This long-term, large-scale field experiment was designed to document the community-wide effects of invasive lionfish in the vicinity of Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas. Baseline surveys of the fish community were conducted at each of ten large (1400 to 4000 m2) reefs by counting and sizing all fishes within two permanent square plots (100 m2) and four permanent strip plots (50 m2) at each reef. Square plots were centered on the area of each reef with the greatest three-dimensional structure, whereas strip transects were placed to provide a representative sample of the entire reef (biased towards hard substrate). The reefs were paired based on habitat characteristics (depth, current, predominant substrate type, etc.), and one reef in each pair was designated as either low-lionfish-density (LLD) or high-lionfish-density (HLD). Lionfish were then removed from LLD reefs and added to HLD reefs. We attempted to remove all lionfish from LLD reefs, and to augment the density of lionfish on HLD reefs to the level observed on the highest-density reefs before the experiment. Surveys of each fish community were then repeated approximately quarterly. During each survey, any new lionfish appearing on LLD reefs were removed and distributed evenly across the HLD reefs (again, ensuring that densities at HLD reefs did not exceed natural invasive densities prior to the experiment). See details in the following related publications.
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Related Publications:
\nAlbins, M.A. (2012) Effects of the Invasive Pacific Red Lionfish Pterois volitans on Native Atlantic Coral-reef Fish Communities (Chapter 6). PhD Dissertation. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
\nAlbins, M.A. (in preparation) Invasive Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans reduce abundance and species richness of native Bahamian coral-reef fishes: results from a large-scale, long-term experiment. Intended for Ecological Applications.
Species code, species names, and other characteristics of species observed during surveys (includes length-weight conversion parameters used for biomass conversions) of coral reefs at Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas.
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Part of sub-project titled \"Large-scale, Long-term, Lionfish Experiment (LLLE)\".
Reference Codes (used in LW_ref column):
\n1 = Aiken KA,1983. The Biology Ecology and Bionomics of the Triggerfishes Balistidae. Munro JL (ed). Caribbean Coral Reef Fishery Resources Vol 7. ICLARM Manila Philippines p 191.
\n2 = Balart EF Gonzalez-Cabello A Romero-Ponce RC Zayas-Alvarez A Calderon-Parra M Campos-Davila L Findley LT. 2006. Length-weight relationships of cryptic reef fishes from the southwestern Gulf of California Mexico. J Appl Ichthyol 22:316-318.
\n3 = Bohnsack JA Harper DE. 1988. Length-weight relationships of selected marine reef fishes from the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-215:31.
\n4= Bouchon-Navaro Y Bouchon C Kopp D Louis M. 2006. Weight-length relationships for 50 fish species collected in seagrass beds of the Lesser Antilles. J Appl Ichthyol 22:322-324.
\n5 = Frota LO Costa PAS Braga AC. 2004. Length-weight relationships of marine fishes from the central Brazilian coast. NAGA World Fish Center Quarterly 27:20-26.
\n6 = Garc\u00eda-Arteaga JP Claro R Valle S. 1997. Length-Weight relationships of Cuban marine fishes. NAGA The ICLARM Quarterly 20:38-43.
\n7 = Gaut VC Munro JL. 1983. The Biology Ecology and Bionomics of the Grunts Pomadasyidae. Munro JL (ed) Caribbean Coral Reef Fishery Resources Vol 7. ICLARM Manila Philippines p 110.
\n8 = Gonz\u00e1lez-G\u00e1ndara C P\u00e9rez-D\u00edaz E Santos-Rodr\u00edguez L Arias-Gonz\u00e1lez JE. 2003. Length-weight relationships of coral reef fishes from the Alacran Reef Yucatan Mexico. NAGA World Fish Center Quarterly 26:14-16.
\n9 = Joyeux JC Giarrizzo T Macieira RM Spach HL Vaske T. 2009. Length-weight relationships for Brazilian estuarine fishes along a latitudinal gradient. J Appl Ichthyol 25:350-355.
\n10 = Kasim HM Hamsa KMSA Balasubramanian TS Rajapackiam S. 1996. Fishery of full beaks and half beaks with special reference to the growth mortality and stock assessment of Ablennes hians (Valenciennes) along the Tuticorin coast Gulf of Mannar. Indian J Fish 43:51-59.
\n11 = Kulbicki M Guillemot N Amand M .2005. A general approach to length-weight relationships for New Caledonian lagoon fishes. Cybium 29:235-252.
\n12 = Letourneur Y Kulbicki M Labrosse P. 1998. Length-weight relationship of fishes from coral reefs and lagoons of New Caledonia - an update. NAGA The ICLARM Quarterly 21:39-46.
\n13 = Manooch CS Barans CA. 1982. Distribution Abundance and Age and Growth of the Tomtate Haemulon aurolineatum Along the Southeastern United-States Coast. Fish Bull 80:1-19.
\n14 = Safrit GW Schwartz FJ. 1988. Length-weight relationships for gulf flounder Paralichthys albigutta from North Carolina. Fish Bull 86:832-833.
\n15 = Sandin SA Sampayo EM Vermeji MJA. 2008. Coral reef fish and benthic community structure of Bonaire and Cura\u00e7ao Netherlands Antilles. Caribbean Journal of Science 44:137-144. (Note: This paper refers to FishBase as the source for a number of L-W conversion estimates but FishBase refers back to this paper as the original source of the estimates therefore these conversions are of questionable origin.)
\n16 = Author\u2019s unpublished data. L-W curve based on 60 individuals ranging in size from 2.5 to 32.5 cm TL (R2 = 0.992).
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Note: BCO-DMO modified original parameter names to conform with BCO-DMO naming conventions.