 317 o km. Tobacco Range ~:>:.. 0:.: o Q) <J') c: o Q) ..D ..D 0 .~ 17N u ... ... ... <~:t?~;··· II]Shoals ~ Sand Bores & Patch Reefs Figure I. Map of bamer reef complex in the vicinity of Came Bow Cay; area of larger map located on inset by rectangle [From Riitzler and Macintyre, 1982; used with permission of Riitzler]. which could be easily sampled by the same method; and (3) in preliminary samples many myodocopid ostracodes were found in these two sites. The sand and rubble sampling zone is about 1.5 m deep, with a bottom of poorly sorted sediment ranging in size from silt to gravel and 1.0-1.4 m thick over a hard bottom (Riitzler and Macintyre, 1982). The area sampled in the sand trough is about 18-30 m deep with substrate that "is poorly sorted, silt size to very coarse sand sediment plain. This sediment is mainly very fine to fine sand, but coarser material consisting of Halimeda plates, mollusks, benthic foraminiferans, and echinoids is scattered throughout. Probings indicated that sediment" is "more than 12 m in the axis of the trough" (Riitzler and Macintyre, 1982). To investigate local ranges of myodocopids, additional nonquantitative samples were taken from (I) other zones along the fixed reef transect line; (2) the following areas in the vicinity of Came Bow Cay: lagoon and back-reef around Came Bow Cay (sand cay) and South Water Cay (mangrove cay), south shores and a channel through Twin Cays (mangroves), South Water Cut (channel through the 318 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 45, NO.2, 1989 !! £ ::l J i ,j ~ ~~l ! J § 1 Ho; 'l; ;c .. " ::;; .. " ;: }>." .. }>.'" " ! § " 'l; ~ j . ~ ).- .." '";>-" '" , • • I ~ ! J j v;- ~~ I ~ 0: , ~ & § >.~~ ~c c I~i!.i §~ ! ~ i j ~ ! j ~ i £ ~ m~ ~Ui~~ O:u ~ "N • ~ ;~ Q; j CD .• i ~ i. ~ 0:~ ~ '" " S ."<; u ! 1; Q; ., L,-, , ~ a:" ,~ '. ";' ..... ! ". -..;: ·lp.rI~·.'.'". ::...· [lJ~:::::: " '.' ' CJ ."o ...-,:: .... :..... CD «>! cl~! 0 0 3 ••jg o lr !! N COHEN: OSTRACOD DISTRIBUTIONS OF CARRIE BOW CAY 319 Figure 3. A. Photo of bottom in sand and rubble zone ofIagoon, depth 1.5 m. B. Photo of bottom in sand trough of outer fore-reef, depth 30 m, showing part of movable transect line. barrier reef), Curlew Bank (submerged cay), lagoon patch reefs and adjacent sea grass (in deep lagoon in barrier reef complex), Ragged Cay and adjacent bank (western or inner edge of barrier reef complex); and (3) on the mainland: subtidal shores of northern (sand beach) and just north of (mangroves and sea grass) Dandriga. Nonquantitative collections were made by the author in May 1976; April 1977; January 1978; June and October 1979; and June 1981. Other ostracodes collected at the study site and deposited in the National Museum of Natural History (USNM) were also used to complete data on indi vidual species ranges (listed in Cohen, 1987). Additional data on the local range of Skogsbergia lerneri were obtained from baited traps. Traps were left overnight (about 1700-0900) in the lagoon 320 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 45, NO.2, 1989 and back-reef(one in June 1979, two in June 1981), during the day (0900-1700) in the back reef (one in June, 1981), and for about 24 h (two in the lagoon and back-reef, one in the spur and groove in January 1978; one in the lagoon and one in the spur and groove in June 1979; one each in the lagoon, back-reef, spur and groove, sand trough and outer ridge in October, 1979; one in the back-reef in 1981). Sampling Methods. -Samples were made by diving, usually with SCUBA, except in very shallow water where collections were made while wading. In depths accessible by diving this method is superior to dredging, because the area sampled can be chosen and the sampling monitored visually. Coring was tried, but found to yield very few ostracodes and therefore not used. Quantitative samples in the two study areas were made by dragging a rectangular hand net (16 cm high, 22 cm wide, mesh opening 0.2 mm) along the surface of the sediment sequentially along both sides of a movable 3-m transect line. The net lightly scraped the surface sediment so that the net sampled the upper 1-2 em of sediment and 14-15 em of water above it thus sampling the strata occupied by ostracods observed undisturbed and disturbed in dishes of sediment and seawater. The net was immediately twisted to trap material at the distal end and enclosed in a plastic bag. Quantitative comparisons are based only on samples made with the movable transect, first used in 1978. Single quantitative samples were taken in each of the two zones in 1978. At least three quantitative samples were taken in each zone during each subsequent field trip (June 1979, October 1979 and June 1981), and three per zone used in analysis of those dates (see below). An aquarium net was used in 1978, but replaced in 1979 with a net of the same dimensions as the aquarium net, but having a deeper bag. Net samples were decanted as described in Cohen (1983; 1987). Additional nonquantitative ostracode samples were made in surface sediment, rubble and by traps, but these collections were used only for life-history studies and in determining range limits of species. Sampling of rubble and by traps is described in detail in Cohen (1983; 1987). Sorting, Preparation and Identification of Ostracodes. - The preserved samples were stirred vigorously, drawing the lightweight ostracodes to the surface and allowing them to be decanted. This procedure was repeated until no more ostracodes were found. The thoroughness of the method was checked by examining the remaining residue of two samples; not more than two to four additional ostracodes were found in these residues. Other residues were spot-checked from time to time to insure that all ostracodes were being extracted. Because one 1981 lagoon sample contained almost 2,000 myodocopid ostracodes, a plankton splitter was used to divide another 1981 lagoon sample in half.