Graph-Theoretic Modelling Reveals Connectivity Hotspots for Herbivorous Reef Fishes in a Restored Tropical Island System
Peterson, E.A., Stuart, C.E., Pittman, S.J., Benkwitt, C.E., Graham, N.A.J., Malhi, Y., Salmon, T., Stoll, B., Purkis, S.J., Wedding, L.M. (2024). Graph-theoretic modelling reveals connectivity hotspots for herbivorous reef fishes in a restored tropical island system. Landscape Ecology
Seascape connectivity refers to how the spatial configuration of marine habitats facilitates or hinders the movement of organisms, nutrients, materials or energy. Predicting and ranking potential connectivity among habitat patches for coral reef fishes helps to understand how reef fishes could utilize and connect multiple habitat types through the flow of nutrients, energy and biomass across the wider seascape during foraging movements.
Objectives
To advance a spatially explicit understanding of connectivity linkages within a tropical atoll system by modeling, mapping and quantifying potential seascape connectivity for two locally abundant herbivorous reef fish species, the parrotfish, Chlorurus spilurus (pahoro hohoni or pa’ati pa’apa’a auahi), and the surgeonfish, Acanthurus triostegus (manini).