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Featured researches published by Randall D. Clark.


PLOS ONE | 2014

Fish with Chips: Tracking Reef Fish Movements to Evaluate Size and Connectivity of Caribbean Marine Protected Areas

Simon J. Pittman; Mark E. Monaco; Alan M. Friedlander; Bryan Legare; Richard S. Nemeth; Matthew S. Kendall; Matthew Poti; Randall D. Clark; Lisa M. Wedding; Chris Caldow

Coral reefs and associated fish populations have experienced rapid decline in the Caribbean region and marine protected areas (MPAs) have been widely implemented to address this decline. The performance of no-take MPAs (i.e., marine reserves) for protecting and rebuilding fish populations is influenced by the movement of animals within and across their boundaries. Very little is known about Caribbean reef fish movements creating a critical knowledge gap that can impede effective MPA design, performance and evaluation. Using miniature implanted acoustic transmitters and a fixed acoustic receiver array, we address three key questions: How far can reef fish move? Does connectivity exist between adjacent MPAs? Does existing MPA size match the spatial scale of reef fish movements? We show that many reef fishes are capable of traveling far greater distances and in shorter duration than was previously known. Across the Puerto Rican Shelf, more than half of our 163 tagged fish (18 species of 10 families) moved distances greater than 1 km with three fish moving more than 10 km in a single day and a quarter spending time outside of MPAs. We provide direct evidence of ecological connectivity across a network of MPAs, including estimated movements of more than 40 km connecting a nearshore MPA with a shelf-edge spawning aggregation. Most tagged fish showed high fidelity to MPAs, but also spent time outside MPAs, potentially contributing to spillover. Three-quarters of our fish were capable of traveling distances that would take them beyond the protection offered by at least 40–64% of the existing eastern Caribbean MPAs. We recommend that key species movement patterns be used to inform and evaluate MPA functionality and design, particularly size and shape. A re-scaling of our perception of Caribbean reef fish mobility and habitat use is imperative, with important implications for ecology and management effectiveness.


Caribbean Journal of Science | 2009

Nocturnal fish movement and trophic flow across habitat boundaries in a coral reef ecosystem (SW Puerto Rico)

Randall D. Clark; Simon J. Pittman; Chris Caldow; John D. Christensen; Bryant Roque; Richard S. Appeldoorn; Mark E. Monaco

Abstract. Few studies have quantified the extent of nocturnal cross-habitat movements for fish, or the influence of habitat adjacencies on nutrient flows and trophodynamics. To investigate the patterns of nocturnal cross-boundary movements of fish and quantify trophic connectivity, fish were sampled at night with gillnets set along the boundaries between dominant habitat types (coral reef/seagrass and mangrove/ seagrass) in southwestern Puerto Rico. Fish movement across adjacent boundary patches were equivalent at both coral reefs and mangroves. Prey biomass transfer was greater from seagrass to coral reefs (0.016 kg/km) and from mangroves to seagrass (0.006 kg/km) but not statistically significant, indicating a balance of flow between adjacent habitats. Pelagic species (jacks, sharks, rays) accounted for 37% of prey biomass transport at coral reef/seagrass and 46% at mangrove/seagrass while grunts and snappers accounted for 7% and 15%, respectively. This study indicated that coral reefs and mangroves serve as a feeding area for a wide range of multi-habitat fish species. Crabs were the most frequent prey item in fish leaving coral reefs while molluscs were observed slightly more frequently than crabs in fish entering coral reefs. For most prey types, biomass exported from mangroves was greater than biomass imported. The information on direction of fish movement together with analysis of prey data provided strong evidence of ecological linkages between distinct adjacent habitat types and highlighted the need for greater inclusion of a mosaic of multiple habitats when attempting to understand ecosystem function including the spatial transfer of energy across the seascape.


Archive | 2004

A habitat-use model to determine essential fish habitat for juvenile brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) in Galveston Bay, Texas

Randall D. Clark; John D. Christensen; Mark E. Monaco; Philip A. Caldwell; Geoffrey A. Matthews; Thomas J. Minello


Harmful Algae | 2013

Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae) species diversity in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Northern Gulf of Mexico, USA §

Patricia A. Tester; Mark W. Vandersea; Christine A. Buckel; Steven R. Kibler; William C. Holland; Erik D. Davenport; Randall D. Clark; Kimberly Edwards; J. Christopher Taylor; Jennifer L. Vander Pluym; Emma L. Hickerson; R. Wayne Litaker


Bulletin of Marine Science | 2009

Spatial and temporal patterns of coral bleaching around Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Randall D. Clark; Christopher F.G. Jeffrey; Kimberly Woody; Zandy Hillis-Starr; Mark E. Monaco


Archive | 2006

An ecological characterization of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary region : oceanographic, biogeographic, and contaminants assessment

Timothy Adams Battista; Randall D. Clark; Simon J. Pittman


Archive | 2002

Modeling the Distribution and Abundance of Spotted Seatrout: Integration of Ecology and GIS Technology to Support Management Needs

Michael Coyne; Randall D. Clark; John D. Christensen; Mark E. Monaco; Wendy Morrison


Archive | 2014

Fish and benthic communities of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary : science to support sanctuary management

Randall D. Clark; James Christopher Taylor; Christine A. Buckel; Laura M. Kracker


Archive | 2018

Mapping bottom-contact fishing intensity in the Gulf of Mexico in relation to predicted suitable habitats for deep sea corals

Randall D. Clark; Laughlin Siceloff; Arliss Winship


Archive | 2014

Data report 2012, St. Croix, USVI

Christine A. Buckel; T. Shay Viehman; Laurie J. Bauer; Laughlin Siceloff; Randall D. Clark

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Mark E. Monaco

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Chris Caldow

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Simon J. Pittman

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Christine A. Buckel

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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John D. Christensen

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Christopher F.G. Jeffrey

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Emma L. Hickerson

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Erik D. Davenport

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Geoffrey A. Matthews

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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