Long-term increases in abundance of anemonefish and their host sea anemones in an Australian marine protected area
Anna Scott A B E , Hamish A. Malcolm C , Cristiana Damiano A B and Darren L. Richardson D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A National Marine Science Centre, P.O. Box 4321, Coffs Harbour Jetty, NSW 2450, Australia.
B School of Environmental Science and Management, Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
C Solitary Islands Marine Park, NSW Marine Parks Authority, NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, P.O. Box 4297, Coffs Harbour Jetty, NSW 2450, Australia.
D BMT WBM Pty Ltd, 200 Creek Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: ascott@nmsc.edu.au
Marine and Freshwater Research 62(2) 187-196 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF10323
Submitted: 23 December 2010 Accepted: 4 January 2011 Published: 24 February 2011
Abstract
Understanding the population dynamics of host sea anemones and their symbiotic anemonefish is important given that pressures such as aquarium collecting and bleaching events are adversely impacting their abundance in some Indo–Pacific locations. We examined long-term trends in anemone and anemonefish abundance at four sites within a ‘no-take’ zone at North Solitary Island, Australia, by comparing data from 2008 to surveys done in 1994 and 1995. Species richness was stable, comprising two anemones, Entacmaea quadricolor and Heteractis crispa, and three anemonefishes, Amphiprion akindynos, A. latezonatus, and A. melanopus. In 2008, densities of the most abundant species, E. quadricolor and A. akindynos, were substantially higher than previously recorded, with increases of up to 532% and 133%, respectively. There was a strong relationship between A. akindynos densities and anemone cover, whereas A. latezonatus had higher densities in deeper waters. Densities of this species remained similar over time, although there was a decline at one site. Heteractis crispa and A. melanopus were found in comparatively low numbers. Potential reasons for the overall increase in abundance include: protection from severe swell events, the lack of major bleaching events, the ability of E. quadricolor to reproduce rapidly by asexual reproduction, and the increasing duration of marine park protection.
Additional keywords: Actiniaria, habitat, marine park, Pomacentrid, rocky reef, subtropical.
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