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<p>Coral patch reefs comprise ecologically important habitats for sub-adult fishes during ontogenetic shifts from nearshore mangroves and seagrasses to contiguous offshore reefs. Amid worsening global and local stressors, understanding the attributes of patch reefs that support this function is crucial for informing conservation and restoration. This study examined how reefscape position, environmental conditions, habitat structure, and biotic community composition of patch reefs off the Florida Keys, USA, influence the abundances of two habitat-shifting fish species: the grey snapper (<i>Lutjanus griseus</i>) and the bluestriped grunt (<i>Haemulon sciurus</i>). We partitioned sub-adult <i>L. griseus and H. sciurus</i> abundance records (including individuals 9.51–24.71 and 11.90–25.33&#xa0;cm total length [TL], respectively) in our analyses into calibration and validation subsets. We then fit zero-inflated negative binomial regressions and evaluated predictive accuracy and covariate contributions. When allowing a ± 5 variation from observed fish counts, the fitted <i>L. griseus</i> and <i>H. sciurus</i> models achieved predictive accuracies of 83.78% and 64.86%, respectively. The two species showed similar responses to various factors, exhibiting higher abundances on small, spatially isolated patch reefs hosting predators and fringed by seagrass. Additionally, patch reefs with elevated summer salinities and warmer winter temperatures harboured significantly higher abundances of the focal species. Depth, slope, and bathymetric position index also influenced sub-adult abundance in the same direction, though to varying statistical magnitudes, with both species showing a preference for shallower patch reefs located along steep slopes and in dips or valleys within the seascape. Our findings highlight key reef features that could support migrating reef fish, informing habitat protection and enhancement strategies.</p>

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Biogeophysical drivers of abundance for habitat-shifting reef fishes on stepping-stone coral patch reefs

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年2月3日

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  • Sofia W. S. Panzetta,
  • Courtney E. Stuart,
  • Stephanie J. Green

摘要

Coral patch reefs comprise ecologically important habitats for sub-adult fishes during ontogenetic shifts from nearshore mangroves and seagrasses to contiguous offshore reefs. Amid worsening global and local stressors, understanding the attributes of patch reefs that support this function is crucial for informing conservation and restoration. This study examined how reefscape position, environmental conditions, habitat structure, and biotic community composition of patch reefs off the Florida Keys, USA, influence the abundances of two habitat-shifting fish species: the grey snapper (Lutjanus griseus) and the bluestriped grunt (Haemulon sciurus). We partitioned sub-adult L. griseus and H. sciurus abundance records (including individuals 9.51–24.71 and 11.90–25.33 cm total length [TL], respectively) in our analyses into calibration and validation subsets. We then fit zero-inflated negative binomial regressions and evaluated predictive accuracy and covariate contributions. When allowing a ± 5 variation from observed fish counts, the fitted L. griseus and H. sciurus models achieved predictive accuracies of 83.78% and 64.86%, respectively. The two species showed similar responses to various factors, exhibiting higher abundances on small, spatially isolated patch reefs hosting predators and fringed by seagrass. Additionally, patch reefs with elevated summer salinities and warmer winter temperatures harboured significantly higher abundances of the focal species. Depth, slope, and bathymetric position index also influenced sub-adult abundance in the same direction, though to varying statistical magnitudes, with both species showing a preference for shallower patch reefs located along steep slopes and in dips or valleys within the seascape. Our findings highlight key reef features that could support migrating reef fish, informing habitat protection and enhancement strategies.