Eastern Pacific reef fish responses to coral recovery following El Niño disturbances

A long-term study at Uva Island reef, within Coiba National Park, revealed that coral recovery following El Niño disturbances significantly influenced reef fish community structure. Despite no direct fish mortalities during the 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 El Niño events, live coral cover plummeted to nearly 0% before steadily recovering to ~35% by 2010. Fish species richness peaked at 15-20% coral cover but declined as cover increased further. Benthic invertivores showed a parabolic increase in density, peaking at ~20% live coral cover, while mixed diet feeders declined with rising coral cover. Facultative corallivores exhibited an asymptotic relationship with coral cover, suggesting trophic resource availability drives fish community dynamics during reef recovery.

Glynn, P., Enochs, I., Afflerbach, J., Brandtneris, V., & Serafy, J. (2014). Eastern Pacific reef fish responses to coral recovery following El Niño disturbances. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 495, 233–247. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10594