Stable isotopes and community surveys reveal differential use of artificial and natural reefs by South Florida fishes.

ABSTRACT: Artificial reefs may enhance the biological production of reef-associated flora and fauna, but their trophic structure relative to that of natural reefs remains understudied. We assessed trophic relationships by 1) comparing reef fish communities and 2) comparing δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N in 43 fish species from both artificial reef sites and adjacent natural reef tracts in Broward County, Florida. We tested the effect of sampling location (artificial, first, and second reef), general feeding strategy (herbivore, omnivore, invertivore, and carnivore), phylogeny, and standard length on δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N. The reef fish communities of the artificial and natural reef tracts were significantly different; the artificial sites also exhibited more variability. For all s

SUBMITTER: Blanar CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8273218 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature