Distribution of Coral Reefs Stone at the Reef Flat of South Coast Putus-Putus Island East Ratatotok, Ratatotok District Southeast Minahasa Regency

Abstract

This research was conducted at the reef flat of south Putus-Putus Island, East Ratatotok, Ratatotok district, Southeast Minahasa Regency. This research was done no data of coral distribution available in Putus-Putus Island. This research aimed to describe the distribution of corals in Putus-Putus Island. The benefit of the study was to provide information and contribution to coral reef management efforts in the region. Data was collected using transect-quadrat methodt. There were 3 sampling points determined, the inner reef flats, the middle reef flats, and the outer reef flat. Each depth was laid five 50 m–transects, and each transect had 10 1x1-quadrats. The distance between quadrats was 5 m. Any coral found in the quadrat was recorded on a data sheet and photographed using an underwater camera. The highest percent cover was recorded at the outer reef flat, 57.32%, followed by the middle reef flat, 39.08%, and the lowest was found in the inner reef flat, 11.38%. The most coral lifeform cover in Putus-Putus Island reef flat was Coral Massive, 42.98%. General condition of coral reefs was good at the outer reef flat, moderate at the middle reef flat, and poor at the inner reef flat, respectively. Hard coral diversity index (H\u27) value was 0.36 at the inner reef flat, 0.56 at the middle reef flat, and 0.51 at the outer reef flat. Eveness index was 0.52 at the inner reef flats, 0.59 at the middle reef flat and 0.60 at the outer reef flat, respectively. Dominance index was 0.61 at the inner reef flat, 0.43 at the middle reef flat, and 0.45 at the outer reef flat. The distribution pattern was clustered in all sampling points