Animal pee in the sea: consumer‐mediated nutrient dynamics in the world's changing oceans

Allgeier, Jacob E.; Burkepile, Deron E.; Layman, Craig A.

doi:10.1111/gcb.13625

Cited by 92 publications

(108 citation statements)

References 147 publications

(220 reference statements)

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“…Interest in tropical marine excretion rates is recent (Allgeier et al. ), and as a result, empirical data on excretion rates for coral reef fish are still relatively limited (but see (Layman et al. , Allgeier et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Polunin and Roberts , Allgeier et al. ). These systems employ tight coupling mechanisms to retain and recycle nutrients within reefs, which are often mediated by animals (Uthicke , Fiore et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Allgeier et al. ). Animals can mediate nutrient availability either through the storage and retention of nutrients in biomass and body tissues (Allgeier et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animals can mediate nutrient availability either through the storage and retention of nutrients in biomass and body tissues (Allgeier et al. ) or through the supply of nutrients released to an area via excreted or egested materials (Vanni ). Animal‐mediated nutrient pathways have been historically well studied in terrestrial (Kitchell et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their role as ubiquitous components of marine nutrient cycles has been revealed more recently (see reviews by Turner , Allgeier et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fish movement drives spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient provisioning on coral reef patches

Francis

Côté

2018

Ecosphere

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Nutrient provisioning by animals can be a major driver of primary productivity in ecosystems. Animal‐mediated nutrient sources are particularly important in nutrient‐poor systems such as coral reefs. However, aggregations of mobile animals might lead to temporal and spatial variability in local nutrient availability, which is not well understood. In this study, we quantified how patterns of fish movement and abundance influence the stability of nitrogen provisioning on Bahamian coral reefs. We empirically measured and modeled nitrogen excretion estimates for 16 coral reef fish communities and combined these measurements with fish abundance and behavioral observations to compare reef nutrient budgets on diel, monthly, and annual time scales. Diel reef nitrogen provisioning by fishes varied greatly, with diurnal rates being on average four times greater than nocturnal rates. Diurnal rates were highly variable among reefs and were driven primarily by migratory grunts (Haemulidae) resting over reefs during the day but foraging off reefs at night. At the reef scale, overall nitrogen excretion rates were correlated with grunt abundance; however, grunt abundance could not be predicted by any reef physical characteristics. Within‐reef grunt excretion rates changed little across a 4‐month period but varied significantly over two years, indicating that nutrient supply on a patch reef is not stable over long periods of time. Quantifying how nutrient provisioning on patch reefs is linked to fish activity and movement patterns and how provisioning varies on different spatial and temporal scales is important for understanding overall patterns of primary productivity on reefs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Allgeier et al. ). Animals can mediate nutrient availability either through the storage and retention of nutrients in biomass and body tissues (Allgeier et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their role as ubiquitous components of marine nutrient cycles has been revealed more recently (see reviews by Turner , Allgeier et al. ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fish movement drives spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient provisioning on coral reef patches

Francis

Côté

2018

Ecosphere

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Direct and indirect effects of climate change‐amplified pulse heat stress events on coral reef fish communities

Magel

Dimoff

Baum

2020

Ecological Applications

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Climate change‐amplified temperature anomalies pose an imminent threat to coral reef ecosystems. While much focus has been placed on the effects of heat stress on scleractinian corals—including bleaching, mortality, and loss of reef structural complexity—and many studies have documented changes to reef fish communities arising indirectly from shifts in benthic composition, the direct impacts of heat stress on reef fish are much less well understood. Here, we quantify the direct and indirect effects of heat stress on reef fishes, using underwater visual censuses of coral reef fish communities conducted before, during, and after the 2015–2016 El Niño‐induced global coral bleaching event. Surveys took place at the epicenter of this event, at 16 sites on Kiritimati (Republic of Kiribati; central equatorial Pacific) spanning across a gradient of local human disturbance. We expected that heat stress would have both direct and indirect negative effects on the reef fish community, with direct effects resulting from physiological stress during the event and indirect effects manifesting afterward as a consequence of coral mortality, and that the ability of fish communities to recover following the heat stress would depend on levels of local human disturbance. We found that total reef fish biomass and abundance declined by >50% during heat stress, likely as a result of vertical migration of fish to cooler waters. One year after the cessation of heat stress, however, total biomass, abundance, and species richness had recovered to, or even exceeded, pre‐heat stress levels. However, the biomass of corallivores declined by over 70% following severe coral loss, and reefs exposed to higher levels of local human disturbance showed impaired recovery following the heat stress. These findings enhance understanding of the projected impacts of climate change‐associated marine heatwaves on reef fishes, and highlight the interacting effects of local and global stressors on this vital component of coral reef ecosystems.

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Smaller and bolder fish enhance ecosystem‐scale primary production around artificial reefs in seagrass beds

Munsterman,

Hesselbarth,

Allgeier

2024

Ecological Applications

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Effective management of wild animals requires understanding how predation and harvest alter the composition of populations. These top‐down processes can alter consumer body size and behavior and thus should also have consequences for bottom‐up processes because (1) body size is a critical determinant of the amount of nutrients excreted and (2) variation in foraging behavior, which is strongly influenced by predation, can determine the amount and spatial distribution of nutrients. Changes to either are known to affect ecosystem‐scale nutrient dynamics, but the consequences of these dynamics on ecosystem processes are poorly understood. We used an individual‐based model of an artificial reef (AR) and reef fish in a subtropical seagrass bed to test how fish body size can interact with variation in foraging behavior at the population and individual levels to affect seagrass production in a nutrient‐limited system. Seagrass production dynamics can be driven by both belowground (BGPP) and aboveground primary production (AGPP); thus, we quantified ecosystem‐scale production via these different mechanistic pathways. We found that (1) populations of small fish generated greater total primary production (TLPP = BGPP + AGPP) than large fish, (2) fish that foraged more increased TLPP more than those that spent time sheltering on ARs, and (3) small fish that foraged more led to greatest increases in TLPP. The mechanism by which this occurred was primarily through increased BGPP, highlighting the importance of cryptic belowground dynamics in seagrass ecosystems. Populations of extremely bold individuals (i.e., foraged significantly more) slightly increased TLPP but strongly affected the distribution of production, whereby bold individuals increased BGPP, while populations of shy individuals increased AGPP. Taken together, these results provide a link between consumer body size, variation in consumer behavior, and primary production—which, in turn, will support secondary production for fisheries. Our study suggests that human‐induced changes—such as fishing—that alter consumer body size and behavior will fundamentally change ecosystem‐scale production dynamics. Understanding the ecosystem effects of harvest on consumer populations is critical for ecosystem‐based management, including the development of ARs for fisheries.

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Animal pee in the sea: consumer‐mediated nutrient dynamics in the world's changing oceans

Cited by 92 publications

References 147 publications

Fish movement drives spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient provisioning on coral reef patches

Fish movement drives spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient provisioning on coral reef patches

Direct and indirect effects of climate change‐amplified pulse heat stress events on coral reef fish communities

Smaller and bolder fish enhance ecosystem‐scale primary production around artificial reefs in seagrass beds

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