Home > GCR > Vol. 35 > Iss. 1 (2024)
Alternate Title
Recruitment of Juvenile Snapper (Lutjanidae) in the Middle Florida Keys: Temporal Trends and Fine-Scale Habitat Associations
Document Type
Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Partnership
Abstract
Juvenile recruitment is a major factor in the establishment and maintenance of local population structures of coral reef fishes. An understanding of the factors that affect juvenile recruitment and survival help explain spatial and temporal patterns in adult abundance, especially of commercially and recreationally fished species. Here, we examined the distribution and juvenile recruitment of 5 snapper species: Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis), Lane Snapper (L. synagris), Schoolmaster (L. apodus), Gray Snapper (L. griseus), and Yellowtail Snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus) collected in 1,314 seine samples conducted between 2007 and 2019 in the Middle Florida Keys. We use a generalized linear modeling routine to assess juvenile recruitment of each species as a function of temporal, environmental, and benthic habitat variables. Interannual variability in juvenile recruitment ranged between 2 and 15—fold differences in mean predicted abundance between the highest and lowest producing years by species. Predicted recruitment varied dramatically by species in 2010 following a historic cold spell in south Florida. Three of the 5 species (Lane Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper, and Schoolmaster) exhibited the lowest observed yearly recruitment in that year, while Gray Snapper recruitment peaked. For all species, recruitment indices exhibited strong seasonal trends with peak abundances observed in the fall. Aquatic vegetation type, aquatic vegetation cover, distance from shore, and water temperature were the most important predictors of abundance. Results of this study highlight species—specific preferences for settlement habitat, demonstrate the importance of local—scale recruitment processes, and provide updated, management—relevant juvenile abundance indices for shallow water snapper in the Middle Florida Keys.
First Page
GCFI1
Last Page
GCFI13
DOI Link
Tables S1-S5
Olson et al Supplemental Table S1.pdf (225 kB)
Table S1
Supplemental Table S2 for Olson et al.pdf (255 kB)
Table S2
Supplemental Table S3 for Olson et al.pdf (203 kB)
Table S3
Supplemental Table S4 for Olson et al.pdf (276 kB)
Table S4
Supplemental Table S5 for Olson et al.pdf (235 kB)
Table S5
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Statement
No artificial intelligence (AI) was used in the preparation of this manuscript
Recommended Citation
Olson, J. C., A. Tobin, M. D. Duffing Romero and A. Acosta.
2024.
Recruitment of Juvenile Snapper (Lutjanidae) in the Middle Florida Keys: Temporal Trends and Fine-Scale Habitat Associations.
Gulf and Caribbean Research
35
(1):
GCFI1-GCFI13.
Retrieved from https://aquila.usm.edu/gcr/vol35/iss1/5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18785/gcr.3501.05
