UCB Moorea Class: Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands

The gastropod communities around motu Tiahura are currently under various stresses, both natural and anthropogenic. Distribution studies can help understand how these pressures are affecting gastropod communities. The shallow waters around motu Tiahura were partitioned into six distinct habitats. Transects were examined in each habitat to observe gastropod abundance and diversity. Results show that the waters off the conglomerate platform are the most diverse, while the lagoon is least diverse. Three of the habitats were relatively similar in gastropod community, while the other three were distinct. Night transects revealed that burrowing gastropods form a distinct nocturnal community. Differences between gastropod communities may arise from biotic interactions and unique physical factors in each habitat.