Moray eels are more common on coral reefs subject to higher human pressure in the greater Caribbean

Gina M Clementi; Judith Bakker; Kathryn I Flowers; Bautisse D Postaire; Elizabeth A Babcock; Mark E Bond; Dayne Buddo; Diego Cardeñosa; Leanne M Currey-Randall; Jordan S Goetze; Euan S Harvey; Michelle Heupel; Jeremy J Kiszka; Fabian Kyne; M Aaron MacNeil; Mark G Meekan; Matthew J Rees; Colin A Simpfendorfer; Conrad W Speed; Michael R Heithaus; Demian D Chapman

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2021.102097

Moray eels are more common on coral reefs subject to higher human pressure in the greater Caribbean

iScience. 2021 Feb 6;24(3):102097. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102097. eCollection 2021 Mar 19.

Authors

Gina M Clementi¹, Judith Bakker¹, Kathryn I Flowers¹, Bautisse D Postaire¹, Elizabeth A Babcock², Mark E Bond¹, Dayne Buddo³, Diego Cardeñosa¹, Leanne M Currey-Randall⁴, Jordan S Goetze^{5

6}, Euan S Harvey⁶, Michelle Heupel^{4

7}, Jeremy J Kiszka¹, Fabian Kyne⁸, M Aaron MacNeil⁹, Mark G Meekan¹⁰, Matthew J Rees¹⁰, Colin A Simpfendorfer¹¹, Conrad W Speed¹⁰, Michael R Heithaus¹, Demian D Chapman¹

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Coastlines and Oceans Division, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, USA.
² Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
³ The Bay Academy, Bay Ecotarium, The Embarcadero at Beach Street, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA.
⁴ Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, Australia.
⁵ Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, WA, Australia.
⁶ School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, WA, Australia.
⁷ Integrated Marine Observing System, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
⁸ University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
⁹ Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 3J5, Canada.
¹⁰ Australian Institute of Marine Science, Crawley, WA, Australia.
¹¹ Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture & College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia.

Abstract

Proximity and size of the nearest market ('market gravity') have been shown to have strong negative effects on coral reef fish communities that can be mitigated by the establishment of closed areas. However, moray eels are functionally unique predators that are generally not subject to targeted fishing and should therefore not directly be affected by these factors. We used baited remote underwater video systems to investigate associations between morays and anthropogenic, habitat, and ecological factors in the Caribbean region. Market gravity had a positive effect on morays, while the opposite pattern was observed in a predator group subject to exploitation (sharks). Environmental DNA analyses corroborated the positive effect of market gravity on morays. We hypothesize that the observed pattern could be the indirect result of the depletion of moray competitors and predators near humans.

Keywords: animals; biological sciences; ecology; environmental science; ethology; zoology.