Complexity of coral interactions: Influence of time, location of interaction and epifauna

Bak, Rolf P. M.; Termaat, R. M.; Dekker, R.

doi:10.1007/bf00396901

Cited by 80 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…These may take the form of contact competition, such as the development of mesenterial filaments, sweeper tentacles (e.g. Bak et al 1982, Tanner 1997) and overgrowth (Lang & Chornesky 1990 and references therein), or noncontact competition, such as overtopping (e.g. Baird & Hughes 2000), peripheral encircling (Lang & Chornesky 1990) and allelopathy (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Barrat-Segretain & Arnaud 2004) and in marine systems (Stachowicz 2001). If competitive interactions are the main structuring force in stable, constant environments, the effects of which are erased by disturbances (Bak et al 1982), then positive interactions, on the other hand, may arise as 'the simple by-product of neighbors buffering one another from potentially limiting physical stresses' (Bertness & Hacker 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coral responses in single- and mixed-species plots to nutrient disturbance

Dizon¹,

Yap

2005

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Space is a limiting resource in coral reef communities causing actively growing coral colonies to come in proximity and interact with each other. Although most contact interactions among corals have been studied extensively, very few non-contact and non-aggressive interactions have been documented so far. We present results from a 3 yr field study of coral communities showing that, under unperturbed conditions, the reef-building coral Porites cylindrica exhibits significantly higher growth when transplanted together with 2 other species (P. rus and Pavona frondifera) than when grown in monoculture. However, the introduction of a chronic disturbance (nutrient enrichment) adversely affected its growth rates and survival, thus overturning the earlier trend. Furthermore, the 3 species used in the experiment exhibited different responses to the perturbation (negative, no effect, positive). Our results show that the presence of other species can enhance performance at the colony level, while differential species responses potentially provide buffering effects at the community level that may contribute to the maintenance of community structure and function during periods of disturbance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coral responses in single- and mixed-species plots to nutrient disturbance

Dizon¹,

Yap

2005

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Grazing organisms are found among molluscs and small crustaceans (Brawley & Adey 1981) but fishes and sea urchins are the main groups of herbivores, though their relative importance varies with characteristics of the reef habitat (Randall 1965, Ogden et al 1973, Ogden & Lobel 1978, Hay 1984. Competition for space on the Limited hard substratum occurs between an array of organisms and is a possible structuring force on many reefs (Jackson & Buss 1975, Jackson 1977, Karlson 1980, Benayahu & Loya 1981, Bak et al 1982, Bak & Borsboom 1984. Although algae O Inter-Research/Printed in F. R. Germany are often not very obtrusive in the reef environment, small algae are very common and, as demonstrated for example in the territories of damselfishes, they become very dominant when there is a reduction in grazing pressure (Ogden & Lobel 1978, Borowitzka 1981, Gaines & Lubchenco 1982.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in abundance of coral-reef bottom components related to mass mortality of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum

Steveninck¹,

Bak²

1986

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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We studied the effect of a reduction in grazing pressure, following mass mortallties of the abundant sea urchin Diadema antillarum, on coral-reef bottom components at Curaqao (Netherlands Antilles). We surveyed cover of fleshy and fllamentous algae, scleractinlan corals, crustose coralline algae, loose sediment and a miscellaneous category in permanent quadrats at depths of 27, 15 and 3 m during 1 yr. At all depths, cover of fleshy and filamentous algae increased significantly, reaching a new equhbrium. Corals, crustose corallines and/or loose sediment generally decreased in cover, but not all changes were significant. At the species level, we found the coral Agar~cia agaricites, at 15 m, to be relatively vulnerable among corals. The macroalgae Lobophora variegata and Dictyota spp. increased significantly in cover at 27 and 15 m, respectively. We expect, in view of the observed continuously low rates of recrutment of D. antillarum, and in vlew of the new equilibrium in algal cover, no rapid return to the origlnal situation, unless other herbivorous organisms will take over the role of D. anWlarum.

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“…Scleractinian corals may come into contact with other organisms, such as algae (River and Edmunds 2001;McCook 2002, 2003;Nugues and Bak 2006;Haas et al 2010;Benzoni et al 2011), ascidians (Bak et al 1981(Bak et al , 1996Sommer et al 2009), barnacles (Benzoni et al 2010), corallimorpharians (Chadwick 1991;Chadwick and Adams 1991;Langmead and Chadwick-Furman 1999;Kuguru et al 2004), polychaetes (Samini Namin et al 2010), soft corals (Sammarco et al 1983;Dai 1990), and particularly by sponges Coles and Bolick 2007;de Voogd 2007;Benzoni et al 2008) and may be overgrown and even killed by them. Scleractinian coral species also show aggressive reactions to one another, which may depend on coral size, secretion of bioactive compounds, and the presence of sweeper tentacles (Sheppard 1981;Bak et al 1982;Koh and Sweatman 2000;Lapid et al 2004;Lapid and Chadwick 2006;Chadwick and Morrow 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%