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Abstract
Interactions among sea urchins, algae, and a scleractinian coral were examined in a 10-year study off Anacapa Island, California. Abundances of the solitary cup coral Balanophyllia elegans Verrill and percent cover of algae were inversely correlated. Corals could be killed due to overgrowth by kelp holdfasts, ephemeral filamentous algae, or encrusting coralline algae. Overgrowth by filamentous and coralline algae was enhanced by chronic brushing by larger algal species which caused coral polyps to retract. Short- and long-term observations and manipulative experiments demonstrated that significantly more coral polyps were retracted and coral mortality was increased within the brushing zone of natural and artificial algae than in control areas without algae. Additionally, the extent of polyp retraction varied with algal species and degree of water motion. The adverse effects of algae on corals can be mediated by urchin grazing. High densities of urchins remove algae, thereby reducing coral mortality due to algal overgrowth and allowing corals to increase in abundance.
Published Version
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Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
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