Growth rates of two basslet species from an experiment conducted in 2014 in the Bahamas.

Website: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/735249
Data Type: Other Field Results
Version: 1
Version Date: 2018-05-07

Project
» Mechanisms and Consequences of Fish Biodiversity Loss on Atlantic Coral Reefs Caused by Invasive Pacific Lionfish (BiodiversityLossEffects_lionfish)
ContributorsAffiliationRole
Hixon, MarkUniversity of Hawai'i (UH)Principal Investigator
Kindinger, Tye L.Oregon State University (OSU)Contact
Ake, HannahWoods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO)BCO-DMO Data Manager

Abstract
Growth rates of two basslet species from an experiment conducted in 2014 in the Bahamas.


Coverage

Spatial Extent: Lat:24 Lon:-76
Temporal Extent: 2014-08 - 2014-08

Dataset Description

Growth rates of two basslet species from an experiment conducted in 2014. Location: Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, The Bahamas.


Methods & Sampling

For methodology, see papers in the Related Publications section below.


Data Processing Description

For methodology, see papers in the Related Publications section below.

BCO-DMO Processing Notes:

-Added location coordinates
-Reformatted column names to comply with BCO-DMO standards
-Replaced species codes with full common names according to species key


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Data Files

File
growth.csv
(Comma Separated Values (.csv), 6.17 KB)
MD5:70f2d52c8018114a4b520f52925c024f
Primary data file for dataset ID 735249

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Related Publications

Kindinger, T. (2016). Symmetrical effects of interspecific competition on congeneric coral-reef fishes. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 555, 1–11. doi:10.3354/meps11836
Methods
,
Results
Kindinger, T. L. (2018). Invasive predator tips the balance of symmetrical competition between native coral-reef fishes. Ecology, 99(4), 792–800. doi:10.1002/ecy.2173
Methods
,
Results

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Parameters

ParameterDescriptionUnits
Site_ID

Name of study site (reef)

unitless
lat

Latitude

decimal degrees
lon

Longitude

decimal degrees
Site_Treat

Lionfish treatment of site (reef): Low-lionfish reef or High-lionfish reef

unitless
Ledge_ID

Ledge identification number

unitless
Ledge_Treat

Basslet treatment of local populations under reef ledges: Fairy-rem = fairy basslet removal; Blackcap-rem = blackcap basslet removal; Control = unmanipulated population of fairy and blackcap basslets

unitless
Bass_Species

Basslet species

unitless
Growth_Rate

Growth rate of individual basslets

centimeters per day

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Project Information

Mechanisms and Consequences of Fish Biodiversity Loss on Atlantic Coral Reefs Caused by Invasive Pacific Lionfish (BiodiversityLossEffects_lionfish)


Coverage: Three Bahamian sites: 24.8318, -076.3299; 23.8562, -076.2250; 23.7727, -076.1071; Caribbean Netherlands: 12.1599, -068.2820


The Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans), a popular aquarium fish, was introduced to the Atlantic Ocean in the vicinity of Florida in the late 20th century. Voraciously consuming small native coral-reef fishes, including the juveniles of fisheries and ecologically important species, the invader has undergone a population explosion that now ranges from the U.S. southeastern seaboard to the Gulf of Mexico and across the greater Caribbean region. The PI's past research determined that invasive lionfish (1) have escaped their natural enemies in the Pacific (lionfish are much less abundant in their native range); (2) are not yet controlled by Atlantic predators, competitors, or parasites; (3) have strong negative effects on populations of native Atlantic fishes; and (4) locally reduce the diversity (number of species) of native fishes. The lionfish invasion has been recognized as one of the major conservation threats worldwide.

The Bahamas support the highest abundances of invasive lionfish globally. This system thus provides an unprecedented opportunity to understand the direct and indirect effects of a major invader on a diverse community, as well as the underlying causative mechanisms. The PI will focus on five related questions: (1) How does long-term predation by lionfish alter the structure of native reef-fish communities? (2) How does lionfish predation destabilize native prey population dynamics, possibly causing local extinctions? (3) Is there a lionfish-herbivore-seaweed trophic cascade on invaded reefs? (4) How do lionfish modify cleaning mutualisms on invaded reefs? (5) Are lionfish reaching densities where natural population limits are evident? 



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Funding

Funding SourceAward
NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE)

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