Biogenic habitat structure and characteristics of temperate reef fish assemblages

Abstract

AbstractAssemblages of non‐cryptic, substrate‐oriented species of fish were compared on a series of reefs in Southern California, USA. Reefs were grouped according to algal cover: dense beds of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) with turf understorey; sparse beds of giant kelp with foliose algae understorey: foliose algae < 1 m in height; and open barrens. Despite affinities to particular algal substrates by many individual species, we detected no differences in fish species richness and only weak differences in species composition among reefs of different habitat types. Planktivores and species that consume macro‐invertebrates were less likely to occur on reefs that supported giant kelp; the frequencies of occurrence of three other trophic groups (piscivores, herbivores and micro‐carnivores) were unaffected by giant kelp.Algal composition on reefs in Southern California is temporally highly dynamic. Changes in macro‐algal composition of reefs influenced population dynamics of two fish species (black surfperch and striped surfperch) examined. Overall, the weak spatial variation in fish assemblages on reefs in Southern California appears to result from relatively unspecialized ecological requirements of many species combined with temporal changes in algal structure on reefs that are rapid relative to generation times of the fish. We hypothesize that the degree of spatial differentiation in assemblages of substrate‐associated species of fish may be inversely related to the temporal constancy of biogenic reef structure.