Where to Fish in the Forest? Tree Characteristics and Contiguous Seagrass Features Predict Mangrove Forest Quality for Fishes and Crustaceans
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Date
2023
Authors
Wanjiru, Caroline
Nagelkerken, Ivan
Rueckert, Sonja
Harcourt, William
Huxham, Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Applied Ecology
Abstract
1. Mangroves often support rich fish and crustacean communities, although faunal
abundance and diversity show strong spatiotemporal variability. Consistent patterns in mangrove animal communities might be dictated by forest characteristics, by seascape context or by some combination of these factors. Predicting
drivers of spatial heterogeneity in mangrove faunal communities can better support the zoning of forests for management purposes, for example by identifying
sites important for fisheries nursery provision.
2. We sampled 14 sites within a large (4000 ha) mangrove forest in Kenya, quarterly
over a period of 2 years. There were clear and consistent differences in the quality
of sites for fish and crustacean abundance and diversity.
3. Forest characteristics (as summarised by the complexity index, CI) and seascape
metrics (the presence, area and configuration of contiguous seagrass) were strong
predictors of site differences. However, they showed opposite influences on
dominant members of the fish and crustacean faunas, with CI correlated negatively with fishes and positively with crustaceans, and seagrass area correlated
positively with fishes and negatively with crustaceans.
4. Synthesis and applications. Sites within the same mangrove forest exhibit consistent differences in fish and crustacean abundance. However, the fish and crustacean communities (and particularly dominant species within them) act differently
in response to forest and seascape characteristics. Old growth, mature forest,
set in a seascape of seagrass patches with bare sediment, was associated with
highest crustacean abundance. In contrast, denser smaller trees and seascapes
with larger, continuous areas of seagrass correlated better with fish abundance.
Zoning for management, as mandated in new Kenyan policy, will need to consider
these differences in seascape use between fish and crustaceans.
Description
Article
Keywords
complexity, East Africa, ecosystem services, juveniles, mosaic, nursery habitat, seascape, shrimp
Citation
Wanjiru, C., Nagelkerken, I., Rueckert, S., Harcourt, W., & Huxham, M. (2023). Where to fish in the forest? Tree characteristics and contiguous seagrass features predict mangrove forest quality for fishes and crustaceans. Journal of Applied Ecology.