Masahiro Horinouchi

Habitat use patterns of fishes across the mangrove-seagrass-coral reef seascape at Ishigaki Island, southern Japan

To clarify seascape-scale habitat use patterns of fishes in the Ryukyu Islands (southern Japan), visual censuses were conducted in the mangrove estuary, sand area, seagrass bed, coral rubble area, branching coral area on the reef flat, and tabular coral area on the outer reef slope at Ishigaki Island in August and November 2004, and May, August and November 2005. During the study period a total of 319 species were observed. Species richness and abundance were highest in the branching and tabular coral areas, followed in order by the seagrass bed and mangrove estuary, and coral rubble and sand areas, in each month. Cluster analysis resulted in a clear grouping of assemblage structures by habitat type rather than by census month. SIMPER analysis showed that fish assemblages in the tabular coral area were mainly characterized by Acanthurus nigrofuscus, Pomacentrus lepidogenys, P. philippinus and P. vaiuli, the branching coral area by Chromis viridis and Pomacentrus moluccensis, the coral rubble area by Amblyeleotris steinitzi and Ctenogobiops pomastictus, the seagrass bed by Cheilio inermis, Lethrinus atkinsoni and Stethojulis strigiventer, the sand area by Valenciennea longipinnis, and the mangrove estuary by Gerres oyena, Lutjanus fulvus and Yongeichthys criniger. Moreover, fishes exhibited two habitat use strategies, inhabiting either a single or several specific habitats throughout their benthic life history stages, or having a possible ontogenetic habitat shift from the mangrove estuary or seagrass bed to coral-dominated habitats (e.g., Lethrinus atkinsoni, Lethrinus obsoletus, Lutjanus fulviflamma, Lutjanus fulvus, Lutjanus gibbus, Lutjanus monostigma and Parupeneus barberinus), suggesting that the mangrove estuary and seagrass bed have a nursery function.

Effects of mangrove deforestation on fish assemblage at Pak Phanang Bay, southern Thailand

Daytime sampling using a seine net was conducted at Pak Phanang Bay (Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand) in February and July 2006, to determine differences in fish assemblage structures between a mangrove site and an adjacent site completely cleared of mangroves. The overall numbers of fish species and individuals were significantly higher at the mangrove site than the cleared site in both months. Although benthic crustacean feeders showed more species and individual numbers at the mangrove site in both months, the opposite was found for zooplankton feeders. A cluster analysis, based on the abundance of each species, demonstrated that the fish assemblage structures were distinctly different between the two sites. In addition, significant differences in length frequency distributions for each of the four most abundant species were found between the sites in February and/or July. Small individuals of Scatophagus argus, Ambassis nalua, and Tetraodon nigroviridis were more common at the mangrove site, and of Chelon subviridis at the cleared site. These results suggest that mangrove deforestation exerts marked effects on fish assemblages.

Horizontal gradient in fish assemblage structures in and around a seagrass habitat: some implications for seagrass habitat conservation

Horizontal gradients in fish assemblage structures in and around a seagrass habitat were evaluated by visual observations. The assemblage structures clearly differed between open microhabitats lacking seagrass, i.e., nearby sand and the area adjoining the outer margin of the seagrass bed (referred to as “outer gap”), and microhabitats with seagrass within the overall seagrass bed, although not differing among the latter microhabitats, including both edge and core portions. Such open microhabitats were found to be not always inferior, but nearly equal to or even sometimes greatly superior in fish species’ diversity and/or abundance to the microhabitats with seagrass. In particular, the outer gap was always ranked first in total species’ number and had outstanding abundance in spring. Similar open microhabitats adjoining seagrass walls facing the sand patch within the seagrass bed (referred to as “inner gap”) in spring were also characterized by higher fish species and individual numbers. The 11 most abundant fishes showed four discrete distribution patterns (three recognized herein and one implied by precedent studies), such contributing to a horizontal gradient in the fish assemblage structure. While no fishes showed a preference for the edge or core of the seagrass bed, group-forming juveniles of several species favored gap microhabitats, suggesting that, in addition to the traditionally recognized edge and core microhabitats, the concept of gap microhabitats should be included in seagrass conservation ecology.

Food habits of small fishes in seagrass habitats in Trang, southern Thailand

To clarify the feeding habits of seagrass fishes, we examined the gut contents from 42 fish species collected in seagrass habitats in Trang. Thirteen species showed ontogenetic and/or seasonal changes in food-use patterns. Smaller individuals generally preyed on small planktonic items (e.g., copepod larvae) or small benthic/epiphytic crustaceans (e.g., harpacticoid copepods), with subsequent changes to other prey items (e.g., shrimps, crabs, detritus and filamentous algae) with growth. The most important dietary items for the seagrass fish assemblages comprised benthic/epiphytic crustaceans, detritus, and planktonic copepods. Cluster analysis based on dietary overlaps showed that the seagrass fishes comprised eight feeding guilds (large benthic/epiphytic crustacean, detritus, planktonic animal, small benthic/epiphytic crustacean, mollusc, invertebrate egg, polychaete, and fish feeders). Of these, the first three guilds were the most abundantly represented, whereas the last three were each represented by only a single species.

Differences in fish assemblage structures between fragmented and continuous seagrass beds in Trang, southern Thailand

Fish assemblage structures in fragmented and continuous seagrass habitats in Trang Province, Thailand, were examined in detail to elucidate the effects of habitat fragmentation. The assemblage structures clearly differed: fish species diversity was apparently higher in the fragmented seagrass beds, although total fish numbers did not differ between them. A total of 37 fish species were collected, including 24 and 34 species from the continuous and fragmented beds, respectively. Thirteen species were restricted to the fragmented beds, compared with three restricted to the continuous beds. In addition, eight species were more abundant in the fragmented beds and only two in the continuous beds. Such differences may have arisen, at least in part, from differences in microhabitat diversity and the relative amounts of microhabitats between the two habitat types, as well as specific microhabitat preferences of the resident fishes. Although fragmented beds supported greater fish species diversity at the present study sites, it is axiomatic that habitat fragmentation caused by anthropogenic disturbance is unacceptable, with seagrass-habitat conservation being essential for both the preservation of high overall biodiversity and the successful management of local fisheries.

Food habits of small fishes in a common reed Phragmites australis belt in Lake Shinji, Shimane, Japan

To clarify the feeding habits of reed fishes, the gut contents of 13 fish species collected in a Phragmites australis belt in Lake Shinji were examined. Six species showed ontogenetic and/or seasonal changes in food use patterns. Smaller individuals generally preyed on small planktonic items (e.g., calanoid and cyclopoid copepods) or small crustaceans (gammaridean amphipods), subsequently changing to other prey items (e.g., mysids and filamentous algae) with growth. The most important dietary items for the reed fish assemblage comprised planktonic copepods, gammaridean amphipods and mysids. However, the relative importance of these changed seasonally, gammaridean amphipods being the most important in autumn and winter, and planktonic copepods and mysids the most important in spring and in summer. Cluster analysis based on dietary overlaps showed that the reed fish assemblage comprised five feeding guilds (planktonic-copepod, mysid, gammaridean-amphipod, filamentous-algae, and detritus feeders). Of these, the three former guilds were the most abundantly represented, whereas detritivores were represented by a single species.

Patterns of food and microhabitat resource use by two benthic gobiid fishes

The mechanisms responsible for different patterns of habitat use by two benthic gobiid fishes, Acentrogobius sp. 1 and A. sp. 2, which displayed identical food use but resided in shallow and deep zones of coarse and fine sediments, respectively, in Lake Hamana, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, were investigated by field removal and laboratory sediment-grain size selection experimentation. Following field manipulation, involving removal of both species, the distribution patterns of each were found to be similar in both control and manipulated quadrats, suggesting their differential habitat use patterns may be the outcome not of competition but of differing preferences for habitat characteristics. Results of a sediment-grain size selection experiment in the laboratory suggested a weak preference of A. sp. 2 for fine sediment, while A. sp. 1 showed no grain size preference. The observed difference in the distribution patterns between these two species, therefore, may possibly have resulted from, at least in part, a combination of differences in their preference for sediment grain size and other habitat characteristics such as water depth.

Effects of habitat change from a bare sand/mud area to a short seagrass Halophila ovalis bed on fish assemblage structure: a case study in an intertidal bay in Trang, southern Thailand

Fish assemblage structures in an intertidal sand/mud area invaded by short seagrass Halophila ovalis and a nearby non-invaded sand/mud area in Trang Province, Thailand, were examined in detail by visual census to elucidate the effects of such habitat change on assemblage structure. The assemblage structure in the newly established seagrass bed showed a significant shift from that in the sand/mud area, despite the total fish species numbers remaining similar to each other (i.e., 30 and 29 species, respectively). Total fish density was significantly lower in the seagrass bed. In addition, differences in density patterns of component species between seagrass and sand/mud fish assemblages were evident, some fish species being restricted to or more abundant in the alternative habitat. Such differences may have arisen, at least in part, from differences in practical food availability/accessibility between the two habitat types, and/or specific microhabitat preferences of the resident fishes. Although seagrass habitats are often regarded as supporting a richer fish assemblage compared with bare sand/mud areas, the present study clearly indicated that the latter also supported a unique fish assemblage, including juveniles of fishery target species. Accordingly, both seagrass and bare sand/mud habitats should be taken into consideration for both the conservation of greater overall biodiversity in the coastal environment and the continued existence of local fisheries.