Conservation under warming ocean conditions for endemic corals and reef fishes of Rodrigues Island, Mauritius

Abstract. Munbodhe V, Bhagooli R. 2025. Conservation under warming ocean conditions for endemic corals and reef fishes of Rodrigues Island, Mauritius. Indo Pac J Ocean Life 9: 147-162. Ocean warming has accelerated coral-algal phase shifts, threatening reef biodiversity and ecosystem functions. This study assessed coral reef conditions across 14 sites around Rodrigues Island, Mauritius, including four Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and ten Non-Protected Areas (NPAs), surveyed from November 2019 to December 2020. Coral cover, macroalgae, and substrate covers were quantified using underwater visual censuses and 15 quadrats per site (~4 m² each). Live coral cover in MPAs was 2.5 times higher than in NPAs, with significant differences in benthic composition (GLM–Poisson, p