Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Spatial variability in habitat associations of pre- and post-settlement stages of coral reef fishes at Ishigaki Island, Japan

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Successful settlement of pelagic fish larvae into benthic juvenile habitats may be enhanced by a shortened settlement period, since it limits larval exposure to predation in the new habitat. Because the spatial distribution of marine fish larvae immediately prior to settlement versus during settlement was unknown, field experiments were conducted at Ishigaki Island (Japan) using light trap sampling and underwater visual belt transect surveys to investigate the spatial distribution patterns of selected pre- and post-settlement fishes (Acanthuridae, Pomacentridae, Chaetodonidae and Lethrinidae) among four habitats (seagrass bed, coral rubble, branching coral and tabular coral). The results highlighted two patterns: patterns 1, pre- and post-settlement individuals showing a ubiquitous distribution among the four habitats (Acanthuridae) and pattern 2, pre-settlement individuals distributed in all habitats, but post-settlement individuals restricted to coral (most species of Pomacentridae and Chaetodontidae) or seagrass habitats (Lethrinidae). The first pattern minimizes the transition time between the larval pelagic stage and acquisition of a benthic reef habitat, the latter leading immediately to a juvenile lifestyle. In contrast, the second pattern is characterized by high settlement habitat selectivity by larvae and/or differential mortality immediately after settlement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Almany GR, Webster MS (2006) The predation gauntlet: early post-settlement mortality in reef fishes. Coral Reefs 25:19–22. doi:10.1007/s00338-005-0044-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arvedlund M, Takemura A (2006) The importance of chemical environmental cues for juvenile Lethrinus nebulosus Forsskål (Lethrinidae, Teleostei) when settling into their first benthic habitat. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 338:112–122. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2006.07.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonin MC, Srinivasan M, Almany GR, Jones GP (2009) Interactive effects of interspecific competition and microhabitat on early post-settlement survival in a coral reef fish. Coral Reefs 28:265–274. doi:10.1007/s00338-008-0451-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Booth DJ, Wellington G (1998) Settlement preferences in coral-reef fishes: effects on patterns of adult and juvenile distributions, individual fitness and population structure. Aust J Ecol 23:274–279. doi:10.1111/j.1442-9993.1998.tb00731.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doherty (2002) Variable replenishment and the density of reef fish populations. In: Sale PF (ed) Coral reef fishes. Academic Press, New York, pp 327–355

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Holbrook SJ, Schmitt RJ (1997) Settlement patterns and process in a coral reef damselfish: in situ nocturnal observation using infrared video. Proc 8th Int Coral Reef Symp 2:1143–1148

    Google Scholar 

  • Irisson JO, Lecchini D (2008) In situ observation of settlement behaviour in larvae of coral reef fishes at night. J Fish Biol 72:2707–2713. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.01868.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman L, Ebersole J, Beets J, McIvor CC (1992) A key phase in the recruitment dynamics of coral reef fishes: post-settlement transition. Env Biol Fish 34:109–118. doi:10.1007/BF00002386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kritzer JP, Sale PF (2006) Marine metapopulations. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Lecchini D (2005) Spatial and behavioural patterns of reef habitat settlement by fish larvae. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 301:247–252. doi:10.3354/meps301247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lecchini D, Shima J, Banaigs B, Galzin R (2005) Larval sensory abilities and mechanisms of habitat selection of a coral reef fish during settlement. Oecologia 143:326–334. doi:10.1007/s00442-004-1805-y

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lecchini D, Osenberg CW, Shima JS, St Mary CM, Galzin R (2007) Ontogenetic changes in habitat selection during settlement in a coral reef fish: ecological determinants and sensory mechanisms. Coral Reefs 26:423–432. doi:10.1007/s00338-007-0212-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leis JM, McCormick MI (2002) The biology, behavior, and ecology of the pelagic, larval stage of coral reef fishes. In: Sale PF (ed) Coral reef fishes. Academic Press, New York, pp 171–199

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • McCormick MI (1999) Delayed metamorphosis of a tropical reef fish (Acanthrus triostegus): a field experiment. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 176:25–38. doi:10.3354/meps176025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakabo T (2002) Fishes of Japan with pictorial keys to the species. Tokai University Press, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura Y, Kawasaki H, Sano M (2007) Experimental analysis of recruitment patterns of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds: effects of substrate type, shape, and rigidity. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 71:559–568. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2006.09.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura Y, Shibuno T, Lecchini D, Watanabe Y (2009) Habitat selection by emperor fish larvae. Aquat Biol 6:61–65. doi:10.3354/ab00169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okiyama M (ed) (1988) An atlas of the early stage fishes in Japan. Tokai University Press, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Sancho G, Ma D, Lobel PS (1997) Behavioral observations of an upcurrent reef colonization event by larval surgeonfish Ctenochaetus strigosus (Acanthuridae). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 153:311–315. doi:10.3354/meps153311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sweatman H (1988) Field evidence that settling coral reef fish larvae detect resident fishes using dissolved chemical cues. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 124:163–174. doi:10.1016/0022-0981(88)90170-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vigliola L, Harmelin-Vivien M (2001) Post-settlement ontogeny in three Mediterranean reef fish species of the genus Diplodus. Bull Mar Sci 68:271–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Webster MS (2002) Role of predators in the early post-settlement demography of coral-reef fishes. Oecologia 131:52–60. doi:10.1007/s00442-001-0860-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright KJ, Higgs DM, Belanger AJ, Leis JM (2005) Auditory and olfactory abilities of pre-settlement larvae and post-settlement juveniles of a coral reef damselfish (Pisces: Pomacentridae). Mar Biol 147:1425–1434. doi:10.1007/s00227-005-0028-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Y. Takada, O. Abe, M. Kobayashi and the Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute for assistance in the fieldwork. Constructive comments on the manuscript from G. Hardy and anonymous reviewers were much appreciated. This study was supported by a Research Fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Young Scientists (No. 18·10371) awarded to Y. Nakamura.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Takuro Shibuno

    Present address: National Research Institute of Aquaculture, 422–1, Nakatsuhamaura, Minami-ise, Mie, 516-0193, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Kuroshio Science, Kochi University, 200 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi, 783-8502, Japan

    Yohei Nakamura

  2. Ishigaki Tropical Station, Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, 148-446 Fukai-Ohta, Ishigaki, Okinawa, 907-0451, Japan

    Takuro Shibuno

  3. Centre IRD Nouméa, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UR 128 CoReUs, New Caledonia, France

    David Lecchini

  4. Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 1-15-1 Minamidai, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, 164-8639, Japan

    Tomohiko Kawamura & Yoshiro Watanabe

Authors
  1. Yohei Nakamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takuro Shibuno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David Lecchini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tomohiko Kawamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yoshiro Watanabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yohei Nakamura.

Additional information

Communicated by X. Irigoien.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nakamura, Y., Shibuno, T., Lecchini, D. et al. Spatial variability in habitat associations of pre- and post-settlement stages of coral reef fishes at Ishigaki Island, Japan. Mar Biol 156, 2413–2419 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1257-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1257-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation