Vertical Distribution of Hard Corals in Southern Siladen Island

This study was aimed at provide information on hard coral distribution in southern Siladen Island. The work was done using SCUBA gear Line Intercept Transect (LIT). Thirty m long-line transects were placed at the reef flat, 5 m depth, 10 m depth, 15 m depth, and 20 m depth. A total of 44 hard coral genera was recorded, and the highest number of genre was found at 5 m depth. Coral species diversity was also high enough at the reef flat (1.032) and 5 m depth (1.28). Coral reef condition at 10 m depth was good enough as well and categorized as productive due to much higher percent of the biotic component than the abiotic component. The dominant life forms consisted of tabulate Acropora and branching corals at the reef flat, encrusting corals, branching corals, and foliose corals at 5 m, encrusting corals at 10 and 20 m depth, and massive corals, encrusting corals, and branching corals at 15 m depth, respectively