Assessing change on coral reefs: long-term trends in Caribbean reef fish abundance
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
Coral reefs are under threat worldwide from a combination of natural and man-made causes. In the Caribbean, for example, we found that coral cover has declined by 80% over the past three decades, triggering a region-wide shift from coral-dominated to algae-dominated reefs. These habitat changes, combined with fishing pressure, are expected to have had a considerable impact on reef fish communities. The aim of this project is to compile, for the first time, all existing published and unpublished information on reef fish abundance across the Caribbean. Using the same analytical techniques that we used to examine coral cover, a post-doctoral researcher will establish the long-term patterns of change in abundance of reef fish and relate these to changes in habitat and fishing pressure. In addition, the role of marine protected areas in altering the patterns of change in fish abundance, particularly for those species that are not exploited by fisheries, will be examined. This study will yield a unique picture of the large-scale ecological changes that have occurred on Caribbean coral reefs over the past 30 years.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Matthew Gage (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Abernethy K
(2007)
Why do fishers fish where they fish? Using the ideal free distribution to understand the behaviour of artisanal reef fishers
in Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Alvarez-Filip L
(2015)
Simplification of Caribbean reef-fish assemblages over decades of coral reef degradation.
in PloS one
ALVAREZ-FILIP L
(2011)
Region-wide temporal and spatial variation in Caribbean reef architecture: is coral cover the whole story? CORAL COVER DOES NOT PREDICT REEF COMPLEXITY
in Global Change Biology
Alvarez-Filip L
(2009)
Flattening of Caribbean coral reefs: region-wide declines in architectural complexity.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Alvarez-Filip L
(2011)
Drivers of region-wide declines in architectural complexity on Caribbean reefs
in Coral Reefs
Cote, Isabelle; Reynolds, John
(2006)
Coral Reef Conservation
Darling E
(2010)
Combined effects of two stressors on Kenyan coral reefs are additive or antagonistic, not synergistic
in Conservation Letters
Darling ES
(2008)
Quantifying the evidence for ecological synergies.
in Ecology letters
Fish M
(2008)
Construction setback regulations and sea-level rise: Mitigating sea turtle nesting beach loss
in Ocean & Coastal Management
Green S
(2011)
Foraging behaviour and prey consumption in the Indo-Pacific lionfish on Bahamian coral reefs
in Marine Ecology Progress Series
Molloy P
(2009)
Effects of marine reserve age on fish populations: a global meta-analysis
in Journal of Applied Ecology
Molloy P
(2010)
Relative size-at-sex-change in parrotfishes across the Caribbean: is there variance in a supposed life-history invariant?
in Evolutionary Ecology
Molloy P
(2009)
Effects of an artisanal fishery on non-spawning grouper populations
in Marine Ecology Progress Series
Paddack MJ
(2009)
Recent region-wide declines in Caribbean reef fish abundance.
in Current biology : CB
Semmens BX
(2010)
Using ecological null models to assess the potential for marine protected area networks to protect biodiversity.
in PloS one
Sutherland WJ
(2010)
A horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2010.
in Trends in ecology & evolution
Sutherland WJ
(2011)
Horizon scan of global conservation issues for 2011.
in Trends in ecology & evolution
Uyarra M
(2010)
Charging for Nature: Marine Park Fees and Management from a User Perspective
in AMBIO
| Description | We discovered a range of drivers for changes in coral reef ecological systems. |
| Exploitation Route | By applying the findings to coral reef conservation and understanding |
| Sectors | Environment |
| Description | To focus questions and research onto marine conservation issues, including horizon scanning. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
| Sector | Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal |