Abstract

In recent decades, coral reefs have been increasingly exposed to anthropogenic stressors that can result in a phase shift from coral-dominated to algal-dominated reefs. One of these stressors is increased sedimentation. Herbivores, including parrotfish in the genus Sparisoma, are important regulators of algal growth in Caribbean coral reef systems. As grazers, the health of Sparisoma populations can be negatively affected by increased sedimentation in reef habitats, because it can alter the algal communities parrotfish rely on for foraging. We are investigating the relationship between sedimentation and reproductive output of yellowtail parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) in Reef Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands. Reef Bay encompasses two yellowtail parrotfish spawning aggregations, each located in distinct areas (east and west) of the bay that are characterized by markedly different levels of land development known to influence sedimentation rates

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