[Coral-List] Algae and Nutrients and Herbivory
Martin Moe
martin_moe at yahoo.com
Fri Jun 20 17:25:04 EDT 2008
Dear Chip,
I agree with your post, at least as far as it goes. Obviously,
the nutrients that fuel algae growth and the herbivory that maintains the
balance between algae and coral growth are both greatly disrupted and this
balance that has maintained the growth and development of our coral reefs for
hundreds of thousands of years has shifted toward algae. One thing your post
did not mention, however, was the effect on the coral reefs of the entire
tropical western Atlantic when Diadema urchins
were lost to a plague in 1983. Fish alone did not, could not, provide all the
herbivory and substrate conditioning that was and is required to maintain the historical balance
between coral and algae growth. We can not repair the ecology of our Florida coral reef
ecosystems through elimination of nutrients alone (even if that were possible).
We will only see a pivotal shift in the ecological balance from algae cover back toward
coral growth when Diadema return to the reefs. They may do this naturally or we
may be able to develop ways to help them recover. Of course our reefs are
facing many problems in addition to the loss of their keystone herbivore, and
these problems will not be resolved solely by the return of Diadema. But it is
my conviction that our reefs will be much more resistant to the negative
impacts produced by our presence when, and if, Diadema return in ecologically functional
populations.
Martin Moe
----- Original Message ----
From: Rex Chip Baumberger <RBaumberger at HBOI.edu>
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 9:32:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Algae and Nutrients and Herbivory
Dear Imam,
The relationship between nutrients and algal growth is well established, and the influences of herbivory on algal growth and cover have also been demonstrated. However, as Dr. Goreau stated, the lack of successful integration of nutrients and herbivory in any of those studies has contributed to a disconnect. In Florida, where a large coastal population has resulted in mesotrophic and more typically eutrophic coastal waters, we have a high % of algal cover and biomass. Add the facts that we do not fish for herbivorous fishes, and that we have removed a fair % of their predators; it follows that Florida would have an increase in herbivorous fishes, and therefore our relative herbivory. But we are still plagued by macroalgal dominance, losses of coral and Harmful Algal Blooms. This suggests that nutrients are indeed an important factor shaping the algal community. Hatcher and Larkum (1983, JEMBE 69, pp61-84) compared grazing and nitrogen
concentrations on One Tree Reef in Australia and found both grazing and nitrogen were important in limiting algal growth.
Sincerely,
Chip
Rex "Chip" Baumberger
Biological Scientist, FAU
Marine Nutrient Dynamics Dept.
Marine Science Division
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Inst.
5600 US1 North
Fort Pierce, FL 34946
772-465-2400 x398
-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of coral-list-request at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:00 PM
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Subject: Coral-List Digest, Vol 60, Issue 15
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Today's Topics:
1. Algae and nutrients and herbivory in oligotrophic waters
(Thomas Goreau)
2. ICRS Media Advisory (Corinne Knutson)
3. Re: Herbivory on oligotrophic waters (Szmant, Alina)
4. Re: Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008 (Don Baker)
5. Water temperatures and organism responses (Esther Peters)
6. Newspaper article on coral reef conservation (Sarah Frias-Torres)
7. response to David Medio re Qatari reefs (sale at uwindsor.ca)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:06:19 -0400
From: Thomas Goreau <goreau at bestweb.net>
Subject: [Coral-List] Algae and nutrients and herbivory in
oligotrophic waters
To: Imam Bachtiar <ibachtiar at telkom.net>
Cc: coral-list coral-list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Message-ID: <F641B1A8-8435-479C-BD9E-3A067BFC62FF at bestweb.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Dear Imam,
Very few of the studies on herbivory and algae are any good, because
only a tiny handful have made accurate nutrient measurements. When
this is done properly it is clear that nutrients drive algae
productivity and herbivory is only a secondary factor, because
grazers prefer to eat some species and avoid others. I've looked at
the zonation of algae species in reefs all around the world and these
are sharply zoned by nutrients in ways that clearly reveal the
sources. Every place I've looked with nutrient sources are dominated
by algae whether or not herbivores are present (and herbivore always
dominate the fish where there are nutrient sources, whether these are
from human land-based sources or from upwelling), and algae are
absent or rare where there are no nutrient sources, again whether or
not there are herbivores (which there rarely are). This is the exact
opposite of what top-downers predict.
As far as coralivores go, I also think the popular conceptions are
often erroneous. Most alleged coral eating is much less than is
claimed. Butterflyfish mostly just suck off surface mucus and there
is little or no physical damage to polyps. Parrotfish that are
allegedly biting coral are almost inevitably biting algae growing on
dead coral, and avoiding the coral tissue, as you can see if you look
closely where they bite. The popular claims that parrotfish eat coral
is probably largely untrue, and much of their biting of corals is
really territorial marking the boundaries of breeding territories
rather than for food. Almost every time you look where a bumphead
parrotfish or Napoleon wrasse has bitten into large bubble coral
colonies, you will see the tubes of the burrowing clams and worms
inside the coral that they were really eating rather than coral tissue.
I'll talk a bit about this at the next Gili Trawangan workshop in
early December. Look forward to continuing to work with you there and
other sites around Lombok. My best to all my friends in Bogor.
Best wishes,
Tom
Thomas J. Goreau, PhD
President
Global Coral Reef Alliance
37 Pleasant Street, Cambridge MA 02139
617-864-4226
goreau at bestweb.net
http://www.globalcoral.org
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:28:37 -0700
From: "Imam Bachtiar" <ibachtiar at telkom.net>
Subject: [Coral-List] Herbivory on oligotrophic waters
To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Cc: coremap2 at yahoogroups.com
Message-ID: <000801c8d171$226bd120$67437360$@net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Dear all,
Herbivory is thought to be a key process in coral reef resilience.
Several
studies have shown its importance in controlling macroalgae and provide space for larval settlement. Most papers discussing about herbivory exclusion experiments, however, do not clearly explain whether the
location
of study is oligotrophic or mesotrophic. Some other papers also indicate that nutrients is not limiting factor of macroalgae growth. I would like therefore to have your opinion or comments about this.
1) Is there any paper studying herbivory in oligotrophic waters?
2) Which one is more important in reconstruction of reef communities in oligotrophic waters: herbivory vs corallivory? Looking forward to have your reply.
Best regards,
Imam Bachtiar
Postgraduate School
Institut Pertanian Bogor, Indonesia
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:23:38 -0700
From: Corinne Knutson <cknutson at seaweb.org>
Subject: [Coral-List] ICRS Media Advisory
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Message-ID: <37A25040-833B-4721-A4CF-9B2FEBC1C1FA at seaweb.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
format=flowed
The below media advisory on the International Coral Reef Symposium
was sent to approximately 2,600 individual journalists on July 17 and
18 and has been posted on several list-serves and Web sites,
including PR newswire. Please forward to any interested contacts.
Coral Reef Experts to Unveil Latest Science at First U.S. Gathering
in 30 Years
The world's leading coral reef science conference, the International
Coral Reef Symposium will take place July 7-11 in Fort Lauderdale,
Florida. Research findings to be released and discussed at the
symposium will include subject areas such as the emerging link
between ocean acidification and coral reef health; diseases killing
coral reefs around the world; recovery of coral reef ecosystems
following bleaching episodes; and the effectiveness of Marine
Protected Areas, among many others.
Please see below for SeaWeb's full media advisory on the
International Coral Reef Symposium. To register for the meeting,
visit: http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/media_newsroom.html. For a
list of footage, images and data available, please contact Corinne
Knutson (cknutson at seaweb.org or +1.808.497.3360).
MEDIA ADVISORY: June 17, 2008
LEADING INTERNATIONAL CORAL REEF EXPERTS TO UNVEIL LATEST SCIENCE AT
FIRST U.S. GATHERING IN 30 YEARS
The world?s leading coral reef science conference, the 11th
International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), begins Monday, July 7 in
Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Held once every four years, the ICRS brings more
than 2,500 international scientists, policy makers, managers, and
conservationists together to present the latest findings on coral
reef science and management. Reports will be announced on topics
including the emerging link between climate change, ocean
acidification and coral reef health; diseases affecting coral reefs
around the world; recovery of coral reef ecosystems following
bleaching episodes; and the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas.
What: The International Coral Reef Symposium http://www.nova.edu/
ncri/11icrs/
- Sanctioned by the International Society for Reef Studies, the
largest society focused on coral reefs worldwide.
- Hosted by the US Coral Reef Task Force and the state of Florida.
Chair organization by Nova Southeastern University of Ft. Lauderdale,
FL, home of the United States? National Coral Reef Institute.
- Occurs during the 2008 International Year of the Reef.
When: Monday, July 7 ? Friday, July 11, 2008
For a detailed schedule: http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/
sciprogram_schedule.html
Where: Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, 1950
Eisenhower Boulevard at the northern end of Port Everglades. Security
checkpoints require valid government-issued identification. For
directions: http://www.ftlauderdalecc.com/broward-directions.htm
Who: Experts on coral reefs and climate change, coral reef
fisheries, ocean acidification, coral reef diseases, and reef
management will be available for media interviews. Only registered
and paid attendees and the news media can attend. Credentialed
members of the news media, please register at: http://www.nova.edu/
ncri/11icrs/media_newsroom.html. An Exhibits and Education Center
will be open to the public.
For Members of the News Media: Daily media briefings and interview
opportunities will feature prominent researchers discussing their
findings. A fully equipped pressroom will be available. Relevant
research will be available starting June 17 in the ICRS newsroom.
Embargoed press releases will be available on EurekAlert! from
Wednesday, July 2. Beginning July 7, interviews with scientists
participating in the daily news briefings, plus overviews, B-roll,
photos, and graphics, will be available online: http://www.nova.edu/
ncri/11icrs/media_newsroom.html
Media Contacts:
Julia Roberson (UK, BST)
+44(0)77.04.54.83.92
jroberson at seaweb.org
Cindy Yeast
+1.202.236.5413
cyeast at seaweb.org
Corinne Knutson (US, PDT)
+1.808.497.3360
cknutson at seaweb.org
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:40:00 -0400
From: "Szmant, Alina" <szmanta at uncw.edu>
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Herbivory on oligotrophic waters
To: "Imam Bachtiar" <ibachtiar at telkom.net>,
<coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Cc: coremap2 at yahoogroups.com
Message-ID:
<4E15FCC7981F7A4CA5AA0DEF4B2141C9126FB59B at UNCWMAILVS2.dcs.uncw.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Bachtiar:
This is a debated topic, but the weight of evidence is that (a) with healthy levels of herbivory, reasonable levels nutrient enrichment (i.e. not immediately next to a sewage discharge pipe) has little effect on algal biomass accretion; (b) with reduced herbivory, and under oligotrophic conditions, algal biomass accretes (and can overgrow substrate including coral). One of the classic papers on this topic is LEWIS, S. M. 1986. The role of herbivorous fishes in the organization of a Caribbean reef community. Ecological Monographs 56:183-200. This was conducted on the very oligotrophic reef flats of Carrie Bow Cay back in mid 1980s. A number of studies including nutrient enrichment with and reduced herbivory (caging) were included in the special issue of Coral Reefs published in 2001 (Vol 19 no. 4). The one authored by Smith et al was conducted in a marine reserve on the big island of Hawaii where there were high levels of herbivory. During the
lengthy and extensive ENCORE experiment on the GBR daily enrichment for over 2 years had no effect on algal biomass. These and many more papers are reviewed in my 2002 paper is Estuaries (available on my web page). Also look up numerous publications by Tony Larkum and Laurie McCook.
Best wishes.
Alina Szmant
*******************************************************************
Dr. Alina M. Szmant
Coral Reef Research Group
UNCW-Center for Marine Science
5600 Marvin K. Moss Ln
Wilmington NC 28409
Tel: (910)962-2362 & Fax: (910)962-2410
Cell: (910)200-3913
email: szmanta at uncw.edu
Web Page: http://people.uncw.edu/szmanta
******************************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Imam Bachtiar
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:29 PM
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Cc: coremap2 at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Coral-List] Herbivory on oligotrophic waters
Dear all,
Herbivory is thought to be a key process in coral reef resilience. Several studies have shown its importance in controlling macroalgae and provide space for larval settlement. Most papers discussing about herbivory exclusion experiments, however, do not clearly explain whether the location of study is oligotrophic or mesotrophic. Some other papers also indicate that nutrients is not limiting factor of macroalgae growth. I would like therefore to have your opinion or comments about this.
1) Is there any paper studying herbivory in oligotrophic waters?
2) Which one is more important in reconstruction of reef communities in oligotrophic waters: herbivory vs corallivory? Looking forward to have your reply.
Best regards,
Imam Bachtiar
Postgraduate School
Institut Pertanian Bogor, Indonesia
_______________________________________________
Coral-List mailing list
Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:08:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Don Baker <reefpeace at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008
To: Clive Wilkinson <clive.wilkinson at rrrc.org.au>
Cc: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Message-ID: <850586.602.qm at web58008.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
Hello Clive,
Have you any replies from either Guam or the CNMI yet?
Regards,
Don Baker
Guam USA
Clive Wilkinson <clive.wilkinson at rrrc.org.au> wrote: Dear Listers
A week ago, we asked for data and information to include in the Status 2008 report. I received more than 60 replies with valuable data from all over the world: Timor Leste, Anguilla, Vanuatu, Madagascar, Somalia, Qatar, Majuro, Wakatobi (Indonesia) etc. Many of these will be new observations for locations not reported in previous Status reports.
* If you have data or information - please reply.
* If you have stories of events (positive and negative) since
2004, please pass these on. We can include separate boxes of interesting coral reef news.
* If I did not reply, please remind me.
This exercise illustrates the value of Coral-List; it links the coral reef world to exchange information about coral reefs.
So a special thanks to Jim Hendee and his team in NOAA for keeping this running - THANKS?
Cheers
Clive
Clive Wilkinson, Global Coordinator
Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network
c/o RRRC, PO Box 772
Townsville, 4810 Australia
Tel: +61 7 47212699; Fax: +61 7 47722808
e-mail: clive.wilkinson at rrrc.org.au; www.gcrmn.org
_______________________________________________
Coral-List mailing list
Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
Alternate Email: donbjr95 at hotmail.com
"Dedication and motivated direction in achieving specific goals related to the care and protection of living things is not necessarily a guaranteed formula for success. Success is, more often than not, a direct result of a person?s passion in addition to the above formula." [Don Baker, Marine Conservationist/Activist, 1998]
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:50:35 -0400
From: Esther Peters <esther.peters at verizon.net>
Subject: [Coral-List] Water temperatures and organism responses
To: Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Message-ID: <48599F4B.8080403 at verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
All,
I want to call your attention to a paper (PowerPoint presentation and
notes presented earlier this year at the Florida Academy of Sciences) in
which temperature logger data collected from benthic stations off St.
Petersburg and the Florida Keys are compared with SST records. Go to
http://delta-seven.com/publications.html to download these files.
This look at "what the organism sees" makes me think the coral bleaching
story is much more complex, not only from a habitat perspective, but
from an individual colony perspective. The often daily fluctuating
pattern of temperatures to which benthic organisms are adapted suggest
that homeostatic mechanisms operate to keep coral/zooxanthellae
metabolic cycling pathways capable of recovering from short (hours)
pulses of warmer water exposure. Laboratory experiments to examine heat
stress have not (to my knowledge) looked at these finer scale
fluctuating temperature adaptations, which might be due to changes in
insolation, tides, rainfall, or other factors. And in situ temperatures
can be different from the SST readings, even higher, or much lower.
Because I have seen histologically that "bleaching" can be associated
with exocytosis of zooxanthellae, death of the symbiotic algae within
the gastrodermal cell (bacterial toxin-mediated or other factor?),
replacement of zooxanthellae by intracellular parasites (perhaps by
competition for nutrients or toxin secretion, still unknown), and
sloughing of the gastrodermis, and associated with increased or
decreased temperatures or not, salinity changes, shading, sedimentation,
etc., we should be more inquisitive about how this condition develops
and what these temperature data mean for habit and other organisms, too.
Esther Peters, Ph.D.
George Mason University
epeters2 at gmu.edu
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:56:43 -0400
From: Sarah Frias-Torres <sfrias_torres at hotmail.com>
Subject: [Coral-List] Newspaper article on coral reef conservation
To: <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Message-ID: <BAY143-W287911858C16BF0B7A1BF481AA0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Dear Coral-list,following one of my previous comments on the list, I have received several requests for an article on coral reef conservation I had published in one of the major newspapers in Spain (summer 2007), which initiated a chain reaction of more exposure in the media. Attached you will find the article, in Spanish. The article was addressed to the intelligent reader with no training in marine biology.For non-spanish speakers in the list, the main text talks about coral biology, current threats to coral reefs and global warming. The box on the bottom is a shortlist of things you can do to save what is left. The final sentence is 'saber es poder' (=knowledge is power). The underwater photos (except one, credited to NOAA) are part of my own collection. Total time spent on the article: 8 hours, Total money earned : zero dollars, Knowing that a country with no coral reefs paid attention: priceless
Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D.
Marine Conservation Biologist
Ocean Research and Conservation Association, Fort Pierce, Florida USA
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:08:19 -0400
From: sale at uwindsor.ca
Subject: [Coral-List] response to David Medio re Qatari reefs
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Message-ID:
<OF9A2F2867.4871CB68-ON8525746D.004D07E3-8525746D.00532B2B at uwindsor.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Response to Medio, 18th June:
I just want to correct any misunderstanding regarding your reference to " the deployment of artificial reefs (see Nakheel's project aided by the UN
University".
Nakheel is a for-profit component of the Dubai leadership that is engaged
in construction of substantial coastal and offshore islands, rather than
artificial reefs, as high-value ocean-front real estate. UNU-INWEH is
not a partner in this overall process, but we are working with Nakheel to
develop, implement, and train them in operating a long-term environmental
monitoring and management program for the aquatic environments surrounding
their island developments. Our goal is to help ensure that their
developments will be managed in an environmentally sustainable way. In
the course of our work, we have been tracking performance of corals on
natural reefs in the vicinity, as well as on the rocky breakwaters that
are a feature of the Nakheel projects.
We have no direct knowledge of the situation in Qatar, but I presume the
physical environment is every bit as stressful for corals there as in
Dubai (extreme temperatures, high salinities, frequent high turbidity
during storms).
Peter F. Sale
International Network on Water, Environment and Health
United Nations University
------------------------------
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End of Coral-List Digest, Vol 60, Issue 15
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