Marine reserves indirectly affect fine-scale habitat associations, but not overall densities, of small benthic fishes.

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dc.citation.issue18
dc.citation.volume6
dc.contributor.authorSmith ANH
dc.contributor.authorAnderson MJ
dc.date.available2016-09
dc.date.available2016-08-04
dc.date.issued2016-09
dc.description.abstractMany large, fishery-targeted predatory species have attained very high relative densities as a direct result of protection by no-take marine reserves. Indirect effects, via interactions with targeted species, may also occur for species that are not themselves targeted by fishing. In some temperate rocky reef ecosystems, indirect effects have caused profound changes in community structure, notably the restoration of predator-urchin-macroalgae trophic cascades. Yet, indirect effects on small benthic reef fishes remain poorly understood, perhaps because of behavioral associations with complex, refuge-providing habitats. Few, if any, studies have evaluated any potential effects of marine reserves on habitat associations in small benthic fishes. We surveyed densities of small benthic fishes, including some endemic species of triplefin (Tripterygiidae), along with fine-scale habitat features in kelp forests on rocky reefs in and around multiple marine reserves in northern New Zealand over 3 years. Bayesian generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate evidence for (1) main effects of marine reserve protection, (2) associations with habitat gradients, including complexity, and (3) differences in habitat associations inside versus outside reserves. No evidence of overall main effects of marine reserves on species richness or densities of fishes was found. Both richness and densities showed strong associations with gradients in habitat features, particularly habitat complexity. In addition, some species exhibited reserve-by-habitat interactions, having different associations with habitat gradients inside versus outside marine reserves. Two species (Ruanoho whero and Forsterygion flavonigrum) showed stronger positive associations with habitat complexity inside reserves. These results are consistent with the presence of a behavioral risk effect, whereby prey fishes are more strongly attracted to habitats that provide refuge from predation in areas where predators are more abundant. This work highlights the importance of habitat structure and the potential for fishing to affect behavioral interactions and the interspecific dynamic attributes of community structure beyond simple predator-prey consumption and archetypal trophic cascades.
dc.description.publication-statusPublished
dc.format.extent6648 - 6661
dc.identifierhttp://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000384527200019&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=c5bb3b2499afac691c2e3c1a83ef6fef
dc.identifier.citationECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION, 2016, 6 (18), pp. 6648 - 6661
dc.identifier.doi10.1002/ece3.2406
dc.identifier.elements-id281644
dc.identifier.harvestedMassey_Dark
dc.identifier.issn2045-7758
dc.relation.isPartOfECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
dc.rightsThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
dc.subjectBayesian hierarchical modeling
dc.subjectbehavior
dc.subjecthabitat association
dc.subjectindirect effects
dc.subjectmultivariate generalized linear mixed models
dc.subjectno-take marine reserves
dc.subjectrisk effects
dc.subjectsmall benthic fishes
dc.subjecttemperate rocky reef
dc.subjectTripterygiidae
dc.subject.anzsrc0602 Ecology
dc.subject.anzsrc0603 Evolutionary Biology
dc.titleMarine reserves indirectly affect fine-scale habitat associations, but not overall densities, of small benthic fishes.
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.notesNot known
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Sciences
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Sciences/NZ Institute of Advanced Studies
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Sciences/School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Sciences/School of Natural and Computational Sciences
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Sciences/School of Natural and Computational Sciences/NZ Institute of Advanced Studies
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