Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific
Herbivorous fish can mediate spatial competition between algae and corals, which is crucial for coral ecosystems. However, in areas with limited coral coverage like the Mexican tropical Pacific (MTP), this dynamic is not fully understood. This study, using a functional trait approach and ordination...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Oceans |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/5/1/2 |
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| author | Diana Morales-de-Anda Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña Consuelo María Aguilar-Betancourt Gaspar González-Sansón Fabián Alejandro Rodríguez-Zaragoza Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso |
| author_facet | Diana Morales-de-Anda Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña Consuelo María Aguilar-Betancourt Gaspar González-Sansón Fabián Alejandro Rodríguez-Zaragoza Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso |
| author_sort | Diana Morales-de-Anda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Herbivorous fish can mediate spatial competition between algae and corals, which is crucial for coral ecosystems. However, in areas with limited coral coverage like the Mexican tropical Pacific (MTP), this dynamic is not fully understood. This study, using a functional trait approach and ordination analysis, explores whether herbivorous reef fish assemblage influences the benthic habitat components or if physicochemical factors define the habitat variability in the MTP’s Cleofas and Marietas insular systems. We analyzed if this relationship persisted across systems and over time, and identified species traits tied to habitat variability. Island comparison analyses between Cleofas and Marietas reveal that both herbivorous reef fish and physicochemical variables shape the habitat. Cleofas had larger mobile herbivorous fish that formed groups related mostly to macroalgae cover. In contrast, temporal analysis of Marietas shows that the habitat is primarily shaped by physicochemical variables with herbivorous fish being mainly small farmer species related to branching corals. Notably, these closely situated insular systems present varied ecosystem mediators, influenced by diverse drivers including fish traits and environmental factors. This study underscores the potential of employing a framework of ecological species traits combined with ordination methods to unravel the distinct site dynamics that contribute to the persistence of coral ecosystems within the MTP. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:56:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f8e7ca58816b4c70b866d5ace538d2b9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-1924 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:56:44Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Oceans |
| spelling | doaj.art-f8e7ca58816b4c70b866d5ace538d2b92024-03-27T13:58:28ZengMDPI AGOceans2673-19242024-01-0151213710.3390/oceans5010002Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical PacificDiana Morales-de-Anda0Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña1Consuelo María Aguilar-Betancourt2Gaspar González-Sansón3Fabián Alejandro Rodríguez-Zaragoza4Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso5Laboratorio de Ecología de Ecosistemas de Arrecifes Coralinos (LEEAC), Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Cinvestav, Unidad Mérida, Mérida 97205, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Marina (LEMAC), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CUCosta Universidad de Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta 48280, MexicoDepartamento de Estudios para el Desarrollo Sustentable de la Zona Costera, CUCSur Universidad de Guadalajara, Cihuatlán 48980, MexicoDepartamento de Estudios para el Desarrollo Sustentable de la Zona Costera, CUCSur Universidad de Guadalajara, Cihuatlán 48980, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Microbiología y Taxonomía (LEMITAX), Departamento de Ecología, CUCBA, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan 45200, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Marina (LEMAC), Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CUCosta Universidad de Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta 48280, MexicoHerbivorous fish can mediate spatial competition between algae and corals, which is crucial for coral ecosystems. However, in areas with limited coral coverage like the Mexican tropical Pacific (MTP), this dynamic is not fully understood. This study, using a functional trait approach and ordination analysis, explores whether herbivorous reef fish assemblage influences the benthic habitat components or if physicochemical factors define the habitat variability in the MTP’s Cleofas and Marietas insular systems. We analyzed if this relationship persisted across systems and over time, and identified species traits tied to habitat variability. Island comparison analyses between Cleofas and Marietas reveal that both herbivorous reef fish and physicochemical variables shape the habitat. Cleofas had larger mobile herbivorous fish that formed groups related mostly to macroalgae cover. In contrast, temporal analysis of Marietas shows that the habitat is primarily shaped by physicochemical variables with herbivorous fish being mainly small farmer species related to branching corals. Notably, these closely situated insular systems present varied ecosystem mediators, influenced by diverse drivers including fish traits and environmental factors. This study underscores the potential of employing a framework of ecological species traits combined with ordination methods to unravel the distinct site dynamics that contribute to the persistence of coral ecosystems within the MTP.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/5/1/2traitsfunctional ecologyRLQreefs |
| spellingShingle | Diana Morales-de-Anda Amílcar Leví Cupul-Magaña Consuelo María Aguilar-Betancourt Gaspar González-Sansón Fabián Alejandro Rodríguez-Zaragoza Alma Paola Rodríguez-Troncoso Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific Oceans traits functional ecology RLQ reefs |
| title | Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific |
| title_full | Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific |
| title_fullStr | Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific |
| title_full_unstemmed | Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific |
| title_short | Herbivorous Reef Fish Interaction with the Habitat and Physicochemical Variables in Coral Ecosystems in the Mexican Tropical Pacific |
| title_sort | herbivorous reef fish interaction with the habitat and physicochemical variables in coral ecosystems in the mexican tropical pacific |
| topic | traits functional ecology RLQ reefs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-1924/5/1/2 |
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