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Geographic variation in reef‐fish assemblages along the Brazilian coast
Author(s) -
Floeter Sergio R.,
Guimarães Ricardo Z. P.,
Rocha Luiz A.,
Ferreira Carlos Eduardo L.,
Rangel Carlos A.,
Gasparini João Luiz
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
global ecology and biogeography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.164
H-Index - 152
eISSN - 1466-8238
pISSN - 1466-822X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1466-822x.2001.00245.x
Subject(s) - reef , archipelago , fringing reef , geography , coral reef , coral reef fish , species richness , oceanography , environmental issues with coral reefs , mainland , fishery , ecology , geology , biology , archaeology
The species composition of reef‐fish assemblages from nine Brazilian major coastal sites and four oceanic islands are compared. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was utilized to identify groups of sites based on similarity of composition, and to correlate environmental trends with such groups. Five distinct groups of sites were recognized: (1) the South and South‐eastern coastal reefs (from Guarapari Islands to Santa Catarina, the southernmost Brazilian reefs); (2) the North‐eastern coast (extending from the Manuel Luis Reefs to Abrolhos Archipelago); (3) Trindade Island; (4) Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas; and (5) St Paul’s Rocks. Water temperature, coral richness, distance from mainland, primary production and shelf width strongly correlated with the diversity and composition of the reef sites.