We detail the benthic compositon of the turbid-water coral reefs of Tobago in 2016 and examine the influence of mass coral bleaching and hydro-geomorphic setting (sheltereted vs. wave-exposed) on benthic community dynamics against the 2007 baseline. In the current assessment mean hard coral cover was 14.83% ± 0.85, which ranged from 2% to 37% with few sites exceeding 20%. Mean macroalgal cover was low (6.04% ± 0.61) with most sites experiencing less than 8% macroalgal cover. Differences in benthic cover between sheltered and wave-exposed settings were mainly driven by contrasts in proportions of sponge, macroalgae and Orbicella faveolata corals. Linear mixed-effects modelling suggests stability in hard coral cover and decline in macroalgal cover across sites against the 2007 baseline. Significant spatio-temporal interactions were observed for soft coral and CTB (crustose coralline algae, turf algae and bare substrate). Overall, hard coral cover appears to have declined at some sites and macroalgal cover to have increased at other, but there is no evidence of widespread regime shift. While the hydro-geomorphic setting had a significant but weak effect (R > 0.3) on observed spatial and temporal patterns, our findings suggest that sheltered settings were less predisposed to macroalgal overgrowth compared to wave-exposed areas. In the era of climate change, targeted management should focus on strategies that mitigate macroalgal overgrowth, promote hard coral stability (or resilience) while preventing further loss.

我们详细介绍了 2016 年多巴哥浑水珊瑚礁的底栖成分，并根据 2007 年基线检查了大规模珊瑚白化和水文地貌环境（庇护所与波浪暴露）对底栖群落动态的影响。在目前的评估中，平均硬珊瑚覆盖率为 14.83% ± 0.85，范围从 2% 到 37%，少数地点超过 20%。平均大型藻类覆盖率较低 (6.04% ± 0.61)，大多数站点的大型藻类覆盖率低于 8%。遮蔽环境和波浪暴露环境之间底栖覆盖的差异主要是由海绵、大型藻类和Orbicella faveolata 的比例差异驱动的珊瑚。线性混合效应模型表明，与 2007 年基线相比，硬珊瑚覆盖率稳定，大型藻类覆盖率下降。观察到软珊瑚和 CTB（硬壳珊瑚藻、草皮藻和裸基质）的显着时空相互作用。总体而言，某些地点的硬珊瑚覆盖率似乎有所下降，而其他地点的大型藻类覆盖率似乎有所增加，但没有证据表明存在广泛的制度转变。虽然水文地貌环境对观察到的空间和时间模式有显着但微弱的影响 (R > 0.3)，但我们的研究结果表明，与波浪暴露区域相比，遮蔽环境不太容易发生大型藻类过度生长。在气候变化时代，有针对性的管理应侧重于减轻大型藻类过度生长的战略，