The Distribution, Abundance, and Communities of Deepwater Hawaiian Crustose Corallinaceae (Rhodophyta, Cryptonemiales)

Abstract

Two deepwater (8-28 m) areas studied off Oahu, Hawaii, are remarkably similar in the kinds and order of importance of calcareous producer organisms. Hydrolithon breviclavium is primary at the Maile deep area (25-percent cover) as well as at Waikiki (37-percent cover). At Maile H. reinboldii (7-percent cover) ranks second in relative importance; however, at Waikiki Tenarea tessellatum (5-percent cover) and corals (3-percent cover) are so abundant at the stations below 20 m that they surpass H. reinboldii (2 percent) in total cover. Corals (2-percent cover) and T. tessellatum (I-percent cover) rank third and fourth, respectively, as important builders in the Maile deep area. At Waikiki, when density and frequency are considered with the cover values, corals are second in importance followed by H. reinboldii and T. tessellatum. The deepwater crustose Corallinaceae (38-percent mean cover) overshadow all other calcareous organisms in terms of standing stock and also seem to have more biological influence than do the other limestone producers.