Benthic habitat and fish assemblage structure from shallow to mesophotic depths in a storm-impacted marine protected area

Abesamis, Rene A.; Langlois, Tim; Birt, Matthew J.; Thillainath, Emma C.; Bucol, Abner A.; Arceo, Hazel O.; Russ, Garry R.

doi:10.1007/s00338-017-1635-0

Cited by 29 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Aside from benthic composition, different levels of disturbances may also have influenced the structure of fish assemblages among locations (Abesamis et al, ; Bellwood et al, ). In the Philippines, the most pervasive disturbance on coral reef ecosystems is overfishing (Burke et al, ), which has depleted a number of fish species in certain regions (Nañola et al, 2010) and caused local‐scale extinction of large bodied animals ( e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Within location studies of MCE fish assemblages by Abesamis et al . () at Negros and Quimpo et al . () at Mindoro, both in the Philippines, indicate that fish species richness decreases with depth, while biomass increases, which is a similar pattern exhibited by fish assemblages in other parts of the world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Interests in MCEs stem from their potential to function as refugia because of the decreasing risk of disturbances with depth ( e.g. , thermal stress and fishing; Abesamis et al, ; Bongaerts et al, ; Bridge et al, ; Lesser et al, ; Lindfield et al, , ; Sinniger et al, ) and their inferred capabilities in replenishing degraded shallow‐water communities via vertical connectivity from MCEs to shallow water reefs (SWR; Bongaerts et al, ; Holstein et al, ). However, recent work has revealed that MCEs are not universal refuges, but are unique ecosystems that are just as threatened by the same natural ( e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although progress has been made in describing and understanding MCEs around the world (Turner et al, ), there are only a handful of studies in the Indo‐Pacific Ocean (Kahng et al, ), particularly in the Coral Triangle including the Philippines (Turner et al, ), the centre of marine biodiversity (Carpenter & Springer, ; Veron et al, ). The earliest known MCE study in the Philippines was reported by Ross and Hodgson (), but it was only recently (~36 years later) that MCE research resurfaced, with studies describing new species of fishes (Anderson et al, ; Rocha et al, ; Sheperd et al, ; Tea et al, ) and the diversity of benthic, macroinvertebrate, megafauna and fish assemblages (Abesamis et al, ; Nacorda et al, ; Quimpo et al, ). However, these studies conducted in the Philippines assessed only one region or location focusing on within‐location comparisons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial variability in reef‐fish assemblages in shallow and upper mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Philippines

Quimpo

Cabaitan

Olavides

et al. 2018

Journal of Fish Biology

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The variability in reef-fish species assemblages was examined at three geographic locations in the Philippines (Apo, Abra and Patn), each showing varying levels of disturbances (low to high) at two depths, shallow-water reef (SWR; 8-20 m) and the upper mesophotic coral ecosystem (MCE; 30-35 m). Fish species assemblages varied among locations and between depths. Differences in fish assemblages among locations corresponded to the variability in benthic assemblages and levels of disturbances, wherein locations with higher coral cover and less disturbances had the highest fish species richness, abundance and biomass. Variation in fish assemblages between depths was also associated with changes in benthic assemblages and possibly inaccessibility to local fishing techniques. Fish species richness decreased with depth in all locations, but biomass increased only in the MCEs of Apo and Abra, which is a similar pattern exhibited in many MCEs. Our results suggest that despite location differences, depth had a relatively consistent influence on fish species assemblages, particularly in locations exposed to low and intermediate disturbance. Under high disturbance, MCEs exhibit similar vulnerability to SWRs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Spatial variability in reef‐fish assemblages in shallow and upper mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Philippines

Quimpo

Cabaitan

Olavides

et al. 2018

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…MCEs. Four Pentapodus species increased in abundance on MCEs, though one species 487 declined (ESM Table 5 where fish abundance increases from the surface to a peak at 30 m depth before declining 531 (Abesamis et al 2018;Quimpo et al 2018). As we only recorded three broad depth groups, 532 it is not possible to identify fine scale changes in fish abundance in Raja Ampat.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua

Andradi-Brown

Beer

Colin

et al. 2019

Preprint

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21Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs 30-150 m depth) are poorly studied, with 22 existing research heavily geographically biased away from the most species-rich reef 23regions. Yet, MCEs are of high interest because of their unique species and potential to act 24 as refuges from the impacts of fishing. Using baited remote underwater video systems, we 25 surveyed reef fish communities from depths of 2 to 85 m throughout the Raja Ampat 26 archipelago in West Papua, Indonesia -an area considered the heart of the Coral Triangle 27where coral reef biodiversity is greatest. Here we show-similar to shallow reefs-Raja 28Ampat MCEs are exceptionally diverse, with 152 fish species recorded at depths greater 29 than 40 m. We found that fish communities were highly depth driven, with declines in fish 30 abundance at increased depth. In contrast to previous studies elsewhere in the world, we 31 found that the proportion of planktivores declined across the shallow reef to MCE depth 32 gradient. While greater human population density correlated with lower reef fish biomass, 33we did not observe differential impacts based on depth, and so found no evidence that 34MCEs provide a depth refuge from fishing. Our results expand and contrast some previously 35 established MCE-depth patterns in fish communities, highlighting the need for future MCE 36

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Isolated reefs support stable fish communities with high abundances of regionally fished species

Birt

Cure

Wilson

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Benthic habitat and fish assemblage structure from shallow to mesophotic depths in a storm-impacted marine protected area

Cited by 29 publications

References 38 publications

Spatial variability in reef‐fish assemblages in shallow and upper mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Philippines

Spatial variability in reef‐fish assemblages in shallow and upper mesophotic coral ecosystems in the Philippines

Highly diverse mesophotic reef fish communities in Raja Ampat, West Papua

Isolated reefs support stable fish communities with high abundances of regionally fished species

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