Responses of Herbivorous Fishes on Coral Reef Cover in Outer Island Indonesia (Study Case: Natuna Island)

Abstract

Coral reefs are one of the most highly productive marine ecosystems, with the largest transfer of energy attributed to the trophic interaction between herbivores and algae. Rapid demographic growth, leading to transmigration to small islands such as Natuna Island where located on outer Island Indonesia.The aim of the present study is to test for significant associations between herbivore fish species traits and Habitat complexity was derived from coral reef cover. Method to record each observed herbivore fish species with UVC (Underwater Visual Census) using SCUBA diving equipment along modification line transects. A total of 39 different fish species belonging to 3 families‟ herbivore fish were identified. Total biomass of herbivorous fish correlated with Dead Coral Algae (DCA). Biplot of the first two axes for the nonmetric multidimensional a scaling (NMDS) analysis for family and grazer showed the dominance of herbivore fish grazer.