A re-evaluation of the diel feeding hypothesis for marine herbivorous fishes

Zemke‐White, W. Lindsey; Choat, J. Howard; Clements, Kendall D.

doi:10.1007/s00227-002-0849-y

Cited by 75 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…This result is very similar to the daily feeding pattern of other nominally herbivorous reef fish species (Bruggemann et al 1994b, Bellwood 1995, Zemke-White et al 2002. The higher feeding frequency of herbivorous fishes during the afternoon has been explained by the better nutritional quality of algae at this time (Bruggemann et al 1994b, Bellwood 1995, Zemke-White et al 2002. This diel feeding pattern seems to be particularly relevant to species that feed on epilithic algae and detrital aggregations (Zemke-White et al 2002), which is probably the case for S. rivulatus in the present study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…In terms of feeding frequencies, the patterns were very uniform; all S. rivulatus size classes fed more frequently during the middle of the day. This result is very similar to the daily feeding pattern of other nominally herbivorous reef fish species (Bruggemann et al 1994b, Bellwood 1995, Zemke-White et al 2002. The higher feeding frequency of herbivorous fishes during the afternoon has been explained by the better nutritional quality of algae at this time (Bruggemann et al 1994b, Bellwood 1995, Zemke-White et al 2002.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

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Size-dependent variation in the functional role of the parrotfish Scarus rivulatus on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Bonaldo¹,

Bellwood²

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

128

126

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Size-dependent variation in the functional role of the parrotfish Scarus rivulatus on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Bonaldo¹,

Bellwood²

2008

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

128

126

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“…This feeding pattern appears to coincide with the predictions of the diel feeding hypothesis, which states that herbivorous fish optimize their food intake by targeting highly productive algae in the afternoon to harvest readily digestible photosynthetic products (Polunin and Klumpp 1989;Zemke-White et al 2002). Indeed, production and nutritional quality in turf algal communities increases through the morning reaching its peak at noon (Bruggemann et al 1994a;Zemke-White et al 2002).…”

Section: Diurnal Changes In Food Selectionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…Indeed, production and nutritional quality in turf algal communities increases through the morning reaching its peak at noon (Bruggemann et al 1994a;Zemke-White et al 2002). In the southern Red Sea, S. ferrugineus seems to respond to the low nutritional quality of turfs in the morning both by lower feeding rates (Y.A., pers.obs.)…”

Section: Diurnal Changes In Food Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Limited flexibility in resource use in a coral reef grazer foraging on seasonally changing algal communities

2010

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Feeding ecology of three life phases of the parrotfish Scarus ferrugineus was studied on a southern Red Sea fringing reef by comparing availability and consumption of benthic algae during the monsoon hot and cool seasons. Dominant biota covering dead carbonate substrates were in decreasing order of importance: turfs on endoliths, turfs on crustose corallines, and crustose corallines. On the reef crest and shallow fore reef, composition of the biota changed seasonally. Cover of turfs on endoliths and turfs on crustose corallines was higher during the hot season, while crustose corallines and macroalgae (only on reef crest) increased during the cool season. Biota in the deep fore reef did not show seasonal variation. All life phases used similar resources and showed selective feeding in all zones. Turfs on endoliths, followed by turfs on crustose corallines, was the primary feeding substrate. These two sources represented over 92% of bites during both seasons. Crustose corallines, macroalgae, and living corals were negligible components being strongly avoided at all zones and seasons. Resource use varied seasonally on the reef crest and shallow fore reef, while it remained unchanged on the deep fore reef. Turfs on endoliths were consistently preferred in both seasons but their contribution increased from 45% in the cool to 70% of bites in the hot season. Electivity for turfs on crustose corallines shifted from random feeding in the hot (27% of bites) to selection in the cool season (47% of bites). Feeding pattern changed diurnally with more bites taken from crustose corallines and turfs on crustose corallines during morning. During the rest of the day, bites from turfs on endoliths predominate. S. ferrugineus shows limited capacity to exploit seasonal increases in the biomass of foliose and canopy forming macroalgae, despite indications of energetic limitation during the cool season.

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“…For example, algal nutritional value, palatability and digestibility may decrease with depth. Zemke-White et al (2002) have shown that grazers can detect small diel changes in algal nutritional value and can change their feeding rates to optimize foraging. There is some evidence for lower nutritional values in algae grown under lower levels of irradiance (Thompson et al 1994, Rosen et al 2000, as well as a lower storage lipid content and more structural lipid synthesis under lower light levels (Khotimchenko & Yakovleva 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing pressure on coral reefs decreases across a wide depth gradient in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Brokovich¹,

Ayalon²,

Einbinder³

et al. 2010

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Algae are an essential component of healthy coral reefs and serve as the base of the food chain and as a living habitat for numerous organisms. Herbivorous fish play an important role in coral reef ecology by mediating competition between fast-growing algae and relatively slow-growing corals. However, because of diving-related difficulties, the importance of herbivory in deep mesophotic coral reefs (30 to 150 m) remains largely unknown. We examined the relationship between herbivores and algae along a depth gradient down to 65 m, and evaluated grazing pressure along the depth gradient. We visually assessed the abundance of herbivorous fish along the depth gradient and estimated fish biomass. We measured in situ turf algae growth rates and performed experimental assessments of grazing pressure using settlement plates and bioassays. We discovered that, while both algal growth and fish density decrease with depth, the decrease in grazing pressure is steeper, with a consumption of < 20% of turf-algae production at 65 m versus 40 to 60% at depths of 5 to 20 m. Concomitantly, a decrease in fish biomass and density along the depth gradient reduced potential grazing pressure on macroalgae. Our findings suggest a less important role for herbivorous fish in maintaining algal-free substrate for coral recruitment and growth in deep zones compared with the shallow reef.

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A re-evaluation of the diel feeding hypothesis for marine herbivorous fishes

Cited by 75 publications

References 34 publications

Size-dependent variation in the functional role of the parrotfish Scarus rivulatus on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Size-dependent variation in the functional role of the parrotfish Scarus rivulatus on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Limited flexibility in resource use in a coral reef grazer foraging on seasonally changing algal communities

Grazing pressure on coral reefs decreases across a wide depth gradient in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

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