Centro de Desenvolvimento Sustentável das Zonas Costeiras

Sumário

Pereira, M.A.M. (2001) Relationships between habitat structure and coral reef fish communities at Inhaca Island, Mozambique. (in prep) to be presented as poster at the 6th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference, 20-25 May 2001 Durban
Abstract
Aspects of habitat structure and its influence on the associated reef-fish communities were investigated at Inhaca Island, Mozambique. The relationship between habitat characteristics and diversity, biomass and density of 83 fish species was studied at Barreira Vermelha and Ponta Torres Marine Reserves. Results showed that reef-fish communities at these two reefs were strongly influenced by habitat characteristics. Fish diversity was positively correlated with the structural complexity of the substrate (SCS), diversity of composition of the substrate (DCS) and live hard coral cover. Density and biomass estimates were also positively correlated with SCS. All five of the trophic categories considered correlated with SCS and DCS, emphasising the strong correlation between corallivores and live hard coral cover. Most of the major families were also correlated to SCS and DCS. Further multivariate analyses supported these results and highlighted the importance of live coral cover, SCS and DCS on shelter and food availability to the reef-fish communities at Inhaca Island.