Quantifying patterns of fish herbivory on Palmyra Atoll (USA), an uninhabited predator-dominated central Pacific coral reef

Research on Palmyra Atoll, USA, reveals significant differences in fish herbivory patterns between exposed fore reef and protected reef terrace habitats. While per capita bite rates were higher in the deeper fore reef (45% more bites per minute), overall grazing intensity on turf algae was five times greater on the shallower reef terrace. The study highlights functional redundancy among herbivores, with strong guild-level selectivity for algal turfs, while also demonstrating variability in species-specific grazing behaviors. Phylogenetic constraints on grazing activities were evident when comparing bite and defecation rates across the Indo-Pacific. This work provides a framework for assessing the broader impacts of fish herbivory on coral reef ecosystems.

Hamilton, S., Smith, J., Price, N., & Sandin, S. (2014). Quantifying patterns of fish herbivory on Palmyra Atoll (USA), an uninhabited predator-dominated central Pacific coral reef. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 501, 141–155. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10684