Application of baited remote underwater video technology in assessing nearshore reef fish diversity

doi:10.17520/biods.2024572

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the baited remote underwater video (BRUV) technology in monitoring nearshore reef fish communities in the Nanpeng Archipelago, China, and to compare its performance with the traditional underwater visual census (UVC) method. The focus is on assessing both techniques in terms of species diversity, composition, and their ability to capture different ecological groups of reef fish.

Methods: Simultaneous BRUV and UVC surveys were carried out at four coral reef sites. Each BRUV unit, baited with 1 kg of chopped clupeoid fish (Clupea sp.), was deployed until the camera was out of battery. UVC surveys were done by divers recording fish species and abundances along 50 m transects. Functional diversity was assessed using traits such as body size, trophic level, mobility, gregariousness, water column, and diet.

Results: BRUV and UVC recorded a similar number of species (59 for BRUV vs. 61 for UVC), but BRUV exhibited a higher functional richness index (0.987 vs. 0.783). Functional trait analysis showed that BRUV was more effective at capturing large-bodied, highly mobile, schooling predators such as Caranx sexfasciatus, whereas UVC detected a higher number of cryptic reef-associated species. Analysis of species accumulation curves indicated an optimal BRUV deployment duration of 50-60 minutes, beyond which additional sampling time yielded diminishing returns in species detection.

Conclusions: Both BRUV and UVC have distinct strengths and limitations in monitoring reef fish communities. Our findings demonstrate that BRUV and UVC exhibit distinct monitoring efficiencies, yet they complement each other effectively: UVC is more effective for monitoring fish communities in coral-rich reefs, while BRUV performs better in monitoring rocky reef fish diversity. In practical applications, a combination of both methods would provide a more comprehensive understanding of reef fish diversity and ecological function.

Key words: baited remote underwater video (BRUV), underwater visual census (UVC), Nanpeng Archipelago, reef fish, species composition, functional structure

Zhongwen Ding, Yiting Chen, Wen Yu, Jingjing Zhang, Yibin Huang, Dingke Li, Zhaojie Peng, Han Lai, Shichao Wei, Mingpan Huang. Application of baited remote underwater video technology in assessing nearshore reef fish diversity[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(6): 24572.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2024572

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2025/V33/I6/24572

Figures/Tables 5

Fig. 1 Survey sites location and baited remote underwater video (BRUV) monitoring device. (A) Location of Nanpeng Archipelago and survey sites; (B) A BRUV device. DP, Dingpeng Island; ZP, Zhongpeng Island; NP, Nanpeng Island; QP, Qinpeng Island.

Table 1 Functional traits of reef fish

性状 Traits	变量类型 Variable type	详细信息 Description
最大体长 Max length	定量 Numeric	最大全长 The maximum length of the species
营养级水平 Trophic level	定量 Numeric	在食物链中的相对位置 Relative level in the food chain
食性 Diet	分类 Categorical	植食性或碎屑食性(HD), 大型藻类食性(MH), 固着无脊椎动物食性(SI), 游泳无脊椎动物食性(MI), 浮游食性(PL), 食鱼性(PI), 杂食性(O) Herbivorous-detritivorous (HD), macroalgae herbivorous (MH), invertivorous feeding on sessile invertebrates (SI), invertivorous targeting mobile invertebrates (MI), planktivorous (PL), piscivorous (PI), and omnivorous (O)
活动性 Mobility	排序 Ordered	定居(S), 在礁内活动(A), 在礁之间活动(B) Sedentary (S), mobile within a reef (A), mobile among reefs (B)
集群性 Gregariousness	排序 Ordered	单独的(B), 成对的(P)和生活在小型集群(S)、中型集群(M)、大型集群(L) Solitary (O), pairing (P), and living in small (S), medium (M), large groups (L)
活动水层 Water column	排序 Ordered	底栖(B), 底栖-表层(BP), 表层(P) Benthic (B), bentho-pelagic (BP), and pelagic (P)

Fig. 2 In the monitoring videos recording more than 10 reef fish species, the relationship between cumulative species richness and video duration was analyzed. DP, Dingpeng Island; ZP, Zhongpeng Island; NP, Nanpeng Island; QP, Qinpeng Island.

Fig. 3 The species composition of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) and underwater visual census (UVC). (A) Species richness of each family of BRUV and UVC. (B) Relative abundance of each family of BRUV and UVC.

Fig. 4 The functional composition of reef fish of baited remote underwater video (BRUV) and under water census (UVC). Blue indicates the functional space of BRUV, and yellow indicates the functional space of UVC. Points in the functional space indicated the position of species. Fric, Functional richness; Total, Total functional richness index for all sites; DP1-2, Dingpeng Island; NP, Nanpeng Island; ZP1-2, Zhongpeng Island; QP, Qinpeng Island.

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