Selective Feeding and Microalgal Consumption Rates by Crown-of-Thorns Seastar (<em>Acanthaster </em>cf.<em> solaris</em>) Larvae

Abstract

Outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns seastar (CoTS) represent a major cause of coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef. Outbreaks might be explained by enhanced larval survival supported by higher phytoplankton availability after flood events, yet little is known about CoTS larvae feeding behaviour, in particular their potential for selective feeding. Here, single- and mixed-species feeding experiments were conducted on CoTS bipinnaria larvae using five algae (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Pavlova lutheri, Tisochrysis lutea , Dunaliella sp. and Chaetoceros sp.) and two algal concentrations (1000 and 2500 algae mL-1). Cell counts using flow-cytometry at the beginning and end of each incubation experiment allowed us to calculate the filtration and ingestion rates of each species by CoTS larvae. In line with previous studies, CoTS larvae ingested more algae when initial algal concentration was higher. We found evidence for the selective ingestion of some species (Chaetoceros sp., Dunaliella sp.) over others (P. lutheri, P. tricornutum). The preferred algal species had the highest energy content, suggesting that CoTS selectively ingested the most energetic algae. Ultimately, combining these results with spatio-temporal patterns in phytoplankton communities will help elucidate the role of larval feeding behaviour in determining the frequency and magnitude of CoTS outbreaks.

Potential Enhanced Survivorship of Crown of Thorns Starfish Larvae due to Near-Annual Nutrient Enrichment during Secondary Outbreaks on the Central Mid-Shelf of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

“…The anthropogenic causation theory of nutrient enrichment is strongly linked to the increase in human activities such as sewage discharge, fertiliser runoff and increased erosion of nutrient-rich soil. These activities lead to the enrichment of adjacent coastal waters [25], higher phytoplankton biomass, a shift to larger species of phytoplankton which are more suitable as CoTS larval food [26] resulting in better survivorship of CoTS larvae ultimately leading to more frequent outbreaks [6,11].…”