Resetting predator baselines in coral reef ecosystems
Results from this study indicate that the trophic structure of an unexploited reef fish community is not inverted, and that even healthy top predator populations may be smaller than previously thought.
Subject Tags
- Fisheries
Abstract
The peacock hind Cephalopholis argus (family Serranidae), locally known as ‘roi’, was introduced from French Polynesia to Hawaii in the mid-twentieth century as a food fish. However, because of its association with ciguatera fish poisoning, it is rarely fished for food. Previous research indicates that roi could have a negative impact on native reef fish assemblages because of their high densities and prey consumption rates. However, it is unclear whether roi add to the cumulative mortality of prey (predation hypothesis), or whether predation is instead compensatory (doomed surplus hypothesis). This study experimentally assessed the effects of roi on reef fish populations through a long-term (5.5 year) predator removal experiment. A Before-After-Control-Impact study design was used to assess changes in fish assemblages following the removal of roi on 1.3 ha of patch reef. Increases in the density of prey-sized fish (<15 cm TL) were observed 18 months after roi removal. However, those effects did not translate into sustained increases in prey. While increases in potential competitors, wrasses (family Labridae), particularly the piscivorous ringtail wrasse Oxycheilinus unifasciatus, were observed on roi-free reefs, the fish assemblage did not diverge substantially in composition. Native reef fish appeared to resist the potential negative impacts of predation by roi, possibly through a refuge in size for some fish families. Management to protect intact fish assemblage size-structure could serve to bolster native resistance to invading species. In considering the threats facing coral reefs, and the possible solutions, roi removal alone will not likely replenish native fishery resources.
Citation
Giddens, J.L., Wiggins, C., Friedlander, A.M. et al. Assemblage-level effects of the introduced peacock hind (Cephalopholis argus) on Hawaiian reef fishes. Environ Biol Fish 101, 275–286 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-017-0697-8
TNC Authors
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Eric Conklin
Director of Marine Science. Hawaiʻi & Palmyra
The Nature Conservancy
Email: econklin@tnc.org -
Kydd Pollock
Pelagic Conservation Strategy Lead. Hawaiʻi & Palmyra
The Nature Conservancy
Email: kydd.pollock@tnc.org