I will identify 24 patch reefs in the Maharepa lagoon, half with cleaning stations, and half without cleaning stations. On each reef, I will collect three Dictyota bartayresiana algal mats and three strands of Turbinaria ornata (both common species of brown algae) from each study reef which I will then analyze in the lab to determine total Nitrogen and Phosphorus content. I predict that algae from cleaning stations will have higher Nitrogen and Phosphorus content than reefs without cleaners, due to increased fish-derived nutrient loading caused by fish aggregating around cleaning stations.

Approved