Abstract
As a result of an accident, a limited strip of the coast of Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba, Red-Sea) was affected by poison that killed all fishes. The area was observed monthly for the following year, to study the recovery of fish populations. The study also included observations on growth rate of fish and size of populations. Recovery of fish populations was complete 10 to 12 months after the poisoning. It is believed that this is due to the relatively small size of the contaminated area and the survival of most invertebrates that constitute an important part of the biotope of the fish.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature Cited
Bardach, J.E.: On the movements of certain Bermuda reef fishes. Ecology 39, 139–146 (1958)
—: The summer standing crop of fish of a shallow Bermuda reef. Limnol. Oceanogr. 4, 77–85 (1959)
Bussing, W.A.: Recolonization of a population of supratidal fishes at Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. 154, 1–4 (1972)
Hiatt, R.E. and D.W. Strasburg: Ecological relationship of the fish fauna on coral reefs of the Marshall Islands. Ecol. Monogr. 30, 65–127 (1960)
Fishelson, L., D. Popper and A. Avidor: Biosociology and ecology of pomacentrid fishes around the Sinai peninsula (northern Red-Sea). J. Fish. Biol. 6, 119–133 (1974)
— and N. Gundermann: Diurnal cyclic behavior of Pempheris oualensis, Cuv. and Val. (Pempheridae, Teleostei). J. nat. Hist. 5, 503–506 (1971)
Johannes, R.E.: Coral reefs and pollution. In: Pollution of the marine environment, Ed. by E.J. Ferguson Wood. Amsterdam: Elsevier Publishing Co. (In press)
McVey, J.P.: Ecology of the Pokai Bay artificial reef, Oahu, 29 pp. Terminal report, University of Hawaii (Contract No. 114-160001 33461) 1972
Popper, D. and L. Fishelson: Ecology and behaviour of Anthias squamipinnis (Peters, 1855) (Anthiidae, Teleostei) in the coral habitat of Eilat (Red-Sea). J. exp. Zool. 3, 409–423 (1973)
Popper, D. and N. Gundermann: Some ecological and behavioural aspects of siganid populations in the Red Sea and Mediterranean coasts of Israel in relation to their suitability for aquaculture. Aquaculture 5 (1975). (In press)
Randall, J.E.: An analysis of the fish population of artificial and natural reefs in the Virgin Islands. Caribb. J. Sci. 3, 1–16 (1963)
—: Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies. Stud. trop. Oceanogr., Miami 5, 665–847 (1967)
Smith, C.L. and J.C. Tyler: Space resource sharing in a coral reef fish community. In: Results of the Tektite Program: ecology of coral reef fishes, pp 125–170. Ed. by B.B. Collette and S.A. Earle. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum 1972
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by O. Kinne, Hamburg
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gundermann, N., Popper, D. Some aspects of recolonization of coral rocks in Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba) by fish populations after poisoning. Marine Biology 33, 109–117 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390715
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390715