11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

14.483
Influences Of Wind-Wave Exposure On The Distribution And Abundance Of
Recruit Reef Fishes On Back Reefs At Kure And Pearl & Hermes Atolls, Nwhi
Brian J. ZGLICZYNSKI* 1 , Edward E. DEMARTINI 2 , Raymond C. BOLAND 3 , Alan
M. FRIEDLANDER 4
1 Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science
Center, Honolulu, HI, 2 Fishery Biology and Stock Assessment Division, NOAA
Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI, 3 Ecosystems and
Oceanography Division, NOAA Fisheries, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center,
Honolulu, HI, 4 National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science-Biogeography Program,
NOAA, National Ocean Service, Waimanalo, HI
In situ surveys of recruit (≤ 5 cm total length, TL) and resident piscivore (> 5 cm TL) reef
fishes and benthic habitats were conducted at Kure (KUR) and Pearl and Hermes (PHR)
atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) during July-August 2007. Totals of
30 and 57 stations were surveyed at approximately 0.5 km spacing around the entire back
reef perimeters of the two atolls (KUR: 23 km; PHR: 65 km). ANCOVAs were used to
evaluate the effects of resident piscivore biomass density (biomass) and a benthic habitat
metric on the numerical densities of recruit fishes on windward (exposed to prevailing
NE trade winds) versus leeward (protected from trade winds) sectors of back reefs at the
two atolls. The piscivore covariate and recruit densities were positively related but the
habitat covariate explained little observed variation in recruits (mean coral cover ranged
from 6 to 7 % among atoll-exposures). Five species of Hawaiian endemic fishes (four
labrids: Stethojulis balteata, Thalassoma duperrey, Macropharyngodon geoffroy, Coris
venusta, and one scarid: Scarus dubius) comprised 90-95% of all recruits throughout
windward and leeward sectors. Recruit densities were generally greater overall at PHR
and lower at the windward sectors of each atoll. Small (≤ 2 cm) recruits of each of four of
the five top-ranked species, moreover, were disproportionately less abundant (by 44-81
%) along leeward versus windward PHR. These observations suggest that the windward
barrier reef at PHR, the atoll with the 3-fold larger perimeter, has a more prominent
physical lee that affects the advective transport and settlement of reef fishes at this atoll.
14.484
Community-Based Mpa in Fiji Affords Reasonable Protection To Lethrinids
Rikki GROBER-DUNSMORE* 1 , Victor BONITO 2 , Team KABATIA 3
1 NOAA, National Marine Protected Areas Center, Santa Cruz, CA, 2 Reef Explorers,
Votua, Fiji, 3 Votua Village, Korolevu District, Votua, Fiji
Acoustic tagging was used to assess the effectiveness of a community-based MPA in
Votua village, Fiji for protecting targeted reef fishes. In collaboration with local
communities, research evaluated whether Lethrinids captured at common village fishing
areas are part of the same population as those intended for conservation within the
adjacent MPA. Lethrinids were caught within and outside the MPA, implanted with
acoustic tags, and their movements tracked for up to 5 months. Fishes tagged from
disparate habitats exhibited different temporal and spatial diurnal patterns of movement.
Fishes tagged in the channel were detected predictably inside the channel during the day,
but at night left the channel and were detected on adjacent reef flat habitat, though not
within the MPA. Fishes tagged on the reef flat moved primarily during the night within
reef flat habitat, and were detected periodically in the channel. These fishes crossed
MPA boundaries moving freely across the continuous fringing reef-flat habitat, travelling
distances up to 1 km. Although the entire home range of Lethrinids does not appear to be
incorporated within the present MPA design, the MPA may afford considerable
protection of Lethrinids, since fishing pressure is almost exclusively during the day.
Fishes generally left the MPA during the night, and consequently may derive temporal
refugia from fishing pressure. Comprehensive diurnal habitat requirements may be met
with minor adjustments in MPA boundaries. Finally, fishes that reside primarily outside
the MPA may be afforded benefits by the MPA, since the reef flat area appears to be used
for foraging. Landscape ecology can assist in understanding interactions between
movement behavior and the spatial patterning of the seascape, ultimately leading to more
ecologically-meaningful decisions for designing MPAs and identifying essential fish
habitat.
Poster Mini-Symposium 14: Reef Connectivity
14.485
Mesophotic Coral Reefs (30-100m), A Frontier Of Reef Exploration
Robert GINSBURG* 1 , John REED 2
1 University of Miami, Miami, FL, 2 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Fort Pierce, FL
Mesophotic reefs (30-100m) have surprising luxurious communities of hermatypic corals,
gorgonians, sponges, and algae that occur extensively on steep slopes, terraces and submerged
banks throughout the Tropical North Atlantic (TNA: Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, Florida,
Bahamas). Their high structural complexity provides habitats for exploitable fish and shellfish
and settling juvenile fish, spawning sites for commercial reef fish, potentially useful bioactive
compounds and the focus of deep scuba diving. Furthermore, these reefs, isolated from natural
and anthropogenic near-surface impacts, may serve as refugia for fish, corals and invertebrates
that could repopulate degraded shallow reefs.
Steep slopes extending some 24,000 km are the most extensive habitat for mesophotic reefs in
the TNA. Among the largest of these are around Bahama Banks (5,300 km), Central America
including the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (4,900 km) and Cuba (3.200 km). In addition, several
small submerged banks and shelves at depths of 30-50+ m also have luxurious mesophotic coral
communities (Tortugas Bank, Flower Garden Bank, Saba Bank and the Nicaragua Rise). The
tools to explore and characterize these mesophotic reefs are readily available: side-scan sonar,
ROVs, AUVs, multibeam, technical diving using mixed gas and closed circuit rebreathers.
Initial research on mesophotic reefs has been limited but surprisingly productive; results
include:
Coral cover of 50% or more
Maximum depth -130 m.
Large carnivores locally abundant.
Shallow reef fish species and juveniles to 60 m
Accreting steep slopes preserved by rapid cementation.
That so much has been discovered with relatively little efforts indicates how many new
findings are expectable; for example about the biotic composition its zonation and trophic
structure as well as the history of accumulation of mesophotic reefs as related to established
changes is sea level.
14.486
Patterns Of Genetic Variation Of The Corallimorpharian, ricordea Florida
Luis RODRIGUEZ 1 , Hernan TORRES-PRATTS* 2 , Tania LADO-INSUA 3 , Nikolaos
SCHIZAS 4
1 Marine Science, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 2 Marine Science,
University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, 3 University of Vigo, Spain,
Lajas, Puerto Rico, 4 Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez, Lajas, Puerto Rico
The long-distance dispersal potential of marine larvae is crucial to the maintenance of
populations. We examined the genetic variation of the corallimorpharian, Ricordea florida, in
order to identify the connectivity patterns among populations. Ricordea florida is distributed
throughout the Caribbean region and is heavily harvested in the marine aquarium trade.
Samples were collected from three geographically distant Caribbean locations (Curaçao,
Florida, and Puerto Rico). Our DNA data consisted of two mitochondrial introns and the
nuclear rDNA interspacer regions ITS-1 and ITS-2. Our preliminary analysis revealed several
haplotypes with the mitochondrial markers, however we did not identify genetic differentiation
between locations. In contrast, all of our Curaçao samples were characterized by a very distinct
ITS-1/ITS-2 haplotype, found twice in Puerto Rico and never in Florida, so far. Even though
our mitochondrial data suggest no significant population structure, our nuclear interspacer
regions suggest two distinct lineages. We are in the process of adding more locations and
specimens to uncover the genetic population history of Ricordea florida.
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