Reef Fish Biogeography:
Linking Fish Distributions to Benthic Habitats in a GIS to Characterize,
Monitor and Assess Reef Fish Populations around the US Caribbean
Overview
| Monitoring
Protocols | Reef
Fish Database |
Caribbean Habitat Maps | National
Coral Reef Monitoring Program
NEW!!! NOAA Ship Nancy Foster Deepwater Mapping and
Biological Resource Assessment Cruise Debrief LINK
NEW!!!
Upcoming mission to map and characterize the deep water
regions around Buck Island and Virgin Island National Monuments on the
NOAA Research Vessel the Nancy Foster. For more information please follow
this LINK.
NEW!!!
The following links are taken from a recent
interview at Buck Island National Monument and include some underwater
footage of our methodology. These are stored in QuickTime format. modem
friendly version (5.29MB); low
file size version (13.15MB); high
file size version (37.11MB)
OBJECTIVES
- To spatially
characterize the distribution, abundance, and size of both reef fishes
and conch
- To relate this
information to in-situ data collected on associated habitat
parameters
- To use this information
to establish the knowledge base necessary for enacting management decisions
in a spatial setting and to establish the efficacy of those management
decisions
- To work with
the National
Coral Reef Monitoring Program to develop data collection standards
and easily implemented methodologies for transference to other agencies
and to work toward standardizing data collection throughout the US states
and territories.
DESCRIPTION
To achieve the above
objectives, the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment's Biogeography
Program (BP) has completed its third year and is beginning its fourth
year of work in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico . It is critical,
with recent changes in management at both locations (e.g. implementation
of MPAs) as well as proposed changes (e.g. zoning to manage multiple human
uses) that action is taken now to accurately describe and characterize
the fish/conch populations in these areas. It is also important that BP
work closely with the individuals responsible for recommending and implementing
these management strategies. Recognizing this, BP has been collaborating
with partners at the University of Puerto Rico , National Park Service,
and the US Geological Service from the beginning and has recently added
the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources to that
list.
To quantify patterns
of spatial distribution and make meaningful interpretations, we must first
have knowledge of the underlying variables determining species distribution.
The basis for this work therefore, is the nearshore benthic
habitats maps (<100 ft depth) created by NOAA's Biogeography Program
in 2001 and NOS' bathymetry models. Using ArcView GIS software, the digitized
habitat maps are stratified to select sampling stations. Sites are randomly
selected within these strata to ensure coverage of the entire study region
and not just a particular reef or seagrass area. At each site, fish, conch,
and associated habitat information is then quantified via visual survey
techniques. By relating the data collected in the field back to the habitat
maps and bathymetric models, BP is able to model and map species level
and community level information. These protocols
are standardized throughout the US Caribbean to enable quantification
and comparison of reef fish abundance and distribution trends between
locations. Armed with the knowledge of where "hot spots" of
species richness and diversity are likely to occur in the seascape, the
BP is in a unique position to answer questions about the efficacy of marine
zoning strategies (e.g. placement of no fishing, anchoring, or snorkeling
locations), and what locations are most suitable for establishing MPAs.
Knowledge of the current status of fish/conch communities coupled with
longer term monitoring will enable evaluation of management efficacy,
thus it is essential to future management actions.
Status (October
2003):
To date, over 1400
fish surveys have been conducted in the US Caribbean: 546 in Puerto Rico,
589 in St. Croix, and 312 in St. John. Using these data, the BP has developed
spatially-explicit modeling techniques used to perform seascape-level
analyses, and has modeled estimates of biodiversity throughout the Islands.
FY2003 efforts have resulted in the acceptance of two more manuscripts
on the status and trends of reef fish communities to peer-reviewed publications
(see below). By the end of FY2004, BP will have completed the initial
spatial characterizations of all three sites and will be shifting focus
to monitoring. Additionally, a web accessible database
will be completed that will allow for data input as well as data queries
of all the data.
Publications:
Christensen, J.D.,
C. Jeffrey, M.E. Monaco, C. Caldow, M. Kendall and R. Appledorn. (2003)
Cross-shelf habitat utilization patterns of reef fishes in southwestern
Puerto Rico. Gulf and Caribbean Research 14: 9-27.
Kendall, M.S.,
J.D. Christensen, C. Caldow, M. Coyne, C. Jeffrey, M. Monaco, W. Morrison,
Z. Hillis-Starr (2004) The influence of bottom type and shelf position
on biodiversity of tropical fish inside a recently enlarged marine reserve.
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 14: 113-132.
Kendall, M.S., J.D.
Christensen, Z. Hillis-Starr. (2003) Multi-scale data used to analyze
the spatial distribution of French grunts, Haemulon flavolineatum, relative
to hard and soft bottom in a benthic landscape. Environmental Biology
of Fishes 66: 19-26.
Monaco, M.E., J.D.
Christensen, A.M. Friedlander, M.S. Kendall, C. Caldow (2003) Quantifying
habitat utilization patterns of U.S. Caribbean and Hawaii reef fish to
define marine protected area boundaries: the coupling of GIS and ecology.
In Proc. 13th Biennial Coastal Zone Conference, Baltimore, MD, July 13-17,
2003. NOAA/CSC/20322-CD. CD-ROM. Charleston, SC: NOAA Coastal Services
Center.
Collaborators:
University
of Puerto Rico: Assisted in fieldwork; analyzed fish specimens; provided
general logistic support, and provided local expertise.
National
Park Service: Aided in fieldwork; provided logistic support, provided
local expertise.
US
Geologic Service: Aided in fieldwork; provided logistic support, provided
local expertise.
The
Oceanic Institute: Aided in fieldwork; provided local expertise. University
of Hawaii: Aided in fieldwork; provided local expertise.
For more information
on the Biogeography Program's reef fish work in the US Caribbean please
contact: Chris Caldow (email: chris.caldow@noaa.gov;
phone: 301-713-3028 X164)
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