HR: 14:30h
AN: OS52J-03    [PDF]
TI: The association of subphotic fish assemblages with precious corals in the Hawaiian Archipelago
AU: * Parrish, F A
EM: Frank.Parrish@noaa.gov
AF: Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, 2570 Dole Street , Honolulu, HI 96822 United States
AB: The Pisces submersibles were used to survey fourteen sites across the Hawaiian Archipelago to document subphotic communities \(300-500 m\). Surveys systematically identified and measured fish and corals while tracking changes in substrate type and bottom relief, with the greatest attention focused on the three commercially harvested coral species \({\it Gerardia} sp., {\it Corallium secundum}, {\it C. regal}\). Species richness of fish was not observed to differ between areas with corals and those without. Most fish taxa were observed in low numbers with only a couple of species dominant. Areas with corals often supported greater fish density, but statistical evaluations suggest that this is due to co-occurrence of fish and coral in areas of relief and high flow and not a dependency of fish on corals. No difference was seen in mean fish size in or outside of the coral beds. Of the three commercial coral species, fish oriented mostly around {\it Gerardia} sp. probably because it is significantly taller than the two {\it Corallium} species Classifying the fish into functional groups revealed "benthic hoverers" as the segment of the fish community that most frequently used {\it Gerardia} sp. as shelter.
DE: 4815 Ecosystems, structure and dynamics
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 Ocean Sciences Meeting