Introduced substrates trigger colonization by reef-associated fish in a degraded coastal system

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 20(1), P. e0317431 - e0317431

Published: Jan. 30, 2025

Coastal reefs benefit the survival and growth of mobile organisms by providing shelter increased food availability. Under increasing pressure from human activities, coverage subtidal has decreased along world’s coasts. This decline is motivating efforts to restore these important habitats re-introducing hard substrates into coastal zone. However, many such projects use artificial substrates, as concrete or metal, that are not naturally occurring in marine environment. We experimentally introduced were either historically common a soft sediment-dominated ecosystem, mimicking with biodegradable material, monitored for species (fish invertebrates). Six tested: cockle shells, rocks two sizes (cobbles pebbles), wood, calcium carbonate shell fragments, structures based on potato starch. Within one year, fish prawns already attracted all substrates. On average, nearly five times abundant prawn abundance 30-fold reefs, compared bare sand bottom control. The community composition differed significantly community, but there no differences between types Interestingly, reef-associated fish, also soft-sediment dependent species, different flatfish gobies. Our results show that, even over shorter timespans, introductions provide opportunities support associated communities degraded systems.

Language: Английский

Depth partitioning of mesophotic reef fish communities on Pickle Bank seamount

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: March 27, 2025

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs)—reefs below 30m depth—represent distinct ecological communities that are under threat from local (e.g., fishing) and global climate change) disturbances. However, most MCEs remain unexplored, their not well characterized. on remote offshore seamounts further unexplored provide the opportunity to assess assembly rules comparatively less disturbed MCEs, given remoteness settlements with high human population densities. Here, we characterize fish community seamount of Pickle Bank in Central Caribbean Sea, exploring differences at a 25m depth compared mesophotic zone 45m depth. We found species composition between depths, significantly higher abundance while diversity richness were shallow sites. Species Labridae Scaridae dominated biomass sites, family Carangidae zone. There also trophic guilds macrocarnivore biomass, abundance, omnivore deep sites Despite logistical challenges limitations associated accessing seamounts, these data compelling evidence growing body literature documenting as unique habitats warranting collection obtain holistic understanding ecosystems.

Language: Английский