งานวิจัยและบทความ

Fish communities on coral reefs of the Adang-Rawi Islands group were investigated in February and November 1998. A preliminary checklist containing the records of 375 species in 60 families of fishes is provided. A semi-quantitative census method was used to assess the abundance of fish species at 26 stations from 15 reef sites. Fish community structure is compared between reef flat and reef slope stations using both a direct comparison of population parameters and multivariate statistical techniques, ie. classification and MDS ordination in general, reef slope supports higher species richness and abundance of fishes than does the reef flat. Multivariate methods indicate a clear distinction between the assemblages of fishes in the two reef zones. Characteristic fish fauna in each reef zone is described and the striking difference in composition of fishes between the two zones is emphasized with respect to their trophic structures. These reveal the supportive roles of habitat zones in coral reefs to a range of ecological niches of fishes. Attention has also been drawn to a need for establishment of multiple use management for the Adang-Rawi Islands group. Logical criteria (i.e. biological diversity, reef conditions and geomorphological features of the reefs) for choosing suitable coral reef reserves are recommended.