Assessing abundance of the giant clams Tridacna spp. on shallow reef flats in the gulf of Thailand
Keywords:
abundance, giant clam, Gulf of Thailand, population, shallow reef flatAbstract
The giant clams are sessile reef animals that attract tourists in Thailand and other countries. In the past, giant clams represented an important component of coral communities in the Gulf of Thailand. The present study aimed to examine the population densities of the giant clams Tridacna spp. on shallow reef flats in Mu Ko Chumphon, Mu Ko Angthong, and Ko Pha-Ngan, the Gulf of Thailand. The field surveys were conducted at 23 reef sites. Two giant clam species, namely T. crocea and T. squamosa were recorded. The population of T. squamosa occupied all study sites. The highest number was found at Ko Taen (0.96±0.16 ind/m2), while the lowest was observed at Ko Mattra and Ko Lawa, Mu Ko Chumphon (0.2±0.18 and 0.2±0.17 ind/m2, respectively). In contrast, T. crocea was observed only at 2 study sites, Ao Luek in Ko Tao and Ko Hin Dab in Mu Ko Angthong. There were no records of giant clams at several study sites, particularly in Mu Ko Ang thong and Ko Pha-Ngan. The correlation analysis results indicated that there is a strong negative relationship between giant clam population density and temperature (R = -0.85), while the low positive relationship was found to transparency. The results imply that previous giant clam restoration projects can enhance population densities on natural reefs.
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