Environmental DNA in a global biodiversity hotspot: Lessons from coral reef fish diversity across the Indonesian archipelago

Corals provide structure and food sources vital for the maintenance of coral reef fish diversity. However, coral reefs are currently under threat from climate change, which has led to the largest recorded loss of live coral. The loss of live coral, and corresponding shift in reef benthic composition, are predicted to impact the abundance and composition of coral reef fish species and communities. In this study, we investigate the effect of changes in reef benthic composition (eg. live coral, dead coral, algae), on the diversity and composition in an assemblage of butterflyfish species, in Faafu Atoll in the Maldives after the 2016 bleaching event. We show that differences in community composition of butterflyfish are associated to benthic structure, reflecting species feeding preferences. Interestingly, however, we also show that lower coral cover is not associated to lower abundance and species richness of butterflyfish. Our results suggest that maintenance of coral reef structure after a disturbance provides key microhabitats to accommodate non-corallivorous butterflyfish, thus maintaining abundance and species richness. Overall our study provides support for regulation of richness and abundance of coral reef fish assemblages to short term changes in coral reef benthic composition after disturbance via turnover in composition.

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Benthic structure drives butterflyfish species composition and trophic group abundance

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27491v2 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Miguel Barbosa ◽

Neil Coupland ◽

Clara Douglas ◽

Ellen Harrison ◽

Kelly M James ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Fish Assemblages ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Food Sources ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

Live Coral ◽

Benthic Composition

Corals provide structure and food sources vital for the maintenance of coral reef fish diversity. However, coral reefs are currently under threat from climate change, which has led to the largest recorded loss of live coral. The loss of live coral, and corresponding shift in reef benthic composition, are predicted to impact the abundance and composition of coral reef fish species and communities. In this study, we investigate the effect of changes in reef benthic composition (eg. live coral, dead coral, algae), on the diversity and composition in an assemblage of butterflyfish species, in Faafu Atoll in the Maldives after the 2016 bleaching event. We show that differences in community composition of butterflyfish are associated to benthic structure, reflecting species feeding preferences. Interestingly, however, we also show that lower coral cover is not associated to lower abundance and species richness of butterflyfish. Our results suggest that maintenance of coral reef structure after a disturbance provides key microhabitats to accommodate non-corallivorous butterflyfish, thus maintaining abundance and species richness. Overall our study provides support for regulation of richness and abundance of coral reef fish assemblages to short term changes in coral reef benthic composition after disturbance via turnover in composition.

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First comprehensive list of the coral reef fishes of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo)

Check List ◽

10.15560/11.5.1762 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1762 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ditch Townsend

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Reef Fishes ◽

Time Span ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

Marine Park ◽

A Site ◽

Scientific Survey

A 573 species-long checklist of the fishes in this 50 km2 tropical marine park was created predominantly by combining an unpublished scientific survey from 1992 with a hobbyist’s large photograph collection from between 2006 and 2009. Of the Indo-Pacific region’s coral reef-associated fish species, 15.2% are found here. Drawn from 83 families, the most speciose are Pomacentridae (71), Gobiidae (68) and Lab-ridae (55). A regression formula using the Coral reef Fish Diversity Index (CFDI) for species seen in 1992 suggests the park hosts 464 species, compared with the CFDI-based estimate of 495 based only on da-ta collected between 2006 and 2009, and 596 for the combined Index. With only 62% of the Index’s species seen both in the earlier and later lists, the utility of the CFDI is questionable at a site or over a time-span like this.

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Environmental determinants of coral reef fish diversity across several French Polynesian atolls

Comptes Rendus Biologies ◽

10.1016/j.crvi.2012.04.002 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 335 (6) ◽

pp. 417-423 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Serge Planes ◽

David Lecchini ◽

Camille Mellin ◽

José Garcia Charton ◽

Mireille Harmelin-Vivien ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

Environmental Determinants

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Benthic structure drives butterflyfish species composition and trophic group abundance

10.7287/peerj.preprints.27491 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Miguel Barbosa ◽

Neil Coupland ◽

Clara Douglas ◽

Ellen Harrison ◽

Kelly M James ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Fish Assemblages ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Food Sources ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

Live Coral ◽

Benthic Composition

Corals provide structure and food sources vital for the maintenance of coral reef fish diversity. However, coral reefs are currently under threat from climate change, which has led to the largest recorded loss of live coral. The loss of live coral, and corresponding shift in reef benthic composition, are predicted to impact the abundance and composition of coral reef fish species and communities. In this study, we investigate the effect of changes in reef benthic composition (eg. live coral, dead coral, algae), on the diversity and composition in an assemblage of butterflyfish species, in Faafu Atoll in the Maldives after the 2016 bleaching event. We show that differences in community composition of butterflyfish are associated to benthic structure, reflecting species feeding preferences. Interestingly, however, we also show that lower coral cover is not associated to lower abundance and species richness of butterflyfish. Our results suggest that maintenance of coral reef structure after a disturbance provides key microhabitats to accommodate non-corallivorous butterflyfish, thus maintaining abundance and species richness. Overall our study provides support for regulation of richness and abundance of coral reef fish assemblages to short term changes in coral reef benthic composition after disturbance via turnover in composition.

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Impact of marine protected areas on economical important coral reef fish communities: An evaluation of the biological monitoring of coral reef fish in Anambas Islands, Indonesia

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d221006 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (10) ◽

Author(s):

RISANDI DWIRAMA PUTRA ◽

RIKOH MANOGAR SIRINGIRINGO ◽

Ani Suryanti ◽

NI WAYAN PURNAMA SARI ◽

MUIN SINAGA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Biological Monitoring ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Marine Protected Areas ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

The Impact ◽

Destructive Fishing

Abstract. Putra RD, Siringiringo RM, Suryanti A, Sari NWP, Sinaga M, Hidayati NV, Hukom FD, Abrar M, Makatipu PC, Sianturi R, Ilham Y. 2021. Impact of marine protected areas on economical important coral reef fish communities: An evaluation of the biological monitoring of coral reef fish in Anambas Islands, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 4169-4181. The use of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is the core strategy to reduce the impact of the anthropogenic stressor on marine fisheries, especially in reducing the overexploitation of fisheries resources and destructive fishing in which this plays a significant role in the conservation of marine biodiversity and populations. We conducted a study over 4 years to evaluate and assess the impact of MPAs on economically important reef fish in the Anambas Islands. We compared density, size, biomass, and diversity indices from the seven families of coral reef fish (Acanthuridae, Haemulidae, Lethrinidae, Lutjanidae, Scaridae, Siganidae, and Serranidae) using Underwater Visual Census (UVC) with a total of 12 MPAs stations (70-m transect). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to evaluate and assess reserve protection on the coral reef fish, and several ecological indices were used to compare the potential change of economically coral reef fish diversity. We also measured the rate of change in coral cover to identify the effectiveness of the MPAs. After 4 years of studies, our result showed that there was an increase of economical reefs. Fish diversity, density, and biomass increased by 244%, 257%, and 179% respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of coral cover change among MPAs stations. Economical coral reef fish in Anambas Islands were restored in marine reserve overtimes after fisheries restriction protection, but this does not change the rate of coral cover through time. In addition, the government managed and increased community awareness that significantly influenced decreasing destructive fishing practices and overexploited reef fish species in Anambas Islands but no change in coral cover. The MPAs environmental condition and natural disturbance, including thermal stress and high sedimentation, play a key role in coral cover recovery besides fisheries restriction in the MPAs area.

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Reef fish

10.1093/oso/9780198787341.003.0006 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Charles R. C. Sheppard ◽

Simon K. Davy ◽

Graham M. Pilling ◽

Nicholas A. J. Graham

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Fish Assemblages ◽

Habitat Degradation ◽

Larval Fish ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Age And Growth ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

Wide Range

This chapter discusses factors that have led to reef fish diversity. Geographic drivers for fish diversity, ranging from global historical events to local-scale drivers, are examined. Age and growth in reef fish are explored, followed by larval fish ecology. Colour diversity in modern reef fish is examined, along with mechanisms that have developed to enhance feeding success or predation avoidance. Different ecological feeding niches of coral reef fish are described and examples are given to illustrate the wide range of feeding mechanisms. The science around the abundance, biomass and trophic interactions of reef fish assemblages is examined. The range of fish feeding habits is detailed and functional roles of fish explored. Finally, the implications of changes in the reef fish community through fishing and habitat degradation are examined, highlighting the cascade effect of impacts on reefs, and how the influences of different disturbances interact to influence coral reef fish.

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The Value of Habitat Complexity and Diversity of Reef Fish Species in Sangiang Island, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggra

JURNAL BIOLOGI TROPIS ◽

10.29303/jbt.v20i3.2261 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 514

Author(s):

Rahmat Hidayatullah ◽

Didik Santoso ◽

Abdul Syukur

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Reef Fish ◽

Fish Species ◽

Coral Reef Fish ◽

Habitat Complexity ◽

Fish Abundance ◽

Coefficient Of Determination ◽

Fish Diversity ◽

Commercial Fish ◽

Average Value

Coral reef ecosystems in the marine environment have a vital role, especially in providing habitat for the diversity of commercial and non-commercial fish species. This study aims to assess the species richness of coral reef fish based on the complexity of the habitat of Sangiang Island, Bima Regency. The data collection method used Underwater Visual Census on the belt transect, and the habitat complexity value is determined by the chain intercept transect method. Data analysis used Shannon-Wiener Index Diversity (H '), Abundance (Ki), and Habitat complexity (C). Next is a simple regression analysis between habitat complexity as the independent variable and fish abundance as the dependent variable. In this study, 106 species were found and covering 24 families. The three fish families, Pomacentridae, Labridae, and Lutjanidae, are the most dominant of the other families. Meanwhile, the diversity index ranged from 1.874-2.753 with an average value of ± SD 2.35 ± 0.317, and the abundance value ranged from 0.774-2.528 individuals/m2 with an average value of ± SD 1.505 individuals / m2 ± 0.745. Furthermore, the analysis showed that hábitate complexity had a significant effect on fish abundance. The coefficient of determination (R2) of 80% can explain the relationship of habitat complexity to fish abundance in the study location. This study concludes that coral reef habitat complexity is a determining factor for the level of fish diversity and abundance in the study area. Therefore, the protection of coral habitat is a strategy for the protection of coral reef fish resources.

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