M. Adjeroud, LONG-TERM CHANGES OF EPIBENTHIC MACROFAUNA COMMUNITIES IN A CLOSED LAGOON (TAIARO ATOLL, FRENCH-POLYNESIA) - 1972-1994, Hydrobiologia, 356, 1997, pp. 11-19
Epibenthic macrofauna communities (species composition and densities o
f the dominant species) were investigated at Taiaro Atoll, Tuamotu Arc
hipelago, 22 years after a previous survey. This small atoll is comple
tely closed, has no permanent functional hoa, and is not affected by d
irect anthropogenic disturbances since it is a Biosphere Reserve. Ten
species were identified in 1994 (5 molluscs, 4 corals, and 1 echinoder
m). With the 14 species identified in 1972 (12 molluscs, 1 coral, and
I echinoderm), a total of 17 species (12 molluscs, 4 corals, and 1 ech
inoderm) has been recorded for the lagoon. There has been a shift in d
ominance away from the bivalve Crassostrea cucullata (in 1972) to Pinc
tada maculata (in 1994). A high mortality of the epibenthic macrofauna
affected the central part of the lagoon shortly before 1972 and reach
ed the inner reef flat afterwards. The distance of Taiaro from sources
of colonizers, its small size, and the isolation of its lagoonal wate
rs posing a physical barrier to colonization by organisms and leading
to harsh environmental conditions (e.g. very high salinities: 42.5-43
psu), are likely to be the major causes of the exceptionally low diver
sity observed.