Biscayne National Park study on reef fish community changes over time

Description

Reef fish assemblage structure was assessed in 20062007 (recent period) in Biscayne National Park, Florida, USA , and compared with data collected from 1977 to 1981 (historical period) from the same location. Substantial differences were observed in reef fish assemblage structure between periods. Sixty-four percent of species were observed less frequently in the recent period. Mean species richness per survey declined at all sites, with declines ranging from 9 to 27. Declines of fishery-targeted species were also observed and were consistent with but not greater than those observed for the reef fish assemblage as a whole. The observed declines appeared to be assemblage-wide, as a majority of species within all trophic guilds examined (spongivores, planktivores, herbivores, omnivores, invertivores, generalist carnivores, and piscivores) declined in frequency of occurrence between periods, with declines ranging from 55 of species for piscivores to 75 for omnivores. Mean number of species per survey declined for all guilds but herbivores, and ranged from a 14 decline for piscivores to 67 for planktivores. The declines observed in the present study are conceptually consistent with, but more extensive than, those recently documented for the Caribbean region as a whole and with those expected in coral reef systems that are heavily utilized by humans.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
57 zipped file containing zipped data as stored in the .accsp file https://grunt.sefsc.noaa.gov/parr/22980.zip
0 View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/22980
33 NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/sefsc/dmp/pdf/22980.pdf
0 The information provided on this page seeks to define how the GCMD Keywords are structured, used and accessed. It also provides information on how users can participate in the further development of the keywords. https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/find-data/idn/gcmd-keywords

Tags

  • visual observation
  • patch reefs
  • species
  • reef fish
  • 2006-2007
  • fisheries biology and ecology
  • noaa
  • southeast fisheries science center
  • doc/noaa/nmfs/sefsc
  • u.s. department of commerce
  • national marine fisheries service
  • agency small boat
  • abundance
  • 1977-1981
  • fisheries independent data
  • coral reefs
  • biscayne national park

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