Berkström, Charlotte
- Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Stockholm University
Abstract
Tropical seagrass meadows are critical habitats for many fish species, yet few studies have investigated the influence of multiple scale-dependent factors and marine protected areas on seagrass fish species of differing life histories. We assessed the influence of fine-scale seagrass meadow characteristics and seascape-scale variables on the abundance of fish in a seagrass-dominated seascape in the Bazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique, particularly examining patterns of nursery- vs. resident species as well as mobile- vs. sedentary species. We found that fish distribution patterns in this seagrass-dominated seascape were dependent on species' life history characteristics; nursery taxa showed lower abundance in seagrass meadows further from adult reef habitats, while resident species within seagrass meadows occurred in higher abundances far from reefs. For taxa utilizing both mangroves and seagrass meadows as nursery habitat, proximity to mangroves was an important factor. Fish abundances were generally influenced by variables at the seascape scale (km), while sedentary species were predominantly influenced by area variables, and smaller seascapes (
Keywords
Seagrass; Reef fish; Seascape ecology; Boosted regression trees; Nursery habitat; Marine protected areas
Published in
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
2022, volume: 266, article number: 107738
SLU Authors
Global goals (SDG)
UKÄ Subject classification
Ecology
Fish and Aquacultural Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2021.107738
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/115509