Vertical Artificial Structures as an Alternative Habitat for Coral Reef Fishes in Disturbed Environments

摘要

The coral reefs of Eilat (Red Sea) heave been heavily damaged as a result of extensive tourist activity. Artificial reefs have been demonstrated to be a poten- tial tool for the restoration of marine habitats. We investigated the fish assem- blage on pillars supporting the oil jetties in Eilat, studying the species composition on these vertical structures; and the relationships between fish community features and the structural characteristics of these artificial reefs over time, using multivariate regression analysis.