The role of competition in the phase shift to dominance of the zoanthid Palythoa cf. variabilis on coral reefs

Autor(es)

Silva Cruz, Igor Cristino ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]} ; Meira, Verena Henschen ^[2] ; Papa de Kikuchi, Ruy Kenji ^[2] ; Creed, Joel Christopher ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estado Rio De Janeiro, Inst Biol Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Dept Ecol, Lab Ecol Marinha Bent, PHLC Sala 220, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier 524, BR-20559900 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Bahia, Inst Geociencias, Lab Recifes Corais & Mudancas Globais, Rua Barao de Geremoabo S-N, BR-40170115 Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estado Rio de Janeiro, Programa Posgrad Ecol, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier 524, BR-20559900 Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, Lab Manejo Ecol & Conservacao Marinha, Praca Oceanog, 191, Cidade Univ, BR-05508120 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH; v. 115, p. 28-35, APR 2016.
• Citações Web of Science: 8

Resumo

Phase shift phenomena are becoming increasingly common. However, they are also opportunities to better understand how communities are structured. In Southwest Atlantic coral reefs, a shift to the zoanthid Palythoa cf. variabilis dominance has been described. To test if competition drove this process, we carried out a manipulative experiment with three coral species. To estimate the natural frequency of encounters we assess the relationship between the proportion of encounters and this zoanthids coverage. The contact causes necrosis in 78% of coral colonies (6.47 +/- SD 7.92 cm(2)) in 118 days. We found a logarithmic relationship between the proportion of these encounters and the cover of P. cf. variabilis, where 5.5% coverage of this zoanthid is enough to put 50% of coral colonies in contact, increasing their partial mortality. We demonstrate that zoanthid coverage increase followed by coral mortality increase will reduce coral cover and that competition drives the phase shift process. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 14/17815-0 - Desenvolvimento metodológico para detecção de mudanças de fase em recifes de corais a partir de sensores ópticos instalados em drone
• Beneficiário: Igor Cristino Silva Cruz
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado