August 17, 2016
In a first-of-its-kind study,
James Cook University scientists have discovered a mosaic mix of marine zones
could benefit populations of prey fishes.
The research, conducted by JCU's
Dr April Hall and Professor Michael Kingsford, looked at whether fishing
of predators on
the Great Barrier Reef had effects on the reproductive dynamics of their prey.
Dr Hall said it was the first
study to demonstrate that the depletion of predators can cause cascading
ecological effects, and impact prey species at a biological level.
The scientists collected a prey
species - the bridled monocle bream - from two management zones in the Palm Island
group: marine
reserves, which are protected from fishing, and open zones, which are
heavily fished.
Predators such as coral trout,
snapper, and emperor fish are popular fishing targets on the Great Barrier
Reef, and play a vital role in coral reef food webs.
"We predicted that in marine
reserves, where predators were abundant, prey would allocate more energy to
predator avoidance compared to fished zones with fewer predators, and that this
would affect their growth and reproduction," said Dr Hall.
The team found that in the
predator-rich marine reserves, the bream had reduced growth, poorer body
condition, and a reduced capacity to reproduce compared to fished areas.
In fished areas, depletion of
predators meant prey
species grew faster, and had a greater reproductive capacity.
Dr Hall said that the study
emphasises the importance of long-term protection of predators in marine
reserves.
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