Biological destruction of coral reefs

Hutchings, Pat

doi:10.1007/bf00298083

Cited by 384 publications

(283 citation statements)

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“…micro-and macroborers) and external bioerosion (i.e. grazers) (Hutchings 1986;Bellwood 1995). Rose and Risk (1985) found an increased abundance of the boring sponge Cliona delitrix on reefs associated with the discharge of untreated sewage.…”

Section: Abundance Of Macro-bioerodersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioindicators of changes in water quality on coral reefs: review and recommendations for monitoring programmes

2009

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Effective environmental management requires monitoring programmes that provide specific links between changes in environmental conditions and ecosystem health. This article reviews the suitability of a range of bioindicators for use in monitoring programmes that link changes in water quality to changes in the condition of coral-reef ecosystems. From the literature, 21 candidate bioindicators were identified, whose responses to changes in water quality varied spatially and temporally; responses ranged from rapid (hours) changes within individual corals to long-term (years) changes in community composition. From this list, the most suitable bioindicators were identified by determining whether responses were (i) specific, (ii) monotonic, (iii) variable, (iv) practical and (v) ecologically relevant to management goals. For long-term monitoring programmes that aim to quantify the effects of chronic changes in water quality, 11 bioindicators were selected: symbiont photophysiology, colony brightness, tissue thickness and surface rugosity of massive corals, skeletal elemental and isotopic composition, abundance of macro-bioeroders, micro-and meiobenthic organisms such as foraminifera, coral recruitment, macroalgal cover, taxonomic richness of corals and the maximal depth of coralreef development. For short-term monitoring programmes, or environmental impact assessments that aim to quantify the effects of acute changes in water quality, a subset of seven of these bioindicators were selected, including partial mortality. Their choice will depend on the specific objectives and the timeframe available for each monitoring programme. An assessment framework is presented to assist in the selection of bioindicators to quantify the effects of changing water quality on coral-reef ecosystems.

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Section: Abundance Of Macro-bioerodersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioindicators of changes in water quality on coral reefs: review and recommendations for monitoring programmes

2009

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“…These, are attached to the coral bases, bore the skeleton, or live over or under the colonies (McCloskey, 1970;Young, 1986;Arvanitides and Koukouras, 1994). Many authors have emphasised the destructive impact of the endolithic fauna on coral colonies, a process known as bioerosion (Hein and Risk, 1975;MacGeachy and Stearn, 1976;Hutchings, 1986;Kiene and Hutchings,1992); among the studies with a more specific focus, those on sponges (Rützler, 1975), molluscs (Hadfield, 1976;Morton, 1983;Moretzsohn and Tsuchyia, 1992), polychaetes (Kohn and Lloyd, 1973;Arvanitides and Koukouras, 1994;Nogueira, 2000), and sipunculids (Rice, 1976;Rice and Macintyre, 1982) should be noted.…”

Section: Androrqlhv Ri 0xvvlvplold Klvslgd Zhuh Froohfwhg Lq Irxu Vrxwkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fauna living in colonies of Mussismilia hispida (Verrill) (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) in four South-eastern Brazil islands

Nogueira

2003

Braz. arch. biol. technol.

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Colonies of Mussismilia hispida were collected in four south-eastern Brazil islands and fixed in formalin. Volume, living and basal areas of each coral head were measured. Animals found over, under and inside the corals were sorted, resulting in 9657 specimens belonging to more than 130 taxa. The underside of the colonies was occupied by bivalves and colonial forms of sponges, bryozoans and ascidians. On the living surface, barnacles and cryptochiridean crabs were detected. The endolithic animals included polychaetes, bivalves and sipunculid worms. Most of the animals collected were vagile microcrustaceans. In general, the corals in this ecosystem: (1) act as a nursery place for the community; (2) provide protection for many species also found in other habitats; (3) support a community mainly omnivorous and detritivorous; (4) are initially colonised randomly.
Colônias de Mussismilia hispida foram coletadas em quatro ilhas do sudeste brasileiro e fixadas em formalina. Depois de medidos o volume e as areas vivas e da base de cada coral, os animais encontrados sobre, dentro e sob as colônias foram triados, resultando em 9657 espécimes, pertencentes a cerca de 130 espécies. As bases das colônias encontravam-se ocupadas por bivalves e colônias de esponjas, briozoários e ascídias; na superfície viva, cirripédios e "caranguejos-galha" se fizeram presentes; a fauna endolítica incluiu poliquetas, bivalves e sipúnculos. Crustáceos vágeis, tais como copépodes, isópodes, anfípodes, tanaidáceos e ostrácodes responderam pela maioria dos animais encontrados. De maneira geral, pode-se dizer que os corais neste ambientes: (1) atuam como um local protegido para a reprodução das espécies associadas; (2) fornecem abrigo a muitas espécies também encontradas em outros ambientes; (3) sustentam uma comunidade que se alimenta principalmente de bactérias, detritos e do muco dos corais; (4) são inicialmente colonizados ao acaso

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“…Bioeroders help maintain a mass balance between accretion and erosion and serve as recyclers in marine ecosystems (Hutchings 1986, Glynn 1997, making the eroded materials available to other organisms. Bioerosion is important for maintaining some ecosystems including coral and sand beaches (Schneider andToruski 1983, Hutchings 1986) or perhaps the ecotone between dense mangrove forest and open marine waters (Snedaker and Enright 1974).…”

Section: Ecological Effects Of Bioerosion In the Marine Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These habitats may also provide refuges from environmental stressors or predators (Bortolus et al 2002, Palomo et al 2003. The community inhabiting these excavations may also enhance nutrient recycling by drawing organic matter into these systems (Hutchings 1986, Levin et al 1997) and the complex topography of pits, burrows, and excavations may enhance the passive deposition of particles including organic matter (Yager et al 1993).…”

Section: Ecological Effects Of Bioerosion In the Marine Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bioerosion by grapsid crabs and littorine snails facilitate the development of tidal channels (Escapa et al 2007) and the deepening of tidepools (McLean 1967), respectively. Bioerosion by herbivorous fish, urchins, and mollusks can also reduce coral reef growth (Glynn et al 1979, Hutchings 1986) and the survivorship of coral spat (Sammarco 1980). Higher seawater temperatures has been shown to accelerate the boring and bioerosion rates of limnoriid isopods in the lab (Eltringham 1965, Borges et al 2008, shipworms (Ibrahim 1981), clionid sponges (Rutzler 2002), and parrotfish (Smith 2008).…”

Section: Chapter 4: Seawater Temperature Mediates the Biological Erosmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biological Erosion of Marine Habitats and Structures by Burrowing Crustaceans

Davidson¹

2000

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Marine bioeroders, borers, and burrowers can have drastic effects to marine habitats and facilities. By physically altering the structure of marine habitats, these organisms may elicit ecosystem-level effects that cascade through the community. While borer damage is typically restricted to a few substratum types, burrowing isopods in the genus Sphaeroma attack a diversity of substrata in tropical and temperate systems. My dissertation examined how boring sphaeromatid isopods affect coastal habitats (saltmarshes, mangroves) and other estuarine substrata as well as marine structures. I used a combination of lab and mensurative field experiments to quantify the effects of boring by isopods and examine how select factors affect the colonization, hence burrowing damage by isopods. I explored these questions primarily using the temperate To examine the small-scale factors that mediate colonization and boring, I conducted a series of binary choice experiments. I found the presence of conspecifics, biofilm, and shade were important factors influencing colonization. These small scale factors likely explain why isopod attack is focused in some substrata. Finally, to examine the boring effects of tropical isopods in mangroves, I examined the associations between burrowing by S. terebrans and mangrove performance and fecundity. I found negative relationships between boring effects and performance and fecundity in two mangrove species in a restored mangrove stand in Taiwan. Together, these studies elucidate the effects of bioerosive isopods on saltmarshes, mangroves, and marine structures. However, the similar mechanisms involved in bioerosion in other boring species suggest that these results can be used to infer similar effects of other borers. In addition, since many species of sphaeromatid isopods have been introduced, this research shows how the effects of a non-native bioeroder can damage marine facilities and degrade and alter marine habitats.Through biological erosion and thus changing the physical structure of a marine habitat these non-native species can have ecosystem-level effects that cascade throughout the local community.iii Acknowledgements

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Biological destruction of coral reefs

Cited by 384 publications

References 59 publications

Bioindicators of changes in water quality on coral reefs: review and recommendations for monitoring programmes

Bioindicators of changes in water quality on coral reefs: review and recommendations for monitoring programmes

Fauna living in colonies of Mussismilia hispida (Verrill) (Cnidaria: Scleractinia) in four South-eastern Brazil islands

Biological Erosion of Marine Habitats and Structures by Burrowing Crustaceans

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