Document of bibliographic reference 348101

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Community similarity and species overlap between habitats provide insight into the deep reef refuge hypothesis

Abstract

The deep reef refuge hypothesis (DRRH) postulates that mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) may provide a refuge for shallow coral reefs (SCRs). Understanding this process is an important conservation tool given increasing threats to coral reefs. To establish a better framework to analyze the DRRH, we analyzed stony coral communities in American Sāmoa across MCEs and SCRs to describe the community similarity and species overlap to test the foundational assumption of the DRRH. We suggest a different approach to determine species as depth specialists or generalists that changes the conceptual role of MCEs and emphasizes their importance in conservation planning regardless of their role as a refuge or not. This further encourages a reconsideration of a broader framework for the DRRH. We found 12 species of corals exclusively on MCEs and 183 exclusively on SCRs with another 63 species overlapping between depth zones. Of these, 19 appear to have the greatest potential to serve as reseeding species. Two additional species are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, Acropora speciosa and Fimbriaphyllia paradivisa categorized as an occasional deep specialist and a deep exclusive species, respectively. Based on the community distinctiveness and minimal species overlap of SCR and MCE communities, we propose a broader framework by evaluating species overlap across coral reef habitats. This provides an opportunity to consider the opposite of the DRRH where SCRs support MCEs.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000729143400019

Bibliographic citation

Fenner, D.; Donahue, M.J.; Toonen, R.J. (2021). Community similarity and species overlap between habitats provide insight into the deep reef refuge hypothesis. NPG Scientific Reports 11(1): 23787. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03128-8

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true