Broadening our horizons: seascape use by coral reef-associated fishes in Kavieng, Papua New Guinea, is common and diverse

Sambrook, Katie; Bonin, Mary C.; Bradley, Michael; Cumming, Graeme S.; Duce, Stephanie; Andréfouët, Serge; Hoey, Andrew S.

doi:10.1007/s00338-020-01954-2

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…This also suggests a vulnerability: if canopy‐forming macroalgal taxa are replaced by low‐stature understory macroalgae, we are likely to see reduced levels of fish recruitment (Fulton et al, 2019). In addition to canopy structure, other factors such as the taxonomic composition of macroalgae present, the availability of fish dietary items and the proximity of macroalgal patches to each other and other habitat types can be important (van Lier et al, 2018; Sambrook et al, 2020; Wenger et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of macroalgae‐associated fishes to small‐scale tropical reef fisheries

et al. 2022

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The contribution of macroalgae‐associated fishes to small‐scale tropical reef fisheries

et al. 2022

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“…4 ), seems to be primarily related to the much larger area of rhodolith beds, as well as to the broader depth and cross-shelf range of this hard-bottom habitat, contrasting with reefs. Rather than being a regional idiosyncrasy, the relatively larger area and cross-shelf range of non-reef habitat used by reef fishes seems to be recurrent in tropical shelves across all ocean basins 8 , 9 , 23 . However, due to logistical constrains and to the apparent smaller relevance of marginal habitats to fish and other reef-associated organisms, these habitats are still much less sampled than the iconic shallow water reefs 20 , with the exception of mangroves and seagrass beds 3 , 8 , 9 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2 ) and the large area of this megahabitat, it is likely that population sizes of several commercially important species (e.g. groupers and snappers) are larger in rhodolith beds than in reefs 9 , 20 . Fish biomass was five-fold higher in the reefs protected by the ANMP, indicating an overwhelming effect of management regime.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Connections among reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds enhance biomass and diversity in reef fish assemblages [e.g., 4 ], but the role of other neighboring megahabitats remains unclear, including rhodolith beds, which are among the world’s largest photosynthesizer-dominated benthic communities 5 – 7 . Due to such major knowledge gaps about the distributions and abundance of organisms in tropical seascapes 8 , 9 , management and conservation measures are often suboptimal and based on poorly substantiated assumptions about species’ nestedness and turnover patterns 10 , 11 , among other caveats [e.g. 2 , 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Shallow water tropical ecosystems can be readily detected by remote sensing and easily sampled with conventional SCUBA in depths of up to 30 m. However, detection and mapping of deeper habitats depends on acoustic surveys and bottom imaging for validation of sonograms, while biological sampling relies largely on mixed-gas diving and submersibles, or fishing 14 . The use of remote underwater video is an emerging approach for sampling fish and benthic assemblages in these less accessible compartments of tropical shelves 9 , 15 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tropical rhodolith beds are a major and belittled reef fish habitat

Moura

Abieri

Castro

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Understanding habitat-level variation in community structure provides an informed basis for natural resources’ management. Reef fishes are a major component of tropical marine biodiversity, but their abundance and distribution are poorly assessed beyond conventional SCUBA diving depths. Based on a baited-video survey of fish assemblages in Southwestern Atlantic’s most biodiverse region we show that species composition responded mainly to the two major hard-bottom megahabitats (reefs and rhodolith beds) and to the amount of light reaching the bottom. Both megahabitats encompassed typical reef fish assemblages but, unexpectedly, richness in rhodolith beds and reefs was equivalent. The dissimilar fish biomass and trophic structure in reefs and rhodolith beds indicates that these systems function based on contrasting energy pathways, such as the much lower herbivory recorded in the latter. Rhodolith beds, the dominant benthic megahabitat in the tropical Southwestern Atlantic shelf, play an underrated role as fish habitats, and it is critical that they are considered in conservation planning.

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Importance of coastal vegetated habitats for tropical marine fishes in the Red Sea

et al. 2023

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Marine vegetated habitats such as seagrass, mangroves, and macroalgae are common along tropical coastlines globally and provide habitats for a diversity of fishes, including juvenile fish and species found on coral reefs. Understanding the use of these habitats by different fish species and life stages is fundamental to spatial planning, fisheries management, and conservation. While previous studies have focused on the habitat potential of seagrass, macroalgae, or mangroves for coral reef fish independently, it is important to consider their combined roles, as tropical seascapes are often mosaics of such habitats. In this study, we evaluated habitat associations across life stages for fish species in coral reefs, seagrasses, macroalgae, and mangroves in Saudi Arabia’s central Red Sea. Through in situ visual surveys, we documented 36% of local coral reef fish species in one or more vegetated habitats, with the fraction of coral reef species utilizing macroalgae or seagrass much greater than that of mangroves (29%, 18%, and 6%, respectively). Mangroves hosted mainly juvenile fish (83% of observed population) and macroalgae hosted the largest proportion of herbivores (39% of observed population), suggesting that each environment offers different combinations of resources (food and shelter), and a mix of these habitats could support biological connectivity across a seascape. Species targeted by local fisheries made up 37% of the species documented in vegetated habitats. The use of multiple habitat types by juvenile and commercially important fishes in the Red Sea underscores the need for a holistic approach to habitat protection. Graphical abstract

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Broadening our horizons: seascape use by coral reef-associated fishes in Kavieng, Papua New Guinea, is common and diverse

Cited by 12 publications

References 78 publications

The contribution of macroalgae‐associated fishes to small‐scale tropical reef fisheries

The contribution of macroalgae‐associated fishes to small‐scale tropical reef fisheries

Tropical rhodolith beds are a major and belittled reef fish habitat

Importance of coastal vegetated habitats for tropical marine fishes in the Red Sea

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