Experiment mimics fishing on parrotfish: Insights on coral reef recovery and alternative attractors

Published source details Steneck R.S., Arnold S.N. & Mumby P.J. (2014) Experiment mimics fishing on parrotfish: Insights on coral reef recovery and alternative attractors. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 506, 115-127.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use settlement tiles made from unnatural materials to encourage natural coral settlement Action Link

Use settlement tiles made from unnatural materials to encourage natural coral settlement

A replicated, controlled study in 2007–2008 at two coral reefs at Glovers Reef and Carrie Bow Cay, Belize (Steneck et al. 2014), found that using exclusion devices on settlement tiles to deter herbivorous parrot fish led to a reduction in settlement by coral spat (settled larvae) and an increase in nuisance algae compared to tiles without devices. One year after exclusion devices were installed, the number of coral spat was lower on tiles with exclusion devices (0.3–0.6/tile) compared to tiles with just frames (1.3–1.5/tile) and bare tiles (0.9–1.7/tile). Coverage by nuisance macroalgae was also higher on tiles inside exclusion devices (38–68%) compared to tiles with wire (22–33%) and bare tiles (24–30%). Coral species were mainly Agaricia spp. and Porites spp. although there were no Porites spp. settled on any of the exclusion tiles. In March 2007, parrot-fish exclusion devices were placed around 24 terracotta settlement tiles (10 × 10 × 1 cm). Devices comprised a 20 cm diameter wire star-shaped frame with 15.2 cm vertical stainless-steel bolts attached at 4 cm intervals to resemble a ‘cage’. Frames only were attached to 24 tiles and a further 24 were left bare. Twenty-four groups of three tiles (one/treatment) were screwed to the substrate at each of Glovers Reef and Carrie Bow Cay. Coral settlement and algal growth were recorded after one year.

(Summarised by: Ann Thornton)