Work

Assessment of rocky reef fish assemblages close to seaweed farming

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: The seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty ex P. C. Silva, a red algal species, is the main global source of Kappa carrageenan. The introduction of such exotic species in regions outside their original locale can change the community structure of the areas into which they are introduced. The possible influence of seaweed farming on the rocky reef fish assemblage was assessed in Paraty, Brazil. The reef fish assemblage in the seaweed farming area was compared before and after the commencement of farming with two undisturbed control areas. Among the ten species ranked as the most frequently occurring in each area, eight were the same. The fish community structure close to the seaweed farming area did not change from that of the control areas, over the months of the study. Neither the fish diversity and richness indices, nor the total average abundance among areas was significantly altered. The average abundance of the different trophic groups varied over time in both the farm and control areas, revealing similar patterns. These results suggest that K. alvarezii can be cultivated up to at least 50 m from a rocky coast without altering the fish community structure of the surrounding waters.

Source: Aquaculture Research

DOI: 10.1111/are.12896

Authors: Leonardo Lara de Carvalho, Eduardo Godoy Aires de Souza, Mauricio Roque da Mata Júnior, Roberto Campos Villaça

Institutions: Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade

Language: English

Topic: Marine and coastal plant biology

Subfield: Oceanography

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life below water, Zero hunger

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: University of Warwick, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade