Influence of nursery microhabitats on the future abundance of a coral reef fish.

ABSTRACT: Species habitat associations are often complex, making it difficult to assess their influence on populations. Among coral reef fishes, habitat requirements vary among species and with ontogeny, but the relative importance of nursery and adult-preferred habitats on future abundances remain unclear. Moreover, adult populations may be influenced by recruitment of juveniles and assessments of habitat importance should consider relative effects of juvenile abundance. We conducted surveys across 16 sites and 200 km of reef to identify the microhabitat preferences of juveniles, sub-adults and adults of the damselfish Pomacentrus moluccensis Microhabitat preferences at different life-history stages were then combined with 6 years of juvenile abundance and microhabitat availability data to show tha

SUBMITTER: Wilson SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5013763 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature