Small rotenone stations : a tool for studying coral reef fish communities. American Museum novitates ; no. 2512

Abstract

"Fish populations of 10 shallow-water stations were sampled repeatedly using small quantities of emulsified rotenone. Taking small samples is not unduly destructive and a complete kill is never obtained. Sampling errors appear to be random. Analysis of the collections indicates that approximately 75 percent of the species present are taken in a single sampling. Repopulation begins immediately and the effects of the sampling disappear four to nine months later. Repeated samplings can be used for Leslie-Davis population estimates. Resemblance indexes for samples from the same and different stations show that each area has a specific array of resident species. Transient species are less consistent in their occurrence. Sampling errors make it difficult to distinguish between transient and low-density resident species"--P. [1].