Scholarlink

<p>Understanding the biological foundations of culturally important fisheries is essential for their sustainable management, particularly in data-limited regions. <i>Siganus spinus</i> (Little spinefoot, also known as Scribbled rabbitfish) is a fast-growing, short-lived, and highly fecund reef fish that supports a centuries-old seasonal fishery in the Mariana Islands. This study characterizes the life history and reproductive ecology of <i>S. spinus</i> in the southern Mariana Islands using otolith-based aging, histological examinations of gonadal tissue, gonadosomatic index (GSI) analysis, and traditional ecological knowledge of Chamorro fishers. Results reveal a highly truncated, fast-paced life-history strategy, with most individuals maturing within six months of recruitment and rarely living beyond one year. Biannual spawning peaks in March–April and August–September were followed by recruitment events ~ 30&#xa0;days later, demonstrating tight spawning--recruitment synchrony. These biological patterns align with the traditional <i>mañåhak</i> harvests in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, represented by mass collection of juvenile rabbitfish timed to lunar cues and environmental signals. <i>Siganus spinus</i> exhibits traits associated with high resilience, yet also strong stochasticity in population dynamics. This dynamic is accentuated by very high natural mortality and punctuated by annual recruitment pulses of widely varying magnitude. Interannual variability in recruitment is likely driven by oceanographic conditions, fluctuations in resource availability, and associated changes in fecundity. The species is genetically distinct in the Mariana Islands, suggesting a self-recruiting population where recruitment failure could have significant local impacts. These findings underscore the importance of integrating place-based ecological knowledge with empirical life-history data to inform sustainable, culturally-grounded management of reef fisheries.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Reproductive ecology and life history of Siganus spinus support long-term indigenous harvest in the Mariana Islands

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月20日

查看全文
  • Brett M. Taylor,
  • Cassandra Pardee,
  • Logen M. Flem,
  • John Wiley,
  • Leilani Sablan

摘要

Understanding the biological foundations of culturally important fisheries is essential for their sustainable management, particularly in data-limited regions. Siganus spinus (Little spinefoot, also known as Scribbled rabbitfish) is a fast-growing, short-lived, and highly fecund reef fish that supports a centuries-old seasonal fishery in the Mariana Islands. This study characterizes the life history and reproductive ecology of S. spinus in the southern Mariana Islands using otolith-based aging, histological examinations of gonadal tissue, gonadosomatic index (GSI) analysis, and traditional ecological knowledge of Chamorro fishers. Results reveal a highly truncated, fast-paced life-history strategy, with most individuals maturing within six months of recruitment and rarely living beyond one year. Biannual spawning peaks in March–April and August–September were followed by recruitment events ~ 30 days later, demonstrating tight spawning--recruitment synchrony. These biological patterns align with the traditional mañåhak harvests in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, represented by mass collection of juvenile rabbitfish timed to lunar cues and environmental signals. Siganus spinus exhibits traits associated with high resilience, yet also strong stochasticity in population dynamics. This dynamic is accentuated by very high natural mortality and punctuated by annual recruitment pulses of widely varying magnitude. Interannual variability in recruitment is likely driven by oceanographic conditions, fluctuations in resource availability, and associated changes in fecundity. The species is genetically distinct in the Mariana Islands, suggesting a self-recruiting population where recruitment failure could have significant local impacts. These findings underscore the importance of integrating place-based ecological knowledge with empirical life-history data to inform sustainable, culturally-grounded management of reef fisheries.