Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae)
During early demersal ontogeny, many marine fishes display complex habitat-use patterns. Grunts of the speciose genus Haemulon are among the most abundant fishes on western North Atlantic coral reefs, with most species settling to shallow habitats (≤12 m). To gain understanding into cross-shelf dist...
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ftfloridainsttec:oai:repository.lib.fit.edu:11141/1558 2023-10-09T21:54:07+02:00 Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) Jordan, Lance K B Lindeman, Kenyon C. Spieler, Richard E. 2012-12-14 http://hdl.handle.net/11141/1558 en_US eng Jordan, L. K. B., Lindeman, K. C., & Spieler, R. E. (2012). Depth-variable settlement patterns and predation influence on newly settled reef fishes (haemulon spp., haemulidae). PLoS ONE, 7(12) doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0050897 http://hdl.handle.net/11141/1558 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Article 2012 ftfloridainsttec 2023-09-22T09:36:14Z During early demersal ontogeny, many marine fishes display complex habitat-use patterns. Grunts of the speciose genus Haemulon are among the most abundant fishes on western North Atlantic coral reefs, with most species settling to shallow habitats (≤12 m). To gain understanding into cross-shelf distributional patterns exhibited by newly settled stages of grunts (<2 cm total length), we examined: 1) depth-specific distributions of congeners at settlement among sites at 8 m, 12 m, and 21 m, and 2) depth-variable predation pressure on newly settled individuals (species pooled). Of the six species identified from collections of newly settled specimens (n = 2125), Haemulon aurolineatum (tomtate), H. flavolineatum (French grunt), and H. striatum (striped grunt) comprised 98% of the total abundance; with the first two species present at all sites. Prevalence of H. aurolineatum and H. flavolineatum decreased substantially from the 8-m site to the two deeper sites. In contrast, H. striatum was absent from the 8-m site and exhibited its highest frequency at the 21-m site. Comparison of newly settled grunt delta density for all species on caged (predator exclusion) and control artificial reefs at the shallowest site (8-m) revealed no difference, while the 12-m and 21-m sites exhibited significantly greater delta densities on the caged treatment. This result, along with significantly higher abundances of co-occurring piscivorous fishes at the deeper sites, indicated lower predation pressure at the 8-m site. This study suggests habitat-use patterns of newly settled stages of some coral reef fishes that undergo ontogenetic shifts are a function of depth-variable predation pressure while, for at least one deeper-water species, proximity to adult habitat appears to be an important factor affecting settlement distribution. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic The Scholarship Repository of Florida Institute of Technology |
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Open Polar |
collection |
The Scholarship Repository of Florida Institute of Technology |
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ftfloridainsttec |
language |
English |
description |
During early demersal ontogeny, many marine fishes display complex habitat-use patterns. Grunts of the speciose genus Haemulon are among the most abundant fishes on western North Atlantic coral reefs, with most species settling to shallow habitats (≤12 m). To gain understanding into cross-shelf distributional patterns exhibited by newly settled stages of grunts (<2 cm total length), we examined: 1) depth-specific distributions of congeners at settlement among sites at 8 m, 12 m, and 21 m, and 2) depth-variable predation pressure on newly settled individuals (species pooled). Of the six species identified from collections of newly settled specimens (n = 2125), Haemulon aurolineatum (tomtate), H. flavolineatum (French grunt), and H. striatum (striped grunt) comprised 98% of the total abundance; with the first two species present at all sites. Prevalence of H. aurolineatum and H. flavolineatum decreased substantially from the 8-m site to the two deeper sites. In contrast, H. striatum was absent from the 8-m site and exhibited its highest frequency at the 21-m site. Comparison of newly settled grunt delta density for all species on caged (predator exclusion) and control artificial reefs at the shallowest site (8-m) revealed no difference, while the 12-m and 21-m sites exhibited significantly greater delta densities on the caged treatment. This result, along with significantly higher abundances of co-occurring piscivorous fishes at the deeper sites, indicated lower predation pressure at the 8-m site. This study suggests habitat-use patterns of newly settled stages of some coral reef fishes that undergo ontogenetic shifts are a function of depth-variable predation pressure while, for at least one deeper-water species, proximity to adult habitat appears to be an important factor affecting settlement distribution. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jordan, Lance K B Lindeman, Kenyon C. Spieler, Richard E. |
spellingShingle |
Jordan, Lance K B Lindeman, Kenyon C. Spieler, Richard E. Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) |
author_facet |
Jordan, Lance K B Lindeman, Kenyon C. Spieler, Richard E. |
author_sort |
Jordan, Lance K B |
title |
Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) |
title_short |
Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) |
title_full |
Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) |
title_fullStr |
Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Depth-Variable Settlement Patterns and Predation Influence on Newly Settled Reef Fishes (Haemulon spp., Haemulidae) |
title_sort |
depth-variable settlement patterns and predation influence on newly settled reef fishes (haemulon spp., haemulidae) |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11141/1558 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_relation |
Jordan, L. K. B., Lindeman, K. C., & Spieler, R. E. (2012). Depth-variable settlement patterns and predation influence on newly settled reef fishes (haemulon spp., haemulidae). PLoS ONE, 7(12) doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0050897 http://hdl.handle.net/11141/1558 |
op_rights |
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
_version_ |
1779317573753503744 |