Length–weight relationships to quantify biomass for motile coral reef cryptofauna

Wolfe, Kennedy; Desbiens, Amelia; Stella, Jessica; Mumby, Peter J.

doi:10.1007/s00338-020-01993-9

Cited by 15 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Variations in cryptic community density, diversity and biomass were strongly influenced by microhabitat type, contributing to an emerging picture of microhabitats being a key predictor of the cryptofauna (Counsell et al, 2018 ; Enochs et al, 2011 ; Enochs & Manzello, 2012b ; Fraser et al, 2021a ; Fraser, Stuart‐Smith, et al, 2020 ; Pisapia et al, 2020 ; Takada et al, 2016 ; Wolfe, Desbiens, et al, 2020 ). While dead coral and rubble hosted a greater density and diversity of motile cryptofauna compared to living corals, this was dominated by a greater availability of small fauna.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional and phylogenetic responses of motile cryptofauna to habitat degradation

Stella

Wolfe

Roff

et al. 2022

Journal of Animal Ecology

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1. Biodiversity of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, is dominated by small, often cryptic, invertebrate taxa that play important roles in ecosystem structure and functioning. While cryptofauna community structure is determined by strong small-scale microhabitat associations, the extent to which ecological and environmental factors shape these communities are largely unknown, as is the relative importance of particular microhabitats in supporting reef trophodynamics from the bottom up.2. The goal of this study was to address these knowledge gaps, provided coral reefs are increasingly exposed to multiple disturbances and environmental gradients that influence habitat complexity, condition and ecosystem functioning. 3. We compared the density, biomass, size range, phylogenetic diversity and functional roles of motile cryptofauna in Palau, Western Micronesia, among four coral-derived microhabitats representing various states of degradation (live coral [Acropora and Pocillopora], dead coral and coral rubble) from reefs along a gradient of effluent exposure.4. In total, 122 families across ten phyla were identified, dominated by the Arthropoda (Crustacea) and Mollusca. Cryptofauna biomass was greatest in live Pocillopora, while coral rubble contained the greatest density and diversity. Size ranges were broader in live corals than both dead coral and rubble. From a bottom-up perspective, effluent exposure had mixed effects on cryptic communities including a decline in total biomass in rubble. From a top-down perspective, cryptofauna were generally unaffected by predator biomass. 5. Our data show that, as coral reef ecosystems continue to decline in response to more frequent and severe disturbances, habitats other than live coral may become increasingly important in supporting coral reef biodiversity and food webs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional and phylogenetic responses of motile cryptofauna to habitat degradation

Stella

Wolfe

Roff

et al. 2022

Journal of Animal Ecology

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“…When analyzing different reef substrates, Enochs and Manzello (2012b) observed that the highest richness in cryptofauna was surprisingly found within coral rubble, which hosted significantly higher cryptic diversity than healthy corals. Moreover, previous research has suggested that cryptofaunal abundance and diversity are linked with habitat type (Wolfe et al, 2020), and influenced by rubble shapes and complexity (Biondi et al, 2020). Branching rubble fragments appear to support more biodiversity and animal abundance than massive rubble (Biondi et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…The complex three-dimensional skeletal structures of scleractinian corals host a variety of sessile and mobile animals of variable size called cryptofauna (Enochs, 2012). Organisms from the reef cryptofauna are essential for the functionality of coral reef ecosystems, both in terms of biomass (they constitute the largest part of reef 's diversity; Richter et al, 2001) and functionality, since they contribute to the aggregation and recycling of nutrients, providing biomass upwards in the trophic net (Richter et al, 2001;Kramer et al, 2013;Wolfe et al, 2020). Even coral rubble, dead coral skeletal frameworks detached from the substrate, has been shown to host a rich and diverse community and, for this reason, has been used as an indicator of reef diversity and environmental impact (Takada et al, 2014;Wee et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparison of Size, Shape, and Fractal Diversity Between Coral Rubble Sampled From Natural and Artificial Coastlines Around Okinawa Island, Japan

2021

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Substrate surface area and fractal complexity have been reported to influence the abundance and diversity of mobile cryptic animal communities. Surfaces with higher fractal dimensions not only offer additional space for colonization, but bias space availability toward smaller size ranges, increasing the number of available niches. Conversely, smaller surface areas tend to be associated with a decrease in abundances while reduced fractal complexities may support less diversity in the benthic community. In this study, we compared morphological parameters between rubble sampled from rubble mounds accumulated at the seaward side of artificial breakwaters and rubble sampled from a nearby location with no breakwaters (=control site). The purpose of this work was to establish a methodology for comparing the surface area and fractal complexity of coral rubble fragments using easily available equipment that could be efficiently utilized during field work. Rubble fragments were individually weighed and photographed in controlled light conditions. Each photograph was then analyzed using ImageJ software. Rubble pieces from each photograph went through segmentation, the separation of sample outlines from the picture background, before being measured and analyzed for surface area, width, and length (size estimators), and circularity, aspect ratio, roundness, solidity, and Feret properties (shape estimators). Surface fractal complexity was also measured, using the box counting method on segmented rubble surfaces. We observed lowered surface areas, weight, and fractal complexity for rubble fragments sampled at the breakwater. We demonstrate how this method could be used to compare coral rubble from a variety of environmental conditions, thus becoming a useful aid in environmental monitoring, in addition to adding important information to the collection and analyses of biological data.

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“…Density conversions were performed at the lowest level of taxonomy possible within each replicate. Biomass was calculated per individual using existing length‐weight conversion factors for motile cryptofauna (Wolfe et al, 2020 ). Novel length‐weight relationships were established for Linckia multifora and the Gobiidae (Figure S1 ), which primarily comprised Eviota spp.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emigration patterns of motile cryptofauna and their implications for trophic functioning in coral reefs

Wolfe

Desbiens

Mumby

2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Patterns of movement of marine species can reflect strategies of reproduction and dispersal, species' interactions, trophodynamics, and susceptibility to change, and thus critically inform how we manage populations and ecosystems. On coral reefs, the density and diversity of metazoan taxa are greatest in dead coral and rubble, which are suggested to fuel food webs from the bottom up. Yet, biomass and secondary productivity in rubble is predominantly available in some of the smallest individuals, limiting how accessible this energy is to higher trophic levels. We address the bioavailability of motile coral reef cryptofauna based on small-scale patterns of emigration in rubble. We deployed modified RUbble Biodiversity Samplers (RUBS) and emergence traps in a shallow rubble patch at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, to detect community-level differences in the directional influx of motile cryptofauna under five habitat accessibility regimes. The mean density (0.13-4.5 ind cm −3 ) and biomass (0.14-5.2 mg cm −3 ) of cryptofauna were high and varied depending on microhabitat accessibility. Emergent zooplankton represented a distinct community (dominated by the Appendicularia and Calanoida) with the lowest density and biomass, indicating constraints on nocturnal resource availability. Mean cryptofauna density and biomass were greatest when interstitial access within rubble was blocked, driven by the rapid proliferation of small harpacticoid copepods from the rubble surface, leading to trophic simplification. Individuals with high biomass (e.g., decapods, gobies, and echinoderms) were greatest when interstitial access within rubble was unrestricted.Treatments with a closed rubble surface did not differ from those completely open, suggesting that top-down predation does not diminish rubble-derived resources. Our results show that conspecific cues and species' interactions (e.g., competition and predation) within rubble are most critical in shaping ecological outcomes within the cryptobiome. These findings have implications for prey accessibility through trophic and community size structuring in rubble, which may become increasingly relevant as benthic reef complexity shifts in the Anthropocene.

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Length–weight relationships to quantify biomass for motile coral reef cryptofauna

Cited by 15 publications

References 60 publications

Functional and phylogenetic responses of motile cryptofauna to habitat degradation

Functional and phylogenetic responses of motile cryptofauna to habitat degradation

A Comparison of Size, Shape, and Fractal Diversity Between Coral Rubble Sampled From Natural and Artificial Coastlines Around Okinawa Island, Japan

Emigration patterns of motile cryptofauna and their implications for trophic functioning in coral reefs

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