Quantifying herbivory across a coral reef depth gradient

Fox, Rebecca J.; Bellwood, David R.

doi:10.3354/meps339049

Cited by 193 publications

(191 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The former two groups exploit the algal or detrital resources in the EAM, the latter feed on crustacea and other invertebrates. All achieve their highest densities on the exposed reef crest or flat [59][60][61]. Most of this expansion in habitat use appears to have been in the Miocene or later, with surgeonfishes colonizing first, to be joined later by wrasses and parrotfishes.…”

Section: (B) Modern Surgeonfishes and Rabbitfishes Exploit A New Reefmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, they also represent some of the most dangerous locations. Studies have repeatedly highlighted the limitations to herbivory in these regions as a result of predation risk [48,61] and documented herbivore responses to predation risk are widespread [64][65][66]. The appearance of morphologies that may reduce predation would thus be expected in association with this expansion into exposed locations.…”

Section: (B) Modern Surgeonfishes and Rabbitfishes Exploit A New Reefmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations

et al. 2014

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The evolution of ecological processes on coral reefs was examined based on Eocene fossil fishes from Monte Bolca, Italy and extant species from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Using ecologically relevant morphological metrics, we investigated the evolution of herbivory in surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) and rabbitfishes (Siganidae). Eocene and Recent surgeonfishes showed remarkable similarities, with grazers, browsers and even specialized, long-snouted forms having Eocene analogues. These long-snouted Eocene species were probably pair-forming, crevice-feeding forms like their Recent counterparts. Although Eocene surgeonfishes likely played a critical role as herbivores during the origins of modern coral reefs, they lacked the novel morphologies seen in modern Acanthurus and Siganus (including eyes positioned high above their low-set mouths). Today, these forms dominate coral reefs in both abundance and species richness and are associated with feeding on shallow, exposed algal turfs. The radiation of these new forms, and their expansion into new habitats in the Oligocene–Miocene, reflects the second phase in the development of fish herbivory on coral reefs that is closely associated with the exploitation of highly productive short algal turfs.

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Section: (B) Modern Surgeonfishes and Rabbitfishes Exploit A New Reefmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (B) Modern Surgeonfishes and Rabbitfishes Exploit A New Reefmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations

et al. 2014

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“…This correction was considered highly conservative, as parrotfishes in these areas were often <10 cm in total length (TL) (the size that allowed them to escape fish traps). Examples of calculations from the literature include equivalent grazing estimates of one large (>25 cm TL) to 24 small (5-10 cm TL) parrotfishes (38), and one large (35 cm) to 75 small (15 cm) parrotfishes (39).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical defenses and resource trade-offs structure sponge communities on Caribbean coral reefs

Loh

Pawlik

2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

145

196

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Ecological studies have rarely been performed at the community level across a large biogeographic region. Sponges are now the primary habitat-forming organisms on Caribbean coral reefs. Recent species-level investigations have demonstrated that predatory fishes (angelfishes and some parrotfishes) differentially graze sponges that lack chemical defenses, while co-occurring, palatable species heal, grow, reproduce, or recruit at faster rates than defended species. Our prediction, based on resource allocation theory, was that predator removal would result in a greater proportion of palatable species in the sponge community on overfished reefs. We tested this prediction by performing surveys of sponge and fish community composition on reefs having different levels of fishing intensity across the Caribbean. A total of 109 sponge species was recorded from 69 sites, with the 10 most common species comprising 51.0% of sponge cover (3.6-7.7% per species). Nonmetric multidimensional scaling indicated that the species composition of sponge communities depended more on the abundance of sponge-eating fishes than geographic location. Across all sites, multiple-regression analyses revealed that spongivore abundance explained 32.8% of the variation in the proportion of palatable sponges, but when data were limited to geographically adjacent locations with strongly contrasting levels of fishing pressure (Cayman Islands and Jamaica; Curaçao, Bonaire, and Martinique), the adjusted R 2 values were much higher (76.5% and 94.6%, respectively). Overfishing of Caribbean coral reefs, particularly by fish trapping, removes sponge predators and is likely to result in greater competition for space between fastergrowing palatable sponges and endangered reef-building corals.chemical ecology | indirect effects | community structure | marine protected areas | trophic dynamics

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“…The reef crest with its high cover of epilithc algae (Klumpp and McKinnon 1992; this study) and high productivity (Klumpp and McKinnon 1989) appears to be the primary zone of foraging for coral reef grazers as indicated by their high densities at this zone (Bouchon-Navaro and HarmelinVivien 1981; Russ 2003;Fox and Bellwood 2007). The composition of the biota also varied for the different parts of dead coral substrate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Parrotfishes (family Labridae) are probably among the most important components of the grazing guild owing to their high biomass and wide distribution and a feeding mechanism that is highly specialized for scraping algae and detritus from carbonate substrates (Russ 1984;Choat 1991;Mumby et al 2007;Fox and Bellwood 2007;Sotka and Hay 2009). Within this family, species differ in their feeding mode (for example excavator vs. scraper), microhabitat use, and food selection (Bellwood and Choat 1990;Bruggemann et al 1994b;Hoey and Bellwood 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limited flexibility in resource use in a coral reef grazer foraging on seasonally changing algal communities

2010

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Feeding ecology of three life phases of the parrotfish Scarus ferrugineus was studied on a southern Red Sea fringing reef by comparing availability and consumption of benthic algae during the monsoon hot and cool seasons. Dominant biota covering dead carbonate substrates were in decreasing order of importance: turfs on endoliths, turfs on crustose corallines, and crustose corallines. On the reef crest and shallow fore reef, composition of the biota changed seasonally. Cover of turfs on endoliths and turfs on crustose corallines was higher during the hot season, while crustose corallines and macroalgae (only on reef crest) increased during the cool season. Biota in the deep fore reef did not show seasonal variation. All life phases used similar resources and showed selective feeding in all zones. Turfs on endoliths, followed by turfs on crustose corallines, was the primary feeding substrate. These two sources represented over 92% of bites during both seasons. Crustose corallines, macroalgae, and living corals were negligible components being strongly avoided at all zones and seasons. Resource use varied seasonally on the reef crest and shallow fore reef, while it remained unchanged on the deep fore reef. Turfs on endoliths were consistently preferred in both seasons but their contribution increased from 45% in the cool to 70% of bites in the hot season. Electivity for turfs on crustose corallines shifted from random feeding in the hot (27% of bites) to selection in the cool season (47% of bites). Feeding pattern changed diurnally with more bites taken from crustose corallines and turfs on crustose corallines during morning. During the rest of the day, bites from turfs on endoliths predominate. S. ferrugineus shows limited capacity to exploit seasonal increases in the biomass of foliose and canopy forming macroalgae, despite indications of energetic limitation during the cool season.

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Quantifying herbivory across a coral reef depth gradient

Cited by 193 publications

References 43 publications

Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations

Fifty million years of herbivory on coral reefs: fossils, fish and functional innovations

Chemical defenses and resource trade-offs structure sponge communities on Caribbean coral reefs

Limited flexibility in resource use in a coral reef grazer foraging on seasonally changing algal communities

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