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dc.contributor.authorOlds, Andrew D
dc.contributor.authorConnolly, Rod M
dc.contributor.authorPitt, Kylie A
dc.contributor.authorMaxwell, Paul S
dc.date.accessioned2017-07-03T02:09:12Z
dc.date.available2017-07-03T02:09:12Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.date.modified2012-12-21T03:00:58Z
dc.identifier.issn0171-8630
dc.identifier.doi10.3354/meps09849
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/48802
dc.description.abstractConnectivity has fundamental consequences for the productivity, persistence and management of coral reefs. The area and position of adjacent mangroves and seagrass can affect the demography of reef fish populations and the composition of reefal assemblages. To date, no studies have attempted to partition the influences of these habitats on reef fish assemblages. We used an exploratory seascape approach to separate the effects of connectivity with mangroves and seagrass on reef fish in Moreton Bay, Australia. We then compared the performance of seascape connectivity and reef complexity (i.e. coral cover, rugosity and area) in structuring these assemblages. Our results suggest a hierarchy of seascape connectivity effects, with reef fish assemblages being primarily distinguished by isolation (i.e. separation distance) from mangroves and secondarily by proximity (an index incorporating habitat isolation and area) to seagrass. Importantly, measures of reef complexity were only useful in separating reef fish assemblages within levels of connectivity with mangroves and seagrass. We demonstrate that neighbouring mangroves and seagrasses can exert different effects on reef fish assemblages, with 25% of all species being primarily influenced by mangroves and a different 25% being affected by seagrass. These findings have important implications for the design of marine reserve networks. They show that position in the seascape can be of greater significance than reef area or complexity to the composition of reef fish assemblages and highlight the value of incorporating seascape connectivity into conservation planning.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.description.publicationstatusYes
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherInter-Research
dc.publisher.placeGermany
dc.relation.ispartofstudentpublicationN
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom191
dc.relation.ispartofpageto203
dc.relation.ispartofjournalMarine Ecology Progress Series
dc.relation.ispartofvolume462
dc.rights.retentionY
dc.subject.fieldofresearchOceanography
dc.subject.fieldofresearchEcology
dc.subject.fieldofresearchMarine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology)
dc.subject.fieldofresearchZoology
dc.subject.fieldofresearchEcological applications
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3708
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3103
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode310305
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode3109
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode4102
dc.titlePrimacy of seascape connectivity effects in structuring coral reef fish assemblages
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
dc.description.versionVersion of Record (VoR)
gro.facultyGriffith Sciences, Griffith School of Environment
gro.rights.copyright© 2012 Inter Research. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
gro.date.issued2012
gro.hasfulltextFull Text
gro.griffith.authorConnolly, Rod M.
gro.griffith.authorPitt, Kylie A.


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