Global community breaks at 60 m on mesophotic coral reefs

Lesser, Michael P.; Slattery, Marc; Laverick, Jack H.; Macartney, Keir J.; Bridge, Tom C. L.

doi:10.1111/geb.12940

Cited by 60 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 96 publications

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“…This shift in benthic community composition is likely to also affect the availability of DOM, since benthic primary producers are considered to be an important source of bioavailable DOM on coral reefs (Haas et al ; Mueller et al ). Furthermore, decreasing light levels reduce DOM release by benthic primary producers (Mueller et al , ), which supports observations that DOM concentrations decrease with increasing depth (Torréton et al ; Slattery and Lesser ; Mueller et al ; Lesser et al ). In contrast, we also know that POC increases with increasing depth into the mesophotic zone (e.g., Lesser ).…”

supporting

confidence: 78%

Depth‐dependent detritus production in the sponge, Halisarca caerulea

Lesser

Mueller

Pankey

et al. 2019

Limnology & Oceanography

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Sponges are important ecological and functional components of coral reefs. Recently, a new hypothesis about the functional ecology of sponges in organic matter recycling pathways, the sponge‐loop hypothesis, in which dissolved and particulate organic matter is taken up by sponges and shunted to higher trophic levels as detritus, has been proposed and demonstrated for shallow (< 30 m) cryptic species. However, support for this hypothesis at mesophotic depths (∼ 30–150 m) is lacking. Here, we examined detritus production, a prerequisite of the sponge loop pathway, in a reciprocal transplant experiment, using Halisarca caerulea from water depths of 10 and 50 m. Detritus production was significantly lower in mesophotic sponges compared to shallow samples of H. caerulea. Additionally, detritus production rates in transplanted sponges moved in the direction of rates observed for resident conspecifics. The microbiome of these sponge populations was also significantly different between shallow and mesophotic depths, and the microbial communities of the transplanted sponges also shifted in the direction of their new depth in 10 d largely driven by changes in Oxyphotobacteria, Acidimicrobiia, Nitrososphaeria, Nitrospira, Deltaproteobacteria, and Dadabacteriia. This occurred in an environment where the availability of both dissolved and particulate trophic resources changed significantly across the shallow to mesophotic depth gradient where these sponge populations were found. These results suggest that changes in sponge detritus production are primarily driven by differential quality and quantity of trophic resources, as well as their utilization by the sponge host, and its microbiome, along the shallow to mesophotic depth gradient.

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supporting

confidence: 78%

Depth‐dependent detritus production in the sponge, Halisarca caerulea

Lesser

Mueller

Pankey

et al. 2019

Limnology & Oceanography

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“…But while most sponges consume both POC and DOC, not all sponges produce detritus (e.g., McMurray, Stubler, Erwin, Finelli, & Pawlik, ). The amount of detritus produced also decreases with increasing depth (Lesser, Slattery, et al, ), and may be a result of the decreased availability of DOC, while POC increases, with increasing depth (Lesser, Slattery, Laverick, Macartney, & Bridge, ). The general increase in trophic resources, as carbon and nitrogen, with increasing depth (Lesser, Mueller, et al, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ) results in faster growing, and larger, sponges dominating the community on deep, mesophotic, reefs (>30 m: Lesser, ; Lesser & Slattery, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ).…”

Section: Trophic Ecology Of Spongesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The amount of detritus produced also decreases with increasing depth (Lesser, Slattery, et al, ), and may be a result of the decreased availability of DOC, while POC increases, with increasing depth (Lesser, Slattery, Laverick, Macartney, & Bridge, ). The general increase in trophic resources, as carbon and nitrogen, with increasing depth (Lesser, Mueller, et al, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ) results in faster growing, and larger, sponges dominating the community on deep, mesophotic, reefs (>30 m: Lesser, ; Lesser & Slattery, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ). This occurs because PON, as a component of POM, is a very important source of nitrogen that varies along the shallow to mesophotic depth gradient down to depths of at least 90 m (Lesser, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ).…”

Section: Trophic Ecology Of Spongesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The general increase in trophic resources, as carbon and nitrogen, with increasing depth (Lesser, Mueller, et al, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ) results in faster growing, and larger, sponges dominating the community on deep, mesophotic, reefs (>30 m: Lesser, ; Lesser & Slattery, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ). This occurs because PON, as a component of POM, is a very important source of nitrogen that varies along the shallow to mesophotic depth gradient down to depths of at least 90 m (Lesser, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ). Suspension‐feeding sponges filter POM, with its lower C:N ratios compared to DOM (Lesser, Mueller, et al, ; Lesser, Slattery, et al, ), mostly in the form of picoplankton, with clearance rates of 83%–90% (Lesser, ; Slattery & Lesser, ).…”

Section: Trophic Ecology Of Spongesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Will coral reef sponges be winners in the Anthropocene?

Lesser

Slattery

2020

Global Change Biology

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Recent observations have shown that increases in climate change‐related coral mortality cause changes in shallow coral reef community structure through phase shifts to alternative taxa. As a result, sponges have emerged as a potential candidate taxon to become a “winner,” and therefore a numerically and functionally dominant member of many coral reef communities. But, in order for this to occur, there must be sufficient trophic resources to support larger populations of these active filter‐feeding organisms. Globally, climate change is causing an increase in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and a decrease in salinity, which can lead to an intensification in the stratification of shallow nearshore waters (0–200 m), that affects both the mixed layer depth (MLD) and the strength and duration of internal waves. Specifically, climate change‐driven increases in SSTs for tropical waters are predicted to cause increased stratification, and more stabilized surface waters. This causes a shallowing of the MLD which prevents nutrients from reaching the euphotic zone, and is predicted to decrease net primary production (NPP) up to 20% by the end of the century. Lower NPP would subsequently affect multiple trophic levels, including shallow benthic filter‐feeding communities, as the coupling between water column productivity and the benthos weakens. We argue here that sponge populations may actually be constrained, rather than promoted, by climate change due to decreases in their primary trophic resources, caused by bottom‐up forcing, secondary to physical changes in the water column (i.e., stratification and changes in the MLD resulting in lower nutrients and NPP). As a result, we predict sponge‐dominated tropical reefs will be rare, or short‐lived, if they occur at all into the future in the Anthropocene.

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“…In Lesser et al () page 1411, scaling on the y‐axis of panel B in Figure was incorrect. The “significant effect of depth” and “figure legend” remains the same, while the “magnitude of the absolute numbers” is different.…”

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confidence: 99%