Multiscale habitat associations of deepwater demersal fishes off central California

Anderson, Tara J. and Yoklavich, Mary M. (2007) Multiscale habitat associations of deepwater demersal fishes off central California. Fishery Bulletin, 105(2), pp. 168-179.

Preview

PDF - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader Download (1481Kb) | Preview

Abstract

Fish-habitat associations were examined at three spatial scales in Monterey Bay, California, to determine how benthic habitats and landscape configuration have structured deepwater demersal fish assemblages. Fish counts and habitat variables were quantified by using observer and video data collected from a submersible. Fish responded to benthic habitats at scales ranging from cm’s to km’s. At broad-scales (km’s), habitat strata classified from acoustic maps were a strong predictor of fish assemblage composition. At intermediate-scales (m’s−100 m’s), fish species were associated with specific substratum patch types. At fine-scales (<1 m), microhabitat associations revealed differing degrees of microhabitat specificity, and for some species revealed niche separation within patches. The use of habitat characteristics in ecosystembased management, particularly as a surrogate for species distributions, will depend on resolving fish-habitat associations and habitat complexity over multiple scales.

Actions (login required)