Subsidient: Dirkje Verhoeven/Wageningen Universiteit
Subsidie: S162.61

Reef ecosystems are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet. Presence of nursery habitats is found to positively affect the reef community structure and abundance and biomass of fish, even more than protection status of the reserve. However, the role of nursery habitats in the Philippines is poorly studied. I tested the hypotheses that (1) the diversity of nursery fish species on coral reefs increases with increasing connectivity between reef and nursery habitat; (2) the diversity of nursery fish species on coral reefs increases with increasing size of the nursery habitat; and, (3) the diversity of nursery fish species on coral reefs is higher in MPAs than in non-MPAs. Presence and abundance of nursery fish species was indeed related to size and connectivity of nursery habitat. The hypotheses that nursery fish species diversity increases with size and connectivity of mangrove forest and conservation status, were supported by the results. More than two-fifth of the fish species affected by connectivity and size of mangrove forest were important reef community species with high fishery value for fishermen. In order to promote reef fish communities and local fishery resources, this study suggests that protection of mangrove forests and coral reefs is key.