Long-lived Reef Fishes: The Grouper-Snapper Complex

Coleman, Felicia C.; Koenig, Christopher C.; Huntsman, Gene R.; Musick, J. A.; Eklund, Anne-Marie; McGovern, John C.; Sedberry, George R.; Chapman, R. W.; Grimes, Churchill B.

doi:10.1577/1548-8446(2000)025<0014:lrf>2.0.co;2

Cited by 191 publications

(144 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The numbers of grouper and lionfish will vary from site to site for many reasons other than whether they exhibit a predator-prey relationship. Fishing has a major effect on grouper (Coleman et al 2000) and increasingly, a significant effect on lionfish. Habitat quality, particularly rugosity, is a major driver of fish abundance and mediates predator-prey interactions (Hixon and Beets 1993).…”

Section: Confounding Effects Of Habitat Larval Dispersal and Fishingmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the relationship between native grouper and invasive lionfish in the Caribbean

Mumby

Brumbaugh

Harborne

et al. 2013

Preprint

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The Indo-Pacific lionfish, Pterois volitans, has invaded most of the Tropical Western Atlantic in the last few years. The degree to which populations of this invasive species can be controlled by native predatory fish (mostly grouper), is controversial with conflicting reports. Here, we review the evidence of two recent papers and point out some of the difficulties in inferring predator-limitation purely from observational data. A negative relationship has been found between large-bodied grouper and lionfish during early colonisation though the degree to which this is caused by direct predation versus behavioural mechanisms is unclear. Evidence to the contrary from a recent study suffers confounding effects of habitat quality, fishing, and dispersal and therefore remains equivocal.

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Section: Confounding Effects Of Habitat Larval Dispersal and Fishingmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the relationship between native grouper and invasive lionfish in the Caribbean

Mumby

Brumbaugh

Harborne

et al. 2013

Preprint

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“…The reproductive characteristics of other three hermaphrodite grouper species studied by Coleman et al (1996), and Sluka AND Sullivan, (1988) showed that these characteristics may affect stocks sustainability. Nowadays it is known that some protogynous stocks may be far more vulnerable to fishing than are comparable gonochoristic stocks (Schaaf and Huntsman, 1994;Musick et al, 2001;Coleman et al, 2001). Many reef fishes are known to aggregate in large numbers at specific times and places to reproduce.…”

Section: (68/76 Dqg '6and86621mentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive biology of the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834)

Bertoncini

Machado

Hostim‐Silva

et al. 2003

Braz. arch. biol. technol.

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Investigations were carried out about the reproductive biology of the dusky grouper, Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) a serranid protogynous hermaphrodite fish inhabitant of rocky bottoms from shallow waters up to 200 m depth. Samples were caught in the islands that form Arvoredo Biological Marine Reserve (SC - Brazil) and the coastal islands near Florianópolis region from March 1998 to May 2000. Data from samples of juvenile groupers on intertidal pools were used to link their occurrence in the pools to the post-spawning season. To describe the histological changes on gonads along the reproductive cycle and to establish maturation scales, 109 groupers were histologically tested for sex determination. First maturation size was determined for females (L50=470 mm; r²=0.99). The results of calculated gonadosomatic (GSI) and hepatosomatic (HSI) indexes, showed that maturation occurred along the spring months and the spawning activity during the summer with a peak in December. Liver recovery (HSI elevation) was evident in the autumn, was the post spawning season. The relationship between length and weight was W = 9 · 10-6 · TL3.1149 (r²=0.998; n=246).
Este trabalho trata sobre a biologia reprodutiva da garoupa verdadeira, Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) um peixe teleósteo pertencente à família Serranidae, hermafrodita protogínico e característico do litoral rochoso, que vive desde águas rasas até os 200 m de profundidade. As amostragens foram realizadas nas ilhas que compõem a Reserva Biológica Marinha do Arvoredo (SC) e ilhas costeiras próximas da região de Florianópolis entre março de 1998 e maio de 2000. Dados de coletas de juvenis em poças de marés foram utilizados visando relacionar a sua ocorrência nestes ambientes com o período de pós-reprodução. Procedeu-se à análise histológica de 109 exemplares, a partir da qual foram descritas as alterações histológicas nas gônadas ao longo do seu ciclo sexual e foram estabelecidas as escalas de maturação. Desta forma determinou-se um tamanho de primeira maturação para as fêmeas (L50=470 mm; r²=0,99). O comportamento dos valores dos índices calculados (Índice Hepatossomático (IHS) e Índice Gonadossomático (IGS)) elucidou um período reprodutivo com maturação das gônadas ao longo dos meses de primavera, vindo a desovar na estação do verão, sendo nítida a recuperação do fígado (elevação do IHS) no outono, pós reprodução. Calculou-se também a relação peso comprimento P = 9 · 10-6 · CT 3,1149 (r²=0,998; n=246)

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“…The life history traits of species at high trophic levels, such as gaining maturity at a relatively large body size and late age, render their populations highly vulnerable to fishing mortality (reviewed in Jennings & Kaiser 1998, Cheung et al 2007). Species at high trophic levels may also be preferentially targeted because of high consumer demand (McManus 1997, Coleman et al 2000. This is particularly true of many coral reef systems where large groupers (Serranidae) are preferentially targeted (Russ 1991, Sadovy 2005.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fishing down a Caribbean food web relaxes trophic cascades

Mumby

Steneck²,

Edwards³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

100

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The fishing down of marine food webs has been described in pelagic and demersal systems but rarely documented in coral reef environments. We recorded a rapid shift in fish community structure in Belize that accompanied a marked decline in grouper and snapper abundance and a switch towards smaller, less desirable, herbivorous parrotfishes. In a 6 to 7 yr period (2002-2008/09), observations of large-bodied grouper (Serranidae) declined significantly from an encounter probability of 21% per 200 m 2 transect to just 2%. The biomass of carnivorous snappers (Lutjanidae) underwent a 7-fold decline, primarily in the species Ocyurus chrysurus. During this period, the inclusion of parrotfish in fish catches at nearby Glover's Atoll increased from a frequency of 6% in 2004 to ~20% of speared individuals by 2008. Parrotfish biomass declined by 41% between 2002 and 2008/09, with a major decline in the large and dominant herbivore Sparisoma viride. No changes in parrotfish biomass were detectable in nearby marine reserves during this time. Several important indirect effects of fishing were observed. The biomass of mesopredators including Cephalopholis fulvus, C. cruentatus, and Epinephelus guttatus increased dramatically by 880% as compared to the 2002 levels. We putatively attribute this response to a release from predation and constraints to foraging behaviour imposed by large serranids. Further, we find that the density of adult damselfish of the species Stegastes planifrons and S. partitus decreased by ~45%. We attribute this decline to elevated predation by the increased densities of mesopredators, which have been shown to prey upon juvenile damselfish. No change in damselfish densities was found at 2 control locations where fishing was prohibited. The decline in parrotfish in the central Mesoamerican barrier reef likely accounts for recent anecdotal observations of Halimeda tuna spreading to microhabitats that have previously been grazed intensively. While these results imply that the resilience of these reefs may be seriously impaired, the Belize Government has recently enacted new legislation to improve the management of grouper and outlaw harvesting of most herbivorous fish.

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Long-lived Reef Fishes: The Grouper-Snapper Complex

Cited by 191 publications

References 16 publications

On the relationship between native grouper and invasive lionfish in the Caribbean

On the relationship between native grouper and invasive lionfish in the Caribbean

Reproductive biology of the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834)

Fishing down a Caribbean food web relaxes trophic cascades

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