Assessment of spatio-temporal variations in water quality of Bandon Bay, Thailand

1000-1010Multivariate statistical techniques were used to analyse a ten-year water quality dataset. Monthly water samples were collected from 15 river mouths during 2002-2011 and analysed for spatio-temporal variation. The results indicated that water quality at Bandon Bay varied spatially and temporally during the past ten years. Four pollution factors were identified: (1) nutrient, (2) organic matter, (3) salinity and buffering and (4) erosion factors. Discriminant analysis on spatial variables identified only four parameters - i.e. water depth, alkalinity, salinity, and temperature - to discriminate between 15 river mouths. Salinity was the only parameter that discriminated between seasons

Applying a landscape mosaics technique to detect tropical cyclone impacts on coral reef community

1017-1024This study demonstrated that with an off-the-shelf underwater camera and the Adobe Photoshop software, end-users in developing countries with limited resources could use the video mosaics technique for reef monitoring and documenting storm impacts. This video-mosaic method provided a spatially accurate landscape view of the reef benthos. Images from the video-mosaic method revealed that up to 26% of the reef coral at Racha Island disappeared after the storm with 15% increase in sand, pavement and rubble. Most of the coral destroyed by the storm were foliaceous coral - i.e. Montipora sp