Risk-sensitive resource defense in a territorial reef fish

Schacter, Carley R.; Albright, Lindsey B.; Dubofsky, Elizabeth A; Fitzsimmons, Jessica N.; Focht, Rebecca; Nadler, Lauren E.; Sandercock, Maria; Taylor, L. L.; Walfoort, David; Whitten, Torrey; Williams, Lisa J.; Rosenthal, Gil G.

doi:10.1007/s10641-013-0181-z

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Although this species is herbivorous, it is extremely territorial, favoring habitats with sufficient algae banks for their feeding (Ferreira et al 1998). This case can be interpreted as a strategy to avoid the attraction of competitors (Schacter et al 2013). Our data corroborate this hypothesis, because areas predominantly covered by zoanthids are less attractive for roving herbivores.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Patterns of reef fish assemblage distribution on a Brazilian subtropical rocky shore: an approach to benthic association

Vieira

Lupinacci

Santos

et al. 2021

PECEN

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Os ambientes recifais são caracterizados como formações de fundo consolidado de origem orgânica e/ou inorgânica. Em costões rochosos, fatores bióticos e abióticos determinam a sua biodiversidade. Na praia do Forno, onde o fenômeno da ressurgência ocorre, a assembleia de peixes recifais foi analisada por meio de censo visual. A cobertura bentônica do substrato foi classificada em quatro categorias. O uso do substrato foi determinado pela abundância relativa das espécies em cada um de seus tipos. Um total de 5414 indivíduos pertencentes a 31 espécies de peixes recifais foi observado. Os resultados demonstraram que a preferência por habitats, caracterizados pela cobertura por organismos bentônicos, foi um fator importante na determinação da composição da assembleia de peixes recifais, em uma microescala. A escolha de um habitat dentre os diversos tipos de substrato, poder ser em sua maior parte explicada pela disponibilidade de recursos alimentares.Palavras chave: Cobertura bentônica, padrões biogeográficos, interações bióticas, habitat, ictiofauna, costões rochosos.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Patterns of reef fish assemblage distribution on a Brazilian subtropical rocky shore: an approach to benthic association

Vieira

Lupinacci

Santos

et al. 2021

PECEN

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“…In contrast, earlier studies, which relied on other approaches, primarily focused on how algal farming damselfishes influence benthic composition within their guarded territories [18] , [20] , [22] , [24] , [25] , [27] and rarely considered their ability to structure communities adjacent to their territories [19] , [23] . Behaviors by these highly site-attached territorial fish, such as chasing intruding browsers, and weeding and fertilization, result in visually distinct and often more diverse algal assemblages within territorial borders compared to adjacent areas [17] , [20] – [24] , [27] , [31] . In situ remote video is an effective approach used in herbivory experiments, revealing new insights into animal behaviors and plant-animal interactions on coral reefs [4] , [15] , [16] , [32] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dual Roles of an Algal Farming Damselfish as a Cultivator and Opportunistic Browser of an Invasive Seaweed

2014

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Herbivory is a fundamental process determining reef resilience, and while algal farming damselfishes can help shape benthic assemblages, an understanding of their contribution to areas outside of defended territories is relatively unexplored. Here, we demonstrate how the farming damselfish Stegastes marginatus plays a dual role in benthic structuring by 1) contributing to persistence of the invasive macroalga Acanthophora spicifera within a Hawaiian marine protected area, where the macroalga occurred exclusively inside Stegastes territories, and 2) behaving as an opportunistic browser of the exotic alga outside their territorial borders. Greater than 50% of the biomass of tethered A. spicifera was consumed within one-hour when placed outside Stegastes territories, compared to <5% lost from tethers within territories or herbivore exclusion cages. In situ remote video revealed that tethered A. spicifera located outside territories was grazed primarily by the surgeonfish Acanthurus nigrofuscus (∼68% of total bites) and, surprisingly, by S. marginatus (∼27% of total bites) that left their territories to feed on this resource on 107 occasions during 400 min of filming. Further, for over half of those occurrences where S. marginatus grazed on the tethered macroalga outside of territories, they fed alongside conspecifics and other species, displaying little of the aggressiveness that characterizes this damselfish. These results show that S. marginatus plays a wider role in determining benthic assemblages than previously recognized, acting both as cultivators of a canopy-forming invasive macroalga within their territories, and as opportunistic browsers in neighboring sites. Consequently, S. marginatus can affect benthic species composition across their territory borders. These results provide a rare example of interspecific facilitation of an exotic alga by an indigenous marine fish. Accounting for fish behaviors more broadly is important to further our understanding of ecological processes that shape reef ecosystems to improve management of MPAs that often support extensive farming damselfish populations.

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“…One or more females spawn with the male in his territory, leaving him to care for the young. Parental care often involves little more than keeping intruders away from the nest, particularly other fish species likely to eat eggs [3].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%