| 1. |
- Raby, Graham D., et al.
(författare)
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Swim for it : Effects of simulated fisheries capture on the post-release behaviour of four Great Barrier Reef fishes
- 2018
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Ingår i: Fisheries Research. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV. - 0165-7836 .- 1872-6763. ; 206, s. 129-137
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- After being caught and released by a fishery, some animals may be sufficiently impaired so as to be vulnerable to predators. The duration and severity of post-release impairments have rarely been studied under natural conditions; the vitality of animals is usually assessed aboard a vessel, prior to release, while examinations of post-release behaviour are usually restricted to what is within view of a vessel. In this study, we quantified the post-release behavior of the common coral trout (Plectropomus leopardess), two species of emperor (Lethrinus spp.), and the Spanish flag snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus), each of which is actively fished throughout the Great Barrier Reef. SCUBA divers followed fish in the field and recorded their behavior with underwater video cameras after a simulated catch-and-release event. Relative to a low stress treatment (held in an aerated tank prior to release), fish exposed to forced exercise and 5 min of air exposure spent more time in vulnerable positions after release, including 5.8 x more time immobile under the boat upon release, 1.6 x more time to reach the reef floor, and 2.4 x longer to reach the protection of the reef. The effects of the catch-and-release simulation on tailbeat frequency, ventilation rate, and the proportion of overall time spent immobile were not significant except in L. carponotatus, which spent significantly more time immobile when exposed to the high stress treatment. Indeed, there were some notable differences among species, with the magnitude of the behavioural impairments being lower and less variable in coral trout than in Lethrinus spp. or L. carponotatus. These findings provide support for the notion that minimizing air exposure time in hook-and-line fisheries should reduce post-release behavioural impairments and thus vulnerability to predators.
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| 2. |
- Barnes, Michele L., et al.
(författare)
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Social-ecological alignment and ecological conditions in coral reefs
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Complex social-ecological interactions underpin many environmental problems. To help capture this complexity, we advance an interdisciplinary network modeling framework to identify important relationships between people and nature that can influence environmental conditions. Drawing on comprehensive social and ecological data from five coral reef fishing communities in Kenya; including interviews with 648 fishers, underwater visual census data of reef ecosystem condition, and time-series landings data; we show that positive ecological conditions are associated with 'social-ecological network closure' - i.e., fully linked and thus closed network structures between social actors and ecological resources. Our results suggest that when fishers facing common dilemmas form cooperative communication ties with direct resource competitors, they may achieve positive gains in reef fish biomass and functional richness. Our work provides key empirical insight to a growing body of research on social-ecological alignment, and helps to advance an integrative framework that can be applied empirically in different social-ecological contexts.
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| 3. |
- Cumming, Graeme S., et al.
(författare)
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Research priorities for the sustainability of coral-rich western Pacific seascapes
- 2023
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Ingår i: Regional Environmental Change. - 1436-3798 .- 1436-378X. ; 23:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nearly a billion people depend on tropical seascapes. The need to ensure sustainable use of these vital areas is recognised, as one of 17 policy commitments made by world leaders, in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 (‘Life below Water’) of the United Nations. SDG 14 seeks to secure marine sustainability by 2030. In a time of increasing social-ecological unpredictability and risk, scientists and policymakers working towards SDG 14 in the Asia–Pacific region need to know: (1) How are seascapes changing? (2) What can global society do about these changes? and (3) How can science and society together achieve sustainable seascape futures? Through a horizon scan, we identified nine emerging research priorities that clarify potential research contributions to marine sustainability in locations with high coral reef abundance. They include research on seascape geological and biological evolution and adaptation; elucidating drivers and mechanisms of change; understanding how seascape functions and services are produced, and how people depend on them; costs, benefits, and trade-offs to people in changing seascapes; improving seascape technologies and practices; learning to govern and manage seascapes for all; sustainable use, justice, and human well-being; bridging communities and epistemologies for innovative, equitable, and scale-crossing solutions; and informing resilient seascape futures through modelling and synthesis. Researchers can contribute to the sustainability of tropical seascapes by co-developing transdisciplinary understandings of people and ecosystems, emphasising the importance of equity and justice, and improving knowledge of key cross-scale and cross-level processes, feedbacks, and thresholds.
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| 4. |
- Fulton, Christopher J., et al.
(författare)
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Macroalgal meadow habitats support fish and fisheries in diverse tropical seascapes
- 2020
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Ingår i: Fish and Fisheries. - : Wiley. - 1467-2960 .- 1467-2979. ; 21:4, s. 700-717
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Canopy-forming macroalgae can construct extensive meadow habitats in tropical seascapes occupied by fishes that span a diversity of taxa, life-history stages and ecological roles. Our synthesis assessed whether these tropical macroalgal habitats have unique fish assemblages, provide fish nurseries and support local fisheries. We also applied a meta-analysis of independent surveys across 23 tropical reef locations in 11 countries to examine how macroalgal canopy condition is related to the abundance of macroalgal-associated fishes. Over 627 fish species were documented in tropical macroalgal meadows, with 218 of these taxa exhibiting higher local abundance within this habitat (cf. nearby coral reef) during at least one life-history stage. Major overlap (40%-43%) in local fish species richness among macroalgal and seagrass or coral reef habitats suggest macroalgal meadows may provide an important habitat refuge. Moreover, the prominence of juvenile fishes suggests macroalgal meadows facilitate the triphasic life cycle of many fishes occupying diverse tropical seascapes. Correlations between macroalgal canopy structure and juvenile abundance suggests macroalgal habitat condition can influence levels of replenishment in tropical fish populations, including the majority of macroalgal-associated fishes that are targeted by commercial, subsistence or recreational fisheries. While many macroalgal-associated fishery species are of minor commercial value, their local importance for food and livelihood security can be substantial (e.g. up to 60% of landings in Kenyan reef fisheries). Given that macroalgal canopy condition can vary substantially with sea temperature, there is a high likelihood that climate change will impact macroalgal-associated fish and fisheries.
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| 5. |
- Wilson, Shaun K., et al.
(författare)
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The contribution of macroalgae-associated fishes to small-scale tropical reef fisheries
- 2022
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Ingår i: Fish and Fisheries. - : Wiley. - 1467-2960 .- 1467-2979. ; 23:4, s. 847-861
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Macroalgae-dominated reefs are a prominent habitat in tropical seascapes that support a diversity of fishes, including fishery target species. To what extent, then, do macroalgal habitats contribute to small-scale tropical reef fisheries? To address this question we: (1) Quantified the macroalgae-associated fish component in catches from 133 small-scale fisheries, (2) Compared life-history traits relevant to fishing (e.g. growth, longevity) in macroalgal and coral-associated fishes, (3) Examined how macroalgae-associated species can influence catch diversity, trophic level and vulnerability and (4) Explored how tropical fisheries change with the expansion of macroalgal habitats using a case study of fishery-independent data for Seychelles. Fish that utilised macroalgal habitats comprise 24% of the catch, but very few fished species relied entirely on macroalgal or coral habitats post-settlement. Macroalgal and coral-associated fishes had similar life-history traits, although vulnerability to fishing declined with increasing contribution of macroalgae association to the catch, whilst mean trophic level and diversity peaked when macroalgal-associated fish accounted for 20%–30% of catches. The Seychelles case study revealed similar total fish biomass on macroalgal and coral reefs, although the biomass of primary target species increased as macroalgae cover expanded. Our findings reinforce that multiple habitat types are needed to support tropical fishery stability and sustainability. Whilst coral habitats have been the focus of tropical fisheries management, we show the potential for macroalgae-associated fish to support catch size and diversity in ways that reduce vulnerability to overfishing. This is pertinent to seascapes where repeated disturbances are facilitating the replacement of coral reef with macroalgal habitats.
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