ABSTRACT

This chapter delves further into the relationship between parrotfish and coral reef structure, exploring the special role that parrotfish play on reefs that have low levels of coral cover. Leading the reader through the story of 'low coral cover' reefs around the world and how they have come to be defined as such, the chapter goes on to explore the nature and scale of functional impact that parrotfishes have on these types of reef ecosystems, and the challenges and opportunities that low coral cover environments present for parrotfishes. The chapter closes with the sobering message that, as global change continues to degrade the world's coral reefs, there is a real risk that the ecology of parrotfishes on 'low coral cover' reefs will become the rule, rather than the special case.