C lunulatus microsatellite data

Allele frequences for 12 microsatellite loci. Arelquin format data file. Genomic DNA extracted from fin clip tissue samples

Canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) ordination plot (Bray-Curtis) of fish assemblage data for each experimental treatment at each geographic location.

<p>Each point represents a separate patch reef, and the (color-coded) shaded clusters are dispersion ellipses for the 6 different single coral (low habitat diversity) treatments. The outlined dispersion ellipses represent the confidence limits for the 3-species (medium) and 6-species (high) treatments. N = 5 replicate patch reefs for each of the 9 coral diversity treatments at each geographic location (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0124054#pone.0124054.g002" target="_blank">Fig 2</a>). The CAP analyses captured a large amount of the variation in community structure in the first two components, with the two primary axes (CAP 1 and CAP 2) accounting for 43% (Moorea), 34% (Lizard Island) and 30% (Kimbe Bay) of the total variance. Dispersion ellipses are based on 0.9 confidence limits of the standard deviation of point scores. CAP groupings were strongly supported, and results of Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVA) (given at the bottom of each panel) constructed on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices of log-transformed fish abundance data revealed that fish communities differed significantly among the treatments at Lizard Island and Kimbe Bay but not at Moorea.</p

Canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) ordination plot (Bray-Curtis) of fish assemblage data for each experimental treatment at each geographic location.

<p>Each point represents a separate patch reef, and the (color-coded) shaded clusters are dispersion ellipses for the 6 different single coral (low habitat diversity) treatments. The outlined dispersion ellipses represent the confidence limits for the 3-species (medium) and 6-species (high) treatments. N = 5 replicate patch reefs for each of the 9 coral diversity treatments at each geographic location (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0124054#pone.0124054.g002" target="_blank">Fig 2</a>). The CAP analyses captured a large amount of the variation in community structure in the first two components, with the two primary axes (CAP 1 and CAP 2) accounting for 43% (Moorea), 34% (Lizard Island) and 30% (Kimbe Bay) of the total variance. Dispersion ellipses are based on 0.9 confidence limits of the standard deviation of point scores. CAP groupings were strongly supported, and results of Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVA) (given at the bottom of each panel) constructed on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices of log-transformed fish abundance data revealed that fish communities differed significantly among the treatments at Lizard Island and Kimbe Bay but not at Moorea.</p

Map of the Indo-Pacific region showing the locations of the three study sites.

<p>The area shaded in color delineates the Coral Triangle biodiversity hotspot. Map modified from the U.S. CIA Oceania physical map (<a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html" target="_blank">https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html</a>) and is for representative purposes only.</p

Schematic diagram of the experimental design.

<p>At each of the three study sites, replicate 1 m dia patch reefs were constructed on sandy bottom using the same set of 6 coral morphotypes (bottom row pictures) to explore how reductions in habitat diversity of a patch (holding coral cover constant) affected the biodiversity of associated fishes. There were 3 levels of habitat diversity: the high diversity treatment (top) were patch reefs that contained equal amounts of all 6 coral species, the two medium diversity treatments consisted of two different combinations of 3 coral species (middle row), and the six low diversity treatments consisted of each coral species alone (bottom row). There were 5 replicates of each of the 9 treatments. The 6 coral morphotypes were: (A) Bottlebrush, (B) Coarse branching, (C) Columnar, (D) Compact branching, (E) Fine branching and (F) Staghorn (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0124054#pone.0124054.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>). The inset image is a picture of a high diversity treatment plot at Lizard Island (photo credit: inset & corals A-C, E-F: V. Messmer; coral D: M. Bonin).</p

Coral species for each of the 6 habitat morphotypes used in the experiment at each of the 3 localities.

<p>Coral species for each of the 6 habitat morphotypes used in the experiment at each of the 3 localities.</p

Sensitivity of coral reef fish species richness at the three study locations to the same reduction in coral (habitat) diversity.

<p>The Index of Sensitivity is the slope (± 1 SE) of the relationship between the number of coral species on an experimental patch reef and the number of species of fishes at the final survey (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0124054#pone.0124054.s005" target="_blank">S1 Fig</a>). Greater positive values indicate proportionately greater declines in species richness of fish for the same reduction in coral (habitat) diversity, and the dashed line at 0 denotes no difference in species richness of fish over the range in coral diversity used in the experiment. Each slope estimate is based on N = 45 patch reefs.</p

Total number of fish individuals per experimental patch reef on each coral diversity treatment at the final census at the three study sites.

<p>Data are the mean (± 1 SE) number of individuals per plot. For clarity, placement of symbols corresponding to coral species richness values for Lizard Island, GBR (open triangles) and Moorea, FP (filled squares) have been shifted slightly along the x-axis. N = 30 patch reefs per geographic location for coral species richness of 1 species, N = 10 patch reefs per geographic location for coral species richness of 3 species, and N = 5 patch reefs per geographic location for coral species richness of 6 species.</p

Body size and substrate type modulate movement by the western Pacific crown-of-thorns starfish, <i>Acanthaster solaris</i> - Fig 2

<p><b>Relationships for (a) average size of tube feet (mm), and (b) average number of tube feet per arm, with the total diameter of crown-of-thorns starfish (n = 42).</b> Solid lines indicate the line of best fit and dashed lines indicate 95% confidence intervals.</p

Oral (lower) surface of the arm of a crown-of-thorns starfish (<i>Acanthaster solaris</i>) showing variation in the size (length and diameter) of tube feet along the length of the arm.

<p>Photo by C.F. Caballes.</p