Loss of coral diversity impacts habitat availability and ecosystem processes

The rapid decline in live coral cover on Caribbean coral reefs has marked an extensive loss of habitat for many reef fishes. Reef fishes are dependent upon the shelter provided by corals, and extensive declines in the coverage and diversity of corals has resulted in a structurally homogenous reef landscape. Yet it is unknown how the loss of coral biodiversity has affected coral reef ecosystem function by altering the distribution of fishes. Here, I present the results of two research chapters designed to assess how the loss of coral diversity has impacted reef ecosystem processes. In the first chapter, I quantified the impacts of coral species richness and species identity on the provision of shelter for reef fishes. I found that A. palmata provided the vast majority of complex structure. As such, the second chapter assessed how the loss of A. palmata has reorganized trophic processes on Caribbean reefs. The loss of A. palmata has resulted in a loss of habitat for highly territorial damselfishes, allowing other fishes to forage free from agonistic interactions. As such, grazing and predation rates increased following the widespread mortality of A. palmata.