The role of microhabitat preference and social organization in determining the spatial distribution of a coral reef fish

Kane, Corinne; Brooks, Andrew J.; Holbrook, Sally J.; Schmitt, Russell J.

doi:10.1007/s10641-008-9377-z

Cited by 36 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Previous studies have shown that branch space increases with colony size (Kuwamura et al 1994, Schiemer et al 2008, Kane et al 2009). To account for this, colony size was kept constant for the different treatments (largest diameter range 21 to 28 cm).…”

Section: Effect Of Host Structure and Health On Survivorship And Condmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…The morphological variation within this species is much larger than differences between some congenerics (e.g. Acropora) and is expected to influence patterns of habitat use by coral-dwelling fishes (Kane et al 2009, Messmer et al 2011.…”

Section: Study Site and Speciesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…To date a range of responses have been observed for different habitat attributes. For example, patch size appears to determine group size for some coraldwelling fishes (Schmitt & Holbrook 1999, Thompson et al 2007, while for others, fewer, larger individuals control larger patches , Kane et al 2009). Susceptibility to predation, recruitment success and sub-lethal condition have all been linked to changes in coral health, even for species that have no direct dependence on live coral (Feary et al 2007b, Coker et al 2009, McCormick 2009, McCormick et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of different coral species makes it difficult to isolate the effects of differences in structure from other potential differences between coral species. Many coral species exhibit substantial intraspecific morphological variation (Veron & Pichon 1976, Vytopil & Willis 2001, Schiemer et al 2008, Kane et al 2009) that may have a dramatic influence on the quality of the shelter they provide to fishes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coral size, health and structural complexity: effects on the ecology of a coral reef damselfish

Noonan¹,

Jones²,

Pratchett³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The structure and dynamics of animal populations are strongly influenced by the physical and biotic characteristics of their habitats. However, in complex habitats such as coral reefs, the particular habitat features that are important and the mechanisms that impact on populations are poorly understood. This study investigates the influence of coral colony size, health and branching structure of the host coral Seriatopora hystrix on the ecology of the resident damselfish Chromis retrofasciata. Field observations indicated C. retrofasciata preferentially occupied larger S. hystrix colonies, but among occupied corals, group size was greatest on colonies of an intermediate size and with wider branch spacing. Healthy corals were observed to support higher abundances. The effects of both coral health (live vs. dead) and coral complexity (fine, medium and coarse branching) on survivorship of stocked juvenile C. retrofasciata were examined in a patch reef experiment. Survival was 20% higher in living colonies compared to dead ones, and fish in medium complexity coral exhibited approximately 10 and 20% greater survival than those in both the low and high complexity categories, respectively. These factors had an additive effect with the highest survival observed on healthy colonies with intermediate complexity (95%) and the lowest on highly complex, dead corals (55%). Body size distributions were also reduced on corals with the narrowest branch spacing. During habitat selection trials, juveniles were observed to preferentially occupy colonies with intermediate branch spacing. Prey may prefer corals of intermediate spacing and survive better as such habitats provide shelter that obstructs predator access. This study provides evidence that suggests small reef fish species will be sensitive to disturbances that result in the loss of live coral and alter preferred structural complexity of habitats.

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Section: Effect Of Host Structure and Health On Survivorship And Condmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Study Site and Speciesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coral size, health and structural complexity: effects on the ecology of a coral reef damselfish

Noonan¹,

Jones²,

Pratchett³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Large colonies of Pocillopora are their preferred microhabitat (Kane et al 2009), where they perch to hawk invertebrates and small fishes (Hiatt andStrasburg 1960, Shima et al 2008) including young damselfishes (S. J. Holbrook and R. J. Schmitt, personal observation). When present, arceye hawkfish typically occur singly on a Pocillopora coral (Kane et al 2009). …”

Section: Study Locality and Study Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intraguild predation in a structured habitat: distinguishing multiple‐predator effects from competitor effects

Schmitt

Holbrook

Brooks

et al. 2009

Ecology

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Abstract. The ability to forecast community dynamics requires, among other things, an understanding of indirect effects and nonlinearities in webs of interacting species, together with knowledge of how habitat structure mediates interactions. We explored these aspects for a coral reef system in Moorea, French Polynesia, involving intraguild predation where the shared damselfish prey ( juvenile yellowtail dascyllus Dascyllus flavicaudus) and two species of intraguild (IG) prey (the ambush predators arc-eye hawkfish Paracirrhites arcatus and redspotted coral crab Trapezia rufopunctata) shelter together in branching Pocilloporid corals for protection from mobile IG predators. Field experiments revealed that both IG prey had strong adverse effects on survivorship of juvenile damselfish, but that the dominant underlying process was competition for enemy-free space and not direct consumption. In this case, the combined effect of hawkfish and crabs did not result in either risk enhancement or risk reduction for the damselfish. Similarly, the combined influence of IG predators and IG prey on the shared prey also was indistinguishable from that expected from their independent effects. Habitat structure weakened the IG-prey-IG-predator interaction; IG prey were much stronger space competitors with damselfish than resource competitors with IG predators. As a consequence, there was not a trophic cascade where damselfish benefited by the adverse effect of IG predators on hawkfish or coral crabs. These results highlight the manner by which habitat structure can mediate species interactions and emphasize the need to understand the underlying mechanisms.

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Niche divergence along a fine‐scale ecological gradient in sympatric color morphs of a coral reef fish

2018

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Citation: Whitney, J. L., M. J. Donahue, and S. A. Karl. 2018. Niche divergence along a fine-scale ecological gradient in sympatric color morphs of a coral reef fish. Ecosphere 9(1):e02015. 10. 1002/ecs2.2015 Abstract. Color polymorphisms offer unique opportunities for testing the role of ecological adaptation and natural selection in the origin of species. However, the ecological conditions that facilitate the coexistence and speciation of color morphs in nature remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the ecological mechanisms maintaining the color polymorphism in the arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus), which consists of two common morphs (pink white-striped [PWS] and melanistic [MEL]) and less common intermediates that all coexist on shallow coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific. Our approach was to test whether ecologically based disruptive selection on color could explain the maintenance of and possible incipient divergence between sympatric color morphs. We compared patterns of spatial distribution, abundance, habitat use and preference, and niche overlap among color morphs at nine sites along the leeward coast of Hawaii Island. We demonstrate that despite co-occurring at all sites, sympatric color morphs show significant niche divergence along a steep ecological gradient. Morph frequencies correlate strongly with a multivariate gradient in coral community and reef topography, which explained 81% of the variability in relative abundance of the two main color morphs. Melanistic morphs were more frequent in shallow, steep surge zones dominated by Pocillopora corals. In contrast, PWS morphs were more frequent in deeper, sub-surge zones with higher coral cover dominated by Porites corals. Niche overlap analyses highlight how the two main morphs are partitioned on opposite ends of this continuous ecological gradient, while phenotypic intermediates are mostly restricted to intermediate habitats. The strong correlation between phenotype and environment suggests that morphs have fitness advantages in their respective habitats. We speculate that disruptive natural selection on color pattern to increase crypsis in heterogeneous visual environments has led to divergence in habitat preferences. The resulting ecological isolation provides a plausible mechanism for the persistence of multiple coexisting color phenotypes in P. arcatus. If divergence in color also affects mate choice, the evolution of reproductive isolation is likely to be promoted.

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The role of microhabitat preference and social organization in determining the spatial distribution of a coral reef fish

Cited by 36 publications

References 30 publications

Coral size, health and structural complexity: effects on the ecology of a coral reef damselfish

Coral size, health and structural complexity: effects on the ecology of a coral reef damselfish

Intraguild predation in a structured habitat: distinguishing multiple‐predator effects from competitor effects

Niche divergence along a fine‐scale ecological gradient in sympatric color morphs of a coral reef fish

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