Niche adaptation mechanisms of coral reef fishes across disturbance gradients: a case study of Ctenochaetus striatus from the Xisha Islands
C values increased along the Anthropogenic Disturbance Index gradient, indicating a broader shift in basal carbon sources toward algal- and detritus-based pathways in more degraded habitats. Low-disturbance reefs supported broader trophic niches and more diverse resource use, whereas highly disturbed reefs exhibited niche contraction and convergence. Niche overlap analyses revealed a nested "narrow-within-wide" structure, with trophic niches from degraded reefs largely embedded within those of less disturbed reefs. These findings suggest that spatial variation in human disturbance is associated with consistent restructuring of trophic niche differentiation in coral reef fishes.
Authors
- Zhipeng Kang
- X Wang
- Y F LIU (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7074-0272)
- Wenming Yu
- Jianzhong Shen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8502-8445)
- Hongyu Xie
- Yanqiao Wang
- Jinhui Sun
- Teng Wang
Institutions
- Tianjin Agricultural University (CN)
- Huazhong Agricultural University (CN)
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CN)
- Guangdong Ocean University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Marine Pollution Bulletin
- Published
- 2026-04-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.119756
- Primary Topic
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China
- Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences
- Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences
- South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences