2023: Data Collection and Analyses for Reef Fish Biology

The Data Collection and Analyses for Reef Fish Biology manual is a comprehensive guide on laboratory procedures for reef fish biology studies, starting from data collection to data analyses. The goal of this manual is to make laboratory procedures reproducible given that the access and availability of resources in different academic institutions are variable. This manual is divided into several chapters, which offers easy to understand instructions and visual guides for students, researchers, faculty members, and even enthusiasts.

The manual consists of eight chapters. The first seven chapters focus on the data collection and several laboratory procedures, while the eighth chapter is subdivided into five sections that discuss the steps involved in the data analyses.

Each chapter consists of a short introduction that provides the background of the laboratory procedure. This is followed by a List of Materials and Equipment needed to perform the laboratory work. Figures and Tables are provided for visualization of data entry and/or laboratory procedures. Some tables are lifted and modified from journal articles and other resources, and these are indicated in the table captions. A short Summary discusses the importance of laboratory procedure and its relevance to reef fish biology studies. References are also provided at the end of book.

While this manual does not serve as an identification guide to marine fishes, an illustrative guide to fish anatomy and markings can be downloaded as a supplemental material. The references used in species identification of marine fishes include the works of Carpenter and Niem (1999; 2001), Allen and Erdmann (2012), and several journal articles focused on new species descriptions, new records, revisions, and phylogenetic systematics. In any reef fish biology study, the first step is always getting to know your species.

All line drawings used in this manual were produced by Christine J. Salazar. All photos used in this manual are owned by the CRREST Laboratory unless otherwise stated. All information in this manual can be reproduced or disseminated for educational purposes as long as the sources are fully acknowledged, following the recommended entry of this manual. The resale or use of this manual for commercial purposes is prohibited.

To request a copy, please email us at publication.upmindanao@up.edu.ph.