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Influence of marine reserve size and boundary length on the initial response of exploited reef fishes in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, USA

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Abstract

We examine the influence of reserve size and boundary length on the relative rate of fish density change in reserves versus fished reference reefs for three exploitable-sized reef fish categories: (1) combined fish (34 species of Haemulidae, Lutjanidae, Serranidae, and hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus); (2) Haemulidae (13 species); and (3) Lutjanidae (9 species). If reef habitat boundaries are highly permeable to fish movements then fish recovery within a reserve would be inversely proportional to: reserve perimeter (RP)/total reserve area (RA) (RP/RA). If, however, reef habitat boundaries are relatively impermeable barriers to fish movements, recovery within the reserve would be inversely proportional to: reserve boundary that intersects reef habitat (HI)/reef habitat area within the reserve (HA) (HI/HA). From 1994 to 2001 we monitored reef fishes within and outside of no-take marine reserves established in 1997 in the Florida Keys, USA. A significant majority of reserves had greater rates of density change than reference reefs for Lutjanidae and combined fish (22 of 24 reserves for both categories). Significantly higher rates of density change were found in ten reserves for Lutjanidae, two reserves for combined fish, and one reserve for Haemulidae. Reserves appeared to promote an increased density of exploitable fishes. A significant, negative, but weakly correlated relationship was found between the relative rate of density change (RDC) for combined fish and the HI/HA ratio. Reserve size and placement appeared to have a minimal effect upon RDC.

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Acknowledgments

A. B. is very grateful for support by an NRC post-doctoral fellowship. We thank the anonymous reviewers for improving this manuscript. We thank all the coral reef dive team members for their dedication in gathering data. This research was also supported by the NMFS Coral Reef Program (Grant no. NA17RJ1226).

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  1. Aaron Bartholomew

    Present address: American University of Sharjah, P. O. Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Marine Fisheries Service, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, FL, 33149, USA

    Aaron Bartholomew, James A. Bohnsack, Douglas E. Harper & David B. McClellan

  2. University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA

    Steven G. Smith & Jerald S. Ault

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  1. Aaron Bartholomew
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Correspondence to Aaron Bartholomew.

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Bartholomew, A., Bohnsack, J.A., Smith, S.G. et al. Influence of marine reserve size and boundary length on the initial response of exploited reef fishes in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, USA. Landscape Ecol 23 (Suppl 1), 55–65 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-007-9136-0

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