Deep water vegetations of Lobophora variegata (Phaeophycae) in the coral reef of Curagao: population dynamics in relation to mass mortality of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum

Vansteveninck, Edd; Breeman, Anneke M.

doi:10.3354/meps036081

Cited by 39 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This variation may be a consequence of its morphological plasticity as a direct response to grazing (de Ruyter van Steveninck & Breeman 1987a, b, 1988a. Such changes have been observed for Padina jamaicensis which undergoes a morphological shift from a prostrate turf morphology to an erect foliose form in response to herbivore moderation (Lewis et al 1987 forms retain their form when transplanted to other habitats or when herbivorous fishes are excluded with cages.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Populations with resistant attributes are generally distributed in habitats with moderate to high fish herbivore abundance, whereas susceptible populations (ruffled form) are restricted to habitats with low fish abundances or in spatial refuges in areas of high fish grazing. Thus, it seems likely that herbivores play an important role, along with other environmental factors, in maintaining these 3 forms and their distributions in Belize and elsewhere (Morrison 1986, 1988, de Ruyter van Steveninck & Breeman 1987a, b 1988a.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It lives intertidally (Taylor 1960) to more than 90 m (Littler et al 1985). L. variegata has a range of morphological forms, often associated with different habitats (Lawson & John 1982, Norris & Bucher 1982, Allender & Kraft 1983, Littler et al 1985, de Ruyter van Steveninck & Breeman 1987a, b, de Ruyter van Steveninck et al 1988a. This habitatrelated morphological variation is coupled with conflicting observations on the susceptibility of L. variegata to herbivory (Table 1); these suggest that herbivores may play a role in the selection and maintenance of L. variegata forms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological variation and differential susceptibility to herbivory in the tropical brown alga Lobophora variegate

Coen¹,

Tanner²

1989

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The tropical brown alga Lobophora variegata (Lamouroux) Womersley has 3 distinct morphological forms (ruffled, decumbent and encrusting) along the Belizean barrier reef. These forms are commonly associated with habitats that differ in environmental characteristics and herbivore abundance. Previous research into among-habitat variation in plant susceptibility to herbivores has focused on interspecific comparisons; here we emphasize intraspecific variation. Field (fish) and laboratory (crab) experiments compared grazlng on L. vanegata forms with 2 other frondose algae of the same family (Dictyotaceae), the highly palatable Padina boergesenii and the unpalatable Stypopodium zonale. Transplant feeding studies were conducted in several reef habitats to determine if these forms differed in their susceptibility to fish herbivory. Significantly different susceptibilities to grazing among L. variegata forms for both fishes and crabs were observed. Preferences of fish and crabs were similar (from most to least preferred): Padina = ruffled Lobophora = encrusting Lobophora S decumbent Lobophora = Stypopodium. The distribution of ruffled and decumbent forms appears to b e related to the intensity of fish grazing normally encountered in their habitats and their differential susceptibility to herbivory. The encrusting form is common in areas with high fish and sea urchin herbivory, despite being susceptible to fish grazing when removed from the substrate. The presence of this form in areas of intense grazing pressure is probably related to its encrusting habit. We suggest that the distributions of these forms, their growth morphologies and potential defenses are in some measure related to differential grazing intensities among habitats. Form variation and habit may represent an important evolutionary strategy for tropical algae when herbivory is locally intense but patchy.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological variation and differential susceptibility to herbivory in the tropical brown alga Lobophora variegate

Coen¹,

Tanner²

1989

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Lobophora variegata is a widespread and common alga on Caribbean reefs (van der Hoek et al 1978, Hughes 1994, Ruyter van Steveninck & Breeman 1987, Diaz-Pulido & Diaz 1997 and worldwide (Jompa & McCook 2002a,b). It is often found overgrowing live tissue of scleractinian corals (Ruyter van Steveninck et al 1988) and has been shown to cause coral mortality in the Indo-Pacific branching coral Porites cylindrica (Jompa & McCook 2002a,b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential competitive abilities between Caribbean coral species and a brown alga: a year of experiments and a long-term perspective

Nugues¹,

Bak²

2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

121

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The competitive replacement of corals by benthic algae is considered key to reef degradation. Such replacement could originate from direct competitive overgrowth of corals by algae or death of corals from other disturbances, followed by an increase in algal abundance. To assess the relative importance of these processes, this study experimentally tested the competitiveness of 6 Caribbean coral species against the brown alga Lobophora variegata on a fringing reef in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. This alga has a widespread distribution and is considered particularly aggressive towards corals due to its creeping growth form. We compared the growth of transplanted algae over living and dead coral, as well as coral tissue mortality in the presence and absence of transplanted algae over a 1 yr period. Competitive trends were also related to changes in species abundance from 1973 to 2002 on the same reef. The results indicated that only 1 species, Agaricia agaricites, was competitively inferior to L. variegata and suffered more tissue mortality when exposed to the algae. Surveys of naturally occurring interactions showed that less competitive species were generally more overgrown by L. variegata, further reinforcing our results. Importantly, A. agaricites experienced the greatest decline in percent cover from 1973 to 2002 among the studied species. A large proportion of this decline occurred following the die-off of Diadema antillarum in 1983, which generally marks the onset of increased algal abundance on Caribbean reefs. We concluded that Caribbean corals have different competitive abilities against algae, highlighting the complexity and species-specific nature of coral-algal interactions. Although our data supports that prior death of corals may be generally required for algae to become established, competition with algae could play a significant role in structuring coral communities by reducing the abundance of poor competitive species. We suggest that a species-by-species approach is needed to understand the factors influencing transitions from coral to algal dominance on Caribbean reefs.

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“…Mass mortality was caused by a virulent biotic disease (Bak et al 1984, Hughes et al 1985. Elimination of D. antillarum from most Caribbean reefs resulted in a significant increase of fleshy and filamentous algae as well as of some macroalgae (Hughes et al 1985, de Ruyter van Steveninck & Bak 1986, de Ruyter van Steveninck & Breeman 1987. This increase was achieved at the expense of other benthic organisms such as corals, crustose corallines and clionid sponges whose settlement has been considerably reduced (de Ruyter van Steveninck & Bak 1986, Liddell & Ohlhorst 1986.…”

Section: Widespread Disease-related Mass Mortalities Ofmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diseases of Echinodermata. IV Structural abnormalities and general considerations on biotic diseases

Jangoux¹

1987

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Reported structural abnormalities mostly concern the echinoid test; these are not uncommon and indicate great plasticity of the echinoids. More than 400 animal agents have been reported from echinoderms. Most external agents either have processes that penetrate the body wall or live in cysts or galls on or in the body wall; intradigestive agents usually occur free in the digestive cavity; internal agents are mostly intracoelomic and live either free in the coelomic cavity or attached to the coelomic wall. Host reactions to invading organisms are either inflammatory-like reactions (i.e. intratissular migration of some coelomocytes towards the site of infection), connective-tissue reactions (i e. formation of a thick fibrous sheet isolating the agent from the host's connective tissue) or coelomocyte reactions (i.e. endocytosis of microorganisms or walling off of anlmal agents entering the host's coelomic cavity). All known mass mortalities due to biobc disease agents are caused by microorganisms. With very few exceptions, animal agents do not kill their ech~noderm host: most of them are well tolerated and do not appear to result in major consequences for the hosts concerned. Echinozoa (Holothuroidea and Echinoidea) and Asterozoa (Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea) exhibit a different degree of sensitivity to animal pathogens, the asterozoans' defensive mechanisms being apparently more efficient than those of echinozoans. Echinoderms play a key role in many benthic communities and their diseases -especially lethal or castrating deseases -should have major effects on the biological environment (this has been demonstrated in a few cases of disease-related mass rnortalities). Echinoids and ophiuroids represent a prominent part of the diet of many fishes; their role as vector of fish diseases caused by trematodes or nematodes requires investigation.

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Deep water vegetations of Lobophora variegata (Phaeophycae) in the coral reef of Curagao: population dynamics in relation to mass mortality of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum

Cited by 39 publications

References 19 publications

Morphological variation and differential susceptibility to herbivory in the tropical brown alga Lobophora variegate

Morphological variation and differential susceptibility to herbivory in the tropical brown alga Lobophora variegate

Differential competitive abilities between Caribbean coral species and a brown alga: a year of experiments and a long-term perspective

Diseases of Echinodermata. IV Structural abnormalities and general considerations on biotic diseases

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