Use of a lure in visual census significantly improves probability of detecting wait-ambushing and fast cruising predatory fish

Kruschel, Claudia; Schultz, Stewart T.

doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2011.11.015

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…We used a surface-based, nondestructive, underwater visual-census (VC) method enhanced with a simple 5 cm × 0.5 cm double-cone lead lure moved with a transparent monofilament line a few centimeters above the substratum. The lure has been shown to increase the probability of sampling fast-moving, cryptic, and motionless species [12,18,34]. VC offers important advantages over catch-based methods, including the potential to identify all species within their currently occupied habitats, to estimate the relative cover of each habitat in the sampled area, and to observe behavior of each fish visiting the lure, including predatory behavior targeting the lure.…”

Section: Sampling Fish and Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Aggressive Predation Drives Assembly of Adriatic Fish Communities

Kruschel

Schultz

2020

Diversity

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We performed over 19,000 lure-assisted, underwater visual fish census transects at over 140 shallow coastal sampling locations in the mid- eastern Adriatic sea of the Croatian mainland and islands, recording all fish taxa observed, their predatory behavior in response to the lure, and the cover of benthic habitats with which they were associated. We hypothesized that prey habitat preference was a learned or selected response to aggressive behavior by piscivorous mesopredators, and predicted that mobile prey would be spatially segregated from aggressive predators into different benthic habitats within local sampling sites. We found that aggressive piscivores were primarily wait-chase or cruise-chase mesopredators that preferentially foraged along heterogeneous habitat edges within juxtapositions of rock, unconsolidated sediment, macroalgae (Cystoseira spp.) and seagrass (usually Posidonia oceanica). Prey species and less aggressive piscivores avoided these heterogeneous habitats and preferred more homogeneous habitats that the aggressive predators in turn avoided. We found strong and consistent spatial segregation between aggressive predators on the one hand, and less aggressive predators and prey on the other hand. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that aggressive behavior by piscivorous species is the primary organizing force shaping assembly of fish communities at our study sites, driving preference and occupancy of heterogeneous and homogeneous benthic habitats. Management of shallow benthic resources should recognize the value of complementarity in habitats allowing coexistence of predators and prey through contrasting habitat preferences.

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Section: Sampling Fish and Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Speed was held constant for 10 seconds of travel but the transect length varied from 3 to 4.5 meters per second due to random variability in current. Each transect was defined by a straight line traversed by the lure and the sampling volume extended one meter to the right and left of the transect, from the snorkeler to the sea bottom [34].…”

Section: Transectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aggressive Predation Drives Assembly of Adriatic Fish Communities

Kruschel

Schultz

2020

Diversity

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“…Apex predators displayed lower values in density and biomass in all habitats. Fishing practices that target high trophic level species (Pauly et al, 1998;Macpherson, 2000), the shallow depth of the sampling (Tunesi et al, 2006) and the low detectability of apex predators during visual census (Kruschel & Schultz, 2011) could be considered responsible for the observed scarcity of their occurrence.…”

Section: Imberbis (A_imb) Coris Julis (C_jul) Diplodus Puntazzo (D_mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of habitat and substrate complexity on shallow sublittoral fish assemblages in the Cyclades Archipelago, North-eastern Mediterranean Sea

Giakoumi

Kokkoris

2013

Medit. Mar. Sci.

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This is the first study to explore fish community structure and its relations to habitat and topographic complexity in the shallow coastal waters of the Cyclades Archipelago, North-eastern Mediterranean Sea. In situ visual surveys were carried out at 233 sampling sites in 26 islands of the Cyclades Archipelago. Fish community parameters and biomass were estimated across seven substrate types: sand, seagrass, vertical walls, boulders, horizontal/subhorizontal continuous rock, rocky substrate with patches of sand, and rocky substrate with patches of sand and Posidonia oceanica. Topographic complexity and percentage of algal cover were estimated on hard substrate. Substrate type was found to be a determining factor affecting the structure and composition of fish assemblages. Species number, abundance and biomass were significantly lower in sandy areas and always higher on hard substrates, with seagrass habitats presenting intermediate values. Topographic complexity in rocky bottoms did not seem to affect species richness, density or biomass. This study provides a baseline for future evaluation of changes produced by potential management actions such as the creation of marine protected areas in the study region.

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“…The total number of recorded taxa (45) was somewhat higher than previously described in other Mediterranean areas (at similar depth and using visual census): 38 from the Balearic Islands (Frau et al, 2003), 37 from Alicante, Spain (Valle and Bayle-Sempere, 2009), 35 from the Ligurian Sea (Tunesi and Vacchi, 1993) and 34 from Otranto, Apulian coast (Guidetti, 2000). The higher number of recorded taxa is probably because the lureassisted visual census was used (Kruschel and Schultz, 2012). Visual counts facilitated by a device to lure out fish from their hideout into the view of the diver can significantly improve the probability of detecting small fish hidden within the seagrass canopy, predators that search for and encounter prey from a concealed position (e.g., ambush predators and wait-chase predators) or fast cruising predators which are easily overlooked during their brief appearance in regular transects (Kruschel and Schultz, 2012).…”

Section: The Fish Assemblage Of Posidonia Oceanica Meadowsmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…The higher number of recorded taxa is probably because the lureassisted visual census was used (Kruschel and Schultz, 2012). Visual counts facilitated by a device to lure out fish from their hideout into the view of the diver can significantly improve the probability of detecting small fish hidden within the seagrass canopy, predators that search for and encounter prey from a concealed position (e.g., ambush predators and wait-chase predators) or fast cruising predators which are easily overlooked during their brief appearance in regular transects (Kruschel and Schultz, 2012). A significant difference in abundance was found between complex mosaic meadows and continuous meadows bordering rock/bordering sand.…”

Section: The Fish Assemblage Of Posidonia Oceanica Meadowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seascape Context as a Driver of the Fish Community Structure of Posidonia oceanica Meadows in the Adriatic Sea

Čižmek

Tyre

Kruschel

et al. 2021

Croatian Journal of Fisheries

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Marine underwater habitats dominated by seagrass Posidonia oceanica play an essential role in fish community assembly, affecting taxonomic and functional diversity, abundance and fish behavior. The value of seagrasses as habitat depends on the spatial arrangement of the seascape elements and the availability of alternative habitats. Little is known about the effect of the seascape context of P. oceanica meadows on fish assemblages in the Mediterranean Sea. To identify P. oceanica meadows’ relative importance as a habitat for fishes, fish communities in the Croatian Adriatic Sea were investigated, using SCUBA lure-assisted visual census. The results show a significant effect of different arrangements of P. oceanica meadows’ seascape elements and surrounding habitats on fish community structure. Fragmented mosaic meadows with P. oceanica growing directly on and between rocky-algal reefs/boulders had significantly higher fish abundances compared to both types of continuous meadows (bordering rock and bordering sand). Continuous meadows bordering sand harbored the highest number of unique species. Evidence that alternative structured habitats within proximity to seagrass beds may affect the community structure of associated fish assemblages is provided, highlighting the need to consider P. oceanica meadows’ seascape context in conservation management and experimental design for fish community structure.

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Use of a lure in visual census significantly improves probability of detecting wait-ambushing and fast cruising predatory fish

Cited by 4 publications

References 26 publications

Aggressive Predation Drives Assembly of Adriatic Fish Communities

Aggressive Predation Drives Assembly of Adriatic Fish Communities

Effects of habitat and substrate complexity on shallow sublittoral fish assemblages in the Cyclades Archipelago, North-eastern Mediterranean Sea

Seascape Context as a Driver of the Fish Community Structure of Posidonia oceanica Meadows in the Adriatic Sea

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