Paul Furumo

Mayra Sánchez

24 Oct. 2012

Research Problem

• There is insufficient data on the abundance and distribution of lionfish in mangrove habitat

• Mangroves provide nurseries for reef fishes, therefore the effect of invasion into these habitats are of severe concern.

• Furthermore, management strategies have largely focused on reefs at the expense of mangrove habitats.

Objective and Goals O 1: Determine the extent of lionfish abundance in

mangrove habitats in Puerto Rico. H 1: Lionfish are present in Mangroves in

abundance comparable to other invaded habitat.

O 2: Characterize and quantify prey composition of mangrove dwelling lionfish.

H 2: Lionfish presence is going to be related to the amount of prey available in mangroves.

O 3: Determine if lionfish use mangroves as nurseries similar to other reef fishes.

H 3: We assume that lionfish demonstrate a similar pattern as other reef fish that use mangroves as nurseries and migrate to reefs.

http://absci.fiu.edu/?p=2345

Objective and Goals O 4: Determine the ontogenical behavior

cues that cause lionfish recruitment and migration between mangrove and reef habitat.

H 4: Lionfish migrate from mangroves towards reef habitat upon attaining sexual maturity

O 5: Determine if they have a preference

for impacted and non-impacted mangroves.

H 5: We assume the less impacted the ecosystem there is going to be more abundance of lionfish.

http://absci.fiu.edu/?p=341

Methodology Study Sites

Bosque estatal Piñoes, Carolina (BP) Reserva Natural Bahia de Jobos, Salina (BJ) La Parguera (LP)

Characterize and quantify prey composition Identify stomach content

Population dynamics

Abundance- belt transects 20 * 2 m (2) Transects (Mumby et al., 2004) Total Length Age determination (Otolith) Sexual Maturity (Dissection observation)

Potential Benefits Improve our overall knowledge of lionfish use in

mangrove habitat.

Incorporate findings into more efficient and inclusive management strategies.

References Arias-González, J. E., González-Gándara, C., Luis Cabrera, J., & Christensen, V. (2011).

Predicted impact of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans on the food web of a Caribbean coral reef. Environmental research, 111(7), 917–25. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2011.07.008

Barbour, A., Montgomery, M., Adamson, A., Díaz-Ferguson, E., & Silliman, B. (2010). Mangrove use by the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 401, 291–294. doi:10.3354/meps08373

Brightman Claydon, J. A., Batchasingh, J., Calosso, M. C., Jacob, S. E., & Lockhart, K. (2011). Invasive Red Lionfish in Shallow Habitats of the Turks & Caicos Islands. 63rd Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (p. 5). San Juan, Puerto Rico.

González, J., Grijalba-Bendeck, M., Acero, A., & Betancur-R., R. (2009). The invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus 1758), in the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Aquatic Invasions, 4(3), 507–510. doi:10.3391/ai.2009.4.3.12

Green, S.J., Akins, J.L., and J.A. Morris, J. (2012). Lionfish Dissection : Techniques and Applications. (p. 24).

Hyslop, E. J. (1980). Stomach contents analysis-a review of methods and their application. Journal of Fish Biology, 17(4), 411–429. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.1980.tb02775.x

Morris, J. a., & Akins, J. L. (2009). Feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Bahamian archipelago. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 86(3), 389–398. Retrieved from http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s10641-009-9538-8

Mumby, P. J., Edwards, A. J., Lindeman, J., Arias-González, E. K. C., Blackwell, P. G., Gall, A., Gorczynska, M. I., et al. (2004). Mangroves enhance the biomass of coral reef fish communities in the Caribbean. Nature, 427(B5), 533–536. doi:10.1038/nature02286

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