The effects of distance from coral reefs on seagrass nursery use by 5 emperor fishes at the southern Ryukyu Islands,Japan |
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| Authors: | Yohei Nakamura Masahiro Horinouchi Mitsuhiko Sano Takuro Shibuno |
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| Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Ecology and Systematic, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan;(2) Research Center for Coastal Lagoon Environments, Shimane University, Matsue, Shimane 690-8504, Japan;(3) Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;(4) Ishigaki Tropical Station, Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, Ishigaki, Okinawa 907-0451, Japan;(5) Present address: Graduate School of Kuroshio Science, Kochi University, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8502, Japan;(6) Present address: Department of Ecosystem Studies, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;(7) Present address: National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Minami-ise, Mie 516-0193, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Whilst the importance of seagrass beds as nurseries for coral reef fishes has been clearly recognized, the vast majority of
early studies on fish nursery habitats emphasized the close proximity of the latter to coral reefs. To determine the potential
nursery role of isolated seagrass beds, we investigated the degree to which juvenile emperor fishes (Lethrinidae) utilized
seagrass beds in the presence/absence of adjacent coral habitats at Ishigaki Island (southern Japan), such fishes being known
to use seagrass beds as nurseries. Seagrass beds in close proximity to coral habitats (distance between the two habitats of
50–200 m) had greater densities of lethrinid juveniles than those without adjacent coral habitats (2.5–4 km) for 3 different
sites investigated, although a significant difference was obtained only for 1 site. Juveniles of Lethrinus atkinsoni, L. obsoletus, L. harak, and L. nebulosus were observed in seagrass beds with and without adjacent coral habitats, whereas L. ornatus occurred only in the former. Overall, most lethrinid juveniles utilize seagrass beds irrespective of the presence of adjacent
adult coral habitat, suggesting that both types of seagrass beds would contribute to lethrinid adult populations. Therefore,
management efforts for lethrinid populations should be applied not only to contiguous coral-seagrass habitat systems but also
to isolated habitats. |
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