Quantitative assessment of fish assemblages on artificial reefs using acoustic and conventional netting methods,in Xiangshan Bay,Zhejiang Province,China

Artificial reefs are often deployed by many countries for the purpose of enhancing fishing after a period of several years. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of a pilot artificial reef system deployment in enhancing the demersal fish assemblages, investigated using both acoustic methods and bottom trammel nets, during four years between 2011 and 2017, in Xiangshan Bay, Zhejiang Province, China. Comparisons of community indices, including fish biomass, species richness and species diversity, indicated relatively consistent trends between the control sites and the artificial reefs following their deployment in 2012. Fish density, represented by the value of the nautical area scattering coefficient, and fish biomass were significantly higher on the artificial reefs than at the control sites in 2015 and 2017, and species richness and diversity were significantly greater at the reefs from 2013 to 2017. Blackhead seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) and false kelpfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus) were the dominant fishes on the artificial reefs, and the average body lengths of these two species were significantly greater 40 and 64 months after deployment. Thus, construction of the artificial reefs appears to have achieved their primary purpose as fish-attraction devices, thereby contributing to ecological restoration in Xiangshan Bay.     

大亚湾人工鱼礁附着生物的初步研究

1988年8月至1989年7月在大亚湾鱼礁区进行附着生物调查研究,记录79种生物,大约有82.7％的生物种类是鱼礁区鱼虾的饵料生物(包括35种不带壳和32种带壳的饵料生物),有17.3％的生物种类为非饵料生物。礁区附着生物种类多,附着量大,生长迅速,投礁半年后100％被生物覆盖,附着厚度30mm,附着量达17.487kg/m~2。礁区生物一年四季都能繁殖附着,主要附着期4—10月,高峰期7、8、9三个月,是投礁的最佳时间。     

莱州湾三疣梭子蟹的生物学特征、时空分布及环境因子的影响

根据2011年5月—2012年4月进行的9个航次(月份)的底拖网调查,研究了莱州湾水域三疣梭子蟹的生物学特征、数量分布以及环境因子的影响.结果表明: 莱州湾三疣梭子蟹生物量密度的月间排序为9月>10月>7月>8月>6月>11月>3月>5月>4月.其中1龄以下个体占绝对优势,2011年7—10月4个航次所占比例平均值为86.1%.9个航次中,三疣梭子蟹的体质量、头胸甲宽及头胸甲长的平均值均以8月最高、4月最低.7—11月,雌、雄个体肥满度均以8月最高,分别为1.030和1.023,7月最低,雌雄均为1.007;雌雄个体肥满度的性别差异不显著.除6—8月外,其他月份性比(雌/雄)均小于1.0.莱州湾三疣梭子蟹5—7月主要集中在黄河口、龙口近岸,8—9月以潍坊及龙口近海密度最高,11月至翌年4月主要集中在湾口深水区.Pearson相关分析表明,莱州湾三疣梭子蟹数量分布与表层水温、溶解氧和水深的相关性最高,其次为盐度和浮游动物密度,与浮游植物密度及其他底层渔业生物个体数的相关性最低.与1981年同期对比,2011年莱州湾三疣梭子蟹的头胸甲长显著降低.建议适当降低捕捞强度,提高捕捞规格,进一步加强三疣梭子蟹增殖基础的研究,提出更加合理的增殖放流数量,以利于三疣梭子蟹资源的可持续利用.     

象山港人工鱼礁区的网采浮游植物群落组成及其与环境因子的关系

根据2010年1月(冬)、4月(春)、7月(夏)和11月(秋)对象山港人工鱼礁区及其邻近海域的网采浮游植物样品,共鉴定出浮游植物8门74属220种,主要由硅藻(168种)和甲藻(38种)组成。春、秋、冬季全区浮游植物丰度(分别为67.85、65.88和56.77×104个/m3)显著高于夏季(7.19×104个/m3),优势种主要有琼氏圆筛藻(Coscinodiscus jonesianus)、大洋角管藻(Cerataulina pelagica)、洛氏角毛藻(Chaetoceros lorenzianus)和罗氏角毛藻(C.lauderi)等,其中琼氏圆筛藻为全年的优势种,且在春、冬季为该海域的绝对优势种。浮游植物群落参数(丰度、chl a浓度、种类数、Shannon-Wiener多样性、Pielou均匀度和Margalef丰富度等指数)和环境因子(温度、盐度、透明度、pH值、DO、悬浮物、DIN、PO4-P和SiO3-Si浓度)均存在极显著的季节变化(P<0.001),但区域(鱼礁区与对照区)间基本无显著差异。聚类、多维尺度和相似性分析结果也表明,浮游植物群落组成存在显著季节差异(P=0.001),但区域间无显著差异。可见,人工鱼礁投放对网采浮游植物群落无显著影响。究其原因:(1)可能是该海域人工鱼礁投放数量不多,仅有230个水泥鱼礁体(共5000空立方),建礁时间也较短,导致其生态效应在短期内难以显著体现;(2)对照区与人工鱼礁区的距离较近,且采样站位均靠近岛屿,潮流和岛屿对浮游植物的影响可能超过了人工鱼礁投放对其的影响。典范对应分析(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)显示,影响浮游植物群落的主要因子依次为温度、营养盐、盐度和悬浮物。     

Comparison of fish assemblages among an artificial reef, a natural reef and a sandy-mud bottom site on the shelf off Iwate, northern Japan

Synopsis Fish assemblages at an artificial reef site, a natural reef site and a sandy-mud bottom site, on the shelf (depth 130 m) off Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, were surveyed by using a bottom trammel net from May 1987 to March 1993. A total of 12 173 fishes of 48 species were recorded. Physiculus maximowiczi was dominant and comprised 69% of the total numerical abundance. Total fish number was lowest in March at all the 3 sites when P. maximowiczi migrated to deeper and warmer waters. Assemblage equitability and species diversity also varied seasonally in accordance with the abundance fluctuation of P. maximowiczi. P. maximowiczi, Alcichthys alcicornis and Hexagrammos otakii were more abundant at the artificial reef and natural reef sites, while Dexistes rikuzenius and Hemitripterus villosus were more abundant at the sandy-mud bottom site; total fish abundance was largest at the artificial reef site mainly due to the large number of P. maximowiczi. Species richness was similar among sites, but equitability, and consequently species diversity, was lowest at the artificial reef site. The main effect of the artificial reef seemed the attraction of P. maximowiczi from nearby bottoms, especially from natural rocky reefs; its large abundance determined the structure of the artificial reef fish community.     

Contrasting Fish Behavior in Artificial Seascapes with Implications for Resources Conservation

Artificial reefs are used by many fisheries managers as a tool to mitigate the impact of fisheries on coastal fish communities by providing new habitat for many exploited fish species. However, the comparison between the behavior of wild fish inhabiting either natural or artificial habitats has received less attention. Thus the spatio-temporal patterns of fish that establish their home range in one habitat or the other and their consequences of intra-population differentiation on life-history remain largely unexplored. We hypothesize that individuals with a preferred habitat (i.e. natural vs. artificial) can behave differently in terms of habitat use, with important consequences on population dynamics (e.g. life-history, mortality, and reproductive success). Therefore, using biotelemetry, 98 white seabream (Diplodus sargus) inhabiting either artificial or natural habitats were tagged and their behavior was monitored for up to eight months. Most white seabreams were highly resident either on natural or artificial reefs, with a preference for the shallow artificial reef subsets. Connectivity between artificial and natural reefs was limited for resident individuals due to great inter-habitat distances. The temporal behavioral patterns of white seabreams differed between artificial and natural reefs. Artificial-reef resident fish had a predominantly nocturnal diel pattern, whereas natural-reef resident fish showed a diurnal diel pattern. Differences in diel behavioral patterns of white seabream inhabiting artificial and natural reefs could be the expression of realized individual specialization resulting from differences in habitat configuration and resource availability between these two habitats. Artificial reefs have the potential to modify not only seascape connectivity but also the individual behavioral patterns of fishes. Future management plans of coastal areas and fisheries resources, including artificial reef implementation, should therefore consider the potential effect of habitat modification on fish behavior, which could have key implications on fish dynamics.     

Fish assemblages on artificial and natural reefs in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, USA

 Visual censusing was used to characterize fish assemblages on artificial and natural reefs located within the boundaries of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Emphasis was placed on determining spatial and temporal patterns in habitat utilization by fishes on an offshore artificial reef (Mobil Platform HI-A389A). Overall, 43 species were observed during diurnal surveys in the upper 24 m of the artificial reef. Midwater pelagic fishes (i.e., carangids and scombrids) accounted for over 50% of all taxa enumerated on the artificial reef; however, these taxa were transient members of the assemblage and were observed infrequently. Labrids, pomacentrids, and serranids were the dominant reef-dependent taxa. Distinct trends in vertical, diel, and seasonal abundances were observed for juvenile and adult fishes. Of the three designated depth zones (upper 1.5–9.0, middle 9.0–16.5; lower 16.5–24.0 m), abundance and species diversity were lowest in the upper zone. Nocturnal counts were characterized by a marked reduction or complete absence of most species, due in part to twilight cover-seeking and movement activities. Seasonal variation in community composition and species abundance (May versus September) was primarily due to recruitment of juveniles (0-age fishes) to the artificial reef in late summer. Increases in total fish abundance (all taxa combined) coincided with both increasing habitat rugosity and degree of fouling. Species richness on natural coral reefs in the FGBNMS was higher than on the artificial reef. Unlike the artificial reef, fish assemblages on the natural reefs were dominated by a single family (Pomacentridae) which accounted for over 50% of all individuals observed. Accepted: 1 August 1996     

Fish assemblages on sunken vessels and natural reefs in southeast Florida,USA

Derelict ships are commonly deployed as artificial reefs in the United States, mainly for recreational fishers and divers. Despite their popularity, few studies have rigorously examined fish assemblages on these structures and compared them to natural reefs. Six vessel-reefs off the coast of southeast Florida were censused quarterly (two ships per month) to characterize their associated fish assemblages. SCUBA divers used a non-destructive point-count method to visually assess the fish assemblages over 13- and 12-month intervals (March 2000 to March 2001 and March 2002 to February 2003). During the same intervals, fish assemblages at neighboring natural reefs were also censused. A total of 114,252 fishes of 177 species was counted on natural and vessel-reefs combined. Mean fish abundance and biomass were significantly greater on vessel-reefs in comparison to surrounding natural reef areas. Haemulidae was the most abundant family on vessel-reefs, where it represented 46% of total fish abundance. The most abundant family on natural reefs was Labridae, where it accounted for 24% of total fish abundance. Mean species richness was significantly greater on vessel-reefs than neighboring natural reefs and also differed among vessel-reefs. Both mean fish abundance and mean species richness were not significantly different between natural reefs neighboring vessel-reefs and natural reefs with no artificial structures nearby. This suggests the vessel-reefs are not, in general, attracting fish away from neighboring natural reefs in our area. Additionally, economically important fish species seem to prefer vessel-reefs, as there was a greater abundance of these species on vessel-reefs than surrounding natural reef areas. Fish assemblage structure on natural versus artificial reefs exhibited a low similarity (25.8%). Although no one species was responsible for more than 6% of the total dissimilarity, fish assemblage trophic structure differed strikingly between the two reef types. Planktivores dominated on vessel-reefs, accounting for 54% of the total abundance. Conversely, planktivores only made up 27% of total abundance on natural reefs. The results of this study indicate vessel-reef fish assemblages are unique and that these fishes may be utilizing food resources and habitat characteristics not accessible from or found at natural reefs in our area. Production may also be occurring at vessel-reefs as the attraction of fish species from nearby natural reefs seems to be minimal. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users     

海州湾鱼类群落平均营养级和大型鱼类指数的变化特征

为探究近年来海州湾鱼类群落的变化特征,本研究根据2011年及2013-2017年春季(5月)和秋季(9-10月)在海州湾及其邻近海域进行的渔业资源底拖网调查,分析了海州湾鱼类群落平均营养级(MTL)和大型鱼类指数(LFI),对海州湾鱼类群落结构特征进行研究.结果表明:海州湾的优势鱼种主要有大泷六线鱼、方氏云鳚、尖海龙、小黄鱼、长蛇鲻等,且优势鱼种季节性变化明显.海州湾鱼类群落的平均营养级存在明显的年际和季节变化,总体上秋季的MTL高于春季,而且秋季MTL变化具有滞后性.LFI计算结果表明,近年来海州湾及其邻近海域大个体鱼类资源量有所减少,鱼类群落结构呈现出明显的小型化趋势.     

Modeling Reef Fish Biomass,Recovery Potential,and Management Priorities in the Western Indian Ocean

Fish biomass is a primary driver of coral reef ecosystem services and has high sensitivity to human disturbances, particularly fishing. Estimates of fish biomass, their spatial distribution, and recovery potential are important for evaluating reef status and crucial for setting management targets. Here we modeled fish biomass estimates across all reefs of the western Indian Ocean using key variables that predicted the empirical data collected from 337 sites. These variables were used to create biomass and recovery time maps to prioritize spatially explicit conservation actions. The resultant fish biomass map showed high variability ranging from ~15 to 2900 kg/ha, primarily driven by human populations, distance to markets, and fisheries management restrictions. Lastly, we assembled data based on the age of fisheries closures and showed that biomass takes ~ 25 years to recover to typical equilibrium values of ~1200 kg/ha. The recovery times to biomass levels for sustainable fishing yields, maximum diversity, and ecosystem stability or conservation targets once fishing is suspended was modeled to estimate temporal costs of restrictions. The mean time to recovery for the whole region to the conservation target was 8.1(± 3SD) years, while recovery to sustainable fishing thresholds was between 0.5 and 4 years, but with high spatial variation. Recovery prioritization scenario models included one where local governance prioritized recovery of degraded reefs and two that prioritized minimizing recovery time, where countries either operated independently or collaborated. The regional collaboration scenario selected remote areas for conservation with uneven national responsibilities and spatial coverage, which could undermine collaboration. There is the potential to achieve sustainable fisheries within a decade by promoting these pathways according to their social-ecological suitability.     

Working with,not against,coral-reef fisheries

The fisheries policies of some Pacific island nations are more appropriate to the biology of their resources than are some of the fisheries policies of more industrialized countries. Exclusive local ownership of natural resources in Palau encourages adjustive management on biologically relevant scales of time and space and promotes responsibility by reducing the tragedy of the commons. The presence of large individuals in fish populations and adequate size of spawning aggregations are more efficient and meaningful cues for timely management than are surveys of abundance or biomass. Taking fish from populations more than halfway to their carrying capacity is working favorably with the fishery because removing fish potentially increases resource stability by negative feedback between stock size and population production. Taking the same amount of fish from a population below half its carrying capacity is working against the fishery, making the population unstable, because reducing the reproductive stock potentially accelerates reduction of the population production by positive feedback. Reef fish are consumed locally, while Palauan laws ban the export of reef resources. This is consistent with the high gross primary production with little excess net production from undisturbed coral-reef ecosystems. The relatively rapid growth rates, short life spans, reliable recruitment and wide-ranging movements of open-ocean fishes such as scombrids make them much more productive than coral-reef fishes. The greater fisheries yield per square kilometer in the open ocean multiplied by well over a thousand times the area of the exclusive economic zone than that of Palau’s coral reefs should encourage Palauans to keep reef fishes for subsistence and to feed tourists open-ocean fishes. Fisheries having only artisanal means should be encouraged to increase the yield and sustainability by moving away from coral reefs to bulk harvesting of nearshore pelagics.     

Fishes associated with artificial reefs: attributing changes to attraction or production using novel approaches

Two widely‐recognized hypotheses propose that increases in fish abundance at artificial reefs are caused by (a) the attraction and redistribution of existing individuals, with no net increase in overall abundance and (b) the addition of new individuals by production, leading to a net increase in overall abundance. Inappropriate experimental designs have prevented many studies from discriminating between the two processes. Eight of 11 experiments comparing fish abundances on artificial reefs with those on adjacent soft bottom habitats were compromised by a lack of replication or spatial interspersion in the design itself. Only three studies featured proper controls and replicated designs with the interspersion of reef and control sites. Goodness of fit tests of abundance data for 67 species from these studies indicated that more fishes occur on reefs than on controls, particularly for species that typically occur over hard substrata. Conversely, seagrass specialists favour controls over reefs. Changes in the appearance of fish abundance trajectories driven by manipulation of sampling intervals highlight the need for adequate temporal sampling to encompass key life history events, particularly juvenile settlement. To ultimately determine whether attraction and production is responsible for increased abundances on reefs, requires two experimental features: 1) control sites, both interspersed among artificial reefs and at reef and non‐reef locations outside the test area and 2) incorporation of fish age and length data over time. Techniques such as otolith microchemistry, telemetry and stable isotope analysis can be used to help resolve feeding and movement mechanisms driving attraction and production.     

Size-structural shifts reveal intensity of exploitation in coral reef fisheries

Fisheries exploitation represents a considerable threat to coral reef fish resources because even modest levels of extraction can alter ecological dynamics via shifts of stock size, species composition, and size-structure of the fish assemblage. Although species occupying higher trophic groups are known to suffer the majority of exploitative effects, changes in composition among lower trophic groups may be major, though are not frequently explored. Using size-based biomass spectrum analysis, we investigate the effects of fishing on the size-structure of coral reef fish assemblages spanning four geopolitical regions and determine if patterns of exploitation vary across trophic groups. Our analyses reveal striking evidence for the variety of effects fisheries exploitation can have on coral reef fish assemblages. When examining biomass spectra across the entire fish assemblage we found consistent evidence of size-specific exploitation, in which large-bodied individuals experience disproportionate reductions. The pattern was paralleled by and likely driven by, strongly size-specific reductions among top predators. In contrast, evidence of exploitation patterns was variable among lower trophic groups, in many cases including evidence of reductions across all size classes. The breadth of size classes and trophic groups that showed evidence of exploitation related positively to local human population density and diversity of fishing methods employed. Our findings highlight the complexity of coral reef fisheries and that the effects of exploitation on coral reefs can be realized throughout the entire fish assemblage, across multiple trophic groups and not solely restricted to large-bodied top-predators. Size-specific changes among fishes of lower trophic groups likely lead to altered ecological functioning of heavily exploited coral reefs. Together these findings reinforce the value of taking a multi-trophic group approach to monitoring and managing coral reef fisheries.     

Fish attraction to artificial reefs not always harmful: a simulation study

The debate on whether artificial reefs produce new fish or simply attract existing fish biomass continues due to the difficulty in distinguishing these processes, and there remains considerable doubt as to whether artificial reefs are a harmful form of habitat modification. The harm typically associated with attraction is that fish will be easier to harvest due to the existing biomass aggregating at a newly deployed reef. This outcome of fish attraction has not progressed past an anecdotal form, however, and is always perceived as a harmful process. We present a numerical model that simulates the effect that a redistributed fish biomass, due to an artificial reef, has on fishing catch per unit effort (CPUE). This model can be used to identify the scenarios (in terms of reef, fish, and harvest characteristics) that pose the most risk of exploitation due to fish attraction. The properties of this model were compared to the long‐standing predictions by Bohnsack (1989) on the factors that increase the risk or the harm of attraction. Simulations revealed that attraction is not always harmful because it does not always increase maximum fish density. Rather, attraction sometimes disperses existing fish biomass making them harder to catch. Some attraction can be ideal, with CPUE lowest when attraction leads to an equal distribution of biomass between natural and artificial reefs. Simulations also showed that the outcomes from attraction depend on the characteristics of the target fish species, such that transient or pelagic species are often at more risk of harmful attraction than resident species. Our findings generally agree with Bohnsack's predictions, although we recommend distinguishing “mobility” and “fidelity” when identifying species most at risk from attraction, as these traits had great influence on patterns of harvest of attracted fish biomass.     

Non‐reef habitats in a tropical seascape affect density and biomass of fishes on coral reefs

Nonreef habitats such as mangroves, seagrass, and macroalgal beds are important for foraging, spawning, and as nursery habitat for some coral reef fishes. The spatial configuration of nonreef habitats adjacent to coral reefs can therefore have a substantial influence on the distribution and composition of reef fish. We investigate how different habitats in a tropical seascape in the Philippines influence the presence, density, and biomass of coral reef fishes to understand the relative importance of different habitats across various spatial scales. A detailed seascape map generated from satellite imagery was combined with field surveys of fish and benthic habitat on coral reefs. We then compared the relative importance of local reef (within coral reef) and adjacent habitat (habitats in the surrounding seascape) variables for coral reef fishes. Overall, adjacent habitat variables were as important as local reef variables in explaining reef fish density and biomass, despite being fewer in number in final models. For adult and juvenile wrasses (Labridae), and juveniles of some parrotfish taxa (Chlorurus), adjacent habitat was more important in explaining fish density and biomass. Notably, wrasses were positively influenced by the amount of sand and macroalgae in the adjacent seascape. Adjacent habitat metrics with the highest relative importance were sand (positive), macroalgae (positive), and mangrove habitats (negative), and fish responses to these metrics were consistent across fish groups evaluated. The 500‐m spatial scale was selected most often in models for seascape variables. Local coral reef variables with the greatest importance were percent cover of live coral (positive), sand (negative), and macroalgae (mixed). Incorporating spatial metrics that describe the surrounding seascape will capture more holistic patterns of fish–habitat relationships on reefs. This is important in regions where protection of reef fish habitat is an integral part of fisheries management but where protection of nonreef habitats is often overlooked.     

莱州湾增殖礁附着牡蛎的固碳量试验与估算

通过对莱州湾增殖型人工鱼礁附着生物的取样调查,分析了礁体附着优势种褶牡蛎壳干质量、总湿质量和附着厚度的季节变化及其随礁龄变化的差异,并对礁区的总固碳量进行了估算.结果表明： 增殖礁礁体附着褶牡蛎壳干质量和总湿质量均呈现明显的季节性变化(P＜0.01),4月最低,12月最高.增殖礁礁龄对附着褶牡蛎壳干质量、总湿质量和附着厚度影响显著(P＜0.01),均随礁龄的增加呈递增趋势.莱州湾圆管型增殖礁5、4和3年礁龄的礁体附着牡蛎固碳量分别为17.61、16.33和10.45 kg·m^-3.2009—2013年,莱州湾金城海域64.25 hm²海洋牧场圆管型增殖礁礁体上附着牡蛎总固碳量约为297.5 t C,相当于封存了1071 t CO₂,而封存固定这些CO₂所需费用约1.6×10⁵～6.4×10⁵美元.因此,增殖礁附着牡蛎具有巨大的生态效益.     

Seaweed succession on artificial reefs on different bottom substrata

Artificial rest reefs were set on sandy and rocky bottoms at 5–10 m depth along the coast of southern Japan. Mature thalli ofSargassum, Gelidium and other seaweds were transported from other coastal areas, packed in mesh bags and attached to the reefs to start the beds. After one year, the seaweed flora on the reef on a sandy bottom consisted of more than 20 species, includingSargassum spp. andGelidium amansii, which are important animal food species. Coralline algae were the dominants on the rocky bottom reefs. The lower biomass on reefs on the rocky bottom was due to grazing by urchins. The same number of species was present in the first and second years on reefs on sandy bottoms, but there were moreSargassum thalli the second year.Maximum algal biomass of the artificial reef in May of the second year was 9998 g wet wt m^–2 in sandy areas, 441 g wet wt m^–2 in boulder areas and 228 g wet wt m^–2 in rocky areas. Reefs on rocky bottoms continued to be covered by coralline algae and several species ofCodium andDictyota.     

The role of the reef flat in coral reef trophodynamics: Past,present, and future

The reef flat is one of the largest and most distinctive habitats on coral reefs, yet its role in reef trophodynamics is poorly understood. Evolutionary evidence suggests that reef flat colonization by grazing fishes was a major innovation that permitted the exploitation of new space and trophic resources. However, the reef flat is hydrodynamically challenging, subject to high predation risks and covered with sediments that inhibit feeding by grazers. To explore these opposing influences, we examine the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) as a model system. We focus on grazing herbivores that directly access algal primary productivity in the epilithic algal matrix (EAM). By assessing abundance, biomass, and potential fish productivity, we explore the potential of the reef flat to support key ecosystem processes and its ability to maintain fisheries yields. On the GBR, the reef flat is, by far, the most important habitat for turf‐grazing fishes, supporting an estimated 79% of individuals and 58% of the total biomass of grazing surgeonfishes, parrotfishes, and rabbitfishes. Approximately 59% of all (reef‐wide) turf algal productivity is removed by reef flat grazers. The flat also supports approximately 75% of all grazer biomass growth. Our results highlight the evolutionary and ecological benefits of occupying shallow‐water habitats (permitting a ninefold population increase). The acquisition of key locomotor and feeding traits has enabled fishes to access the trophic benefits of the reef flat, outweighing the costs imposed by water movement, predation, and sediments. Benthic assemblages on reefs in the future may increasingly resemble those seen on reef flats today, with low coral cover, limited topographic complexity, and extensive EAM. Reef flat grazing fishes may therefore play an increasingly important role in key ecosystem processes and in sustaining future fisheries yields.     

Dynamics of Fish Colonization of an Experimental Artificial Reef in Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan

An experimental artificial reef (AR) was built in Peter the Great Bay (Sea of Japan) to compensate for the biotope of Zostera destroyed by sea urchins. After eight years, the number of fish species on the AR increased from 5 to 18 and the fish biomass increased from 3.07 up to 37.1 g/m². Nonmigrating species (Opisthocentrus, young-of-the-year rockfishes, elegant sculpin) formed the bulk of the population; and migrant species (flounders, frog and great sculpins, sea raven) made up the greater portion of the biomass (up to 34 g/m²). Cage reefs are recommended to compensate for destroyed habitats, particularly Zostera beds.Original Russian Text Copyright ¢ 2005 by Biologiya Morya, Markevich.     

Coral–algal phase shifts alter fish communities and reduce fisheries production

Anthropogenic stress has been shown to reduce coral coverage in ecosystems all over the world. A phase shift towards an algae‐dominated system may accompany coral loss. In this case, the composition of the reef‐associated fish assemblage will change and human communities relying on reef fisheries for income and food security may be negatively impacted. We present a case study based on the Raja Ampat Archipelago in Eastern Indonesia. Using a dynamic food web model, we simulate the loss of coral reefs with accompanied transition towards an algae‐dominated state and quantify the likely change in fish populations and fisheries productivity. One set of simulations represents extreme scenarios, including 100% loss of coral. In this experiment, ecosystem changes are driven by coral loss itself and a degree of habitat dependency by reef fish is assumed. An alternative simulation is presented without assumed habitat dependency, where changes to the ecosystem are driven by historical observations of reef fish communities when coral is lost. The coral–algal phase shift results in reduced biodiversity and ecosystem maturity. Relative increases in the biomass of small‐bodied fish species mean higher productivity on reefs overall, but much reduced landings of traditionally targeted species.