Relationships between habitat structure and fish communities on coral

The influence of habitat structure on reef-fish communities at Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, Sri Lanka, was investigated. The relationship between habitat characteristics and the distribution and abundance of 135 species of fishes was examined on two reef types: coral and sandstone reefs. Results suggested that the reef-fish communities were strongly influenced by various aspects of reef structure. However, relationships between habitat variables and fish communities structure, varied between the two reef types. Fish species diversity was correlated with a number of habitat variables on the sandstone reefs, although structural complexity seemed to play the dominant role. There were no correlations between habitat structure and fish diversity on the coral reefs. Total abundance was not related to any one habitat parameter on either reef type. However, abundances of some species, families and trophic groups were correlated with habitat features. These specific correlations were commonly related to food or shelter availability. For example, coral feeders were correlated with live coral cover, and pomacentrid species, which used branching corals for protection, showed a significant relationship with the density of Acropora colonies. This shows that a summary statistic such as total abundance may hide important information. Effects of habitat structure on the distribution patterns of the fish communities was further investigated using multi-dimensional scaling ordination (MDS) and the RELATE-procedure. With the MDS ordinations for both habitat and fish-community composition it was possible to show that the multivariate pattern between the two ecological components was clearly correlated.     

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.     

Do coral-reef fish faunas have a distinctive taxonomic structure?

Do the highly diverse fish faunas that associate with coral reefs have distinguishing taxonomic and ecological characteristics, as proposed by Choat and Bellwood (1991) and Bellwood (1996)? Does a 50?my old (Eocene) fossil fish fauna from Italy represent a coral-reef fish assemblage that provides unique information about the evolution of such assemblages, as claimed by Bellwood (1996)? I compared the structure of the reef fish faunas of adjacent tropical regions rich and poor in coral reefs, in both America and Polynesia, and found that they exhibit no substantive differences in relative species richness among families of typical “coral-reef” fishes. While coral-rich regions have larger reef fish faunas, a variety of factors probably contribute to such differences. Thus coral-reef fish faunas may lack a distinctive taxonomic structure. A similar comparative approach would be useful for assessing whether assemblages of fishes on coral reefs have distinctive ecological characteristics. Based on patterns of habitat use by modern tropical shorefishes, the Italian Eocene fauna includes few definite reef fishes, and may well consist primarily of non-reef fishes preserved in a non-reef habitat. Until we know more about the environment in which those fossils were preserved, that fauna can contribute little to understanding how coral reef fish assemblages have evolved.     

Reef fish assemblages in north-western Sri Lanka: distribution patterns and influences of fishing practises

The distribution and abundance of reef fishes in relation to habitat structure were studied within Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary (BRMS) and on an adjacent reef, disturbed by destructive fishing techniques, in north-western Sri Lanka, by visually censusing 135 species groups using fifty metre belt-transects. Two types of continental shelf patch-reefs are found in the study area: coral reefs and sandstone reefs, which are divided into distinct habitats, four for the coral reef (shallow reef flat, shallow patch reef, deep reef flat and Porites domes) and two for the sandstone reef (structured sandstone-reef and flat sandstone-reef). Fish assemblages varied in structure between reef types and among habitats within reef types. Functional aspects of habitat structure and composition, such as available food and shelter, seemed to be important factors influencing distribution patterns. The strongest separation in the organisation of fish assemblages in BRMS was between reef types: 19% of all species were confined to the coral-reef patches while 22% were restricted to the sandstone reef patches and 59% were represented on both reef types. In terms of distribution among habitats, 21% of all species were restricted to one habitat while only 1.5% were present in all. The highest density of fish was in the coral reef habitats while highest species diversity was found in the most structurally complex habitat: the structured sandstone-reef. This habitat also had the highest proportion of species with restricted distribution. Planktivores were the most abundant trophic group in BRMS, and the species composition of the group varied among habitats. The comparison of the disturbed reef with BRMS suggested that habitat alteration caused by destructive fishing methods has strongly influenced the fish community. Within the fished area the structure of the fish assemblages was more heterogeneous, fish abundance was lower by an order of magnitude and species numbers were lower than in BRMS.     

Temperate macroalgae impacts tropical fish recruitment at forefronts of range expansion

Warming waters and changing ocean currents are increasing the supply of tropical fish larvae to temperature regions where they are exposed to novel habitats, namely temperate macroalgae and barren reefs. Here, we use underwater surveys on the temperate reefs of south-eastern (SE) Australia and western Japan (~33.5°N and S, respectively) to investigate how temperate macroalgal and non-macroalgal habitats influence recruitment success of a range of tropical fishes. We show that temperate macroalgae strongly affected recruitment of many tropical fish species in both regions and across three recruitment seasons in SE Australia. Densities and richness of recruiting tropical fishes, primarily planktivores and herbivores, were over seven times greater in non-macroalgal than macroalgal reef habitat. Species and trophic diversity (K-dominance) were also greater in non-macroalgal habitat. Temperate macroalgal cover was a stronger predictor of tropical fish assemblages than temperate fish assemblages, reef rugosities or wave exposure. Tropical fish richness, diversity and density were greater on barren reef than on reef dominated by turfing algae. One common species, the neon damselfish (Pomacentrus coelestis), chose non-macroalgal habitat over temperate macroalgae for settlement in an aquarium experiment. This study highlights that temperate macroalgae may partly account for spatial variation in recruitment success of many tropical fishes into higher latitudes. Hence, habitat composition of temperate reefs may need to be considered to accurately predict the geographic responses of many tropical fishes to climate change.

     

The relationship between habitat structure and fish faunas on New Zealand reefs

Reef fish abundances were sampled at 11 shallow reef localities extending over 1000 km of coastline in northern New Zealand. Sampling was restricted to the 4–10-m depth stratum and included six coastal and five island localities. These were either coralline reef flats dominated by echinoids, or algal reefs with high densities of laminarian and fucoid algae. Reefs dominated by macroscopic algae supported large numbers of small fishes, mainly labrids, and few large benthic-feeding fishes. Echinoid-dominated reefs supported a different fish fauna with more large benthic-feeding species. Additional sampling of echinoiddominated reefs and algal stands in deeper water provided confirmation of these findings. A second sampling programme was carried out at a series of eight sites within a single locality covering 5 km of coastline. These spanned a moderate exposure gradient and ranged from algal dominated reefs to typical coralline reef flats with high densities of grazing invertebrates. The relationship between habitat structure and reef fish species composition and size frequency was similar to that of the large-scale sampling programme. Thirdly, observations on reef fish foraging and feeding patterns within a single reef site suggested that larger benthic-feeding reef fishes were less likely to feed within macroscopic algal stands. Experimental reductions of grazing invertebrates designed to produce brown algal stands on echinoid-dominated reef flats supported these observations. Larger individuals capable of removing echinoids and grazing gastropods did not frequent or feed in laminarian and fucoid algal stands. This pattern is discernible at several spatial scales. Our conclusion is that the type of shallow reef habitat, echinoid- as opposed to algal-dominated, will have an important rôle in determining the associated reef fish fauna.     

The influence of coral reef benthic condition on associated fish assemblages

Accumulative disturbances can erode a coral reef's resilience, often leading to replacement of scleractinian corals by macroalgae or other non-coral organisms. These degraded reef systems have been mostly described based on changes in the composition of the reef benthos, and there is little understanding of how such changes are influenced by, and in turn influence, other components of the reef ecosystem. This study investigated the spatial variation in benthic communities on fringing reefs around the inner Seychelles islands. Specifically, relationships between benthic composition and the underlying substrata, as well as the associated fish assemblages were assessed. High variability in benthic composition was found among reefs, with a gradient from high coral cover (up to 58%) and high structural complexity to high macroalgae cover (up to 95%) and low structural complexity at the extremes. This gradient was associated with declining species richness of fishes, reduced diversity of fish functional groups, and lower abundance of corallivorous fishes. There were no reciprocal increases in herbivorous fish abundances, and relationships with other fish functional groups and total fish abundance were weak. Reefs grouping at the extremes of complex coral habitats or low-complexity macroalgal habitats displayed markedly different fish communities, with only two species of benthic invertebrate feeding fishes in greater abundance in the macroalgal habitat. These results have negative implications for the continuation of many coral reef ecosystem processes and services if more reefs shift to extreme degraded conditions dominated by macroalgae.     

Changes in rocky reef fish assemblages throughout an estuary with a restricted inlet

Rocky reef habitat is common in many estuaries, yet its role as a habitat for fishes is poorly understood. There is also limited understanding of how access of coastal species into estuaries and habitat quality can affect the distribution of rocky reef fishes within estuaries. This study used baited remote underwater video stations to determine spatial patterns in fish assemblages associated with rocky reef habitat throughout a barrier estuary with a permanently open but restricted inlet. Estuarine rocky reefs provided habitat for a diverse assemblage of fishes, many of which were large juveniles and subadults. In the absence of a pronounced salinity or temperature gradient, a clear transition in fish assemblages occurred from coastal waters, through the inlet channel, to the central estuary, and into the inner estuary. The inlet channel, notably its narrowness and length, limits tidal input into this estuary, which acts as a significant impediment to the dispersal of many coastal fishes, and insufficient habitat excludes many coastal rocky reef species from the inner estuary. This study highlights the need to recognise estuarine rocky reefs as providing habitat for diverse fish assemblages and the role inlets play in restricting access of coastal species.     

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     

Structure of reef fish communities in Catalinas Islands and Ocotal beach, North Pacific of Costa Rica

The reefs are heterogeneous systems that maintain a high diversity of organisms. Fish community structure varies within and among reefs, so it would be expected that reef structure and heterogeneity should affect fish communities inhabiting reefs. Four reef patches at Catalinas Islands (Sur, La Pared, Roca Sucia and Sombrero) and one in Ocotal beach (10 degrees 28'45" N; 85 degrees 52'35" W) were studied with visual censuses (July-December 2003). The structure and composition of fishes between Catalinas islands and Ocotal beach were different, and habitat structure and composition explain most of the variance founded. The presence of the fleshy algae Caulerpa sertularioides in Ocotal, and the corals Tubastrea coccinea and Pocillopora spp. at Catalinas Island explained the variability among sites and how it affected fish community structure and composition. The butterfly fish Johnrandallia nigrirostris, damselfish Microspathodon dorsalis, and surgeon fish Prionurus punctatus were directly correlated with the ahermatipic coral Tubastrea coccinea in Roca Sucia reef, while the angel fish Holacanthus passer was associated to reefs with a major percentage of rocky substrate. Other species such as the damselfish Abudefduf troschelli and Halichoeres dispilus were more abundant at Ocotal, where the algae C sertularioides dominated. The number and abundance of reef fishes was directly correlated with the rugosity index at the reefs of Roca Sucia and Ocotal, but not at reefs of La Pared and Sombrero.     

Stochastic determinants of assemblage patterns in coral reef fishes: a quantification by means of two models

Synopsis One perspective emphasizing the importance of stochastic processes in determining coral reef fish assemblages implies that there is little organization in species richness, abundance structure, and spatial distribution. We examine the degree to which this perspective is correct by analyzing distribution of fishes on a collection of patch reefs (Discovery Bay, Jamaica). We ask the question whether these patches accumulate species and individuals in a manner consistent with stochastic expectations. To address this question we use two conceptual models, each permitting a different insight. One assumes that fish are distributed stochastically on patches while the other assumes presence of restrictions on fish distribution due to habitat structure. For each conceptual model we use two types of benchmark: we compare observed patterns to those predicted by theoretical models, and we also compare observed patterns to those obtained from a random reallocation of fish individuals to patches. We found that the conceptual model assuming stochastic processes appeared to provide weaker explanation of patterns than the conceptual model that includes restrictions due to habitat structure. Further, and more importantly, we found that (i) the community is shaped by a mixture of stochastic and non-stochastic mechanisms, and (ii) the stochastic assembly processes decrease in importance for species restricted to fewer microhabitat types and sites. Our study therefore indicates that patches do accumulate individuals and species in a manner consistent with stochastic expectations, however, this applies primarily to the habitat generalists (unrestricted species). By the same token, increased habitat specialization by some species imposes constraints on the stochastic model such that it eventually fails.     

Small-scale recruitment variation in a temperate fish: the roles of macrophytes and food supply

Synopsis The availability of reef-related resources, particularly food and shelter can play a significant role in determining the distribution and abundance of reef fishes. Much of the structure on temperate reefs is provided by macroalgae, and variability in the density of temperate reef fishes at large spatial scales (100's of meters) can often be explained by variation in macroalgal cover or density. In this study I investigated the role of macrophytes and associated food resources on the recruitment of a temperate fish, Tautogolabrus adspersus, at a small spatial scale (0.25 m²). No relationship between the density of new recruits and the percent cover of kelp, foliose or filamentous algae was observed. Multiple regressions revealed that less than 8% of variability in recruitment could be explained by variability in macroalgal cover. However, recruits were found in higher abundance in patches containing many functional forms of seaweeds than in patches dominated by a single form. A wide variety of prey were available for use by cunner recruits; however, crustaceans and mussels were the only common components of their diet, and crustaceans were clearly the most preferred prey. The prey composition in patches where fish were present was compared to randomly selected patches. Significantly greater numbers of isopods, amphipods and newly settled mussels were present in patches where fish were present than in randomly selected patches. The data presented in this study contradict previous work that has shown algal structure to be important in determining patterns of abundance and food supply to be of little significance. A conceptual model is proposed suggesting that settling fish select habitats in a hierarchical manner largely based on their dispersal tendencies. Hierarchical selection of habitats results in different attributes of the habitat being selected during different life-history intervals.     

Thresholds in seascape connectivity: the spatial arrangement of nursery habitats structure fish communities on nearby reefs

Ecosystems are linked by the movement of organisms across habitat boundaries and the arrangement of habitat patches can affect species abundance and composition. In tropical seascapes many coral reef fishes settle in adjacent habitats and undergo ontogenetic habitat shifts to coral reefs as they grow. Few studies have attempted to measure at what distances from nursery habitats these fish migrations (connectivity) cease to exist and how the abundance, biomass and proportion of nursery species change on coral reefs along distance gradients away from nursery areas. The present study examines seascape spatial arrangement, including distances between habitats, and its consequences on connectivity within a tropical seascape in Mozambique using a seascape ecology approach. Fish and habitat surveys were undertaken in 2016/2017 and a thematic habitat map was created in ArcGIS, where cover and distances between habitat patches were calculated. Distance to mangroves and seagrasses were significant predictors for abundance and biomass of most nursery species. The proportions of nursery species were highest in the south of the archipelago, where mangroves were present and decreased with distance to nurseries (mangroves and seagrasses). Some nursery species were absent on reef sites farthest from nursery habitats, at 80 km from mangroves and at 12 km from seagrass habitats. The proportion of nursery/non-nursery snapper and parrotfish species, as well as abundance and biomass of seagrass nursery species abruptly declined at 8 km from seagrass habitats, indicating a threshold distance at which migrations may cease. Additionally, reefs isolated by large stretches of sand and deep water had very low abundances of several nursery species despite being within moderate distances from nursery habitats. This highlights the importance of considering the matrix (sand and deep water) as barriers for fish migration.     

Non-Random Variability in Functional Composition of Coral Reef Fish Communities along an Environmental Gradient

Changes in the coral reef complex can affect predator-prey relationships, resource availability and niche utilisation in the associated fish community, which may be reflected in decreased stability of the functional traits present in a community. This is because particular traits may be favoured by a changing environment, or by habitat degradation. Furthermore, other traits can be selected against because degradation can relax the association between fishes and benthic habitat. We characterised six important ecological traits for fish species occurring at seven sites across a disturbed coral reef archipelago in Indonesia, where reefs have been exposed to eutrophication and destructive fishing practices for decades. Functional diversity was assessed using two complementary indices (FRic and RaoQ) and correlated to important environmental factors (live coral cover and rugosity, representing local reef health, and distance from shore, representing a cross-shelf environmental gradient). Indices were examined for both a change in their mean, as well as temporal (short-term; hours) and spatial (cross-shelf) variability, to assess whether fish-habitat association became relaxed along with habitat degradation. Furthermore, variability in individual traits was examined to identify the traits that are most affected by habitat change. Increases in the general reef health indicators, live coral cover and rugosity (correlated with distance from the mainland), were associated with decreases in the variability of functional diversity and with community-level changes in the abundance of several traits (notably home range size, maximum length, microalgae, detritus and small invertebrate feeding and reproductive turnover). A decrease in coral cover increased variability of RaoQ while rugosity and distance both inversely affected variability of FRic; however, averages for these indices did not reveal patterns associated with the environment. These results suggest that increased degradation of coral reefs is associated with increased variability in fish community functional composition resulting from selective impacts on specific traits, thereby affecting the functional response of these communities to increasing perturbations.     

Cross-scale Habitat Structure Drives Fish Body Size Distributions on Coral Reefs

Despite a large number of studies focusing on the complexity of coral reef habitats and the characteristics of associated fish assemblages, the relationship between reef structure and fish assemblages remains unclear. The textural discontinuity hypothesis, which proposes that multi-modal body size distributions of organisms are driven by discontinuous habitat structure, provides a theoretical basis that may explain the influence of habitat availability on associated organisms. In this study we use fractal techniques to characterize patterns of cross-scale habitat complexity, and examine how this relates to body-depth abundance distributions of associated fish assemblages over corresponding spatial scales. Our study demonstrates that: (1) Reefs formed from different underlying substrata exhibit distinct patterns of cross-scale habitat complexity; (2) The availability of potential refuges at different scales correlates with patterns in fish body depth distributions, but habitat structure is more strongly related to the relative abundance of fish in the body depth modes, rather than to the number of modes; (3) As reefs change from coral- to algal-dominated states, the complexity of the underlying reef substratum may change, presenting a more homogenous environment to associated assemblages; (4) Individual fish body depth distributions may be multi-modal, however, these distributions are not static characteristics of the fish assemblage and may change to uni-modal forms in response to changing habitat condition. In light of predicted anthropogenic changes, there is a clear need to improve our understanding of the scale of ecological relationships to anticipate future changes and vulnerabilities.     

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.     

Spatial variation of reef fishes and the relative influence of biotic and abiotic habitat traits

Patterns of distribution of reef fishes were examined across three spatial scales and related to habitat traits along 25 km of the northern Portuguese coast. Response variables included the multivariate assemblage structure, the total number of taxa and individuals, and the abundance of single groups categorized according to their preference for the benthic, proximo-benthic or pelagic environment, feeding and reproductive behaviour. Habitat traits included topographic elements (small and large ‘drops’ like cracks and crevices) and the extent of dominant morpho-functional types of macroalgae (kelp, large foliose, small erect, turf-forming filamentous, and encrusting). All fish responses were characterized by the largest variance at the smallest scale (among transects tens m apart), followed by that among reefs (hundreds m to 1 km apart) and almost null variance among sites (some km apart). Small and large ‘drops’ of the substratum explained, respectively, considerable variation of assemblage structure and the total abundance of individuals, while the extent of bare rock influenced the richness of taxa and that of benthic fishes, fishes feeding on sessile invertebrates and fishes laying benthic eggs or having nesting behaviour. Combinations of abiotic and biotic structural attributes of reefs influenced proximo-benthic fishes, the predators of mobile animals and fishes releasing pelagic eggs. The here reported associations between patterns of distribution of reef fishes and habitat traits have implications for the design of future protection schemes suitable to guarantee the conservation of reef fish communities and of the processes responsible for their variation. Within the SLOSS (single-large vs. several-small) debate in the design of marine reserves, for example, effective protection to the studied reef fishes would be provided by a set of small reserves, rather than a single large which might be appropriate for fishes having wider home ranges.     

Habitat associations of juvenile fish at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia: the importance of coral and algae

Habitat specificity plays a pivotal role in forming community patterns in coral reef fishes, yet considerable uncertainty remains as to the extent of this selectivity, particularly among newly settled recruits. Here we quantified habitat specificity of juvenile coral reef fish at three ecological levels; algal meadows vs. coral reefs, live vs. dead coral and among different coral morphologies. In total, 6979 individuals from 11 families and 56 species were censused along Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Juvenile fishes exhibited divergence in habitat use and specialization among species and at all study scales. Despite the close proximity of coral reef and algal meadows (10's of metres) 25 species were unique to coral reef habitats, and seven to algal meadows. Of the seven unique to algal meadows, several species are known to occupy coral reef habitat as adults, suggesting possible ontogenetic shifts in habitat use. Selectivity between live and dead coral was found to be species-specific. In particular, juvenile scarids were found predominantly on the skeletons of dead coral whereas many damsel and butterfly fishes were closely associated with live coral habitat. Among the coral dependent species, coral morphology played a key role in juvenile distribution. Corymbose corals supported a disproportionate number of coral species and individuals relative to their availability, whereas less complex shapes (i.e. massive & encrusting) were rarely used by juvenile fish. Habitat specialisation by juvenile species of ecological and fisheries importance, for a variety of habitat types, argues strongly for the careful conservation and management of multiple habitat types within marine parks, and indicates that the current emphasis on planning conservation using representative habitat areas is warranted. Furthermore, the close association of many juvenile fish with corals susceptible to climate change related disturbances suggests that identifying and protecting reefs resilient to this should be a conservation priority.     

The relative influence of local to regional drivers of variation in reef fishes

In this study, fishes and habitat attributes were quantified, four times over 1 year, on three reefs within four regions encompassing a c. 6° latitudinal gradient across south-western Australia. The variability observed was partitioned at these spatio-temporal scales in relation to reef fish variables and the influence of environmental drivers quantified at local scales, i.e. at the scale of reefs (the number of small and large topographic elements, the cover of kelp, fucalean and red algae, depth and wave exposure) and at the scale of regions (mean and maximum nutrient concentrations and mean seawater temperature) with regard to the total abundance, species density, species diversity and the multivariate structure of reef fishes. Variation in reef fish species density and diversity was significant at the regional scale, whereas variation in the total abundance and assemblage structure of fishes was also significant at local scales. Spatial variation was greater than temporal variation in all cases. A systematic and gradual species turnover in assemblage structure was observed between adjacent regions across the latitudinal gradient. The cover of red algae within larger patches of brown macroalgae (a biological attribute of the reef) and the number of large topographic elements (a structural attribute of the reef) were correlated with variation observed at local scales, while seawater temperature correlated with variation at the scale of regions. In conclusion, conservation efforts on reef fishes need to incorporate processes operating at regional scales with processes that shape local reef fish communities at local scales.     

Retention of Habitat Complexity Minimizes Disassembly of Reef Fish Communities following Disturbance: A Large-Scale Natural Experiment

High biodiversity ecosystems are commonly associated with complex habitats. Coral reefs are highly diverse ecosystems, but are under increasing pressure from numerous stressors, many of which reduce live coral cover and habitat complexity with concomitant effects on other organisms such as reef fishes. While previous studies have highlighted the importance of habitat complexity in structuring reef fish communities, they employed gradient or meta-analyses which lacked a controlled experimental design over broad spatial scales to explicitly separate the influence of live coral cover from overall habitat complexity. Here a natural experiment using a long term (20 year), spatially extensive (∼115,000 kms²) dataset from the Great Barrier Reef revealed the fundamental importance of overall habitat complexity for reef fishes. Reductions of both live coral cover and habitat complexity had substantial impacts on fish communities compared to relatively minor impacts after major reductions in coral cover but not habitat complexity. Where habitat complexity was substantially reduced, species abundances broadly declined and a far greater number of fish species were locally extirpated, including economically important fishes. This resulted in decreased species richness and a loss of diversity within functional groups. Our results suggest that the retention of habitat complexity following disturbances can ameliorate the impacts of coral declines on reef fishes, so preserving their capacity to perform important functional roles essential to reef resilience. These results add to a growing body of evidence about the importance of habitat complexity for reef fishes, and represent the first large-scale examination of this question on the Great Barrier Reef.