scholarly journals Testing the grouper biocontrol hypothesis: A response to Mumby et al. 2013

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
John F Bruno ◽  
Abel Valdivia ◽  
Serena Hackerott ◽  
Courtney E Cox ◽  
Stephaine Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Caribbean Coral ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Density And Biomass ◽  
The Relationship

Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect the invasion success of introduced species. We tested the hypothesis that native grouper are controlling the abundance of exotic lionfish on Caribbean coral reefs by assessing the relationship between the density and biomass of lionfish and native predators at 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions. Our results indicated that: (a) the abundance of lionfish and large grouper are not negatively related, and (b) lionfish abundance is controlled by a number of physical site characteristics, and possibly by culling. Taken together, our results suggest that managers cannot rely on native grouper populations to control the lionfish invasion. Mumby et al. (2013) objected to several aspects of our analysis and conclusions. Here we address their criticisms and argue that our original conclusions are valid.

scholarly journals Testing the grouper biocontrol hypothesis: A response to Mumby et al. 2013

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
John F Bruno ◽  
Abel Valdivia ◽  
Serena Hackerott ◽  
Courtney E Cox ◽  
Stephaine Green ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Caribbean Coral ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Density And Biomass ◽  
The Relationship

Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect the invasion success of introduced species. We tested the hypothesis that native grouper are controlling the abundance of exotic lionfish on Caribbean coral reefs by assessing the relationship between the density and biomass of lionfish and native predators at 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions. Our results indicated that: (a) the abundance of lionfish and large grouper are not negatively related, and (b) lionfish abundance is controlled by a number of physical site characteristics, and possibly by culling. Taken together, our results suggest that managers cannot rely on native grouper populations to control the lionfish invasion. Mumby et al. (2013) objected to several aspects of our analysis and conclusions. Here we address their criticisms and argue that our original conclusions are valid.

scholarly journals Re-examining the relationship between invasive lionfish and native grouper in the Caribbean

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abel Valdivia ◽  
John F Bruno ◽  
Courtney Cox ◽  
Serena Hackerott ◽  
Stephanie Green
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Invasive Lionfish ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
The Relationship

Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect the invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales is poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated the hypothesis that native large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling the abundance of exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed the relationship between the biomass of lionfish and native predators at 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors that may affect fish abundance, including among others, proxies for fishing pressure and habitat structural complexity. Our results indicate that the abundance of lionfish, large-bodied grouper and other predators were not negatively related. Lionfish abundance was instead controlled by several physical site characteristics, and possibly by culling. Taken together, our results suggest that managers cannot rely on current native grouper populations to control the lionfish invasion.

scholarly journals Re-examining the relationship between invasive lionfish and native grouper in the Caribbean

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abel Valdivia ◽  
John F Bruno ◽  
Courtney Cox ◽  
Serena Hackerott ◽  
Stephanie Green
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Invasive Lionfish ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
The Relationship

Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect the invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales is poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated the hypothesis that native large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling the abundance of exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed the relationship between the biomass of lionfish and native predators at 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors that may affect fish abundance, including among others, proxies for fishing pressure and habitat structural complexity. Our results indicate that the abundance of lionfish, large-bodied grouper and other predators were not negatively related. Lionfish abundance was instead controlled by several physical site characteristics, and possibly by culling. Taken together, our results suggest that managers cannot rely on current native grouper populations to control the lionfish invasion.

scholarly journals Herbivory and the resilience of Caribbean coral reefs: knowledge gaps and implications for management

2015 ◽  
Vol 520 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
TC Adam ◽  
DE Burkepile ◽  
BI Ruttenberg ◽  
MJ Paddack
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Caribbean Coral ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs

scholarly journals Shelter use interactions of invasive lionfish with commercially and ecologically important native invertebrates on Caribbean coral reefs

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. e0236200
Author(s):  
Christina L. Hunt ◽  
Dominic A. Andradi-Brown ◽  
Callum J. Hudson ◽  
Joshua Bennett-Williams ◽  
Frankie Noades ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Caribbean Coral ◽  
Invasive Lionfish ◽  
Caribbean Coral Reefs
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