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1. Length-weight relationships for abundant coral reef fish species from eight islands in French Polynesia

   https://doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2023-035  

   French, Beverly J; Zgliczynski, Brian J; Bonito, Lindsay; Sullivan, Christopher; Wood, Chelsea L; Haupt, Alison J; Siu, Gilles; Taiarui, Marguerite; Planes, Serge; Sandin, Stuart A (January 2024, Cybium)

   Here we present length-weight relationships (LWR) for 11 reef fish species from eight islands in French Polynesia. A total of 1,930 fish were collected from five islands in the Society Archipelago (Moorea, Tahiti, Raiatea, Huahine, Tetiaroa) and in three atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago (Takapoto, Tikehau, and Rangiroa). These fishes span trophic levels, including planktivores, herbivores, and carnivores, and are among the most abundant species for the region. Estimates include LWRs for species never previously published or available in the literature or accessible databases. Measurements of total length (TL: 0.1 cm precision) and total weight (W: 0.01 g precision) were taken. These estimates increase the number of available and robust LWRs for coral reef fishes, providing a better understanding of patterns of growth for these species. With a particular focus on small-bodied species, among the most abundant observed in underwater visual censuses, these estimates will allow marine resource managers and local scientists to characterize fish biomass in French Polynesia with greater precision. 

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2. Length-weight relationships for abundant coral reef fish species from eight islands in French Polynesia

   French, Beverly J.; Zgliczynski, Brian J.; Bonito, Lindsay; Sullivan, Chris J.; Wood, Chelsea L.; Haupt, Alison J.; Siu, Gilles; Taiarui, Marguerite; Planes, Serge; and Sandin, Stuart A. (September 2023, Cybium)

   R. Causse (Ed.)

   Here we present length-weight relationships (LWR) for 11 reef fish species from eight islands in French Polynesia. A total of 1,930 fish were collected from five islands in the Society Archipelago (Moorea, Tahiti, Raiatea, Huahine, Tetiaroa) and in three atolls of the Tuamotu Archipelago (Takapoto, Tikehau, and Rangiroa). These fishes span trophic levels, including planktivores, herbivores, and carnivores, and are among the most abundant species for the region. Estimates include LWRs for species never previously published or available in the literature or accessible databases. Measurements of total length (TL: 0.1 cm precision) and total weight (W: 0.01 g precision) were taken. These estimates increase the number of available and robust LWRs for coral reef fishes, providing a better understanding of patterns of growth for these species. With a particular focus on small-bodied species, among the most abundant observed in underwater visual censuses, these estimates will allow marine resource managers and local scientists to characterize fish biomass in French Polynesia with greater precision. 

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3. Fish feces reveal diverse nutrient sources for coral reefs

   https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4119  

   Van_Wert, Jacey_C; Ezzat, Leïla; Munsterman, Katrina_S; Landfield, Kaitlyn; Schiettekatte, Nina_M_D; Parravicini, Valeriano; Casey, Jordan_M; Brandl, Simon_J; Burkepile, Deron_E; Eliason, Erika_J (June 2023, Ecology)

   Abstract Consumers mediate nutrient cycling through excretion and egestion across most ecosystems. In nutrient‐poor tropical waters such as coral reefs, nutrient cycling is critical for maintaining productivity. While the cycling of fish‐derived inorganic nutrients via excretion has been extensively investigated, the role of egestion for nutrient cycling has remained poorly explored. We sampled the fecal contents of 570 individual fishes across 40 species, representing six dominant trophic guilds of coral reef fishes in Moorea, French Polynesia. We measured fecal macro‐ (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids) and micro‐ (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc) nutrients and compared the fecal nutrient quantity and quality across trophic guilds, taxa, and body size. Macro‐ and micronutrient concentrations in fish feces varied markedly across species. Genera and trophic guild best predicted fecal nutrient concentrations. In addition, nutrient composition in feces was unique among species within both trophic guilds (herbivores and corallivores) and genera (AcanthurusandChaetodon). Particularly, certain coral reef fishes (e.g.,Thalassoma hardwicke,Chromis xanthura,Chaetodon pelewensisandAcanthurus pyroferus) harbored relatively high concentrations of micronutrients (e.g., Mn, Mg, Zn and Fe, respectively) that are known to contribute to ocean productivity and positively impact coral physiological performances. Given the nutrient‐rich profiles across reef fish feces, conserving holistic reef fish communities ensures the availability of nutritional pools on coral reefs. We therefore suggest that better integration of consumer egestion dynamics into food web models and ecosystem‐scale processes will facilitate an improved understanding of coral reef functioning. 

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4. Genome assembly and annotation of Acropora pulchra from Mo’orea French Polynesia

   https://doi.org/10.46471/gigabyte.153  

   Conn, Trinity; Ashey, Jill; Cunning, Ross; Putnam, Hollie M (April 2025, Gigabyte)

   Reef-building corals are integral ecosystem engineers of tropical reefs but face threats from climate change. Investigating genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors influencing their adaptation is critical. Genomic resources are essential for understanding coral biology and guiding conservation efforts. However, genomes of the coral genus Acropora are limited to highly-studied species. Here, we present the assembly and annotation of the genome and DNA methylome of Acropora pulchra from Mo’orea, French Polynesia. Using long-read PacBio HiFi and Illumina RNASeq, we generated the most complete Acropora genome to date (BUSCO completeness of 96.7% metazoan genes). The assembly size is 518 Mbp, with 174 scaffolds, and a scaffold N50 of 17 Mbp. We predicted 40,518 protein-coding genes and 16.74% of the genome in repeats. DNA methylation in the CpG context is 14.6%. This assembly of the A. pulchra genome and DNA methylome will support studies of coastal corals in French Polynesia, aiding conservation and comparative studies of Acropora and cnidarians. 

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5. Life in the canopy: community trait assessments reveal substantial functional diversity among fern epiphytes

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16607  

   Nitta, Joel H.; Watkins, Jr, James E.; Davis, Charles C. (May 2020, New Phytologist)

   Summary The expansion of angiosperm‐dominated forests in the Cretaceous and early Cenozoic had a profound effect on terrestrial biota by creating novel ecological niches. The majority of modern fern lineages are hypothesized to have arisen in response to this expansion, particularly fern epiphytes that radiated into the canopy. Recent evidence, however, suggests that epiphytism does not correlate with increased diversification rates in ferns, calling into question the role of the canopy habitat in fern evolution.To understand the role of the canopy in structuring fern community diversity, we investigated functional traits of fern sporophytes and gametophytes across a broad phylogenetic sampling on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia, including > 120 species and representatives of multiple epiphytic radiations.While epiphytes showed convergence in small size and a higher frequency of noncordate gametophytes, they showed greater functional diversity at the community level relative to terrestrial ferns.These results suggest previously overlooked functional diversity among fern epiphytes, and raise the hypothesis that while the angiosperm canopy acted as a complex filter that restricted plant size, it also facilitated diversification into finely partitioned niches. Characterizing these niche axes and adaptations of epiphytic ferns occupying them should be a priority for future pteridological research. 

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