Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Richard S. Appeldoorn, Bjorn L. K. Bouwmeester
Summary: Many coral reef fishes undergo ontogenetic migrations, and the connectivity between different habitats plays a crucial role in their spatio-temporal dynamics. This study focused on the ontogenetic movements of juvenile grunts in Puerto Rico, and found that small juveniles moved towards more exposed areas, while larger juveniles migrated along the coast. The direction of migration may be determined by the transfer of fish between resting schools rather than orientation cues.
Article
Fisheries
Jolien Buyse, Jan Reubens, Kris Hostens, Steven Degraer, Jolien Goossens, Annelies De Backer
Summary: The study found that the hard substrate structures within offshore wind farms attract flatfish and increase ecological fish production. Additionally, these wind farms provide closed feeding grounds for flatfish during spring and summer, reducing fishing pressure, but may result in spillover effects during winter spawning migrations.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiwei Li, Gregory P. Asner
Summary: Three-dimensional shallow benthic complexity provides valuable information for coral reef conservation and management, as it reflects the physical conditions and biodiversity of shallow coral reef environments. This study mapped global shallow water benthic complexity using satellite images and found that high complexity regions are mainly concentrated in areas with high benthic biodiversity. However, a significant portion of coral reef regions with high benthic complexity remains unprotected. The global coral reef benthic complexity map generated in this study can contribute to improving marine protected areas, reef conservation, and management.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Asma Golmoradizadeh, Ahmad Noori, Bagher Mojazi Amiri
Summary: The study investigated the lunar cycle effects on the spawning of Audefduf vaigiensis through in vivo and in vitro analysis, showing significant cyclical changes in plasma steroid hormones and GVBD. The results suggest that lunar periodicity is a major external regulator synchronizing ovarian and testicular activity in A. vaigiensis with emphasis on spawning phenomenon.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wentao Zhu, Yuxiao Ren, Xiangbo Liu, Duanjie Huang, Jingquan Xia, Ming Zhu, Hongyang Yin, Rouwen Chen, Xiubao Li
Summary: This study examines the impact of the Qiongdong upwelling on the coastal coral reefs of Hainan Island. The results show significant differences in environmental variables between upwelling and non-upwelling areas, with colder and saltier water and lower coral coverage in the upwelling areas. The upwelling areas also face severe threats from coastal development and local anthropogenic activities.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Colleen Rodd, Steve Whalan, Craig Humphrey, Peter L. Harrison
Summary: Anthropogenic stressors have led to declines in reef-building corals. This study found that providing extra nutrients to coral larvae can increase settlement and survival rates, which is crucial for coral restoration.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
William S. Fisher
Summary: The goal of coral reef management is to provide habitat for fish populations, and it requires reliable methods to characterize reef features that contribute to fish habitat. By examining data from broad-area reef surveys, correlations were found between fish population measures and physical coral features, particularly coral colony height. Characterizing this relationship will improve fishery management tools and support assessment of the decline in the physical stature of reefs worldwide.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aaron J. Adams, Justin P. Lewis, Andrea M. Kroetz, R. Dean Grubbs
Summary: A spatial approach like marine protected areas is increasingly utilized for coastal management to address biodiversity and fishery declines caused by habitat loss, degradation, and overfishing, especially in regions with limited data and enforcement capacity. Data from studies like acoustic telemetry can provide critical information for habitat protection and support the designation of appropriate marine conservation areas.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Carolin Nieder, Chen-Pan Liao, Chen-Lu Lee, Kendall D. Clements, Shao-Lun Liu
Summary: The feeding interactions between coral reef fishes and the allelopathic macroalgae Galaxaura divaricata were observed, and it was found that the fishes targeted the nutrient-rich microscopic epiphytes on the surface of the algae rather than the algae itself. These observations substantiate the threat posed by the overgrowth of G. divaricata to coral recovery in degraded reef systems.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carsten G. B. Grupstra, Lauren I. Howe-Kerr, Jesse A. van der Meulen, Alex J. Veglia, Samantha R. Coy, Adrienne M. S. Correa
Summary: Animal waste is an important part of nutrient cycles and can transmit diverse microorganisms through trophic interactions. The feces of grazers/detritivores were found to cause more frequent and larger lesions on corals compared to the feces of corallivores, indicating the harmful microbial activity in grazer/detritivore feces. Analysis of bacterial diversity in feces from different fish species revealed potential differences in coral-associated bacteria and coral pathogens, suggesting the role of consumers in coral symbiont dispersal. These findings have significant implications for environmental management.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jacey C. Van Wert, Leila Ezzat, Katrina S. Munsterman, Kaitlyn Landfield, Nina M. D. Schiettekatte, Valeriano Parravicini, Jordan M. Casey, Simon J. Brandl, Deron E. Burkepile, Erika J. Eliason
Summary: Consumers play a crucial role in nutrient cycling through excretion and egestion. While the excretion of fish-derived inorganic nutrients has been studied extensively, the importance of egestion for nutrient cycling has been neglected. This study investigated the fecal nutrient content of different fish species on a coral reef and found that different species exhibit unique fecal nutrient concentrations.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Mark Hamilton, James P. W. Robinson, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Shaun K. Wilson, M. Aaron MacNeil, Ameer Ebrahim, Nicholas A. J. Graham
Summary: Changes in fish assemblages after coral bleaching and mortality can affect fisheries, particularly fish productivity and turnover. In Seychelles, fish productivity increased on reefs recovering to coral-dominated habitats, especially in fished areas, while it remained stable on reefs that shifted to macroalgae-dominated regimes. The benthic recovery trajectory strongly influenced post-bleaching fish productivity, emphasizing the importance of herbivore and invertivore species in sustaining small-scale inshore fisheries following climate disturbances.
Article
Biology
H. B. Harrison, L. Drane, M. L. Berumen, B. J. Cresswell, R. D. Evans, G. F. Galbraith, M. Srinivasan, B. M. Taylor, D. H. Williamson, G. P. Jones
Summary: Temporal patterns in spawning and juvenile recruitment of coral reef fishes have significant impacts on population size and demographic structure. The study focuses on the commercially important coral grouper and reveals year-round spawning activity with variable peak spawning times and no clear association with environmental cues. The findings suggest the need for additional and longer seasonal closures or alternative fisheries management strategies to maximize recruitment contribution during periods of greatest reproductive success.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Casey L. Bowden, Robert P. Streit, David R. Bellwood, Sterling B. Tebbett
Summary: The blenny species, Ecsenius stictus, has a negligible influence on sediment dynamics on coral reefs despite its abundance. They preferentially feed and rest on elevated surfaces with low sediment loads.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Juan Shi, Chunhou Li, Teng Wang, Jinfa Zhao, Yong Liu, Yayuan Xiao
Summary: Coral reefs, known as tropical rainforests in the ocean, have a rich diversity of fish species. China has 2855 species of coral reef fishes, which can be categorized into nearshore and offshore. The diversity of coral reef fish species has a significant positive correlation with coral species diversity.
Article
Ecology
Maria del Mar Palacios, Mark I. McCormick
Summary: Top-predator cues indirectly influenced the behavior and survival of juvenile fish prey by reducing visits and foraging attacks from mesopredators. The predation risk from top-predators promoted risk-averse behavior in mesopredators, favoring the survival and behavior of juvenile fishes. This study highlights the cascading effects of risk through the food web and the impact of harvesting top-predators on bottom prey populations.
Article
Biology
Charles P. Lavin, Geoffrey P. Jones, David H. Williamson, Hugo B. Harrison
Summary: This study uses genetic parentage analysis to measure the reproductive success of a size-structured population of a commercially important species of coral grouper in no-take marine reserves in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia. Although the per capita reproductive success of individual fish increases rapidly with body length, the numerous young mature female fish below the minimum size limit were responsible for generating disproportionately large contributions towards larval replenishment.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Shaun S. Killen, Lauren E. Nadler, Kathryn Grazioso, Amy Cox, Mark I. McCormick
Summary: The study suggests that individuals with higher metabolic rates may be more social, but not necessarily prefer larger groups; however, the impact on group size choice is weak. Furthermore, variations in food availability and predation risk could further alter the effects of metabolism on group size choice.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biology
Lauren E. Nadler, Mark McCormick, Jacob L. Johansen, Paolo Domenici
Summary: Nadler et al. investigated how social familiarity influences fast-start defensive responses in the tropical damselfish Chromis viridis. They found that familiarity led to faster responses to threats and the behaviors of others in the group, demonstrating that social recognition and memory can enhance fish anti-predator behavior.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Michael S. Pollock, Zoe Hoyle, Mark Mccormick, Douglas P. Chivers, Maud C. O. Ferrari
Summary: This study provides the first evidence of disturbance cue use in a marine fish, showcasing how disturbance cues can modulate predator recognition learning. The research sheds light on a new perspective for aquatic prey to assess predation risk by utilizing disturbance cues.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Davina E. Poulos, Mark McCormick
Summary: The effect of habitat loss on habitat specialists and generalists in coral reef fishes has been studied. The order of species arrival and timing affects their interactions and propensity to migrate. This has important consequences for the persistence of specialist species and the fish community in changing environments.
Article
Ecology
Emily K. Lester, Tim J. Langlois, Mark McCormick, Stephen D. Simpson, Todd Bond, Mark G. Meekan
Summary: The study found that in coral reef systems, the behavior of mesopredatory teleosts is influenced by the number of similar-sized competitors and surrounding habitat features, rather than the presence of larger predators such as sharks. Competition appears to have a more widespread and continuous impact on these fish species compared to predation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Douglas P. Chivers, Mark McCormick, Eric P. Fakan, Randall P. Barry, Maud C. O. Ferrari
Summary: Living in mixed-species aggregations provides animals with advantages but also costs, with each species facing unique trade-offs and dealing with anthropogenic changes. Some species in degraded habitats are unable to utilize their own chemical alarm cues effectively, leading to increased predation risk.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Review
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Amy G. Coppock, Michael J. Kingsford, Christopher N. Battershill, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: In this study, the relationships between coral reef fish and sponges were evaluated. The role of sponges in providing food and shelter for fishes, the influence of fishes on sponge distribution and abundance, and the possible outcomes of climate change on fish-sponge interactions were examined.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sophie L. Nedelec, Andrew N. Radford, Peter Gatenby, Isla Keesje Davidson, Laura Velasquez Jimenez, Maggie Travis, Katherine E. Chapman, Kieran P. McCloskey, Timothy A. C. Lamont, Bjorn Illing, Mark McCormick, Stephen D. Simpson
Summary: This study demonstrates that reducing noise pollution can improve animal reproductive success and enhance the resilience of coral reef ecosystems, based on field and laboratory experiments with a model fish system on the Great Barrier Reef.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gemma F. Galbraith, Benjamin J. Cresswell, Mark McCormick, Thomas C. Bridge, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: Hydrodynamics on coral reefs vary with depth, reef morphology, and seascape position, which strongly influence the structure and function of coral reef ecosystems. Submerged coral pinnacles experience stronger and more variable currents compared to emergent reefs at the same depth. The study also found different patterns in current speeds and temperature among reef types throughout the year and between seasons.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Saul Gonzalez-Murcia, Merrick Ekins, Tom C. L. Bridge, Christopher N. Battershill, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: Substratum preferences and contact interactions among sessile organisms play a crucial role in shaping the structure of benthic communities on coral reefs. This study investigated the substratum preferences and interactions of sponges in coastal coral reefs, revealing their high association with dead coral, coral rubble, and calcium carbonate rock. The most frequent interactions were observed with algae, corals, and crustose coralline algae, with sponges often overgrowing their spatial competitors. Our findings highlight the importance of substratum preferences and interactions in influencing community dynamics on coral reefs.
Article
Fisheries
M. McCormick, E. P. Fakan, G. Vamvounis, S. Bosshard, C. Moad, E. Smyth, P. Gatenby, J. Edmiston, K. Patel, B. J. M. Allan
Summary: This study examined the effects of ingesting polystyrene microplastic fragments on the body condition and fitness of a tropical marine fish. The results showed that ingestion of plastic had no significant impact on growth, body condition indices, or reproductive health indicators. Histological analysis also revealed no adverse effects on liver cells. The low levels of toxic compounds due to the inert nature of polystyrene and low leaching of plasticizers from the fragments contributed to the observed results.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
H. B. Harrison, L. Drane, M. L. Berumen, B. J. Cresswell, R. D. Evans, G. F. Galbraith, M. Srinivasan, B. M. Taylor, D. H. Williamson, G. P. Jones
Summary: Temporal patterns in spawning and juvenile recruitment of coral reef fishes have significant impacts on population size and demographic structure. The study focuses on the commercially important coral grouper and reveals year-round spawning activity with variable peak spawning times and no clear association with environmental cues. The findings suggest the need for additional and longer seasonal closures or alternative fisheries management strategies to maximize recruitment contribution during periods of greatest reproductive success.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Patrick F. Smallhorn-West, Sophie E. Gordon, Alexandra C. Dempsey, Sam J. Purkis, Siola'a Malimali, Tu'ikolongahau Halafihi, Paul C. Southgate, Tom C. L. Bridge, Robert L. Pressey, Geoffrey P. Jones
Summary: Environmental conditions and human impacts play crucial roles in ecological processes and ecosystem services. Effective management of Tonga's marine ecosystems hinges on accurate understanding of these variables. A comprehensive marine socio-environmental dataset has been compiled for Tonga's near-shore marine ecosystem, with the aim of aiding future assessment and management efforts.
PACIFIC CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2021)
