| Contributors | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hixon, Mark | University of Hawai'i (UH) | Principal Investigator |
| Kindinger, Tye L. | Oregon State University (OSU) | Contact |
| Ake, Hannah | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI BCO-DMO) | BCO-DMO Data Manager |
Feeding rates of two basslet species from an experiment conducted in 2014. Location: Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, The Bahamas.
For methodology, see papers in the Related Publications section below.
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
| File |
|---|
feeding_rates.csv (Comma Separated Values (.csv), 21.10 KB) MD5:70c02a9123ffbf3ee2c1613529d81128 Primary data file for dataset ID 735258 |
| Parameter | Description | Units |
| Date | Date of observation; YYYY/MM/DD | unitless |
| Site | Name of study site (reef) | unitless |
| lat | Latitude | decimal degrees |
| lon | Longitude | decimal degrees |
| Ledge_ID | Ledge identification number | unitless |
| Time_Day | Time of day in which observation occurred: Dawn Middayand Dusk | unitless |
| Ledge_Position | Ledge position of focal basslet during observation: Back Midback Midfron,and Front | unitless |
| Bass_Species | Species of focal basslet | unitless |
| Num_Bites | Number of bites focal basslet exhibited during observation period (60 seconds) | count |
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?
| Funding Source | Award |
|---|---|
| NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) |