Fish community structure and dynamics in five reef environments
Gladfelter WB. 1980. Fish community structure and dynamics in five reef environments. In Gladfelter EH and Gladfelter WB (ed). Environmental Studies of Buck Island Reef National Monument III St Croix, USVI. National Park Service
Monthly fish community composition was determined through visual censusing techniques at 5 contrasting reef sites (north lagoon patchreef, south lagoon patchreef, south forereef, east forereef and northwest leeward) at Buck Island Reef National Monument, and results are presented in a table. A total of 127 species were found at the combined sites, with 108 found at the south forereef, 92 at the east forereef, 83 at the north patchreef, 80 at the northwest leeward site and a low of 70 at the southwest patchreef. The south forereef had the highest number of unique species (9) with an additional 9 species that occurred only at the 2 forereef sites. Fish density roughly paralleled species number, with the highest mean number of individuals (excluding atherinids and clupeids) on the south forereef followed by the east forereef and the lowest at the southwest patchreef. Fishes were also analyzed by feeding guild; the higher fish densities at the forereef sites can be explained solely by the far greater numbers of diurnal plankton feeders at these sites relative to the other sites. Herbivores collectively represented 74% of the fauna at the north lagoon patchreef, 50% at the southwest lagoon patch reef and only 24% on the east forereef. Other feeding guilds are similarly analyzed and discussed. Species diversity was generally highest at all sites mid to late summer and lowest in mid-winter. Peak in total individual abundance is late spring; juveniles peak in late spring, while adult abundances peak in late summer to fall.
- Type
- Book Chapter
- Authors
- Gladfelter, William
- Units
- BUIS
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, Biodiversity, Distribution, Fish, Population, Reefs, Seasonality, Species Richness