Dataset: Effect of lionfish presence on native fish abundance on satellite coral heads in seagrass habitats on Eleuthera, Bahamas during 2013 (Biodiversity Loss Effects Lionfish project)

Final no updates expectedDOI: 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.655380.1Version 1 (2016-08-23)Dataset Type:experimental

Principal Investigator: Mark Hixon (University of Hawai'i)

Contact: Cassandra E. Benkwitt (Oregon State University)

BCO-DMO Data Manager: Hannah Ake (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)


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


Abstract

Effect of lionfish presence on native fish abundance on satellite coral heads in seagrass habitats on Eleuthera, Bahamas during 2013 (Biodiversity Loss Effects Lionfish project)

This field experiment was conducted on coral patch reefs to test for the effect of lionfish presence on native fish abundance both on main reefs where lionfish resided and in habitats surrounding the main reefs (satellite coral heads, open areas, and standardized habitat units [SHUs]). The experiment used 16 main reefs which were manipulated so that 8 reefs had few lionfish present (low lionfish treatment) and 8 had lionfish present at naturally-observed densities (high lionfish treatment). Complete censuses of the native prey fish populations on each reef and in the surrounding habitats were conducted weekly for 7 weeks during the summer recruitment season. 

Related datasets:

  • Effect of lionfish density on native reef fishes - DOI: 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.655301.1
  • Effect of lionfish in main seagrass habitats - DOI: 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.655342.1
  • Effect of lionfish in seagrass open area habitats - DOI: 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.655420.1
  • Effect of lionfish in standardized habitat units in seagrass - DOI: 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.655455.1

Species key for all individuals identified in this dataset - DOI: 10.1575/1912/bco-dmo.655195.2


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Related Publications

General

Benkwitt, C. E. (2016). Central-place foraging and ecological effects of an invasive predator across multiple habitats. Ecology, 97(10), 2729–2739. doi:10.1002/ecy.1477