Data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
To better understand the functional roles of parrotfishes on Caribbean coral reefs we documented abundance, habitat preferences, and diets of nine species of parrotfishes (Scarus coelestinus, Scarus coeruleus, Scarus guacamaia, Scarus taeniopterus, Scarus vetula, Sparisoma aurofrenatum, Sparisoma chrysopterum, Sparisoma rubripinne, Sparisoma viride) on three high-relief spur-and-groove reefs (Molasses, Carysfort, and Elbow) offshore of Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. On each reef, we conducted fish surveys, behavioral observations, and benthic surveys in three habitat types: high-relief spur and groove (depth 2 - 6 m), low-relief carbonate platform/hardbottom (depth 4 - 12 m), and carbonate boulder/rubble fields (depth 4 - 9 m). In addition, fish surveys were also conducted on a fourth high-relief spur-and-groove reef (French). We estimated parrotfish abundance in each of the three habitat types in order to assess the relative abundance and biomass of different species and to quantify differences in habitat selection. To estimate parrotfish density, we conducted 20 to 30 minute timed swims while towing a GPS receiver on a float on the surface to calculate the amount of area sampled. During a swim the observer would swim parallel with the habitat type being sampled and count and estimate the size to the nearest cm of all parrotfishes greater than or equal to 15 cm in length that were encountered in a 5 m wide swath. To quantify parrotfish behavior, approximately six individuals of each species were observed at each site for 20 min each. Foraging behavior was recorded by a SCUBA diver while towing a GPS receiver (Garmin GPS 72) attached to a surface float, which obtained position fixes of the focal fish at 15 s intervals. Fish were followed from a close distance (~ 2 m when possible), and food items were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, with macroalgae and coral usually identified to genus or species. Many bites involved scraping or excavating substrate colonized by a multi-species assemblage of filamentous “turf” algae and crustose coralline algae (CCA). Thus, multiple species of filamentous algae, endolithic algae, and CCA could be harvested in a single bite, and it was impossible to determine the specific species of algae targeted. We also recorded the type of substrate targeted during each foraging bout, categorizing each substrate as one of the following: (1) dead coral, (2) coral pavement, (3) boulder, (4) rubble, or (5) ledge. Dead coral included both convex and concave surfaces on the vertical and horizontal planes of three dimensional coral skeletons (primarily dead Acropora palmata) that were attached to reef substrate. Coral pavement was carbonate reef with little topographic complexity (i.e., flat limestone pavement). Boulder was large remnants of dead mounding corals not clearly attached to the bottom and often partially buried in sand. Coral rubble consisted of small dead coral fragments (generally HTML Markup Was Removed
About this Dataset
Updated: 2024-02-22
Metadata Last Updated:
2025-11-19T15:42:36.222Z
Date Created:
N/A
Data Provided by:
Dataset Owner:
N/A
| Title | Abundance and behavior of parrotfishes (Labridae, Scarinae) in the upper Florida Keys from 2013-06-19 to 2013-07-30 (NCEI Accession 0127525) |
|---|---|
| Description | To better understand the functional roles of parrotfishes on Caribbean coral reefs we documented abundance, habitat preferences, and diets of nine species of parrotfishes (Scarus coelestinus, Scarus coeruleus, Scarus guacamaia, Scarus taeniopterus, Scarus vetula, Sparisoma aurofrenatum, Sparisoma chrysopterum, Sparisoma rubripinne, Sparisoma viride) on three high-relief spur-and-groove reefs (Molasses, Carysfort, and Elbow) offshore of Key Largo in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. On each reef, we conducted fish surveys, behavioral observations, and benthic surveys in three habitat types: high-relief spur and groove (depth 2 - 6 m), low-relief carbonate platform/hardbottom (depth 4 - 12 m), and carbonate boulder/rubble fields (depth 4 - 9 m). In addition, fish surveys were also conducted on a fourth high-relief spur-and-groove reef (French). We estimated parrotfish abundance in each of the three habitat types in order to assess the relative abundance and biomass of different species and to quantify differences in habitat selection. To estimate parrotfish density, we conducted 20 to 30 minute timed swims while towing a GPS receiver on a float on the surface to calculate the amount of area sampled. During a swim the observer would swim parallel with the habitat type being sampled and count and estimate the size to the nearest cm of all parrotfishes greater than or equal to 15 cm in length that were encountered in a 5 m wide swath. To quantify parrotfish behavior, approximately six individuals of each species were observed at each site for 20 min each. Foraging behavior was recorded by a SCUBA diver while towing a GPS receiver (Garmin GPS 72) attached to a surface float, which obtained position fixes of the focal fish at 15 s intervals. Fish were followed from a close distance (~ 2 m when possible), and food items were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, with macroalgae and coral usually identified to genus or species. Many bites involved scraping or excavating substrate colonized by a multi-species assemblage of filamentous “turf” algae and crustose coralline algae (CCA). Thus, multiple species of filamentous algae, endolithic algae, and CCA could be harvested in a single bite, and it was impossible to determine the specific species of algae targeted. We also recorded the type of substrate targeted during each foraging bout, categorizing each substrate as one of the following: (1) dead coral, (2) coral pavement, (3) boulder, (4) rubble, or (5) ledge. Dead coral included both convex and concave surfaces on the vertical and horizontal planes of three dimensional coral skeletons (primarily dead Acropora palmata) that were attached to reef substrate. Coral pavement was carbonate reef with little topographic complexity (i.e., flat limestone pavement). Boulder was large remnants of dead mounding corals not clearly attached to the bottom and often partially buried in sand. Coral rubble consisted of small dead coral fragments (generally HTML Markup Was Removed |
| Modified | 2025-11-19T15:42:36.222Z |
| Publisher Name | N/A |
| Contact | N/A |
| Keywords | 0127525 , ANIMALS - INDIVIDUAL - BEHAVIOR , BENTHIC COMMUNITIES , CORAL - CENSUS , FISH - CORAL REEF , FISH CENSUS , REEF AND/OR BOTTOM REGIME - PERCENT COVER , camera , swimmer/diver , visual observation , in situ , survey - coral reef , survey - swimmer/diver , visual observation , NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center , University of California, Santa Barbara , University of California, Santa Barbara , Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) , Coral Reef Information System (CoRIS) , CORAL REEF STUDIES , Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary , oceanography , DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NODC > National Oceanographic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce , DOC/NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC > Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce , 182 , The Importance of Parrotfish (fam. Scaridae) on the Maintenance and Recovery of Coral-Dominated Reefs , Numeric Data Sets > Biology , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Dominance > Keystone Species , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Herbivory , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Ecological Dynamics > Predation > Coral Predation , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Algal Cover , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Calcareous Macroalgae , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Coralline Algae , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Crustose Coralline Algae , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Encrusting Macroalgae , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Fleshy Macroalgae , EARTH SCIENCE > Biosphere > Vegetation > Algae > Turf Algae , EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish , EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fish Assemblages , EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fish Behavior , EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Marine Biology > Fish > Fishing , EARTH SCIENCE > BIOSPHERE > ECOSYSTEMS > MARINE ECOSYSTEMS > BENTHIC , EARTH SCIENCE > SOLID EARTH > GEOMORPHIC LANDFORMS/PROCESSES > COASTAL LANDFORMS > CORAL REEFS , Scarus coelestinus , Scarus coeruleus , Scarus guacamaia , Scarus taeniopterus , Scarus vetula , Sparisoma aurofrenatum , Sparisoma chrysopterum , Sparisoma rubripinne , Sparisoma viride , CAMERA > CAMERA , VISUAL OBSERVATIONS > VISUAL OBSERVATIONS , COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Florida > Monroe County > Carysfort Reef (25N080W0013) , COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Florida > Monroe County > Elbow Reef (25N080W0020) , COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Florida > Monroe County > French Reef (25N080W0022) , COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Florida > Monroe County > Key Largo (25N080W0010) , COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Florida > Monroe County > Molasses Reef (25N080W0003) , OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Florida Reef Tract > Upper Florida Keys > Carysfort Reef (25N080W0013) , OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Florida Reef Tract > Upper Florida Keys > Elbow Reef (25N080W0020) , OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Florida Reef Tract > Upper Florida Keys > French Reef (25N080W0022) , OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Florida Reef Tract > Upper Florida Keys > Key Largo (25N080W0010) , OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > North Atlantic Ocean > Florida Reef Tract > Upper Florida Keys > Molasses Reef (25N080W0003) , OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF AMERICA , OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > GULF OF MEXICO , EYR2MY , environment , oceans , biota |
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