Priest J., Ferreira C. M., Munday P. L., Roberts A., Rodolfo-Metalpa Riccardo, Rummer J. L., Schunter C., Ravasi T., Nagelkerken I. (2024). Out of shape : ocean acidification simplifies coral reef architecture and reshuffles fish assemblages. Journal of Animal Ecology, [Early access], p. [11 p.]. ISSN 0021-8790.
Titre du document
Out of shape : ocean acidification simplifies coral reef architecture and reshuffles fish assemblages
Année de publication
2024
Auteurs
Priest J., Ferreira C. M., Munday P. L., Roberts A., Rodolfo-Metalpa Riccardo, Rummer J. L., Schunter C., Ravasi T., Nagelkerken I.
Source
Journal of Animal Ecology, 2024,
[Early access], p. [11 p.] ISSN 0021-8790
Climate change stressors are progressively simplifying biogenic habitats in the terrestrial and marine realms, and consequently altering the structure of associated species communities. Here, we used a volcanic CO2 seep in Papua New Guinea to test in situ if altered reef architecture due to ocean acidification reshuffles associated fish assemblages. We observed replacement of branching corals by massive corals at the seep, with simplified coral architectural complexity driving abundance declines between 60% and 86% for an assemblage of damselfishes associated with branching corals. An experimental test of habitat preference for a focal species indicated that acidification does not directly affect habitat selection behaviour, with changes in habitat structural complexity consequently appearing to be the stronger driver of assemblage reshuffling. Habitat health affected anti-predator behaviour, with P. moluccensis becoming less bold on dead branching corals relative to live branching corals, irrespective of ocean acidification. We conclude that coral reef fish assemblages are likely to be more sensitive to changes in habitat structure induced by increasing pCO2 than any direct effects on behaviour, indicating that changes in coral architecture and live cover may act as important mediators of reef fish community structures in a future ocean. Many small-bodied reef fish are strongly associated with structurally complex corals. However, under acidified conditions, massive corals often outcompete branching corals, leading to reef 'flattening'. As ocean acidification increases globally, we show that resultant simplification of coral structural complexity may act as an important mediator of future reef fish communities.image
Plan de classement
Limnologie biologique / Océanographie biologique [034]
;
Ecologie, systèmes aquatiques [036]
Description Géographique
PAPOUASIE NOUVELLE GUINEE
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010091043]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010091043
