Shifting reef fish assemblages along a depth gradient in Pohnpei, Micronesia.

ABSTRACT: Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) continue to be understudied, especially in island locations spread across the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Pohnpei is the largest island in the Federated States of Micronesia, with a well-developed barrier reef, and steep slopes that descend to more than 1,000 m. Here we conducted visual surveys along a depth gradient of 0 to 60 m in addition to video surveys that extend to 130 m, with 72 belt transects and 12 roving surveys using closed-circuit rebreathers, to test for changes in reef fish composition from shallow to mesophotic depths. We observed 304 fish species across 47 families with the majority confined to shallow habitat. Taxonomic and trophic positions at 30 m showed similar compositions when compared against all other depths. However, assemblages were co

SUBMITTER: Coleman RR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5922234 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature