Prepared in cooperation with the University of Florida and Arkansas State University Connectivity of Tropical Marine Ecosystems: An Overview of Interdisciplinary Research to Understand Biodiversity and Trophic Relationships in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

Tropical Marine Reserves and collaborating on interdisciplinary Collaborative research efforts are using Protected Areas research in the Virgin Islands and telemetry and stable isotope analyses Puerto Rico to examine the biodiver- (SIA) to track movement patterns The Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico sity and trophic dynamics of and (for example, schoolmaster snapper, contain marine reserves and protected residing in connected Lutjanus apodus) in and out of areas that encompass a variety of mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs connected habitats, marine reserves tropical ecosystems, including coral to discern the effectiveness of current and protected areas, and identifying reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds marine reserves and protected areas for invertebrates found within fish foraging (fig. 1). Reserves and protected areas conserving reef resources. habitats (fig. 2). Additionally, research- are established for a variety of reasons, ers are characterizing trophic relation- such as preserving nursery habitats and Trophic Relationships ships between fishes and their prey by biodiversity, or reducing anthropogenic examining fish stomach contents and effects associated with pollution and Energy transfer within and among conducting SIA of fishes and inverte- land use. Questions remain regarding tropical marine ecosystems involves brates. These efforts could identify the effectiveness of these designated communities associated with reefs, critical habitats used by fishes (both areas in preserving and protecting mangroves, and seagrass beds. Little within and outside the reserves and spatially connected habitats and is known about the influence of fish protected areas) and quantify these associated fishes and invertebrates. habitat utilization, prey preferences, habitats as foraging sites. Findings Scientists from the U.S. Geological and movement patterns, on the flow of from this research may assist govern- Survey (USGS), University of Florida, energy occurring between trophic levels ment officials in designating appropriate and Arkansas State University are (that is, from a prey to its predator). areas for protection.

A B

C

Figure 1. Examples of A, coral reefs, B, mangroves, and C, seagrass beds sampled during this interdisciplinary research of tropical marine ecosystems. Photographs by Amanda Demopoulos, USGS.

U.S. Department of the Interior Fact Sheet 2012–3016 U.S. Geological Survey Printed on recycled paper Februrary 2012 The Role of Parasitism A B Figure 2. A, A USGS Parasitism is an important employee records marine ecological interaction that affects organisms present in a community and trophic structure 0.5 m2 quadrat in a coral of coral reefs and connected habitats. reef. B, Push cores sampled However, the influence of parasites benthic invertebrates in on food webs has been largely seagrass beds. Both types ignored (Lafferty and others, 2008). of sampling occurred in all Parasites attached to the outside of habitat types. Photographs reef fishes—known as ectoparasites by Amanda Demopoulos, —can be transferred between habi- USGS. tats by their hosts (Grutter, 1998). Ectoparasites can be consumed by cleaner organisms, such as shrimp, or become dislodged and return to the benthos; both circumstances are descriptions for the majority of inver- and protected areas and determining potential mechanisms for transfer- tebrate taxa and incomplete taxonomic whether designated areas may need to ring energy among habitats (fig. 3). keys make it difficult to assess inverte- incorporate additional habitat types. Through the use of SIA and brate diversity and composition. parasite feeding experiments, this DNA barcoding is a molecular technique References Cited research will advance understanding that can assist with species discover- Grutter, A., 1998, Habitat-related of host-parasite and parasite con- ies, identify unknown or poorly defined taxonomic groups and cryptic species, differences in the abundance of sumer trophic relationships and their parasites from a coral reef fish: An influence on coral reef food-web and improve the quality and quantity of data available for conservation indication of the movement patterns of dynamics. Additionally, this research melapterus (Bloch, 1791) is addressing how human activities, efforts (Neigel and others, 2007). USGS is developing markers for a DNA bar- (Labridae), Journal of Fish Biology, such as pollution and land use that v. 53, p. 49–57. can cause increased sedimentation coding technique to complement and eutrophication, may affect reef traditional morphology-based identifica- Lafferty, K.D., Allesina, S., Armi, M., habitats and associated parasite-host tion with the goal of improving identifi- Briggs, C.J., De Leo, G., Dobson, A.P., interactions. cation and understanding of the diversity Dunne, J.A., Johnson, P.T.J., Kuris, within habitats. DNA barcoding will A.M., Marcogliese, D.J., Martinez, also help to identify marine organisms N.D., Memmott, J., Marquet, P.A., in fish stomachs, thus providing data McLaughlin, J.P., Mordecai, E.A., on prey consumed by reef fishes. This Pascual, M., Poulin, R., and Thieltges, information, coupled with the inver- D.W., 2008, Parasites in food webs: tebrate surveys described above, will The ultimate missing links: Ecology enhance scientific understanding of the Letters, v. 11, p. 533–546. resources available in fish Neigel, J., Domingo, A., and Stake, J., foraging areas. 2007, DNA barcoding as a tool for coral reef conservation: Coral Reefs, v. 26, Connectivity of Tropical p. 487–499. Ecosystems Many of the organisms examined By Jennifer McClain-Counts and Figure 3. An ectoparasite (Anilocra for these studies are important prey Amanda Demopoulos sp.) on a blackbar soldierfish (Myripristis to higher trophic levels. For example, jacobus). Photograph by Philip Hodgens. French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum) For additional information, contact: habitat requirements and movements likely influence other ecologically and Amanda Demopoulos Biodiversity and Species economically important species, such USGS Southeast Ecological Science Center Identification as red hind (Epinephelus guttatus). 7920 NW 71st Street Gainesville, Florida 32653 The interdisciplinary research described Conservation efforts in the Virgin 352-264-3490 Islands and Puerto Rico are dependent here will enhance our understanding [email protected] on good documentation of species of the complex biological and ecological http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3016 present within the mangroves, seagrass interactions among resident and transient reef organisms. This knowl- beds, and coral reefs. Benthic inver- Publishing support provided by the USGS Science tebrates are an integral part of these edge is a critical component for evaluat- Publishing Network, Raleigh Publishing Service habitats, but the scarcity of species ing the effectiveness of marine reserves Center