Unexpected long-term population dynamics in a canopy-forming gorgonian coral following mass mortality

Cupido, Roberta; Cocito, Silvia; Barsanti, Mattia; Sgorbini, Sergio; Peirano, Andrea; Santangelo, Giovanni

doi:10.3354/meps08260

Cited by 61 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…This is due to the combined effects of 4 reproductive parameters, all of which increased with size: (1) percentage of fertile colonies, (2) number of apical branches, (3) percentage of mature polyps and (4) polyp fecundity. The higher mortality to which larger, highly reproductive individuals in the impacted Spezia population have been subjected (Cupido et al 2009a) has evidently had a disproportionately negative effect on its reproductive output, which was 145 × 10 3 oocytes m 2 , 5-fold lower than in the stable Medes population (Coma et al 1995b) and 14-fold lower than that estimated for the pristine (in 1998) Spezia population (2000 × 10 3 oocytes m −2…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…The annual colony growth found is consistent with that measured in the population living in the Messina Straits, an area subject to strong tidal streams (Mistri & Ceccherelli 1994), a rate ~2-fold greater than that measured in the stable Medes population . We suggest that the high colony and population growth rates found could be related to the abundant organic matter (an important food source for Paramuricea clavata, according to Ribes et al 1999) carried by the Magra River to the study area (Cupido et al 2009a). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The anomalous mortality, associated to an abnormal sinking of the summer thermocline below its usual depths ), reduced colony density by 78.3% (the highest mortality ever reported for this species), damaging the remaining colonies and shifting the dominant class of the population toward smaller sizes (Cupido et al 2008). In the years following the events, the population showed positive growth rates and a recruitment rate 2-fold greater than the pre-mortality values (Cupido et al 2009a). In contrast to other gorgonians (Lasker et al 1998), P. clavata is an external brooder, in which sexual reproduction is dominant in its life cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A de tailed description of the studied area has been previously reported (Cupido et al 2008(Cupido et al , 2009a.…”

Section: Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexual structure of a highly reproductive, recovering gorgonian population: quantifying reproductive output

Cupido¹,

Cocito²,

Manno³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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A population of the Mediterranean red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata has exhibited unexpected resilience after being impacted by 2 anomalous mortality events in 1999 and 2003. To understand the recovery mechanisms, we examined the population reproductive structure and reproductive output based on data collected via non-destructive sampling techniques. The overall population sex ratio was balanced, though the spatial distribution of sexes was significantly segregated. Dividing the population into 14 size classes on the basis of their measured average annual growth revealed a decreasing monotonic trend of abundance of larger classes. The Recruitment class was consistently dominant. The minimum size at first reproduction was 8.5 cm in height, corresponding to an age of ~3 yr. The percentage of fertile colonies increased with size, reaching 90% in size Class 9. Polyp fecundity increased with colony size and did not differ signif- icantly between healthy and damaged colonies. As the number of mature oocytes produced by a colony is a function of polyp fecundity and of the number of reproductive polyps, colony reproduc- tive output increased exponentially with size. The population reproductive output (145 × 103 mature oocytes m−2 yr−1) was one-fifth of that measured in stable, undamaged populations and came mainly from the medium size classes. After the catastrophic mortality, the population has been recovering, albeit with reduced reproductive output. Moreover, it has exhibited a 2-fold increase in recruitment rate, 3-fold greater than that measured in other, undisturbed populations. Our findings are consistent with a strict density-dependent recruitment control operating in crowded, stable P. clavata populations

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A de tailed description of the studied area has been previously reported (Cupido et al 2008(Cupido et al , 2009a.…”

Section: Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Sexual structure of a highly reproductive, recovering gorgonian population: quantifying reproductive output

Cupido¹,

Cocito²,

Manno³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…How it acquires energy in the low light environments is a question worth examining. The waters of La Spezia, where colonies of C. caespitosa used in the present study were sampled, are particularly rich in particulate and dissolved organic matter (POM and DOM) (Peirano et al 2005, Cupido et al 2009), suggesting that heterotrophy can be important in the coral's metabolism. We therefore determined the grazing rates on pico-, nano-, and microzooplankton, as well as the uptake rates of POM in sediment, and data were used to assess the amount of heterotrophic carbon available for the symbiotic association.…”

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confidence: 99%

Heterotrophy in the Mediterranean symbiotic coral Cladocora caespitosa: comparison with two other scleractinian species

Tremblay¹,

Peirano²,

Ferrier‐Pagés³

2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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This experimental study assessed the grazing rates of the Mediterranean symbiotic coral Cladocora caespitosa on the 4 main food sources available in its natural environment: detrital particulate organic matter (DPOM) and pico-, nano-, and microzooplankton. These rates were compared to the rates of 2 other scleractinian symbiotic species, the Mediterranean coral Oculina patagonica and the tropical coral Turbinaria reniformis. Results showed that C. caespitosa was the species with the highest grazing rates of pico-and nanoplankton, which contributed to more than half of the carbon supplied by photosynthesis. The daily heterotrophic carbon (C) input from these prey (at in situ concentrations) was 88.3 ± 22.9, 16.9 ± 8.2, and 17.6 ± 4.3 µg C cm -2 d -1 for C. caespitosa, O. patagonica, and T. reniformis, respectively, corresponding to a percent contribution of heterotrophically acquired C to daily animal respiration (CHAR) of 119.8, 28.7, and 15.9%, respectively. C. caespitosa was also able to derive a significant part of its carbon needs from the grazing of microzooplankton and DPOM. Indeed, considering the in situ concentrations, the daily heterotrophic C input from microzooplankton and DPOM would be 32.6 and 10.0 µg C cm -2 d -1, giving a CHAR estimation of 44.2 and 13.6%, respectively. Heterotrophy therefore plays a major role in the energy budget of this temperate species. KEY WORDS: Coral feeding · Heterotrophy · Plankton · Particulate organic matter Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 422: [165][166][167][168][169][170][171][172][173][174][175][176][177] 2011 Despite this interesting difference in the functioning of tropical and temperate symbioses, the natural diets and grazing rates of temperate symbiotic scleractinian corals has, to our knowledge, never been studied. Existing data concern gorgonian octocorals (Coma et al. 1994, Ribes et al. 2003, Rossi et al. 2004) and sponges (Ribes et al. 1999), most of them asymbiotic. The contribution of auto-and heterotrophy to the carbon budget of temperate scleractinians has also been poorly studied, with experiments using only artificial prey as the food source (Piniak 2002, Hoogenboom et al. 2010. Both studies tested the relationship between heterotrophic consumption and photosynthetic energy. Piniak (2002) demonstrated that feeding in Oculina arbuscula was independent of the symbiotic status. Hoogenboom et al. (2010) showed that the Mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa that was fed only Artemia salina nauplii was able to increase its grazing rates when maintained in the dark, to compensate for a decrease in the rates of photosynthesis. In high light condition, nauplii intake was lower, but still significant, and was used to increase the tissue biomass as well as the growth rates (Hoogenboom et al. 2010).The first aim of the present study was to determine qualitatively and quantitatively the diet of the symbiotic temperate coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767), in order to assess t...

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Genetic connectivity supports recovery of gorgonian populations affected by climate change

Padrón

Costantini

Bramanti

et al. 2018

Aquatic Conservation

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Climate‐induced threats are increasingly affecting marine populations worldwide. In the last few decades, several gorgonian species have been affected by mass mortality events in the north‐west Mediterranean, putatively linked to local sea temperature increases during heatwaves. For many benthic sessile species, recovery after disturbances depends upon larval supply shaping the connections among populations. In the Ligurian Sea, genetic analyses showed that some Paramuricea clavata populations recovered after mass mortality events; however, the patterns of connectivity, and the potential role of migration in supporting the recovery of the populations of P. clavata, across its distribution range within the Ligurian Sea are still unknown. In this study, the population genetic structure and migration patterns of P. clavata populations have been analysed across seven sites in the Ligurian Sea, some of which have been affected by mass mortality events. Evidence of a population bottleneck was found in most of the populations studied. Significant genetic differentiation was found among P. clavata populations, reflecting habitat fragmentation at a regional scale, except for two populations found 20 km apart. Continuing gene flow between distant populations was also revealed. Empirical data suggest that gene flow among populations may have contributed to support their recovery from mass mortality events. The study identified populations in the central part of the Ligurian Sea that can be strategic for the regional persistence of the species. These findings highlight that the preservation of key populations could maintain connectivity and gene flow in the metapopulation, and increase the resilience of the species.

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Unexpected long-term population dynamics in a canopy-forming gorgonian coral following mass mortality

Cited by 61 publications

References 13 publications

Sexual structure of a highly reproductive, recovering gorgonian population: quantifying reproductive output

Sexual structure of a highly reproductive, recovering gorgonian population: quantifying reproductive output

Heterotrophy in the Mediterranean symbiotic coral Cladocora caespitosa: comparison with two other scleractinian species

Genetic connectivity supports recovery of gorgonian populations affected by climate change

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