Demographic and reproductive plasticity across the depth distribution of a coral reef fish

Goldstein, Esther D.; D’Alessandro, Evan K.; Sponaugle, Su

doi:10.1038/srep34077

Cited by 20 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 53 publications

(87 reference statements)

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“…For example, culling has been found to shift lionfish length distributions towards smaller fish [ 8 ], therefore our observed pattern in length/weight distribution could be generated by shallow-reef culling. The observed pattern also fits with previous studies documenting increased body size and maturity at greater depths (ontogenetic migration) across shallow reef to MCE gradients for native unculled western Atlantic reef fish [ 33 , 34 ]. It is well established in many fish species that larger older females have greater fecundity than smaller younger females, and that larger older females produce larvae with greater survival rates than younger females [ 35 , 36 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…While increases in the mean length, weight and female gonad:body weight ratio, combined with reduced numbers of immature fish at increased depth are used as indicators of ontogenetic migrations in other western Atlantic reef fish species [ 34 , 37 ], they do not conclusively indicate an ontogenetic migration occurring in lionfish. We found mature females at all depths around Utila, and no change in the male gonad:body weight ratio with depth, both of which are inconsistent with ontogenetic migrations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Depth-dependent effects of culling—do mesophotic lionfish populations undermine current management?

et al. 2017

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Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) have spread widely across the western Atlantic and are recognized as a major threat to native marine biodiversity. Although lionfish inhabit both shallow reefs and mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs; reefs from 30 to 150 m depth), the primary management response implemented by many countries has been diver-led culling limited to reefs less than 30 m. However, many reef fish undergo ontogenetic migrations, with the largest and therefore most fecund individuals found at greatest depths. Here, we study lionfish density, body size, maturity and dietary patterns across the depth gradient from the surface down to 85 m on heavily culled reefs around Utila, Honduras. We found lionfish at increased densities, body size and weight on MCEs compared with shallow reefs, with MCEs also containing the greatest proportion of actively spawning females, while shallow reefs contained the greatest proportion of immature lionfish. We then compared lionfish behaviour in response to divers on shallow culled and mesophotic unculled Utilan reefs, and on shallow unculled reefs in Tela Bay, on the Honduran mainland. We found that mesophotic lionfish exhibited high alert distances, consistent with individuals previously exposed to culling despite being below the depth limits of removal. In addition, when examining stomach content, we found that fish were the major component of lionfish diets across the depth gradient. Importantly, our results suggest that despite adjacent shallow culling, MCEs retain substantial lionfish populations that may be disproportionately contributing towards continued lionfish recruitment onto the shallow reefs of Utila, potentially undermining current culling-based management.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Depth-dependent effects of culling—do mesophotic lionfish populations undermine current management?

et al. 2017

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“…Energy acquisition and allocation strategies vary across populations due to a variety of biotic and environmental factors, resulting in intraspecific variation in demographic rates over a range of spatial scales 1 – 6 . Understanding the drivers and consequences of these differences in individual demographic rates provides a key link to population and community dynamics 7 , 8 , and can be used to identify areas of high conservation priority, for example hotspots of enhanced growth and reproduction 9 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural nutrient subsidies alter demographic rates in a functionally important coral-reef fish

Benkwitt

Taylor

Meekan

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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By improving resource quality, cross-ecosystem nutrient subsidies may boost demographic rates of consumers in recipient ecosystems, which in turn can affect population and community dynamics. However, empirical studies on how nutrient subsidies simultaneously affect multiple demographic rates are lacking, in part because humans have disrupted the majority of these natural flows. Here, we compare the demographics of a sex-changing parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) between reefs where cross-ecosystem nutrients provided by seabirds are available versus nearby reefs where invasive, predatory rats have removed seabird populations. For this functionally important species, we found evidence for a trade-off between investing in growth and fecundity, with parrotfish around rat-free islands with many seabirds exhibiting 35% faster growth, but 21% lower size-based fecundity, than those around rat-infested islands with few seabirds. Although there were no concurrent differences in population-level density or biomass, overall mean body size was 16% larger around rat-free islands. Because the functional significance of parrotfish as grazers and bioeroders increases non-linearly with size, the increased growth rates and body sizes around rat-free islands likely contributes to higher ecosystem function on coral reefs that receive natural nutrient subsidies. More broadly, these results demonstrate additional benefits, and potential trade-offs, of restoring natural nutrient pathways for recipient ecosystems.

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“…; Goldstein et al. ). Ultimately, density distributions demonstrate that mid‐shelf reefs support dense populations of juvenile and adult demersal reef fish in comparison with habitats that are near their distributional boundaries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…; Goldstein et al. ). Population density data, depth‐specific demographics, and benthic habitat data were then used to estimate depth‐stratified weekly egg production for the entire reef habitat of the Florida Keys and mesophotic reef habitat at PR.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Habitat availability and depth‐driven population demographics regulate reproductive output of a coral reef fish

et al. 2016

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, J. Reed, and S. Sponaugle. 2016. Habitat availability and depth-driven population demographics regulate reproductive output of a coral reef fish. Ecosphere 7(11):e01542. 10. 1002/ecs2.1542 Abstract. Global habitat decline may displace organisms from optimal environments, increasing reliance on ecosystems with lower habitat suitability and availability. For coral reef fishes, potentially marginal mesophotic coral ecosystems (~30-150 m) may be buffered from anthropogenic stressors; however, variation in habitat quality across depths can alter population demographics, reproductive output, and subpopulation size, potentially restricting the ability for peripheral habitats to support declining populations through larval supply. This study incorporated population density, benthic habitat, and depth-stratified population demographics to assess bicolor damselfish (Stegastes partitus) subpopulation reproductive output from a broad geographic region encompassing the known depth distribution of the species, including coral reefs in the Florida Keys (0-35 m depths) and mesophotic reefs (~60-90 m) at Pulley Ridge (PR) on the west Florida Shelf. Results indicated that densities of bicolor damselfish peaked in mid-shelf (10-20 m) and deep-shelf (20-30 m) habitats, and subpopulation sizes and reproductive output peaked at mid-depths (10-20 m) in the Florida Keys and declined as depth increased. Subpopulation egg production was affected by differences in demographics across depths, including fish size, sex ratios, and a lower probability and frequency of spawning in deeper habitats. Despite low population densities on mesophotic reefs, the expansive reef area at PR resulted in an estimated subpopulation size that comprised ~14% of the population in the study region, and ~9% of the total reproductive output, indicating that peripheral mesophotic reefs may be sources of larvae that can subsidize declining populations. Larval dispersal and population connectivity models used to inform ecosystem management should incorporate spatially explicit demographics across depth distributions and habitat availability that have substantial effects on egg production and larval supply.

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Demographic and reproductive plasticity across the depth distribution of a coral reef fish

Cited by 20 publications

References 53 publications

Depth-dependent effects of culling—do mesophotic lionfish populations undermine current management?

Depth-dependent effects of culling—do mesophotic lionfish populations undermine current management?

Natural nutrient subsidies alter demographic rates in a functionally important coral-reef fish

Habitat availability and depth‐driven population demographics regulate reproductive output of a coral reef fish

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