Identity of coral reef herbivores drives variation in ecological processes over multiple spatial scales

摘要: Overexploitation of key species can negatively impact ecosystem processes, so understanding the ecological roles individual is critical for improving management. Here, we use coral reefs and process herbivory as a model to examine how identity consumers influence processes inform management these consumers. Herbivorous fishes facilitate recruitment, growth, recovery corals by controlling fast-growing algae that outcompete space. However, herbivorous fish guilds are rich with important differences among in diet, movement, habitat preferences. Yet, lack general (1) species-specific feeding behavior scale up reef-wide rates (2) diversity processes. To address knowledge gaps, used field observations derive species- size-specific foraging parameters nine parrotfish on Florida Keys, USA. We then combined survey data spanning multiple spatial scales estimate three processes: area reef grazed, amount macroalgae removed, rate bioerosion. found predicted varied dramatically habitats zones within habitats, driven primarily variation abundance different behaviors. In some cases, assemblages similar levels total biomass had others, Importantly, our models using differed from those genus-level 300% highlighting importance herbivore this system. Our results indicate there may be little overlap play, suggesting systems vulnerable loss function reduction or just few species. This work provides framework applied across region predict changes affect herbivores.