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Mangrove loss leads to fish hyperutilization of seagrass beds in a UNESCO biosphere reserve
Author(s) -
Bologna P. A. X.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.12375
Subject(s) - mangrove , seagrass , biology , biosphere , juvenile , habitat , fishery , ecology , juvenile fish , aerial root , nature reserve , fish <actinopterygii>
Hurricanes severely damaged a mangrove forest in a UNESCO biosphere reserve in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The system has yet to recover and when alternative habitats have been destroyed, it is shown that juvenile fishes will hyperutilize seagrass beds at densities significantly greater than in areas that maintain functioning mangroves. Despite over a decade of recovery time, the affected mangrove system remains inhospitable to juvenile fishes.