Estimation of Coral fish Standing Biomass in Hengam Island, The Persian Gulf

Standing biomass of coral fish was estimated by the Underwater Visual Census method(UVCm) and belt transect in five stations (St.) (dead corals, continuous and developed reefs, discrete and undeveloped reefs, Acropora spp. in small amounts and rocky reefs), in Larak Island from Sep.2020 to Apr.2021seasonally.The maximum and minimum of standing biomass was estimated  908.79 (Kg/Km2) and 235.85 (Kg/Km2) in the Abbas St. and Arabha St. respectively, also the maximum of coral fish standing biomass belonged to Scarus ghobban with 703.99 (Kg/Km2). The maximum of average (standard deviation) was estimated for the Jetty St.(Kg/Km2)16.36(± 4.3) (Feb.2021), and the lowest value at Ghail St. 1.4 (± 1.96) (Kg/Km2)(Sep.2020), also confidence interval of these estimations from bootstrapping simulations (n=2000) was calculated(95%). The results of one-way analysis of variance, Tukey's test, comparing the standing biomass of coral-fish (temporal and spatial analyses), was concluded differences in the most of seasons and stations (P<0.05), and the highest of standing biomass belongs to cold seasons of the year(Oct.2020, Feb.2021) and the lowest of them in the warm seasons(Sep.2020, Apr.2021) is estimated. The study of coral fishes showed although the bleaching event in the Persian Gulf has destroyed the habitat of coral fishes, but the dead corals are covered with microalgae, rocks, developed reefs and a few colonies of living corals (Acropora spp.) at depths above 10 meters have been able to play the role of their habitat. Furthermore, the type of substrate cover, the integrity of evolution reefs, being sheltered from waves and winds, and being away from sources of stress have influenced more than the size of the habitat on the coral-fish stocks of the Hengam Island.