Fish Predation on Marine Invertebrates (VIDEO)
Caption
To better understand the role of predators in shaping marine communities, researchers positioned under?water video cameras to record predator visits to panels colonized by marine invertebrates. They discovered that predators closer to the equator were larger and more diverse and that predation rates were higher than in temperate areas. Predation reduced the abundance of a non-native prey species, especially in the Pacific where this panel was located, leading researchers to conclude that protecting predator species may be a good way to prevent marine invasions in some environments. This video shows a pufferfish and triggerfish, common predators in the Pacific, consuming invertebrates from the panels.
Credit
Michele Repetto
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Credit: Michele Repetto
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