Coral reef fish communities of natural habitats and man-made coastal structures in Bora-Bora (French Polynesia)

Coastal habitats have long been recognised to be nurseries and growing grounds for many marine organisms. Worldwide, coastal hardening urbanisation are leading the removal of natural ecosystems. The tropical island Bora-Bora in South Pacific has undergone extensive changes, with construction seawalls along more than half its coastline since 1950s. daytime night-time juvenile adult fish communities were surveyed multiple temporal replicates on a range lagoon Bora-Bora. Over 47% all juveniles. Mangroves, traditionally viewed as nurseries, had high abundance juveniles, but less 1% consists mangroves. manmade seawalls, which most common type habitat island, associated lower densities during day promoted presence predators. comparison sites also highlighted contrasting life history strategies depending coral reef species: although favour others do not undergo ontogenetic shifts thus other must considered when designing management plans protect fish. Overall, our surveys show importance zones lifecycle numerous species highlight potential long-term impacts communities.