Drivers of fish diversity and size spectra across lagoonal habitats of the Toliara reef system (SW Madagascar)

Conservation; Fish communities; Machine learning; Seagrass beds; Shoreline distance; Substrate features; Machine-learning; Madagascar; Reef fishes; Size spectrum; Species turnover; Substrate feature; Taxonomic diversity; Oceanography; Aquatic Science; Pollution

Abstract :

[en] Size-spectra and taxonomic diversity are important indicators to study the dynamics of communities and to inform conservation in aquatic ecosystems. To date, few studies aimed at modelling the distribution of reef fish diversity at small spatial scales (∼10 km) have been done. Based on a one-year fish sampling using trawl nets, we described and modeled the distribution of fish diversity and their size spectra across various coastal habitats in the Toliara reef system (SW Madagascar). Our data revealed a significant spatial and seasonal change of taxonomic diversity. Beta-diversity was mainly driven by species turnover with up to 75 %, indicating the important conservation value of the sampled sites. Fish size spectra slope emphasized the high dominance of small-sized fish on the sites close to the shoreline indicating their potential nursery zones. By combining environmental and geographic data with the use of the machine learning algorithm Random Forest, we demonstrated the geographic position of sites and associated habitat features were the foremost drivers of alpha-diversity and size spectra patterns (50-64 % of variation). The use of Generalized Dissimilarity Models revealed sediment cover was the main predictor of species turnover patterns (62 % of explained variation), with a rapid increase of species replacement within the first 2 km from the coast. Beyond a confirmation of the role of habitat features on biodiversity, our study emphasized the importance of distance to the shoreline on the distribution of fish diversity across the lagoon. This unexpected driver is discussed in the light of various anthropogenic factors including fisheries and sedimentation.

Research Center/Unit :

FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège

Disciplines :

Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Environmental sciences & ecology
Zoology

Author, co-author :

Jaonalison, Henitsoa ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Ecologie évolutive

Grégoire, Marilaure ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS)

Mahafina, Jamal ; Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (IH.SM), Université de Toliara, Madagascar

Mwaluma, James ; Kenyan Marines Sciences and Fisheries Institute (KMFRI), Mombasa, Kenya

Ravelohasina, Helga ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS)

Nomenisoa, Aina Le Don ; Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (IH.SM), Université de Toliara, Madagascar

Mory, Toky Justino; Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (IH.SM), Université de Toliara, Madagascar

Ranivoarivelo, Lantoasinoro ; Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (IH.SM), Université de Toliara, Madagascar

Ponton, Dominique ; ENTROPIE (IRD, University of La Reunion, CNRS, University of New Caledonia, Ifremer), c/o CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, Perpignan, 66860 France

Frederich, Bruno ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch (FOCUS)

Language :

English

Title :

Drivers of fish diversity and size spectra across lagoonal habitats of the Toliara reef system (SW Madagascar)

Publication date :

26 June 2025

Journal title :

Marine Environmental Research

ISSN :

0141-1136

Publisher :

Elsevier, England

Volume :

210

Pages :

107330

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0141113625003873?httpAccept=text/xml

Funders :

WIOMSA - Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association
ULiège - University of Liège

Funding text :

The fieldwork and data collection were funded by MASMA program of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association under Grant number MASMA/OP/2020/03. Data analyses and manuscript writing were conducted at the University of Liege during a post-doctoral fellowship sustained by IPD-STEMA 2023. We acknowledge the MASMA project team such as Fiandria Dufrehino, Tsipy Romano, Ferdinand and Mohamedson for their active help during the data collection, the local fishers (Jean Olivier, Milson Divaly and Ruffin Alibay) for their collaboration during the sampling, and the staff of the Institut Halieutique et des Sciences Marines (IH.SM) at the University of Toliara for their administrative and technical support including lab and equipment access.

Available on ORBi :

since 09 July 2025

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