Abstract
Coral reefs are well known as the world’s most complex marine ecosystems in which fish communities reach their highest degree of diversity. Several, most often contradictory, explanations of this phenomenon have been proposed, mainly based on the degree of predictability and order of these communities (Smith, 1978; Sale, 1978; Bohnsack, 1983). However, species "richness" of reef fish communities also differs according to both geographic areas and types of coral reefs, and it is important to ask why this is so. The present comparative study of reef ichthyofaunas of Tulear, Madagascar and Moorea, French Polynesia, was intended to consider the problem of reef fish Community structure slightly differently. The questions we will try to answer can be formulated as follows: Does the difference in species "richness" between the two regions lead to some modifications in the taxonomic and/or functional structure of their fish communities? Do similar functional groups (guilds) of fish exist on both reefs, and what role do they play in the functioning of the ecosystem? Are there identical patterns of resource utilization in time and space? What factors can be proposed to explain the different patterns observed, and at what scale do they operate? In conclusion, the mechanisms involving biotic and abiotic factors that may act on reef fish Community structure will be discussed.
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Harmelin-Vivien, M.L. (1989). Reef Fish Community Structure: An Indo-Pacific Comparison. In: Harmelin-Vivien, M.L., Bourlière, F. (eds) Vertebrates in Complex Tropical Systems. Ecological Studies, vol 69. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3510-1_2
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