51. Evaluation of algal regulation by herbivorous fishes on Caribbean coral reefs
- Author
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Claude Bouchon, Dorothée Kopp, Yolande Bouchon-Navaro, Alexandre Haouisée, Max Louis, Sébastien Cordonnier, Dynamique des écosystèmes Caraïbe et biologie des espèces associées (DYNECAR EA 926), and Université des Antilles et de la Guyane (UAG)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Caribbean ,geography ,Herbivore ,Algal consumption ,Coral reefs ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Resilience of coral reefs ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Coral reef ,Aquatic Science ,Biology ,Oceanography ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Fishery ,Herbivorous fishes ,Herbivory pressure ,Marine protected area ,14. Life underwater ,Aquaculture of coral ,Environmental issues with coral reefs ,Coral reef protection ,Reef - Abstract
International audience; The role of herbivorous fishes in maintaining low macroalgal cover was evaluated on coral reefs on several reef sites from Guadeloupe, either protected or not. Grazing by herbivorous fishes was assessed on different algal facies using fish-bite counts. Algal consumption by fish was estimated as well as algal production. Bite counts revealed that herbivorous fishes feed preferentially on algal turf and avoid brown macroalgae. The algal consumption varied between 0.4 and 2.8 g m days and was higher inside marine protected areas than outside. Comparison with algal production revealed that herbivorous fishes did not succeed in regulating algal growth. The insufficient number of grazers may lead to the dominance of stable assemblages of macroalgae on coral reefs, preventing the recovery of reef into previous coral-dominated ecosystems.
- Published
- 2009
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