Protect Our Reefs!
Parrotfish & Corals Project
What is that bright, colorful fish on coral reefs making a "crunch, crunch, crunch" noise? That's a parrotfish doing what it does best: eating algae that can otherwise overgrow or outcompete corals on the reef. Because traditional fisheries species like snapper and grouper are becoming less abundant, many Caribbean fisherman have turned to harvesting parrotfishes. A primary management goal on many islands is to promote reefs that are resilient to disturbances (like hurricanes and bleaching) by maintaining abundant herbivores (particularly parrotfishes) to keep algae at bay. Islands like Bonaire and Bermuda have banned the harvest of parrotfishes altogether, while St. Croix, US Virgin Islands has a marine reserve where fishing is prohibited.
A few Caribbean parrotfish species occasionally eat live coral – which can cause local mortality to parts of coral colonies, reduce their reproductive output, and potentially make them more prone to disease. So what is the net impact of parrotfishes on reefs? In order to answer this question, the Ruttenberg Lab has been studying the positive impacts of parrotfish herbivory and the negative impacts of parrotfish corallivory on St. Croix since 2015. Here are a few of the questions we are addressing: How much species to species variation is there is parrotfish feeding? What types of algae and corals are most commonly targeted? How does parrotfish corallivory impact declining populations of Orbicella annularis corals?
Want to learn more? See this paper by Madelyn Roycroft, Ben Ruttenberg and our collaborators at UCSB (Adam et al. 2018) on the diversity of foraging behavior among Caribbean parrotfishes. See this poster presentation by Hannah Rempel on the patterns of O. annularis healing from parrotfishes bite scars. Stay tuned for upcoming publications by Madelyn on her thesis research and information from Hannah and our undergraduate team about our recent findings!
What can you do to promote resilient reefs? Pass on eating parrotfish. Lower your carbon footprint. Reduce your use of plastics and other debris that can end up in the ocean. Put pressure on law makers to support marine reserves. Support science!
A few Caribbean parrotfish species occasionally eat live coral – which can cause local mortality to parts of coral colonies, reduce their reproductive output, and potentially make them more prone to disease. So what is the net impact of parrotfishes on reefs? In order to answer this question, the Ruttenberg Lab has been studying the positive impacts of parrotfish herbivory and the negative impacts of parrotfish corallivory on St. Croix since 2015. Here are a few of the questions we are addressing: How much species to species variation is there is parrotfish feeding? What types of algae and corals are most commonly targeted? How does parrotfish corallivory impact declining populations of Orbicella annularis corals?
Want to learn more? See this paper by Madelyn Roycroft, Ben Ruttenberg and our collaborators at UCSB (Adam et al. 2018) on the diversity of foraging behavior among Caribbean parrotfishes. See this poster presentation by Hannah Rempel on the patterns of O. annularis healing from parrotfishes bite scars. Stay tuned for upcoming publications by Madelyn on her thesis research and information from Hannah and our undergraduate team about our recent findings!
What can you do to promote resilient reefs? Pass on eating parrotfish. Lower your carbon footprint. Reduce your use of plastics and other debris that can end up in the ocean. Put pressure on law makers to support marine reserves. Support science!
Learn about our ongoing 'Coffee for Corals' fundraiser:
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Start your day with a cup of conservation!
We are fundraising for our summer research by selling a medium roast coffee blend from a small farming cooperative in Kenya. $20/lbs. Each bag covers the cost of one of our research dives this summer! Live in San Luis Obispo, CA or Seattle, WA and want some of this delicious brew? Place your order here! You can pay in cash or via our GoFundMe website when you pick up your coffee. |
