| THE IMPORTANCE OF SOUND AT SETTLEMENT AND THE HETEROGENEITY OF SOUNDSCAPES |
| SIMPSON, S.D., Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK, s.simpson@ed.ac.uk |
| Mounting evidence suggests that coral reef fish larvae are far from passive. Patterns in larval supply and gene flow indicate that dispersal is a non-random process, and evidence of self-recruitment suggests that fish may control their position in the ocean from soon after hatching. Several studies have found that the biological noise that emanates from coral reefs can positively influence the behaviour, catchability, and settlement of larvae across many families: noisy light traps catch more fish than silent ones; fish in choice chambers swim preferentially towards reefs and reef noise; and noisy patch reefs attract more recruits than silent ones. I will present this evidence, focussing on recent studies that now show that some larvae have preferences for specific elements of reef noise. That larvae demonstrate selectivity suggests that variation in the soundscape could potentially affect settlement patterns. I will present the findings of a meta-study of reefs we have conducted in three oceans, combining acoustic recordings with benthic and fish surveys. Using these findings, I will discuss: what the potential soundscape may be in the vicinity of coral reefs; where the noise may come from; what it may indicate to a settling fish (or a reef survey team); and conclude with implications for modelling with respect to the size of the acoustic “sensory halo”. |
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