Growth, mortality and turnover rates of a small detritivorous fish

Wilson, Shaun K.

doi:10.3354/meps284253

Cited by 34 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(35 reference statements)

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“…Furthermore, their diverse trophic links reflects their involvement in a number of trophic roles and pathways, in particular carnivory on benthic microfauna and the recycling of primary productivity through detrital pathways (Depczynski and Bellwood 2003;Wilson et al 2003). Their high rates of mortality also suggest a strong trophic link to primary and secondary consumers in the coral reef food chain (Kritzer 2002;Wilson 2004;Depczynski and Bellwood 2005). Collectively, these traits suggest a dynamic role in reef ecosystems considerably beyond that suggested by their static biomass.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs

et al. 2007

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Although critically important, the link between animal life histories and ecosystem energetics is seldom explored. In the pursuit of ecological simplification, ecosystem properties are typically described by models based on static counts, where organisms are aggregated into trophic- or size-based groups. Consequently, output is often based on an assumption that larger group biomass equals greater energetic contribution. Here, we modelled the individual growth of over 58,000 fishes from 74 genera within a coral reef ecosystem to investigate the role and importance of taxon-specific life histories to the division, spatial distribution and relative contribution of biomass production within 14 coral reef fish families. Rank changes among families in standing biomass to biomass production indicated that small cryptic families (e.g. Gobiidae and Blenniidae) exhibit collective growth potentials equal to or exceeding those of many other common families composed of individuals with body-sizes 1-3 orders of magnitude larger. Remaining at high risk of predation throughout their lives as a consequence of their small size, these cryptic fishes also provide a constant food resource and supply of reproductive energy to coral reefs throughout the year. Enhanced further by the strength and diversity of their trophic relationships within food webs, the highly productive nature of these small cryptic fishes suggests they make a substantial contribution to the flow of energy in coral reef ecosystems via predatory pathways. It appears that life histories leave a strong imprint on ecosystem energy fluxes and illustrate the importance of incorporating taxon-specific features when assigning values to key ecosystem processes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs

et al. 2007

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“…Food processing modes including feeding rates, gut transit frequencies and the presence of fermenting endosymbionts reflect a classification based on diet (Choat et al 2004). In terms of relative abundances, nominally herbivorous fish faunas are dominated by species feeding on detrital aggregates in the reef environments investigated, while unambiguously herbivorous species are a minority at most sites (Choat et al 2004, Wilson 2004.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutritional ecology of nominally herbivorous fishes on coral reefs

Crossman¹,

Choat²,

Clements³

2005

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

112

125

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Nominally herbivorous acanthurids (surgeonfishes) and scarids (parrotfishes) have often been considered a 'homogeneous' functional group that consumes and digests algae. Recent work demonstrates that many of these fishes consume detritus. The objective of this study was to investigate the composition of dietary nutrients targeted by these and other fishes in terms of feeding behaviour, diet and short chain fatty acids (SCFA). We undertook a nutritional analysis of a range of species including detritivores, algivores, omnivores and planktivores from north eastern Australia. We calculated assimilation efficiencies for total protein amino acids (TAA), carbohydrate and lipid, and measured TAA in gut fluid along the intestine. Nutrients were assimilated similarly to their dietary proportions, with planktivores assimilating a high proportion of TAA, a moderate proportion of lipid and little carbohydrate. Omnivores assimilated moderate proportions of TAA and carbohydrate, and a low proportion of lipid. Algivores assimilated a low proportion of TAA and lipid, but a high proportion of carbohydrate. Detritivorous scarids and acanthurids differed significantly from algivores, assimilating a high proportion of TAA, a low proportion of carbohydrate and a moderate proportion of lipid. TAA levels in gut fluid of all species were highest in the anterior and lowest in the posterior intestine. Gut segments with highest TAA values were compared between dietary groups and followed a similar trend to TAA assimilation. Planktivores had high concentrations of TAA, while omnivores had intermediate, and algivores the lowest, concentrations. The highest gut fluid TAA concentrations were found in detritivorous scarids and acanthurids, and were significantly higher than in algivores. A significant negative correlation was found between anterior intestinal fluid TAA and posterior intestinal SCFA values. Detritivores had the highest levels of TAA but the lowest levels of SCFA. Planktivorous species had high levels of TAA and low to intermediate levels of SCFA. Omnivores had moderate levels of both TAA and SCFA. Algivores had low levels of TAA but high levels of SCFA. This indicates that there are major differences in the food resources targeted by detritivorous and algivorous fish species on coral reefs.

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“…The turnover (production-to-biomass, P/B) rates of species of even smallerbodied reef fishes are likely more extreme, with estimates of Z, the total mortality rate (=P/B at population equilibrium) exceeding 5 to 6, equivalent to finite mortality rates ≥99% yr -1 (e.g. Kritzer 2002, Wilson 2004). Short-lived, lower trophic level fish thus serve as energetic shunts, converting food like plankton and algae into fish biomass, which is quickly transferred to and stored in long-lived, higher-trophic-level fish through predation.…”

Section: Inverted Biomass Pyramidsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in fish-assemblage structure between fished and unfished atolls in the northern Line Islands, central Pacific

DeMartini¹,

Friedlander²,

Sandin³

et al. 2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

189

210

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We describe the abundance, biomass, size composition, and trophic structure of fish assemblages of shallow (10 m depth) fore reef habitats at 2 US Pacific atolls (Kingman, Palmyra) and 2 Kiribati-owned atolls (Tabuaeran, Kiritimati) in the northern Line Islands. Our characterization spans several coincident gradients (in human habitation and exploitation, latitude, and nutrient upwelling) from uninhabited, presently unfished, and oligotrophic Kingman to relatively densely populated, fished, and equatorially upwelled Kiritimati. Major findings are most consistent with direct effects of extraction on large-bodied predators and indirect effects on lower-level assemblage structure. Fish assemblages at Palmyra and especially Kingman atolls were characterized by high total standing biomass, large average body sizes, a preponderance of apex predators and other piscivorous fishes in an inverted biomass pyramid, few and small planktivorous fishes, and herbivores dominated by non-territorial species. Median body sizes at color change from initial to terminal phase (an index of sex change in parrotfishes) were also small for 4 species of parrotfish at Kingman and Palmyra. Fish assemblages at Tabuaeran and especially Kiritimati atolls had starkly contrasting characteristics: piscivorous and other fisheries-targeted fishes were depauperate, lower-trophic levels dominated fish biomass, planktivorous fishes were larger-bodied and more numerous, territorial herbivores were better represented, and size at maturation in parrotfishes was proportionately larger. Our results show the effects that even modest fishing effort can have on assemblage structure and indicate the importance of reefs like Kingman as increasingly rare relicts of natural coral reefs, providing insights into the natural structure and function of these ecosystems.

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Growth, mortality and turnover rates of a small detritivorous fish

Cited by 34 publications

References 36 publications

Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs

Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs

Nutritional ecology of nominally herbivorous fishes on coral reefs

Differences in fish-assemblage structure between fished and unfished atolls in the northern Line Islands, central Pacific

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