Incidencia de la depredación por peces en corales pétreos de cuatro atolones del Archipiélago de San Andrés y Providencia (Caribe colombiano)
Based on data recorded in 1994 and 1995 during a basile study carried out at four western Cribbean atolls (Albuquerque, Courtown, Roncador and Serrana) of the San Andrés and Providencia archipelago, the incidence of hard coral predation by fishes and its relation witrh tthe abundance of the parrofishes Sparisoma viride and Scarus vetula was analyzed. Among affected corals, Montastraea annularis and M. faveolata showed the highest inciednce of fish bites (29.5% and 18.7% respectively). There were no significant differences between the atolls on the incidence of coral predation by fishes (Kruskall-Wallis, p=0.07). When comparing between geomorphologic units the lagoon showed the highest level of predation (14.3%), and also the largest populations of S. viride and S. vetula, but both parameters were not significantly related. Highest predatory incidence and parrotfish abundance in the lagoon could be related to the dominance of the Montastrea spp. complex in this environment, because these coral species have been recognized as the preferred grazing substrates for the two parrofishes. The predatory activity by the parrofishes probably has contributed to the general degradation process ofthe coral reefs in the atolls, when combined with the other agents of stress.
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Contribution biblioteca |
| Language: | Spanish / Castilian |
| Published: |
INVEMAR, Santa Marta - Colombia
2001
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| Subjects: | Predation, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/3188 |
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