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Perry, C. T. (2003). Reef development at Inhaca Island, Mozambique: coral communities and impacts of the 1999/2000 southern African floods. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, 32(2), 134-139.
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Southeast Africa: Mozambique
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In the Inhaca Island, southern Mozambique, reef development is spatially and bathymetrically restricted to the margins of channels which dissect intertidal flats on the Maputo Bay side of the island, and to depths of around 6 m. These natural stress levels were exacerbated, via increased freshwater and sediment discharge, during the severe floods of late 1999/early 2000. Flood impacts varied but were most significant on reefs on the inner (western) side of the island where live coral cover (LCC) decreased from 60.5% (1999) to 24.0% (2001). This is attributed to freshwater-induced bleaching. Dead in situ coral cover increased from 18.6% (1999) to 51.3% (2001). Reefs closer to the open Indian Ocean mitigated the effects of freshwater dilution, compared to other reefs located further away in lagoons. Some changes in the original faunal composition of the reefs was noticed. It is suggested that this largely reflects a closer proximity to the open Indian Ocean which mitigated the effects of freshwater dilution.
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