Results and Discussion

Diversity

     Tobacco bay had the lowest species diversity of .83. Shannon index ranges from 0 ~4.6. A 0 would indicate that every species is the same in the sample, while a high index would show there is even disruption. Which is present in the evenness (Pielou’s J index), being consistent with the Shannon Wiener index with Tobacco having an uneven disruption of species. This is due to Tobacco having no mustard coral, and low star and brain coral. John Smith had the second lowest index since no seafans were present, however the rest of the species were very even.

Disease

Chi square distribution was performed to see if the occurrence of disease was significant.

Clear water showed overall significance meaning that the ratios found of disease and healthy were not just due to chance. Rod and Star showed significance on their own, with rod being very health and star being more diseased.

Whalebone was not significant so these correlations were due to chance.

At tobacco bay only star coral showed a significant correlation in the ratio showing more disease then health.

John Smith shows a significant correlation (.005) that the ratios found are correct. Brain shows a p value of (.001) with more disease corals then health. Mustard coral shows a p value of (.005) of more health then disease.

Conclusion:

     Most of the sites did not see a significant for the appearance of distrubution meaning that it is just due to chance that there were that many individuals dead. At clear water and john smith there was significant finding. Clear water was surprising since it is close to a nature reserve and does not receive many tourist. It could be from sedimentation since it is a more exposed area. John smith was not surprising , that beach was still feeling that effects of a major hurricane a few years ago, lots of trash was still present. That area was also more exposed and had the lowest visibility of all the sites, leading to sedimentation. It seems that even though tourism is a major factor which may cause death in coral reefs at Bermuda it is an indirect factor, with run off from the airport disrupting the more secluded beaches. Sedimentation is probably the most likely major cause of the death seen in the coral reefs.