AUTHOR=Serrano Oscar , Serrano Eduard , Inostroza Karina , Lavery Paul S. , Mateo Miguel A. , Ballesteros Enric 

TITLE=Seagrass Meadows Provide 3D Habitat for Reef Fish

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00054

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2017.00054

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=Seagrass canopies typically provide a relatively flat habitat on the seabed, but seagrasses in the genus Posidonia can form organic-rich deposits known as mats. Erosional processes can scour channels through the mats, resulting in the formation of escarpments with caves. Here we report that caves within escarpments supported abundant reef fish assemblages, primarily by groupers. The characteristics of the cavities were highly variable, ranging from small-elongated holes to deep caves with large entrances. The origin of these caves (biological and/or geological) is unknown, but it is possible that fish behavior enhanced their formation. Posidonia seagrass escarpments provide a complex 3D habitat for reef fish that is not provided by typical canopy structure of seagrass. Further studies are required to gain insights into the natural history of seagrass escarpments and their ecological importance.