Phase shift to algal dominated communities at mesophotic depths associated with lionfish (Pterois volitans) invasion on a Bahamian coral reef

Abstract

have been assumed to be physically and biologically connected to their shallow-water counterparts, and thus may serve as refugia for important taxonomic groups such as corals, sponges, and fish. The recent invasion of the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) onto shallow reefs of the Caribbean and Bahamas has had significant, negative, effects on shallow coral reef fish populations. In the Bahamas, lionfish have extended their habitat range into mesophotic depths down to 91 m where they have reduced the diversity of several important fish guilds, including herbivores. A phase shift to an algal dominated ([50% benthic cover) community occurred simultaneously with the loss of herbivores to a depth of 61 m and caused a significant decline in corals and sponges at mesophotic depths. The effects of this invasive lionfish on mesophotic coral reefs and the subsequent changes in benthic community structure could not be explained by coral bleaching, overfishing, hurricanes, or disease independently or in combination. The significant ecological effects of the lionfish invasion into mesophotic depths of coral reefs casts doubt on whether these communities have the resilience to recover themselves or contribute to the recovery of their shallow water counterparts as refugia for key coral reef taxa.

Coping with the Lionfish Invasion: Can Targeted Removals Yield Beneficial Effects?

“…In addition to these direct effects, lionfish predation on parrotfishes, surgeonfishes, and damselfishes reduces grazing on algae, potentially leading to overgrowth of reefs and subsequent loss of corals (Albins and Hixon, 2011). For example, lionfish on a mesophotic reef in the Bahamas reduced the diversity of fishes, including herbivores, which preceded a shift to algal dominance (Lesser and Slattery, 2011). In many places, deleterious effects of lionfish can be expected to exacerbate detrimental changes from other stressors, including anthropogenic nutrient loads, overfishing, pollution, coral bleaching, coral disease, and climate change (Morris and Whitfield, 2009;Schofield, 2010;Albins and Hixon, 2011).…”

Habitat and body size effects on the isotopic niche space of invasive lionfish and endangered Nassau grouper

“…Work by Côté et al (2013) indicates that the predator may consume more than half of the potential prey species on invaded reefs, and the impacts on native reef fish populations may yet prove to be severe. Given the intricacies of coral reef trophic interactions, such impacts can rapidly cascade to induce ecosystem-level effects, with Lesser and Slattery (2011) showing that lionfish predation is likely to be the driver of an observed phase shift from coral domination to algal domination on mesophotic reefs that may provide stability and refuge from disturbance for shallower reefs .…”

Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of the Lionfish Invasion in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Perspectives from a Broadscale Trawl Survey

“…The ecological effect of proliferating lionfish populations on these economically important native species and their prey base is unknown, but recent investigations conducted in shallower waters of the Bahamas document the potential for adverse impacts (Albins and Hixon 2013) on native reef fish recruitment (Albins and Hixon 2008) and prey species' biomass (Côte and Maljkovic 2010;Green et al 2012). At mesophotic depths, declines in coral reef herbivores caused by lionfish predation or avoidance of lionfish resulted in a phase shift to algae-dominated communities (Lesser and Slattery 2011).…”