Human and conservation factors affect spatial variation of reef fish assemblages in Colombian Pacific reefs.

ABSTRACT: Humans have both negative and positive impacts on marine communities: human everyday activities can degrade ecosystems, while conservation efforts can support their protection and recovery. Using an empirical database of fish assemblages compiled from 393 underwater visual censuses along the Colombian Pacific Coast, we assessed spatial variation in these assemblages and investigated whether they are shaped by human pressures, such as number of fishers and proximity to markets, as well as conservation measures, including protection status and the age of the marine protected areas. Our study reveals that remote locations have a higher fish density and biomass than those near the coast. We found that grunts (Haemulidae) were the most species-rich family and contributed the most to fish densit

SUBMITTER: Quimbayo JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12182057 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature