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Contrasting patterns of reef utilization and recruitment of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) and snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus) at One Tree Island, southern Great Barrier Reef

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Abstract

Patterns of abundance, age structure and recruitment of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) and snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus) were described in different environments, which varied in benthic cover, in a 12-yr study at One Tree Island. It was hypothesized that both taxa would show strong preferences to different environments and benthic cover and that patterns would be consistent through time. Plectropomus leopardus were abundant on the reef slope and seaward edge of the lagoon, where live coral cover was high, and recruitment was generally low, in all environments. The population was sustained by a trickle of recruits, and total abundance varied little after 10 to 25 yr of protection in a no-take area, suggesting P. leopardus had reached an environment-related carrying capacity. Protogynous P. leopardus recruited to shallow environments at sites with 20% or more hard live coral and age data indicated the abundance of fish on the reef slope was from redistribution. Most recruits of gonochoristic L. carponotatus (<150 mm Standard length, SL) were found in the lagoonal environments, and adults were rare on the reef slope. Abundance of recruit L. carponotatus and P. leopardus did not correlate with percent cover of live and soft coral within environments. Recruits of L. carponotatus were usually rare in all lagoonal environments, but in 2003, many recruits (80 to 120 mm SL) were found in lagoonal environments with low and high hard live coral cover. A substantial proportion of the population (age max 18 yr) was from strong recruitment events. In 2003 and 2004, total abundance of L. carponotatus was supported by 1 year class 51.7 and 41% respectively. The utilization of environments and types of substrata varied among taxa and in some cases among life-history stages. There was also temporal variation in the importance of some environments (e.g. Lagoon Centre).

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Acknowledgements

For assistance with benthic counts I thank Ben Stewart, Julian Hughes, Dave Welch and Mark O’Callaghan and Mark, Tim Glasby and Mathew Galetto for helping with aging fish. Many thanks to Naomi Gardiner for assistance with graphics and analyses. This research was supported by multiple grants from the Australian Research Council.

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  1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and the School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia

    M. J. Kingsford

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Correspondence to M. J. Kingsford.

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Communicated by Ecology Editor Prof. Peter Mumby.

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Kingsford, M.J. Contrasting patterns of reef utilization and recruitment of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) and snapper (Lutjanus carponotatus) at One Tree Island, southern Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 28, 251–264 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-008-0421-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-008-0421-4

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