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Material Information
- Title:
- Coral reef benthic cyanobacteria as food and refuge: Diversity, chemistry and complex interactions
- Creator:
- Cruz-Rivera, Edwin
V.J. Paul
- Publication Date:
- 2000
Notes
- Abstract:
- Benthic filamentous cyanobacteria are common in coral reefs, but their ecological roles are poorly known. We combined surveys of cyanobacteria-associated fauna with feeding preference experiments to evaluate the functions of benthic cyanobacteria as food and shelter for marine consumers. Cyanobacterial mats from Guam and Palau yielded 43 invertebrate species. The small sea hare Stylocheilus striatus was abundant on cyanobacterial mats, and only fed on cyanobacteria in multiple-choice experiments. In contrast, feeding experiments with urchins and fishes showed that these macrograzers preferred algae as food and did not consume either of two cyanobacteria offered. Extracts from the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula stimulated feeding by sea hares but deterred feeding by urchins. Thus, some small coral reef grazers use cyanobacteria that are chemically-defended from macrograzers as food and refuge. Cyanobacteria could indirectly influence local biodiversity by affecting the distribution of cyanobacteria-dwelling organisms.
- Acquisition:
- Collected for University of Curacao's Institutional Repository by the UFIR Self-Submittal tool. Submitted by Janice Simon.
- General Note:
- Published in International Coral Reef Symposium (vol. 1, pp 23-27), Bali, Indonesia (October 2000)
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- University of Curacao Institutional Repository
- Holding Location:
- University of the Virgin Islands
- Rights Management:
- All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
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