Aggregations and temporal changes in the activity and bioturbation contribution of the sea cucumber Holothuria whitmaei (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea)

Shiell, Glenn R.; Knott, Brenton

doi:10.3354/meps08685

Cited by 32 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Some species' tend to occur in aggregations, and their distribution may be influenced by biotic relationships or sediment characteristics (e.g. grain size, organic content) (Conand 1989, Conand & Chardy 1985, Uthicke & Karez 1999, Tuya et al 2006, Shiell & Knott 2010, Slater & Jeffs 2010, Dissanyake & Stefansson 2012. Distribution can also be influenced by other habitat variables such as shelter (Shiell & Knott 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sea cucumber (Aspidochirotida) community, distribution and habitat utilization on the reefs of Mayotte, Western Indian Ocean

Eriksson¹,

Byrne²,

Torre‐Castro³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The tropical sea cucumber (Aspidochirotida) fishery for the lucrative Asian driedseafood trade is a multi-species fishery with little ecological knowledge. To improve ecological understanding of the targeted species, the reefs of Mayotte, Western Indian Ocean, were surveyed to document the distribution, species assemblage and habitat utilization of commercial sea cucumbers. This is one of the few reef areas in the region protected from fishing, thus providing an important and unique opportunity to investigate sea cucumber ecology. Twenty-two species were observed. The medium-value Bohadschia atra and the high-value Holothuria nobilis were the most abundant species. Species distribution varied but the density was generally similar across areas and habitats. Multivariate analysis (ANOSIM) indicated that the community was similar between surveyed areas and reef habitats. Diversity was lower in one of the surveyed areas and in the ocean-facing barrier reef habitat. Habitat complexity was not a significant driver of diversity or abundance. A principal component analysis showed that the 6 most common species (B. atra, Holothuria atra, H. fuscopunctata, H. nobilis and Thelenota ananas) were associated with different substrate types. Clustering these species according to substrate variables indicated both habitat utilization overlap and segregation among species, valuable information for spatial planning of fisheries management and conservation. Although unique species were observed in some areas, the present study shows that, at a large spatial scale, the unfished reefs in Mayotte consist of similar commercial sea cucumber communities, an important baseline finding.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sea cucumber (Aspidochirotida) community, distribution and habitat utilization on the reefs of Mayotte, Western Indian Ocean

Eriksson¹,

Byrne²,

Torre‐Castro³

2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Typically, this is done through behaviours such as feeding, digging or burrow formation by animals such as crabs (Eggleston et al 1992), worms (Mermillod-Blondin & Lemoine 2010), sea cucumbers (Shiell & Knott 2010), urchins (Needham et al 2010), dugongs (Nakaoka et al 2002), turtles (Lazar et al 2010), teleosts (Hall et al 1990), elasmobranchs (Valentine et al 1994) and even whales (Oliver & Slattery 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioturbation by stingrays at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

O’Shea

Thums

Keulen

et al. 2012

Mar. Freshwater Res.

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Stingrays are an important part of the biomass of the fishes in shallow coastal ecosystems, particularly in inter-reefal areas. In these habitats, they are considered keystone species -modifying physical and biological habitats through their foraging and predation. Here, we quantify the effects of bioturbation by rays on sand flats of Ningaloo Reef lagoon in Western Australia. We measured the daily length, breadth and depth of 108 feeding pits over three 7-day periods, created by stingrays (Pastinachus atrus, Himantura spp. Taeniura lymma and Urogymnus asperrimus) in Mangrove Bay. Additionally, an area of ~1 km 2 of the lagoon at Coral Bay was mapped three times over 18 months, to record patterns of ray and pit presence. Over 21 days at Mangrove Bay, a total of 1.08 m 3 of sediment was excavated by rays, equating to a sediment wet weight of 760.8 kg, and 2.42% of the total area sampled, or 0.03% of the whole intertidal zone. We estimate that up to 42% of the soft sediments in our study area would be reworked by stingrays each year. Based on a model predicting the probability of pit presence over time, there was a 40% probability of ray pits persisting for 4 days before being filled in but only a 15% probability of a pit being present after 7 days. Changes in pit volume over time were static, providing evidence for secondary use. Our results imply that rays play an important ecological role creating sheltered habitats for other taxa in addition to the turnover of sediments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, those who designed these zones identified specific habitats where the target species or suitable habitats are found. Tropical aspidochirotids are distributed in association with specific habitat variables at various spatial scales (Conand 1989;Shiell and Knott 2010;Bellchambers et al 2011;Eriksson et al 2012bEriksson et al , 2013, which influences what can be expected in terms of abundance and catch from each of the fishing zones. However, this is currently not taken into consideration when evaluating the RZS (DEEDI 2011a).…”

Section: Consideration Of Scales In Rotational Harvest Closuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

The sea cucumber fishery in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park follows global patterns of serial exploitation

Eriksson

Byrne

2013

Fish and Fisheries

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Tropical sea cucumber fisheries follow a predictable pattern of serial depletion. Overfishing is exacerbated in developing countries where management systems lack capacity to control large numbers of fishers influenced by poverty. In contrast, the tropical sea cucumber fishery in Australia's World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is operating in a developed high-income country with relatively few licensed fishers to manage. The development of this fishery is reviewed here in a meta-analysis of catches from 1991 to 2011. The fishery expanded to replace high-value teatfish species (Holothuria whitmaei and H. fuscogilva), fished heavily in initial stages of the fishery, with newly commercialized medium-value species such as burying blackfish (Actinopyga spinea) and curryfish (Stichopus herrmanni). These two species now constitute 80% of total catch. The annual average catch of burying blackfish was 208 tonnes years 2004-11 and curryfish catches increased rapidly at an average annual pace of 200% from 2007-11. This serial harvest pattern occurred in the absence of baseline studies and without independent resource assessments, information required to inform relevant harvest predictions and to determine fishery impacts. This situation does not support ecologically relevant and adaptive decision-making in management and the unfolding catch patterns in the GBRMP follow those in low-income developing countries. The missing knowledge and lack of data serve as arguments to support precautionary reductions in harvests and extending fallow periods in fishing zones.

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Aggregations and temporal changes in the activity and bioturbation contribution of the sea cucumber Holothuria whitmaei (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea)

Cited by 32 publications

References 34 publications

Sea cucumber (Aspidochirotida) community, distribution and habitat utilization on the reefs of Mayotte, Western Indian Ocean

Sea cucumber (Aspidochirotida) community, distribution and habitat utilization on the reefs of Mayotte, Western Indian Ocean

Bioturbation by stingrays at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia

The sea cucumber fishery in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park follows global patterns of serial exploitation

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