High intraspecific variation in the diet of the french angelfish Pomacanthus paru in the south-western Atlantic

Grazing by reef fishes is among the most important biotic factors controlling the structure of benthic communities in coral reefs and tropical rocky shores (e.g., HIXON, 1983). Exclusion experiments have widely demonstrated that fish grazing is a key factor determining algal abundance, with direct a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of oceanography 2012-09, Vol.60 (3), p.449-454
Main Authors: Batista, Daniela, Muricy, Guilherme Ramos da Silva, Andréa, Barbara Rustum, Villaça, Roberto Campos
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
algas
Angelfish
diet
dieta
Peixe-anjo
Pomacanthus paru
Porifera
South-eastern Brazil
Sudeste do Brasil
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Summary:Grazing by reef fishes is among the most important biotic factors controlling the structure of benthic communities in coral reefs and tropical rocky shores (e.g., HIXON, 1983). Exclusion experiments have widely demonstrated that fish grazing is a key factor determining algal abundance, with direct and indirect effects on corals and other competing benthic organisms (e.g., SAMMARCO, 1983; LEWIS, 1986; HUGUES et al., 2007). Grazer exclusion reduces the resilience of coral reefs in face of disturbances such as hurricanes, bleaching events, and climate change (HUGUES et al., 2007; MUMBY, 2009). Underwater observations and palatability, caging and transplantation experiments indicate that grazing by reef fish also has strong influence on the abundance, distribution and shape of sponges (PAWLIK, 1998; WULFF, 2000; RUZICKA; GLEASON, 2009; LOH; PAWLIK, 2009).
ISSN:1679-8759
1982-436X
1679-8759
1982-436X
DOI:10.1590/S1679-87592012000300015