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Spiers L, Frazer TK. Comparison of feeding preferences of herbivorous fishes and the sea urchin Diadema antillarum in Little Cayman. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16264. [PMID: 38025680 PMCID: PMC10656904 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
On Caribbean coral reefs, losses of two key groups of grazers, herbivorous fishes and Diadema antillarum, coincided with dramatic increases in macroalgae, which have contributed to decreases in the resilience of these coral reefs and continued low coral cover. In some locations, herbivorous reef fishes and D. antillarum populations have begun to recover, and reductions in macroalgal cover and abundance have followed. Harder to determine, and perhaps more important, are the combined grazing effects of herbivorous fishes and D. antillarum on the structure of macroalgal communities. Surprisingly few studies have examined the feeding preferences of D. antillarum for different macroalgal species, and there have been even fewer comparative studies between these different herbivore types. Accordingly, a series of in-situ and ex-situ feeding assays involving herbivorous fishes and D. antillarum were used to examine feeding preferences. Ten macrophytes representing palatable and chemically and/or structurally defended species were used in these assays, including nine macroalgae, and one seagrass. All species were eaten by at least one of the herbivores tested, although consumption varied greatly. All herbivores consumed significant portions of two red algae species while avoiding Halimeda tuna, which has both chemical and structural defenses. Herbivorous fishes mostly avoided chemically defended species while D. antillarum consumed less of the structurally defended algae. These results suggest complementarity and redundancy in feeding by these different types of herbivores indicating the most effective macroalgal control and subsequent restoration of degraded coral reefs may depend on the recovery of both herbivorous fishes and D. antillarum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay Spiers
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Marathon, FL, United States of America
| | - Thomas K. Frazer
- Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Program, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, United States of America
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Ramesh CH, Prasastha VR, Shunmugaraj T, Karthick P, Mohanraju R, Koushik S, Murthy MVR. Diversity and impacts of macroalgae and cyanobacteria on multi-stressed coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 191:106161. [PMID: 37704539 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
In India, intertidal seaweed resources are widely investigated and utilized for various applications, whereas reef-associated seaweed resources and their impacts on corals are lesser known. Thus, the present study investigated the diversity and impacts of macroalgae and cyanobacteria on coral reefs distributed in 21 islands under the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GoMMBR), Tamil Nadu. About 140 macroalgal species representing 53 species of Chlorophyta, 32 species of Ochrophyta (Phaeophyta), and 55 species of Rhodophyta were recorded. Only three cyanobacterial species were documented during this study. All the documented species were categorized as edible, medicinal, smothering, bloom-forming, sediment trapping, and auxiliary. Diversity indices and multivariate analysis indicated latitudinal gradient distribution of macroalgae, where the maximum diversity was observed from the Mandapam group of Islands. The predominant genera observed in all the islands were Caulerpa, Halimeda, Turbinaria, and Sargassum. The updated checklist of seaweeds and cyanobacteria of India revealed 1118 and 258 species, correspondingly, on Indian coasts, including coral reef regions. The use of traditional morphology-based techniques in this study without molecular approaches to identify all of the specimens limits our investigation. Thus, molecular taxonomy is necessary to revalidate and confirm the actual genetic diversity existing in the Indian waters. Results of this study would benefit the scientific community and industries in various aspects, such as molecular taxonomy, biomass utilization, reef conservation, and industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- C H Ramesh
- Biological Oceanography Division, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Dona Paula, 403004, Goa, India; National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), NCCR Field Office, Mandapam, 623519, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - V R Prasastha
- Animal Science and Fisheries Sciences Division, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute, Velha Goa, 403402, Goa, India
| | - T Shunmugaraj
- National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), NCCR Field Office, Mandapam, 623519, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - P Karthick
- Department of Ocean Science and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University, Brookshbad Campus, 744112, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - R Mohanraju
- Department of Ocean Science and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University, Brookshbad Campus, 744112, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
| | - S Koushik
- National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), NCCR Field Office, Mandapam, 623519, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - M V R Murthy
- National Centre for Coastal Research, Pallikaranai, Chennai, 600100, Tamil Nadu, India
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Golo R, Vergés A, Díaz-Tapia P, Cebrian E. Implications of taxonomic misidentification for future invasion predictions: Evidence from one of the most harmful invasive marine algae. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 191:114970. [PMID: 37141800 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species have been a focus of concern in recent decades, becoming more problematic due to the cumulative impacts of climate change. Understanding the interactions among stress factors is essential to anticipate ecosystems' responses. Hereby, robust modeling frameworks must be able to identify the environmental drivers of invasion and forecast the current and future of their potential distribution. These studies are essential for the management of invasions and to be prepared for the future we are facing. Here we demonstrate that taxonomic misidentifications may lead to absolutely erroneous predictions, by using as an example one of the worst invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea (Lophocladia lallemandii), which has been misidentified for three decades and now is correctly identified. Consequently, and bearing in mind overall trends in species misidentification due to the loss of taxonomic expertise and the presence of cryptic species, among others, attempts to understand and predict species involved in invasion processes must always first consider taxonomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Golo
- Departament de Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - A Vergés
- Departament de Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Ciències, Universitat de Girona, C/Maria Aurèlia Capmany 69, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - P Díaz-Tapia
- Coastal Biology Research Group, Faculty of Sciences and Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (CICA), University of A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain; Centro Nacional Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña, 15001 A Coruña, Spain
| | - E Cebrian
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CSIC, Accés Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, Girona, Spain.
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Klomjit A, Vieira C, Mattos FMG, Sutthacheep M, Sutti S, Kim MS, Yeemin T. Diversity and Ecology of Lobophora Species Associated with Coral Reef Systems in the Western Gulf of Thailand, including the Description of Two New Species. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3349. [PMID: 36501388 PMCID: PMC9739394 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The brown macroalgal genus Lobophora plays important ecological roles in many marine ecosystems. This group has received much attention over the past decade, and a considerable number of new species have been identified globally. However, our knowledge of the genus diversity and ecology along south-east Asian coasts are still limited. Given the growing body of research that uses a combination of molecular and morphological data to identify cryptic species, this study investigates the diversity of Lobophora in the western Gulf of Thailand using morphological and molecular data, as well as their interactions with scleractinian corals. A total of 36 Lobophora specimens were collected from 15 sites in the western Gulf of Thailand and used for molecular and morphological analyses. One mitochondrial (cox3) and two chloroplast (psbA and rbcL) genes were amplified and sequenced for molecular phylogenetic analyses. Based primarily on phylogenetic evidence, two new species were formally described, L. chumphonensis sp. nov. and L. thailandensis sp. nov. Additionally, L. lamourouxii was newly recorded from Thailand. Two new lineages of Lobophora obscura were identified, L. obscura12 and L. obscura13. Among the Lobophora species identified, three were found in interaction with corals, the most notable of which was the massive coral Porites. Lobophora chumphonensis sp. nov. only interacted with Porites by growing on bare coral skeleton between Porites colonies. Furthermore, L. obscura13 was observed under the branching coral Pocillopora. Our findings revealed that Lobophora presented both effects and absence of effects on coral. A thorough understanding of Lobophora diversity and ecology is essential for ongoing and future research on coral-macroalgal ecological relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirut Klomjit
- Marine Biodiversity Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamheang University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
| | - Christophe Vieira
- Research Institute of Basic Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Felipe M. G. Mattos
- Marine Biodiversity Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamheang University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
- Taiwan International Graduate Program, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Makamas Sutthacheep
- Marine Biodiversity Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamheang University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
| | - Suttikarn Sutti
- Thailand Natural History Museum, National Science Museum, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Myung-Sook Kim
- Research Institute of Basic Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 63243, Republic of Korea
| | - Thamasak Yeemin
- Marine Biodiversity Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamheang University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
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Lagourgue L, Leliaert F, Payri CE. Historical biogeographical analysis of the Udoteaceae (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) elucidates origins of high species diversity in the Central Indo-Pacific, Western Indian Ocean and Greater Caribbean regions. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2022; 169:107412. [PMID: 35031470 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in elucidating the biogeographical processes underlying biodiversity patterns of seaweeds, with recent studies largely focusing on red and brown macroalgae. This study focuses on the siphonous green algal family Udoteaceae, which is diverse and globally distributed in tropical to warm-temperate seas, and includes species that form important components of tropical reefs. We explored the historical processes that have shaped current biodiversity patterns in the family by analyzing a comprehensive dataset of 568 specimens sampled across its geographical range, and including 45 species, corresponding to 59% of the known diversity. Historical biogeographical analysis was based on a three-locus time-calibrated phylogeny, and probabilistic modeling of geographical range evolution. Many species were found to have restricted ranges, indicative of low dispersal capacity. Our analysis points toward a Western Tethys origin and early diversification of the Udoteaceae in the Triassic period. Three centers of diversity were identified, which are, in order of highest species richness, the Central Indo-Pacific, the Western Indian Ocean, and the Greater Caribbean. Different drivers have likely played a role in shaping these diversity centres. Species richness in the Central Indo-Pacific likely resulted from speciation within the region, as well as recolonization from neighbouring regions, and overlap of some wider ranged species, corroborating the "biodiversity feedback" model. Species richness in the Western Indian Ocean can be explained by ancient and more recent diversification within the region, and dispersal from the Central Indo-Pacific. The Greater Caribbean region was colonized more recently, followed by diversification within the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lagourgue
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, IFD, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France; UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, UR, UNC, CNRS, IFREMER), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, B.P. A5 Nouméa Cedex, Nouvelle-Calédonie, 98848, France.
| | | | - Claude E Payri
- UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, UR, UNC, CNRS, IFREMER), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, B.P. A5 Nouméa Cedex, Nouvelle-Calédonie, 98848, France
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