TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover
 
Title Page
 
Executive Summary
 
Chapter 1: Community Structure of Pinnacles Reef Tract Fishes
Background and Introduction
Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
 
Chapter 2: Trophic Ecology of Pinnacles Reef Tract Fishes
Introduction
Objectives
Methods
Results and Discussion
 
Acknowledgments
 
Literature Cited
 
Appendix A. Summary of ROV surveys for 1997-2001.
 
Appendix B. A list of reef-fish species from natural reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico with a comparison among the northwestern Gulf, Pinnacles, and West Florida shelf.
 
Appendix C. Food habits of reef fishes of the Pinnacles Reef Tract by trophic guild.
 
Appendix D. Characteristic ichthyofauna of Pinnacles Reef Tract, displaying the biodiversity of fishes by trophic guild.

Figures:

1.1. Oblique view of the Alabama Alps study site and 36 Fathom Ridge area along the Pinnacles Reef Tract, showing the variability in outer shelf reef morphology (map provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.2. Northeastern Gulf of Mexico outer continental shelf with polygon marking the combined MMS MAMES and MASPTHMS study areas, enclosing the Pinnacles Reef Tract, including NEGOM-CMEP and USGS study sites (adapted from CSA and TAMU 2001).
 
1.3. Locations of NEGOM-CMEP megasites and monitoring sites (adapted from CSA and TAMU 2001).
 
1.4. USGS Pinnacles Reef Tract study sites in relation to NEGOM-CMEP megasites (adapted from CSA and TAMU 2001).
 
1.5. A. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for 40 Fathom Fishing Ground area with study sites. B. Acoustic backscatter for same area differentiating substrate type (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.6. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Roughtongue Reef study site (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.7. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Cat's Paw Reef study site (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.8. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Yellowtail Reef study site (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.9. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Near Shoreline Ridge area with study sites (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.10. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Double Top Reef study site (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.11. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for 36 Fathom Ridge area with study sites (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.12. High-resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Alabama Alps study site (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.13. High-Resolution multi-beam swath bathymetry for Ludwick and Walton Pinnacles area with study sites (provided by J. Gardner, USGS, Menlo Park, CA).
 
1.14. Distribution of sampling effort at Roughtongue Reef (NEGOM-CMEP Site 1) for cruises 97-01 through 2000-01.
 
1.15. Sabiki jigs used to collect small reef fishes during this study, including Pronotogrammus martinicensis and Hemanthias vivanus.
 
1.16. A. Suction sampler device schematic.  B. NURC-UNCW Phantom DS4 ROV with suction sampler. C. A typical collection of fishes made by the suction sampler. 30
 
1.17. Still frames taken from video surveys at the Pinnacles Reef Tract.  A. Pronotogrammus martinicensis school along crevice in reef top at Yellowtail Reef, 63 m.  B. Close-up of mixed group of P. martinicensis and Hemanthias vivanus along reef face. C. Mixed school of anthiines along reef face at CMEP-Site 5, 75 m.  D. Single P. martinicensis along reef face at Scamp Reef, 105 m.
 
1.18. Still frames taken from video surveys at the Pinnacles Reef Tract.  A. Mixed school of Hemanthias vivanus and Chromis enchrysura with a single Pristigenys alta on reef top biotope at Yellowtail Reef, 62 m.  B. Holacanthus bermudensis and Chaetodon aya along northern edge of reef top biotope at Yellowtail Reef, 63 m. C-D.  Reef top biotope with well-developed sessile invertebrate community of gorgonians and crinoids, Yellowtail Reef, 62 m.
 
1.19. Still frames taken from video surveys at the Pinnacles Reef Tract.  A. Seriola dumerili schooling above reef flat top, Yellowtail Reef, 62m. B. Gonioplectrus hispanus at reef base, CMEP-Site 5, 78 m. C. Female Mycteroperca phenax on reef face at Scamp Reef, 105 m.  D. Dominant male M. phenax exhibiting grey-head color phase along reef face, Scamp Reef, 105 m.
 
1.20. Typical ichthyofauna contributing to community structure on the Pinnacles Reef Tract, northeastern Gulf of Mexico, based on ROV data.
 
1.21. Pinnacles Shallow Reef Tract fish faunal composition for reef crest biotope.
 
1.22. Pinnacles Shallow Reef Tract fish faunal composition for reef base biotope.
 
1.23. Pinnacles Shallow Reef Tract fish faunal composition for talus zone biotope.
 
1.24. Cluster of reef sites using percent similarity and unweighted pair-group mean average combinatorial strategy.
 
1.25. Cluster analysis of taxa using percent similarity and unweighted pair-group mean average combinatorial strategy.
 
1.26. Constancy and fidelity for site and taxa groups defined by cluster analysis.
 
2.1. Qualitative food web model for reef fishes of the Pinnacles Reef Tract constructed from stomach content analysis.
 
2.2. Quantitative food web model for reef fishes of the Pinnacles Reef Tract constructed from stomach content analysis.

Tables:

1.1. Summary of USGS Pinnacles Reef Tract study locations.
 
1.2. Summary of research activities conducted from 1997-2000.
 
1.3. Previous investigations of the ichthyofauna of the Pinnacles Reef Tract, comparing number of reef fishes observed by ROV in each study.
 
1.4. List of fishes documented in the Pinnacles Reef Tract from 1997 - 2000.
 
1.5. Abundance of top 30 taxa observed in ROV surveys partitioned by survey period (day/night) and reef tract (shallow/deep) for reef habitat.
 
1.6. Results of chi-square goodness of fit test for reef fish abundance by survey period (day/night) and reef tract (shallow/deep).
 
1.7. Day-night comparison of selected community parameters and top six taxa (abundance) paired by reef based on ROV data.
 
1.8. Biotope association of Pinnacles Reef Tract fishes based on ROV surveys during Cruise 97-01, combined for all study sites.
 
1.9. Summary statistics for ROV data by site group based on contributing to cluster analysis.
 
1.10. Abundance of top 15 predatory fishes caught by baited hook and line angling from 1997-2000.
 
1.11. Abundance of top 15 fish taxa caught in traps from 1997-2000.
 
1.12. Abundance of top 15 fish taxa caught in trawls in 1997.
 
2.1. Feeding guilds defined by characteristic prey type.
 
2.2. Dietary analysis of characteristic reef fishes of the Pinnacles Reef Tract by trophic guild.
 
2.3. Feeding guilds of deep reef fishes along the Pinnacles Reef Tract.

Download the Print Version in Adobe Acrobat PDF Format - 26.3 mb