Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T01:08:29.295Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Monitoring densities of the giant clam Tridacna maxima in the Lakshadweep Archipelago

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2010

Deepak Apte ,
Sutirtha Dutta  and
Idrees Babu
Deepak Apte*
Affiliation:
Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai 400 001
Sutirtha Dutta
Affiliation:
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248001
Idrees Babu
Affiliation:
Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai 400 001
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: D. Apte, Bombay Natural History Society, Hornbill House, S.B. Singh Road, Mumbai 400 001 email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Giant clams are endangered in many parts of their Indo-Pacific range owing to adult specific overharvesting that threatens recruitment, a demographic parameter exhibiting high sensitivity to environmental disturbances and adult densities among tridacnids. Lakshadweep reefs are not subjected to commercial giant clam fishery, and population assessment has not been carried out in these waters so far. We monitored the small giant clam Tridacna maxima populations in confined waters of 12 reefs in Lakshadweep Archipelago during 2005–2007 using a systematic line transect based distance sampling framework. Overall T. maxima density in the Archipelago was estimated at 141.2/ha (95% CL 118.2–168.7) in 2005 and 122.7/ha (103.60–145.37) in 2006. Populations showed wide variation in densities and relative proportions of different age-classes between reefs. While Agatti, Bitra and Chetlat lagoons harboured high clam densities, Amini harboured the most impoverished population. Data simulation showed that total clam count along transects of 100 m length × 2–5 m strip width, in a minimum of 140 replicates, stratified by area among lagoons, would provide a viable monitoring index for rapid assessments of T. maxima in Lakshadweep. Compared to unbiased absolute abundance estimates, this monitoring index could be achieved more easily, without much compromise on accuracy and precision, necessary for meaningful spatio-temporal comparisons.

Keywords

small giant clamendangered specieslow density populationpopulation structureannual fluctuationsmonitoring indextridacnidLakshadweep coral reefs
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 3 , June 2010 , e78
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adams, T.J.H., Lewis, A.D. and Leuda, E. (1988) Natural population dynamics of Tridacna derasa in relation to reef reseeding and mariculture. In Copeland, J.W. and Lucas, J.S. (eds) Giant clams in Asia and the Pacific. Canberra: ACIAR Monograph 9, p. 274.Google Scholar
Addessi, L. (2001) Giant clam bleaching in the lagoon of Takapoto atoll (French Polynesia). Coral Reefs 19, 220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrefouet, S., Gilbert, A., Yan, L., Remoissenet, G., Payri, C. and Chancerelle, Y. (2005) The remarkable population size of the endangered clam Tridacna maxima assessed in Fangatau Atoll (Eastern Tuamotu, French Polynesia) using in-situ and remote sensing data. ICES Journal of Marine Sciences 62, 1037–1048.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alcazar, S.N. and Solis, E.P. (1986) Spawning and larval development and growth of Tridacna maxima (Roding) (Bivalvia: Tridacnidae). Silliman Journal 33, 65–73.Google Scholar
Antonius, A. (1985) Coral diseases in the Indo Pacific: a first record. PSZNI (Marine Ecology) 6, 197–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Antonius, A. (1988) Black band disease behaviour on Red Sea reef corals. Proceedings of 6th Coral Reef Symposium 3, 145–150.Google Scholar
Arthur, R. (2000) Coral bleaching and mortality in three Indian reef regions during an El Niño southern oscillation event. Current Science 79, 1723–1729.Google Scholar
Bartlett, J. (1975) Taiwanese fishing boats. Situation Report 4 of 1974/75, Misima District, Bwagaioa, Misima, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea.Google Scholar
Basker, J.R. (1991) Giant clams in the Maldives—a stock assessment and study of their potential for culture. Bay of Bengal Programme, Madras India, BOBP/WP/72, MDV/88/007, 28 pp.Google Scholar
Beckver, N. (1981) Cultivation, spawning and growth of the giant clams Tridacna gigas, T. deresa and T. squamosa in Palau, Caroline Islands. Aquaculture 24, 21–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Braley, R.D. (1988) Recruitment of the giant clams Tridacna gigas and T. deresa at four sites on the Great Barrier Reef. ACIAR Monographs No. 9, pp. 73–77.Google Scholar
Braley, R.D. (1989) A giant clam stock survey and preliminary investigation of pearl oyster resources in the Tokelau Islands. ACIAR Giant Clam project, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, Australia, 90 pp.Google Scholar
Bryan, P.G. and McConnell, D.B. (1976) Status of giant clam stocks (Tridacnidae) on Helen Reef, Palau, Western Carolina Islands. Marine Fisheries Review 38, 15–18.Google Scholar
Bruckner, A.W. and Bruckner, R.J. (1997) The persistence of black-band disease in Jamaica: impact on community structure. Proceedings of the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium 1, 601–606.Google Scholar
Burnham, K.P., Anderson, D.J. and Laake, J.L. (1980) Estimation of density from line transects sampling of biological population. Wildlife Monographs 72, 202 pp.Google Scholar
Buckland, S.T., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P. and Laake, J.L. (1993) Distance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations. London: Chapman and Hall, reprinted 1999 by RUWPA, University of St Andrews, Scotland.Google Scholar
Buckland, S.T., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P., Laake, J.L., Borchers, D.L. and Thomas, L. (2001) Introduction to distance sampling. London: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buckland, S.T., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P., Laake, J.L., Borchers, D.L. and Thomas, L. (eds) (2004) Advanced distance sampling. London: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Calumpong, H.P., Apao, A.B., Lucanas, J.R. and Estacion, J.S. (2000) Community based giant clam restocking—hopes for biodiversity conservation. Proceedings of the 9th International Coral Reef Symposium 2, 23–27.Google Scholar
Comfort, A. (1957) The duration of life in mollusks. Proceedings of the Malacological Society of London 24, 135–144.Google Scholar
Cropp, B. (1982) Clam poaching on the high seas. Skin Diver Magazine 97–101.Google Scholar
Dawson, R.F. (1984) Can Australia expect a resurgence of Taiwanese clam boat activity? Australian Fisheries 43, 20–23.Google Scholar
Faasili, U., Bell, L., Mulipola, A. and Time, S. (1998) Fisheries Division Annual Report (1997–98). Ministry of Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries and Meteorology, Apia, Samoa.Google Scholar
Faulkner, D. (1974) This living reef. New York: Quadrangle, New York Times Book Co., 179 pp.Google Scholar
Fitt, W.K., Fisher, C.R. and Trench, R.K. (1984) Larval biology of tridacnid clams. Aquaculture 39, 181–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilbert, A., Yan, L., Remoissenet, G., Andrefouet, S., Payri, C. and Chancerelle, Y. (2005) Extraordinarily high giant clam density under protection in Tatakoto Atoll (eastern Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia). Coral Reefs 24, 495.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilbert, A., Andrefouet, S., Yan, L. and Remoissenet, G. (2006) The giant clam Tridacna maxima communities of three French Polynesia islands: comparison of their population size and structures at early stages of their exploitation. ICES Journal of Marine Sciences 63, 1573–1589.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, A. and Craig, P. (1999) Population size and structure of giant clams at Rose atoll, an important refuge in the Samoan Archipelago. Coral Reefs 18, 205–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, E.P., Mumby, P.J., Edwards, A.J. and Clarck, C.D. (2000) Remote sensing handbook for tropical coastal management. Paris: UNESCO, 316 pp.Google Scholar
Groombridge, B. (ed.) (1993) 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge: IUCN.Google Scholar
Heslinga, G.A., Perron, F.E. and Orak, O. (1984) Mass culture of giant clams (F. Tridacnidae) in Palau. Aquaculture 39, 197–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hood, G.M. (2005) PopTools version 2.6.7. Available on the internet. http://www.cse.csiro.au/poptoolsGoogle Scholar
Jameson, S.C. (1976) Early life history of the giant clams Tridacna crocea Lamarck, Tridacna maxima (Roding) and Hippopus hippopus (Linnaeus). Pacific Science 30, 219–233.Google Scholar
Kinch, J. (2002) Giant clams: their status and trade in Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. TRAFFIC Bulletin 19, 67–75.Google Scholar
Krebs, C.J. (1989) Ecological methodology. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 620 pp.Google Scholar
Kulbicki, M. and Sarramegna, S. (1999) Comparison of density estimates derived from strip transect and distance sampling for underwater visual censuses: a case study of Chaetodontidae and Pomacanthidae. Aquatic Living Resources 12, 315–325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LaBarbera, M. (1975) Larval and post-larval development of the giant clams, Tridacna maxima (Roding) and Tridacna squamosa Lamarck (Tridacnidae: Bivalvia). Malacologia 15, 69–79.Google Scholar
Lucas, J. (1988) Giant clams: description, distribution and life history. In Copland, J. and Lucas, J. (eds) Giant clams in Asia and the Pacific. ACIAR Monograph 9, pp. 21–33. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research.Google Scholar
McNemar, Q. (1974) Note on the sampling error of the difference between correlated proportions or percentages. Psychometrica 12, 153–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munro, J.L. (1989) Fisheries of giant clams (Tridacnidae: Bivalvia) and prospects for stock enhancement. In Caddy, J.F. (ed.) Marine invertebrate fisheries: their assessment and management. New York/Chichester: John Wiley and Sons, pp. 541–558.Google Scholar
Munro, J. (1993) Giant clams. In Wright, A. and Hill, L. (eds) Nearshore marine resources of the South Pacific: information for fisheries development and management. Honiara, Solomon Islands: Forum Fisheries Agency, pp. 431–449 .Google Scholar
Pearson, R.G. (1977) Impact of foreign vessel poaching giant clams. Australian Fisheries 36, 8–11.Google Scholar
Planes, S., Chauvet, C., Baldwin, J., Bonvallot, J., Fontaine-Vernaudon, Y., Gabrie, C., Holthus, P., Payri, C. and Galzin, R. (1992) Impact of tourism related fishing on Tridacna maxima (Mollusca: Bivalvia) stocks in Bora Bora lagoon (French Polynesia). Attol Research Bulletin No. 385. Issued by National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Preston, G.L., Lewis, A.D., Sims, N., Bertram, I., Howard, N., Maluofenua, S., Marsters, B., Passfield, K., Tearii, T., Viala, F., Wright, D. and Yeeting, B. (1995) The marine resources of Palmerston Island, Cook Islands. Report (Noumea, New Caledonia: South Pacific Commission).Google Scholar
Raymakers, C., Ringuet, S., Phoon, N. and Sant, G. (2003) Review of the exploitation of Tridacnidae in the South Pacific, Indonesia and Vietnam. Technical report submitted to the European Commission. TRAFFIC Europe, Brussels, Belgium.Google Scholar
Richter, C., Roa-Quiaolt, H., Carin, J., Al-Zibdah, M. and Kochzius, M. (2008) Collapse of a new living species of giant clam in the Red Sea. Current Biology 18, 1349–1354.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Richard, G. (1977) Quantitative balance and production of Tridacna maxima in the Takapoto lagoon. Proceedings of the Third International Coral Reef Symposium Miami l, 599–605.Google Scholar
Rosewater, J. (1965) The family Tridacnidae in the Indo-Pacific. Indo-Pacific Mollusca 1, 347–396.Google Scholar
Rutzler, K. and Santavy, D.L. (1983) The black band disease of Atlantic reef corals. I. Description of the cyanophyte pathogen. PSZNI (Marine Ecology) 4, 301–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rutzler, K., Santavy, D.L. and Antonius, A. (1983) The black-band disease of Atlantic reef corals. III. Distribution, ecology and development. PSZNI (Marine Ecology) 4, 329–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salvat, B. (1967) Importance de la faune malacologique dans les atolls polynesiens. Cahiers du Pacifique 11, 7–49.Google Scholar
Salvat, B. (1971) Evaluation quantitative de la faune benthique de la bordure lagunaire d'un atoll de Polynesie française. Comptes-Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris 272, 211–214.Google Scholar
Salvat, B. (1972) La faune benthique du lagon de Reao. Cahiers du Pacifique 16, 30–109.Google Scholar
Summerhays, S. (1979) Giant clams. Oceans May 1979, 25–28.Google Scholar
Thomas, L., Leake, L.J., Strindberg, S., Marques, F.F.C., Buckland, S.T., Borcher, D.L., Anderson, D.R., Burnham, K.P., Hedley, S.L., Pollard, J.K., Bishop, J.R.B. and Marques, T.A. (2005) Distance 5.0. Release 0. Research Unit for Wildlife Population Assessment, University of St Andrews, UK. <http://www.ruwpa.st.and.ac.uk/distance/>>Google Scholar
Wada, S.K. (1942) Notes on the tridacnid clams in Palau. Kagaku Nanyo 5, 62–69. [In Japanese.]Google Scholar
Wada, S.K. (1952) Protandric functional hermaphroditism in tridacnid clams. Oceanographical Magazine, Tokyo 4, 23–30, and Japanese Journal of Zoology 11, 273 (1954).Google Scholar
Wells, S. (1983) Giant clams. In The IUCN Invertebrate Red Data Book. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK, pp. 97–107.Google Scholar
Whittingham, E., Campbell, J. and Townsley, P. (eds) (2003) Poverty and reefs. Volumes 1 and 2. Paris: UNESCO and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewImage.do?id=4834&aid=2370Google Scholar
Yamaguchi, M. (1977) Conservation and cultivation of giant clams in the tropical Pacific. Biological Conservation 11, 13–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yonge, C.M. (1980) Functional morphology and evolution in the Tridacnidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Cardiacea). Records of the Australian Museum 33, 735–777.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zar, J.H. (1999) Biostatistical analysis. South Asia: Pearson Education, 663 pp.Google Scholar