Hard coral coverage contributes to increasing the structural complexity of coral reefs, provides biological resources and drives biological and ecological interactions among reef organisms. Declines in the structural complexity and coral diversity of tropical reefs, due to the influence of anthropogenic activities, have been reported around the world in recent decades; however, coral reefs on the continental coast of Ecuador have been poorly studied. From September 2017 to April 2018, the method of permanent belt transects and quadrats was used to assess the status of coral (percentage of live, dead and fractured coral) to determine the contribution of derelict fishing gear to the process of coral fracture, which causes loss of structural complexity on two marginal coral-rocky reefs in the central coast of Manabi-Ecuador: Perpetuo Socorro and Ureles. Three geomorphological zones [crest (5–7 m depth), slope (7–10 m depth) and bottom (10–13 m depth)] were assessed. Results show that the crest zone in Ureles reef was highly affected by the entanglement of nets compared with Perpetuo Socorro, and identify derelict fishing gear as a key driver in the process of the fracturing and fragmentation of coral. Seasonal and site-associated factors also had a significant effect on the structural complexity of the reef studied. Destruction of coral in the crest zones drastically affects invertebrate and fish communities. We recommend a periodical assessment to measure the loss of structural complexity plus the implementation of a recovery program for the reefs studied that involves the education, active participation and collaboration of artisanal fishermen, governmental organizations and universities.

中文翻译：

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废弃渔具造成的珊瑚破裂影响厄瓜多尔边缘珊瑚礁的可持续性

硬珊瑚覆盖有助于增加珊瑚礁的结构复杂性，提供生物资源并推动珊瑚礁生物之间的生物和生态相互作用。由于人类活动的影响，热带珊瑚礁的结构复杂性和珊瑚多样性在最近几十年中有所下降；然而，厄瓜多尔大陆海岸的珊瑚礁研究甚少。2017 年 9 月至 2018 年 4 月，采用永久性带状断面和样方法评估珊瑚状况（活珊瑚、死珊瑚和破碎珊瑚的百分比），以确定废弃渔具对珊瑚断裂过程的贡献，从而导致厄瓜多尔马纳比中部海岸两个边缘珊瑚礁的结构复杂性丧失：Perpetuo Socorro 和 Ureles。评估了三个地貌带 [顶部（5-7 m 深）、斜坡（7-10 m 深）和底部（10-13 m 深）]。结果表明，与 Perpetuo Socorro 相比，Ureles 礁的波峰区受渔网缠结的影响较大，并确定废弃渔具是珊瑚破裂和破碎过程中的关键驱动因素。季节性和场地相关因素也对所研究的珊瑚礁的结构复杂性有显着影响。波峰区珊瑚的破坏极大地影响了无脊椎动物和鱼类群落。我们建议进行定期评估，以衡量结构复杂性的损失，以及对所研究的珊瑚礁实施恢复计划，该计划涉及手工渔民的教育、积极参与和合作，