The impact of individual and combined abiotic factors on daily otolith growth in a coral reef fish.

ABSTRACT: Coral reefs are increasingly subjected to both local and global stressors, however, there is limited information on how reef organisms respond to their combined effects under natural conditions. This field study examined the growth response of the damselfish Neopomacentrus bankieri to the individual and combined effects of multiple abiotic factors. Turbidity, temperature, tidal movement, and wave action were recorded every 10 minutes for four months, after which the daily otolith growth of N. bankieri was aligned with corresponding abiotic conditions. Temperature was the only significant driver of daily otolith increment width, with increasing temperatures resulting in decreasing width. Although tidal movement was not a significant driver of increment width by itself, the combined effect o

SUBMITTER: Wenger AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4924089 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature