Diversity patterns of reef fish along the Brazilian tropical coast

• Published in: Marine environmental research Vol. 160; p. 105038
• Main Authors: Araújo, Maria Elisabeth de, Mattos, Felipe Monteiro Gomes de, Melo, Felipe Pimentel Lopes de, Chaves, Lais de Carvalho Teixeira, Feitosa, Caroline Vieira, Lippi, Daniel Lino, Félix Hackradt, Fabiana Cézar, Hackradt, Carlos Werner, Nunes, Jorge Luiz Silva, Leão, Zelinda Margarida de Andrade Nery, Kikuchi, Ruy Kenji Papa de, Ferreira Junior, Antonio Vicente, Pereira, Pedro Henrique Cipresso, Macedo, Cláudio Henrique Rodrigues, Sampaio, Cláudio Luis Santos, Feitosa, João Lucas Leão
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Brazilian reefs; Conservation; Diversity; Dominant species; Ecological effects; Effects-population; Fish; Geographical distribution; Latitudinal effects; Marine ecology; Marine fishes; Rare species; Reef fish; Reef fish distribution; Reef fishes; Reef morphotype; Reefs; Species abundance; Species diversity; Species richness; Stochasticity; Tropical climate; Vulnerability; Latitudinal effects; Species abundance; Marine ecology; Brazilian reefs; Conservation; Diversity; Reef morphotype; Reef fish distribution; Effects-population; Rare species
• ISSN: 0141-1136; 1879-0291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105038

Causal mechanisms for broad-scale reef fish diversity patterns are poorly understood and current knowledge is limited to trends of species richness. This work compared the effects of ecological drivers on components of fish diversity across reefs spanning over 2.000 km of the tropical Brazilian coastline. A quarter of communities’ diversity is accountable to common and dominant species, while remaining species are rare. Low-latitude sites were more diverse in rare species. Communities along the coast share common and dominant species, which display high densities across all reefs, but differ in rare species that show abundance peaks in particular reef morphotypes. The disproportionate distribution of rare species reveals a higher vulnerability of these communities to impacts and stochastic density fluctuations. Uneven conservation efforts directed to these morphotypes pose a threat to the maintenance of a paramount component of the reef fish diversity represented by rare species. [Display omitted] •Communities across the coast share dominant species but differ in rare species.•Rare species make up three quarters of both local and regional diversities.•Latitude explained the diversity patterns of rare species only.•Reef structure influences species, affecting rare species occupancy.•Uneven distribution of rare species reveals a higher community vulnerability.