Reef Fish Associations with Natural and Artificial Structures in the Florida Keys

Throughout the Caribbean, coral reefs are transitioning from rugose, coral-dominated communities to flat, soft habitats, triggering declines in biodiversity. To help mitigate these losses, artificial structures have been used re-create substrate complexity and support reef inhabitants. This study natural investigate factors influencing use of habitat by fish. During 2018 2019, divers added monitored fish assemblages associating with both naturally occurring corals. Overall, there were more on than structures. While structure shape did not influence use, was a non-significant trend for increased larger Fish observations differ across gradient shallow, complex deeper, flatter reefs; however, analyses feeding guilds revealed clearer patterns: herbivores omnivores positively associated low rugosity where macroalgal abundance higher, whereas invertivores preferred rugose reefs. These results suggest that as lose structural complexity, may become dominated omnivores. It also appears addition type here effects loss assemblages.