Regional Studies in Marine Science, Community structure and coral health status across the depth gradients of Grande Island, Central west coast of India, September 2016

Grande Island is less explored for its biological diversity and this study provides the first comprehensive report on the coral community structure, Live coral cover and its diversity were high in the mid-shelf zone (5–8 m) compared to the shallow (8 m), Competition posed by turf algae and sponges was the predominant stressor affecting the live coral colonies, Coral diseases such as white plaque disease and trematodiosis were common among the live coral colonies.