Environmental determinants of coral reef fish diversity across several French Polynesian atolls

Abstract

The present study aimed at exploring the diversity of coral reef fishes in 10 French Polynesian atolls and sought to determine which environmental variables best explain diversity. A total of 136,614 fish belonging to 302 species were recorded in 1995 and 1996. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the best model of variation in species richness (55% of total variation) incorporated three geomorphologic descriptors (atoll perimeter, submerged rim and abundance of pinnacles) and two habitat descriptors (percentage cover of dead coral and sand). The best model of variation in Shannon-Wiener's species diversity index (43% of total variation) included two geomorphologic descriptors (mean depth and level of water exchange) and three habitat descriptors (percentage cover of mud, dead coral and gravel). Overall, our survey recognises the importance of both geomorphologic and habitat descriptors as leading contenders in explaining biodiversity in relation to energy input and habitat area hypothesis.