Habitat Selection During Settlement of Three Caribbean Coral Reef Fishes: Indications for Directed Settlement to Seagrass Beds and Mangroves

We studied the settlement patterns of three Caribbean coral reef fishes in three different habitat types: mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. The settlement patterns of the three species were not random and could best be explained by active habitat selection during settlement. "Acanthuru...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Limnology and oceanography 2007-03, Vol.52 (2), p.903-907
Main Authors: Pollux, B. J. A., Verberk, W. C. E. P., Dorenbosch, M., de la Morinière, E. Cocheret, Nagelkerken, I., van der Velde, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acanthurus bahianus
Agnatha. Pisces
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Aquatic habitats
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife
Coral reefs
Fish
Fish larvae
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Habitat conservation
Habitat preferences
Habitat selection
Lutjanus apodus
Marine
Marine fishes
Ocyurus chrysurus
Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking
Pisces
Reefs
Settlement patterns
Vertebrata
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Summary:We studied the settlement patterns of three Caribbean coral reef fishes in three different habitat types: mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs. The settlement patterns of the three species were not random and could best be explained by active habitat selection during settlement. "Acanthurus bahianus" preferentially settled on the shallow reef flat and in adjacent seagrass beds, "Lutjanus apodus" settled exclusively into mangroves, and "Ocyurus chrysurus," settled into both mangroves and seagrass beds. The settlement patterns of these three species reflect their habitat utilization during later juvenile stages. This study, therefore, suggests that the higher juvenile densities in mangroves and seagrass beds are determined by habitat selection during settlement rather than by post-settlement processes. This habitat selection during settlement is in accordance with the assumed importance of mangroves and seagrass beds as juvenile habitats of coral reef fishes and underlines the pressing need for their conservation.
ISSN:0024-3590
1939-5590
DOI:10.4319/lo.2007.52.2.0903