Table 1. Pairwise PERMANOVA (p-values) for protein concentration, RNA/DNA ratio, lipid ratio, zooxanthellae density (ZD), Chl a concentration per surface area and per cell, comparing two species (A. digitifera and A. spicifera) during four months (March and April 2010 (autumn), August 2010 (winter) and February 2011 (summer) at SandyBay, Ningaloo Reef. Species and season were fixed effects. PERMANOVA was based on Euclidean distance after log-transformation. Type I (sequential) sum of squares was used with permutation of residuals under a reduced model (9999 permutations). Significant p-values are in bold.

Months / A. digitifera / A. spicifera / A. digitifera / A. spicifera
Protein (mg µgDNA-1) / RNA/DNA ratio
Mar, Apr / 0.000 / 0.830 / 0.978 / 0.393
Mar, Aug / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.042
Mar, Feb / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000
Apr, Aug / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.137
Apr, Feb / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.001
Aug, Feb / 0.002 / 0.141 / 0.023 / 0.128
Lipid ratio / ZD (cells cm-2)
Mar, Apr / 0.129 / 0.976 / 0.486 / 0.910
Mar, Aug / 0.000 / 0.816 / 0.000 / 0.013
Mar, Feb / 0.000 / 0.606 / 0.001 / 0.003
Apr, Aug / 0.000 / 0.810 / 0.000 / 0.005
Apr, Feb / 0.002 / 0.547 / 0.006 / 0.002
Aug, Feb / 0.223 / 0.725 / 0.004 / 0.783
Chl a (µg cm-2) / Chl a(µg cell-1)
Mar, Apr / 0.022 / 0.189 / 0.053 / 0.053
Mar, Aug / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000
Mar, Feb / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000
Apr, Aug / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000
Apr, Feb / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000 / 0.000
Aug, Feb / 0.116 / 0.050 / 0.081 / 0.001

Table 2. Pairwise PERMANOVA (p-values) for RNA/DNA ratio, lipid ratio, zooxanthellae density (ZD), chl a concentration per surface area and per cell, comparing two species (A. digitifera and A. spicifera) during four months (March and April 2010 (autumn), August 2010 (winter) and February 2011 (summer) at six different stations at Sandy Bay, Ningaloo Reef. Species, season and station were fixed effects. PERMANOVA was based on Euclidean distance after log-transformation. Type I (sequential) sum of squares was used with permutation of residuals under a reduced model (9999 permutations). Significant p-values are in bold.

A. digitifera / A. spicifera
Stations / Mar-10 / Apr-10 / Aug-10 / Feb-11 / Mar-10 / Apr-10 / Aug-10 / Feb-11
A) RNA/DNA ratio
1, 2 / 0.20 / 0.12 / 0.11 / 0.14 / 0.30 / 0.63 / 0.91
1, 3 / 0.03 / 0.58 / 0.35 / 0.14 / 0.76 / 0.62 / 0.27
1, 4 / 0.78 / 0.22 / 0.61 / 0.47 / 0.21 / 0.98 / 0.88
1, 5 / 0.24 / 0.04 / 0.02 / 0.55 / 0.39
1, 6 / 0.45 / 0.06 / 0.04 / 0.03 / 0.60 / 0.40 / 0.18
2, 3 / 0.19 / 0.26 / 0.42 / 1.00 / 0.67 / 0.98 / 0.16 / 0.32
2, 4 / 0.21 / 0.85 / 0.56 / 0.62 / 0.84 / 0.36 / 0.97 / 0.04
2, 5 / 0.81 / 0.01 / 0.17 / 0.58 / 0.21 / 0.86
2, 6 / 0.50 / 0.86 / 0.03 / 0.86 / 0.08 / 0.50 / 0.06 / 0.33
3, 4 / 0.02 / 0.43 / 0.97 / 0.53 / 0.41 / 0.33 / 0.25 / 0.11
3, 5 / 0.11 / 0.04 / 0.44 / 0.79 / 0.03 / 0.80
3, 6 / 0.06 / 0.11 / 0.06 / 1.00 / 0.33 / 0.57 / 0.01 / 0.11
4, 5 / 0.28 / 0.07 / 0.42 / 0.42 / 0.30 / 0.32
4, 6 / 0.63 / 0.63 / 0.06 / 0.49 / 0.04 / 0.18 / 0.10 / 0.02
5, 6 / 0.62 / 0.83 / 0.04 / 0.20 / 0.64 / 0.43
B) Lipid ratio
1, 2 / 0.05 / 0.09 / 0.37 / 0.89 / 0.90 / 0.30 / 0.74
1, 3 / 0.03 / 0.76 / 0.45 / 0.57 / 0.12 / 0.50 / 0.47
1, 4 / 0.01 / 0.37 / 0.07 / 0.21 / 0.18 / 0.59 / 0.67
1, 5 / 0.31 / 0.33 / 0.17 / 1.00 / 0.33 / 0.68 / 0.93
1, 6 / 0.17 / 0.93 / 0.08 / 0.45 / 0.22 / 0.23 / 0.44
2, 3 / 0.00 / 0.13 / 0.18 / 0.42 / 0.03 / 0.03 / 0.66 / 0.75
2, 4 / 0.01 / 0.82 / 0.07 / 0.07 / 0.14 / 0.05 / 0.95 / 0.99
2, 5 / 0.02 / 0.03 / 0.06 / 0.80 / 0.39 / 0.04 / 0.64 / 0.71
2, 6 / 0.03 / 0.07 / 0.07 / 0.35 / 0.09 / 0.00 / 0.17 / 0.80
3, 4 / 0.09 / 0.45 / 0.26 / 0.39 / 0.02 / 0.86 / 0.69 / 0.74
3, 5 / 0.28 / 0.17 / 0.45 / 0.46 / 0.04 / 0.67 / 0.44 / 0.97
3, 6 / 0.87 / 0.66 / 0.32 / 0.90 / 0.50 / 0.32 / 0.07 / 0.59
4, 5 / 0.03 / 0.16 / 0.58 / 0.05 / 0.59 / 0.82 / 0.59 / 0.81
4, 6 / 0.36 / 0.33 / 0.74 / 0.42 / 0.01 / 0.18 / 0.14 / 0.74
5, 6 / 0.43 / 0.30 / 0.71 / 0.37 / 0.05 / 0.09 / 0.51 / 0.59
C) Zooxanthellae density (cells cm-2)
1, 2 / 0.67 / 0.97 / 0.34 / 0.52 / 0.89 / 0.93 / 0.70
1, 3 / 0.67 / 0.57 / 0.48 / 0.26 / 0.11 / 0.81 / 0.35
1, 4 / 0.33 / 0.69 / 0.95 / 0.57 / 0.66 / 0.39 / 0.80
1, 5 / 0.77 / 0.42 / 0.77 / 0.78 / 0.73 / 0.24 / 0.84
1, 6 / 0.73 / 0.19 / 1.00 / 0.12 / 0.86 / 0.24 / 0.71
2, 3 / 0.96 / 0.48 / 0.97 / 0.05 / 0.09 / 0.81 / 0.27 / 0.08
2, 4 / 0.01 / 0.57 / 0.33 / 0.90 / 0.78 / 0.46 / 0.63 / 0.80
2, 5 / 0.10 / 0.26 / 0.30 / 0.52 / 0.59 / 0.30 / 0.66 / 0.58
2, 6 / 0.15 / 0.11 / 0.26 / 0.15 / 0.95 / 0.54 / 0.16 / 0.17
3, 4 / 0.04 / 0.90 / 0.55 / 0.03 / 0.13 / 0.53 / 0.07 / 0.06
3, 5 / 0.18 / 0.77 / 0.39 / 0.06 / 0.11 / 0.32 / 0.08 / 0.33
3, 6 / 0.21 / 0.37 / 0.50 / 0.00 / 0.05 / 0.20 / 0.01 / 0.02
4, 5 / 0.10 / 0.66 / 0.84 / 0.54 / 0.43 / 0.66 / 1.00 / 0.45
4, 6 / 0.17 / 0.34 / 0.89 / 0.02 / 0.68 / 0.07 / 0.17 / 0.18
5, 6 / 0.98 / 0.50 / 0.80 / 0.02 / 0.48 / 0.05 / 0.19 / 0.12
D) Chl a (µg cm-2)
1, 2 / 0.53 / 0.74 / 0.51 / 0.41 / 0.40 / 0.26 / 0.92
1, 3 / 0.05 / 0.00 / 0.73 / 0.44 / 0.70 / 0.50 / 0.17
1, 4 / 0.11 / 0.02 / 0.97 / 0.76 / 0.11 / 0.01 / 0.86
1, 5 / 0.02 / 0.10 / 0.58 / 0.37 / 0.06 / 0.72 / 0.78
1, 6 / 0.26 / 0.01 / 0.50 / 0.29 / 0.73 / 0.43 / 0.28
2, 3 / 0.22 / 0.00 / 0.72 / 0.95 / 0.57 / 0.09 / 0.01 / 0.72
2, 4 / 0.46 / 0.02 / 0.54 / 0.55 / 0.43 / 0.00 / 0.66 / 0.13
2, 5 / 0.37 / 0.10 / 0.22 / 0.97 / 0.15 / 0.46 / 0.81 / 0.69
2, 6 / 0.94 / 0.01 / 0.26 / 0.06 / 0.40 / 0.03 / 0.07 / 0.02
3, 4 / 0.78 / 0.02 / 0.86 / 0.61 / 0.17 / 0.05 / 0.05 / 0.33
3, 5 / 0.60 / 0.01 / 0.34 / 0.98 / 0.05 / 0.34 / 0.02 / 0.86
3, 6 / 0.11 / 0.06 / 0.36 / 0.08 / 0.82 / 0.92 / 0.00 / 0.01
4, 5 / 0.91 / 0.54 / 0.55 / 0.48 / 0.13 / 0.01 / 0.56 / 0.51
4, 6 / 0.19 / 0.95 / 0.63 / 0.21 / 0.06 / 0.00 / 0.07 / 0.00
5, 6 / 0.02 / 0.42 / 0.73 / 0.04 / 0.01 / 0.30 / 0.17 / 0.01
E) Chl a (µg cell-1)
1, 2 / 0.42 / 0.71 / 0.55 / 0.04 / 0.40 / 0.14 / 0.75
1, 3 / 0.01 / 0.01 / 0.41 / 0.17 / 0.12 / 0.67 / 0.21
1, 4 / 0.45 / 0.09 / 0.74 / 0.09 / 0.05 / 0.00 / 0.31
1, 5 / 0.01 / 0.27 / 0.84 / 0.15 / 0.07 / 0.74 / 0.59
1, 6 / 0.49 / 0.13 / 0.35 / 0.92 / 0.40 / 0.71 / 0.86
2, 3 / 0.21 / 0.00 / 0.71 / 0.00 / 0.64 / 0.10 / 0.21 / 0.04
2, 4 / 0.95 / 0.01 / 0.49 / 0.57 / 0.43 / 0.00 / 0.34 / 0.02
2, 5 / 0.49 / 0.17 / 0.64 / 0.46 / 0.27 / 0.05 / 0.88 / 0.81
2, 6 / 0.69 / 0.06 / 0.53 / 0.65 / 0.64 / 0.02 / 0.68 / 0.06
3, 4 / 0.18 / 0.15 / 0.42 / 0.01 / 0.64 / 0.04 / 0.70 / 0.00
3, 5 / 0.18 / 0.03 / 0.51 / 0.00 / 0.32 / 0.86 / 0.22 / 0.02
3, 6 / 0.03 / 0.05 / 0.71 / 0.45 / 0.23 / 0.84 / 0.07 / 0.78
4, 5 / 0.40 / 0.21 / 0.85 / 0.82 / 0.52 / 0.00 / 0.39 / 0.00
4, 6 / 0.76 / 0.36 / 0.48 / 0.91 / 0.13 / 0.00 / 0.16 / 0.00
5, 6 / 0.07 / 0.77 / 0.43 / 0.93 / 0.06 / 1.00 / 0.53 / 0.04