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Movement patterns and mechanisms of tropical coral reef fish
Abstract

Movement patterns and mechanisms of tropical coral reef fish

Chantal M Huijbers and Ivan Nagelkerken
2013 Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) Conference Program handbook and abstracts, p.136
Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) Conference: Shaping the future, 2013 (Gold Coast, Australia, 07-Jul-2013–11-Jul-2013)
2013
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https://www.amsa.asn.au/View
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Abstract

Ecology Ecological Applications
Tropical coastal ecosystems such as seagrass beds, mangrove forests and coral reefs harbor a large variety of organisms, whichcan link these ecosystems by movements across habitat boundaries. We investigated which sensory modalities are used for orientation towards these different habitats, and how different areas contribute to adult populations to provide a better understanding of connectivity in the tropical seascape. Results from several in and ex situ experiments revealed that multiple cues can be used for underwater orientation, but different cues induced different responses towards the same habitat. Stable isotope analysis of fish otoliths provided evidence for movement between seagrass and mangrove habitats and the coral reef. Additionally, different areas proved to contribute unequally to the adult fish population on the reef and showed that the spatial distribution of juvenile habitats might be an important driver for the spatial distribution of adult populations. While management strategies often focus on single habitat types, these findings provide evidence that considerable and complex interactions between various habitats in the tropical seascape occur. Understanding population dynamics of marine animals is of major importance for example for the design and placement of marine reserves.

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