Osuka, Kennedy orcid.org/0000-0001-7940-5411, Stewart, Bryce Donald orcid.org/0000-0001-5103-5041, Samoilys, Melita et al. (5 more authors) (2022) Depth and habitat are important drivers of abundance for predatory reef fish off Pemba Island, Tanzania. Marine Environmental Research. 105587. ISSN 0141-1136
Abstract
Coral reefs across the world face significant threats from fishing and climate change, which tends to be most acute in shallower waters. This is the case off Pemba Island, Tanzania, yet the effects of these anthropogenic stressors on the distribution and abundance of economically and ecologically important predatory reef fish, including how they vary with depth and habitat type, is poorly understood. Thus, we deployed 79 baited remote underwater videos stations (BRUVs) in variable water depths and habitats off Pemba Island, and modelled the effects of depth and habitat on abundance of predatory reef fish. Predatory reef fish types/taxa were significantly predicted by depth and habitat types. Habitats in relatively deeper waters and dominated by hard and soft corals hosted high species richness and abundance of predatory reef fish types/taxa compared to mixed sandy and rubble habitats. The findings add to the growing evidence that deep waters around coral reefs are important habitats for predatory reef fish. Thus, careful management, through effective area and species protection measures, is needed to prevent further depletion of predatory reef-associated fish populations and to conserve of this biologically important area.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Coral reefs,Predation,Fisheries,Conservation,BRUVs |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of York |
Academic Units: | The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Mathematics (York) The University of York > Faculty of Sciences (York) > Environment and Geography (York) |
Depositing User: | Pure (York) |
Date Deposited: | 09 Mar 2022 11:10 |
Last Modified: | 20 Feb 2025 00:09 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105571 |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105571 |
Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:184538 |
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