Date of Award
4-2025
Document Type
Distinction Paper
Degree Name
Zoo and Conservation Science-BS
Department
Biology & Earth Science
Advisor
Dr. Halard Lescinsky
First Committee Member
Dr. Halard Lescinsky
Second Committee Member
Dr. Brandon Sinn
Third Committee Member
Dr. Steffanie Burk
Keywords
Coral Restoration, Reef Structure, Fish Communities
Subject Categories
Higher Education | Natural Resources and Conservation
Abstract
The decline of coral reef fish assemblages threatens the health and livelihoods of seafood dependent communities. It is necessary to understand the relationship between reef structure and reef fish abundance for coastal subsistence as climate change progresses. In this study, I assessed four reef sites in Fiji including, Nadiri Village, Leluvia Island, Plantation Island, and Inner Malolo Reef. At each site, reefs and artificial racks were characterized for benthic attributes including live coral cover, hard substrate, rugosity, and other heterogeneity variables, as well as for fish abundance, biomass, and diversity. Fijian reefs are fairly healthy and consist of up to 29% live coral cover, have a 4.8 rugosity score on a scale of 1-5, heterogeneity score from 18-17.3 on a scale of 1-30, biomass of reef fish of 1051.3g per 5m2 and diversity of H’=0.7. At a given site there is no correlation between benthic structure and fish biomass or diversity, however there is a positive regional correlation when outliers are removed. My study suggests that local sites are only as healthy as the reefs that surround them, and that conservation is needed on a regional scale. Racks with coral are capable of supporting marine life on par with natural reefs, if they are constructed to take advantage of the natural services of the reefs. Active restoration techniques can both preserve corals and the reef ecology as well as increase fish biomass in order to feed coastal communities.
Licensing Permission
Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use
Acknowledgement 1
1
Acknowledgement 2
1
Recommended Citation
Miller, Harley T., "Coral Reef Structure and Fish Communities: Implications for Coral Conservation and Coastal Subsistence in a Warming World" (2025). Undergraduate Distinction Papers. 121.
https://digitalcommons.otterbein.edu/stu_dist/121