Abstract
Surgeonfishes have had a long evolutionary history that has been closely linked with coral reef ecosystems. Today they are a key component of reef fish assemblages, playing a pivotal role in a variety of ecosystem functions. However, coral reefs are at the forefront of environmental change with a suite of stressors pushing these ecosystems towards alternative configurations. The role of surgeonfishes in these ecosystems may be changing and our understanding of these fishes must now be considered within a context of change. To explore these issues, we review the literature on surgeonfishes and examine (1) how their functional roles on coral reefs have evolved over the past 50 million years, (2) the key functions performed by surgeonfishes on present-day coral reefs, and (3) predict how the nature and importance of these roles may change in the near future (~ 30 years). Specifically, we draw on recently clarified functional frameworks to categorise surgeonfishes into six broad functional groups (browsers, brushers, croppers, concealed croppers, sediment-suckers, water-column feeders) using morphological and behavioural traits. Subsequently, we explore how these functional groups make critical contributions to the ecosystem processes of macroalgal removal, algal turf removal, detritus removal, sediment dynamics, plankton harvesting and cross-habitat trophic linkages. Furthermore, using this framework we consider how environmental factors, anthropogenic stressors, as well as other behavioural and morphological traits can shape the delivery of key functions by surgeonfishes. Finally, we highlight how surgeonfishes may play increasingly important roles in supporting key functions and services on current and future, highly-altered, coral reefs.
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The sources of data used in this review are provided in the manuscript and its supplemental material. In addition, data is available upon request from the corresponding author.
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Acknowledgements
We thank: JH Choat for data and insightful comments; CR Hemingson for coloured drawings of surgeonfishes; J Woerner, T Saxby, and C Collier for coloured drawings of corals; F Libert, Y-K Tea, and RA Morais for photographs; the Lizard Island Research Staff for field support; two reviewers for their time and for providing insightful and constructive comments; and the Australian Research Council (DRB: CE140100020 and FL190100062), the Ian Potter Foundation (SBT), the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station (SBT) and an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (SBT) for financial support.
Funding
This research was funded through research grants from the: Australian Research Council (DRB: CE140100020 and FL190100062); Ian Potter Foundation (SBT); Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station (SBT); an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship (SBT).
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This research was conducted in accordance with James Cook University Animal Ethics approval, numbers A2529 and A2620.
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Tebbett, S.B., Siqueira, A.C. & Bellwood, D.R. The functional roles of surgeonfishes on coral reefs: past, present and future. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 32, 387–439 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-021-09692-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-021-09692-6