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Aguilar-Perera A, Hernández-Landa RC. Variation in Body Length, Length-Weight Relationship, and Condition Factor of Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Between Years in a Mesophotic Coral Ecosystem in Alacranes Reef, Southern Gulf of Mexico. CARIBB J SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.18475/cjos.v52i2.a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Aguilar-Perera
- Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Roberto C. Hernández-Landa
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Mérida, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Municipio de Ucú, Yucatán, México
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The Role of Citizen Science in the Research and Management of Invasive Lionfish across the Western Atlantic. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13120673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Managing invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Western Atlantic Ocean is beyond the capacity of natural resource organizations alone. In response, organizations have mobilized members of the public and citizen scientists to help. We used a structured survey to assess the activities and perceptions of 71 organizations that engage the public and citizen scientists in lionfish research and management throughout the invaded range of the Western Atlantic. Five case studies were also conducted that exemplified varied and multi-pronged approaches to engagement of the public and citizen scientists in lionfish control, monitoring, and knowledge-sharing. The public has been engaged to some extent in every approach, but organizations most frequently indicated engaging members of the public in raising awareness, promoting consumption, organized culling/removal, tournaments, and data collection. Sixty-five percent of organizations surveyed engaged the public in data collection, and data collection was ranked as the scientific research activity in which the public is most often involved. Most organizations indicated their data has contributed to scientific publications, management, and government agency research and/or policy. Collectively these findings demonstrate the conservation value of citizen scientists to assist organizational efforts to control, manage, and study a large-scale marine invasion.
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Davis ACD, Akins L, Pollock C, Lundgren I, Johnston MA, Castillo B, Reale‐Munroe K, McDonough V, Moneysmith S, Green SJ. Multiple drivers of invasive lionfish culling efficiency in marine protected areas. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lad Akins
- Frost Museum of Science Miami Florida USA
- Reef Environmental Education Foundation Key Largo Florida USA
| | - Clayton Pollock
- Buck Island Reef National Monument St. Croix Virgin Islands USA
| | - Ian Lundgren
- Buck Island Reef National Monument St. Croix Virgin Islands USA
| | | | - Bernard Castillo
- University of the Virgin Islands Saint Thomas Virgin Islands USA
| | | | | | | | - Stephanie J. Green
- University of Alberta Alberta Canada
- Reef Environmental Education Foundation Key Largo Florida USA
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Protect the Natives to Combat the Aliens: Could Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 Be a Natural Agent for the Control of the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean Sea? JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9030308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Biological invasions constitute a major threat to native ecosystems and to global biodiversity [...]
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Harris HE, Fogg AQ, Gittings SR, Ahrens RNM, Allen MS, Patterson Iii WF. Testing the efficacy of lionfish traps in the northern Gulf of Mexico. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230985. [PMID: 32845879 PMCID: PMC7449463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Spearfishing is currently the primary approach for removing invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) to mitigate their impacts on western Atlantic marine ecosystems, but a substantial portion of lionfish spawning biomass is beyond the depth limits of SCUBA divers. Innovative technologies may offer a means to target deepwater populations and allow for the development of a lionfish trap fishery, but the removal efficiency and potential environmental impacts of lionfish traps have not been evaluated. We tested a collapsible, non-containment trap (the ‘Gittings trap’) near artificial reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico. A total of 327 lionfish and 28 native fish (four were species protected with regulations) recruited (i.e., were observed within the trap footprint at the time of retrieval) to traps during 82 trap sets, catching 144 lionfish and 29 native fish (one more than recruited, indicating detection error). Lionfish recruitment was highest for single (versus paired) traps deployed <15 m from reefs with a 1-day soak time, for which mean lionfish and native fish recruitment per trap were approximately 5 and 0.1, respectively. Lionfish from traps were an average of 19 mm or 62 grams larger than those caught spearfishing. Community impacts from Gittings traps appeared minimal given that recruitment rates were >10X higher for lionfish than native fishes and that traps did not move on the bottom during two major storm events, although further testing will be necessary to test trap movement with surface floats. Additional research should also focus on design and operational modifications to improve Gittings trap deployment success (68% successfully opened on the seabed) and reduce lionfish escapement (56% escaped from traps upon retrieval). While removal efficiency for lionfish demonstrated by traps (12–24%) was far below that of spearfishing, Gittings traps appear suitable for future development and testing on deepwater natural reefs, which constitute >90% of the region’s reef habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holden E Harris
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.,Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Alexander Q Fogg
- Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Stephen R Gittings
- Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert N M Ahrens
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Micheal S Allen
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America.,Nature Coast Biological Station, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida, Cedar Key, Florida, United States of America
| | - William F Patterson Iii
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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Hunt CL, Andradi-Brown DA, Hudson CJ, Bennett-Williams J, Noades F, Curtis-Quick J, Lewis OT, Exton DA. Shelter use interactions of invasive lionfish with commercially and ecologically important native invertebrates on Caribbean coral reefs. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236200. [PMID: 32846430 PMCID: PMC7449759 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Indo-Pacific lionfish have become invasive throughout the western Atlantic. Their predatory effects have been the focus of much research and are suggested to cause declines in native fish abundance and diversity across the invaded range. However, little is known about their non-consumptive effects, or their effects on invertebrates. Lionfish use shelters on the reef, thus there is potential for competition with other shelter-dwelling organisms. We demonstrate similar habitat associations between invasive lionfish, native spiny lobsters (Panulirus argus) and native long-spined sea urchins (Diadema antillarum), indicating the potential for competition. We then used a laboratory experiment to compare activity and shelter use of each species when alone and when lionfish were paired with each native species. Spiny lobsters increased their activity but did not change their shelter use in the presence of a lionfish, whilst long-spined sea urchins changed neither their activity nor shelter use. However, lionfish reduced their shelter use in the presence of spiny lobsters and long-spined sea urchins. This study highlights the importance not only of testing for the non-consumptive effects of invasive species, but also exploring whether native species exert non-consumptive effects on the invasive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina L. Hunt
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Operation Wallacea, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Callum J. Hudson
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Operation Wallacea, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Frankie Noades
- Operation Wallacea, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Jocelyn Curtis-Quick
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Owen T. Lewis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dan A. Exton
- Operation Wallacea, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
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Villaseñor-Derbez JC, Fitzgerald S. Spatial variation in allometric growth of invasive lionfish has management implications. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6667. [PMID: 30972253 PMCID: PMC6450370 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) are an invasive species in the Western Atlantic and the Caribbean. Improving management of invasive lionfish populations requires accurate total biomass estimates, which depend on accurate estimates of allometric growth; sedentary species like lionfish often exhibit high levels of spatial variation in life history characteristics. We reviewed 17 published length-weight relationships for lionfish taken throughout their invasive range and found regional differences that led to significant misestimates when calculating weight from length observations. The spatial pattern we observed is consistent with findings from other studies focused on genetics or length-at-age. Here, the use of ex situ parameter values resulted in total biomass estimates between 76.2% and 140% of true observed biomass, and up to a threefold under- or overestimation of total weight for an individual organism. These findings can have implications for management in terms of predicting effects on local ecosystems, evaluating the effectiveness of removal programs, or estimating biomass available for harvest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Villaseñor-Derbez
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America
| | - Sean Fitzgerald
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America
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Aggregating behaviour in invasive Caribbean lionfish is driven by habitat complexity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:783. [PMID: 30692608 PMCID: PMC6349842 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37459-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Caribbean lionfish (Pterois spp.) are considered the most heavily impacting invasive marine vertebrate ever recorded. However, current management is largely inadequate, relying on opportunistic culling by recreational SCUBA divers. Culling efficiency could be greatly improved by exploiting natural aggregations, but to date this behaviour has only been recorded anecdotally, and the drivers are unknown. We found aggregations to be common in situ, but detected no conspecific attraction through visual or olfactory cues in laboratory experiments. Aggregating individuals were on average larger, but showed no further differences in morphology or life history. However, using visual assessments and 3D modelling we show lionfish prefer broad-scale, but avoid fine-scale, habitat complexity. We therefore suggest that lionfish aggregations are coincidental based on individuals’ mutual attraction to similar reef structure to maximise hunting efficiency. Using this knowledge, artificial aggregation devices might be developed to concentrate lionfish densities and thus improve culling efficiency.
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Abstract
Mesophotic coral ecosystems, which occur at depths of ~40 to 150 m, have received recent scientific attention as potential refugia for organisms inhabiting deteriorating shallow reefs. These ecosystems merit research in their own right, as they harbor both depth-generalist species and a distinctive reef-fish fauna. Reef ecosystems just below the mesophotic are globally underexplored, and the scant recent literature that mentions them often suggests that mesophotic ecosystems transition directly into those of the deep sea. Through submersible-based surveys in the Caribbean Sea, we amassed the most extensive database to date on reef-fish diversity between ~40 and 309 m at any single tropical location. Our data reveal a unique reef-fish assemblage living between ~130 and 309 m that, while taxonomically distinct from shallower faunas, shares strong evolutionary affinities with them. Lacking an existing name for this reef-faunal zone immediately below the mesophotic but above the deep aphotic, we propose "rariphotic." Together with the "altiphotic," proposed here for the shallowest reef-faunal zone, and the mesophotic, the rariphotic is part of a depth continuum of discrete faunal zones of tropical reef fishes, and perhaps of reef ecosystems in general, all of which warrant further study in light of global declines of shallow reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- C C Baldwin
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA.
| | - L Tornabene
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - D R Robertson
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Republic of Panama
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