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Structuring of Indo-Pacific fish assemblages along the mangrove-seagrass continuum

Unsworth, Richard F. K., Garrard, Samantha L., De León, Pelayo Salinas, Cullen-Unsworth, Leanne Claire ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9134-7266, Smith, David J., Sloman, Katherine A. and Bell, James J. 2009. Structuring of Indo-Pacific fish assemblages along the mangrove-seagrass continuum. Aquatic Biology 5 (1) , pp. 85-95. 10.3354/ab00139

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Abstract

Indo-Pacific mangrove swamps and seagrass beds are commonly located in close proximity to each other, often creating complex ecosystems linked by biological and physical processes. Although they are thought to provide important nursery habitats for fish, only limited information exists about their usage by fish outside of estuaries. The present study investigated fish assemblages in non-estuarine intertidal habitats where mangroves and seagrass overlap (the mangrove–seagrass continuum). Three habitats (mangrove, mangrove edge, seagrass) were sampled at 4 sites of the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia, using underwater visual census. Ninety-one species of fish were observed at a mean density of 130.1 ± 37.2 ind. 1000 m–2. Predatory fish (fish that feed on invertebrates and/or fish) were the most dominant feeding groups in the mangroves, whilst omnivores dominated on the mangrove edge and in the seagrass. Although the habitats along the mangrove–seagrass continuum were observed to be important for many fish, only 22 of the 942 coral reef species known within the area utilised mangroves as nursery habitat and only 15 utilised seagrass. Despite finding evidence that nursery grounds in mangroves and seagrass may not directly support high coral reef fish diversity, many of the coral reef nursery species found in this study are likely to be key herbivores or apex predators as adult fish on local coral reefs, and thus highly important to local fisheries. Although mangroves are not permanently inundated by the tide, this study highlights their importance as fish habitats, which at high tide support a greater abundance of fish than seagrass beds. In the light of the high rate of destruction of these habitats, their role in supporting fish assemblages requires consideration in marine resource management programs.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Business (Including Economics)
Sustainable Places Research Institute (PLACES)
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GC Oceanography
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management
Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Uncontrolled Keywords: Mangrove–seagrass continuum ; Seascapes ; Connectivity ; Fish assemblages ; Trophic structuring ; Juvenile habitats ; Indonesia
Publisher: Inter-Research
ISSN: 1864-7782
Last Modified: 19 Oct 2022 09:09
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/20132

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