Epiphytism on Agarum fimbriatum: can herbivore preferences explain distribution of epiphytic bryozoans?

Durante, KM; Chia, Fu‐Shiang

doi:10.3354/meps077279

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…No effect of bryozoan cover on grazing damage was observed for Laminaria digitata at this site, or for both Laminaria digitata and S. longicruris at a second, more protected site (The Lodge), across a greater range of bryozoan cover. This suggests that even high bryozoan cover does not deter grazing, which is contrary to previous observations (Durante & Chia 1991, Chavanich & Harris 2000. Lacuna vincta is capable of grazing through colonies of M. membranacea (J. O'Brien, K. A. Krumhansl, R. E. Scheibling unpubl.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage by the gastropod Lacuna vincta in Nova Scotian kelp beds

Krumhansl¹,

Scheibling²

2011

Aquat. Biol.

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Population increases of the gastropod Lacuna vincta have been associated with significant damage to kelp blades and decreases in kelp biomass in subtidal kelp beds off Nova Scotia, Canada. We measured the total level and along-blade distribution of grazing damage by Lacuna vincta on the dominant kelp species at 5 sites in Nova Scotia, Canada, over a 15 mo period. Grazing was typically low or absent in the basal regions of blades, consistent with seasonal fluctuations in growth and physical properties of blade tissues. Grazing was largely concentrated in middle and distal sections, although this distribution varied with site exposure and over time. The cover of the invasive bryozoan Membranipora membranacea on the surface of kelp blades did not have a strong effect on grazing by L. vincta. The total level of grazing damage (max. 1% of blade area for Saccharina longicruris and 1.5% for Laminaria digitata) varied seasonally, with peaks in September at some sites. Spatial variation was driven in part by a negative relationship with site exposure. In a field experiment, simulated grazing damage that exceeded a threshold value of 0.5 to 1.0% of blade area caused a significant increase in blade loss during a period of heavy wave action due to a passing hurricane. Our results show that direct reductions in kelp biomass through grazing by L. vincta are relatively small, but can indirectly lead to significant losses of kelp biomass during large wave events. KEY WORDS: Lacuna vincta · Laminaria digitata · Saccharina longicruris · Grazing · Mesograzers · Kelp beds · Detritus · Membranipora membranacea Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Biol 13: 163-173, 2011 164 na vincta is the only mesograzer known to consume macroscopic kelp sporophytes (Brady-Campbell et al. 1984, Johnson & Mann 1986. On the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, L. vincta is seasonally abundant in kelp beds, with peak densities (up to 2000 individuals m −2 ) during recruitment in February, and seasonal lows between August and October (John son & Mann 1986). L. vincta preferentially grazes kelps (Chavanich & Harris 2002), creating perforations or superficial excavations on the surface of blades. Johnson & Mann (1986) estimated that the cumulative effect of grazing by L. vincta was a removal of only 0.05% of standing blade biomass of Saccharina (=Laminaria) longicruris in a kelp bed in St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia. However, population explosions of L. vincta in the Gulf of Maine have been associated with high levels of damage to kelp blades and canopy loss (Fralick et al. 1974). linked variation in the rate of kelp blade fragmentation and erosion to damage along the distal ends of blades, suggesting that grazing by L. vincta can indirectly decrease kelp biomass and increase detrital production.Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage to kelps and other macroalgae in shallow marine habitats is caused by various abiotic and biotic factors. Wave exposure generally has a negative effect on gr...

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage by the gastropod Lacuna vincta in Nova Scotian kelp beds

Krumhansl¹,

Scheibling²

2011

Aquat. Biol.

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“…In the laboratory, settlement preference experiments indicated that significantly more larvae of S. reptans settled on disks of L. digitata cut from younger regions of the blade than those from older regions when presented with a choice (Stebbing 1972). Similarly, larvae of the bryozoan Lichenopora novae-elandiae have been shown to preferentially settle on younger sections of the brown alga Agarum fimbriatum in Barkley Sound, Vancouver Island (Durante & Chia 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, while a kelp bed may persist for decades, the available habitat to an epi phyte colonizing an individual kelp blade is constantly changing. The successful recruitment and overall lifetime fitness of epiphytes on such ephe meral habitats is often related to the location of settlement on the alga (Keough 1986, Durante & Chia 1991, and as a result, larvae of marine epiphytes on macroalgae exhibit a range of settlement preferences (Hayward & Harvey 1974, Bernstein & Jung 1979, Roland 1980, Durante & Chia 1991.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Selective settlement by larvae of Membranipora membranacea and Electra pilosa (Ectoprocta) along kelp blades in Nova Scotia, Canada

Denley¹,

Meta×as²,

Short³

2014

Aquat. Biol.

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Many larval sessile marine invertebrates exhibit settlement preferences, and larval behavioral responses to cues at settlement can ultimately influence the distribution of adults and an individual's lifetime fitness. Two epifaunal bryozoans, the invasive Membranipora membranacea and the native Electra pilosa, commonly co-occur on kelp species in the subtidal habitats of Nova Scotia, Canada. Outbreaks of M. membranacea have been linked to mass defoliation of the kelp canopy; however, E. pilosa has not been associated with any significant effect on its host substrate. To examine whether larvae of M. membranacea and E. pilosa exhibit settlement preference for a particular location along the blades of the kelps Saccharina latissima and Laminaria digitata, abundances of newly settled colonies were quantified at different locations along the kelp blade. Algae were sampled at 2 sites on the southwestern shore of Nova Scotia (The Lodge and Feltzen South) from September 2009 to October 2010, over one complete cycle of the annual life cycle of M. membranacea, and thus over a wide range of bryozoan percent cover. Settlers of both bryozoans were significantly more abundant towards the younger, more proximal regions of blades of both kelps across all sampling periods. These patterns did not vary seasonally with increasing colony density. Both M. membranacea and E. pilosa larvae showed preferential settlement, suggesting that they can detect small-scale differences in habitat quality at the scale of a single kelp blade.

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“…On the other hand, apparently obligate and sometimes species-specific epibionts have been reported among bacteria (Sar & Rosenberg 1987, Gil-Turnes et al 1989, Johnson et al 1991, Protozoa (Chiavelli et al 1993), Rhodophyta (Harlin 1980, Lining & Garbary 1992, Bryozoa (Durante & Chia 1991), Kamptozoa (Cori 1936, Dyrynda 1985, and Cirripedia (Rajaguru & Shanta 1992), for instance. In general, however, the great majority of epibiotic species may also be found in the local fouling community on non-living substrata (e.g.…”

Section: Recruitment Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The predominantly facultative nature of epibiosis: experimental and observational evidence

Wahl

Mark²

1999

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

161

108

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Epibiosis is a spatially close association between 2 or more organisms belonging to the same or different species. Through direct and indirect interactions, this association has major effects on the species involved and on community dynamics. When the effects are predominantly beneficial for epibiont and basibiont, coevolution can be expected to lead to associational specificity. Circumstantial evidence, however, suggests that many epibionts are non-specific substratum-generalists. In this article, we investigate the commonness of specificity in epibiotic associations. In a first approach, we investigated the in situ recruitment preferences of potential epibionts when choosing between artificial and living substrata. After exposure for 3 wk in early summer, an early successional community had established, comprising cyanobacteria, diatoms, sesslle colonial ciliates and red algae. All species recruited on almost all substrata available. However, artificial substrata were usually preferred over living surfaces. Consequently, the species studied are class~fied as facultative epibionts. An analysis of a list of over 2000 epibiotic associations corroborated these results, the majority of described 'epibionts' are not basibiont-specific and generally occur on non-living substrata as well. Also, basibiont species usually bear more than 1 epibiont species. Relative to each other, epibionts and basibionts are characterised by a typical set of life history traits. We conclude that specific and obligate epibionts are rare. Their scarcity is discussed in view of multilevel antifouling defences and presumptive evolutionary transitions from epibiosis towards endoparasitism or endosymbiosis.

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Epiphytism on Agarum fimbriatum: can herbivore preferences explain distribution of epiphytic bryozoans?

Cited by 26 publications

References 32 publications

Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage by the gastropod Lacuna vincta in Nova Scotian kelp beds

Spatial and temporal variation in grazing damage by the gastropod Lacuna vincta in Nova Scotian kelp beds

Selective settlement by larvae of Membranipora membranacea and Electra pilosa (Ectoprocta) along kelp blades in Nova Scotia, Canada

The predominantly facultative nature of epibiosis: experimental and observational evidence

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