Growth of reef fishes in response to live coral cover

Feary, DA; McCormick, MI; Jones, GP

Growth of reef fishes in response to live coral cover

Feary, DA McCormick, MI Jones, GP

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2009, 373 (1), pp. 45 - 49
Issue Date:: 2009-05-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Feary, DA	en_US
dc.contributor.author	McCormick, MI	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Jones, GP	en_US
dc.date.issued	2009-05-15	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2009, 373 (1), pp. 45 - 49	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0022-0981	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/14943
dc.description.abstract	Although the global decline in coral reef health is likely to have profound effects on reef associated fishes, these effects are poorly understood. While declining coral cover can reduce the abundance of reef fishes through direct effects on recruitment and/or mortality, recent evidence suggests that individuals may survive in disturbed habitats, but may experience sublethal reductions in their condition. This study examined the response of 2 coral associated damselfishes (Pomacentridae), Chrysiptera parasema and Dascyllus melanurus, to varying levels of live coral cover. Growth, persistence, and the condition of individuals were quantified on replicate coral colonies in 3 coral treatments: 100% live coral (control), 50% live coral (partial) and 0% live coral (dead). The growth rates of both species were directly related to the percentage live coral cover, with individuals associated with dead corals exhibiting the slowest growth, and highest growth on control corals. Such differences in individual growth between treatments were apparent after 29 d. There was no significant difference in the numbers of fishes persisting or the physiological condition of individuals between different treatments on this time-scale. Slower growth in disturbed habitats will delay the onset of maturity, reduce lifetime fecundity and increase individual's vulnerability to gape-limited predation. Hence, immediate effects on recruitment and survival may underestimate the longer-term impacts of declining coral on the structure and diversity of coral-associated reef fish communities. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jembe.2009.03.002	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	en_US
dc.title	Growth of reef fishes in response to live coral cover	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	373	en_US
utslib.for	0602 Ecology	en_US
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences	en_US
dc.location.activity	ISI:000266256200006	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	373	en_US

Abstract:

Although the global decline in coral reef health is likely to have profound effects on reef associated fishes, these effects are poorly understood. While declining coral cover can reduce the abundance of reef fishes through direct effects on recruitment and/or mortality, recent evidence suggests that individuals may survive in disturbed habitats, but may experience sublethal reductions in their condition. This study examined the response of 2 coral associated damselfishes (Pomacentridae), Chrysiptera parasema and Dascyllus melanurus, to varying levels of live coral cover. Growth, persistence, and the condition of individuals were quantified on replicate coral colonies in 3 coral treatments: 100% live coral (control), 50% live coral (partial) and 0% live coral (dead). The growth rates of both species were directly related to the percentage live coral cover, with individuals associated with dead corals exhibiting the slowest growth, and highest growth on control corals. Such differences in individual growth between treatments were apparent after 29 d. There was no significant difference in the numbers of fishes persisting or the physiological condition of individuals between different treatments on this time-scale. Slower growth in disturbed habitats will delay the onset of maturity, reduce lifetime fecundity and increase individual's vulnerability to gape-limited predation. Hence, immediate effects on recruitment and survival may underestimate the longer-term impacts of declining coral on the structure and diversity of coral-associated reef fish communities. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/14943