Negative indirect effects of neighbors on imperiled scleractinian corals

Abstract

Predation pressure on an individual may be influenced by spatial associations with other organisms. In the case of rare and imperiled species, such indirect interactions may affect the persistence and recovery of local populations. This study examined the effects of coral neighborhood composition on the foraging behavior and impact of the corallivorous gastropod, Coralliophila abbreviata. We conducted a manipulative field experiment in which focal colonies of the threatened scleractinian coral Acropora cervicornis had no neighbors, conspecific neighbors, alternative prey (Orbicella faveolata) neighbors, or non-prey (Porites asteroides) neighbors. Individually tagged C. abbreviata were then seeded into the study area and allowed to colonize the experimental plots. Initial colonization was significantly affected by the species of neighboring corals and snail abundance after colonization was negatively correlated with focal colony growth. Snails exhibited a strong prey preference for A. cervicornis over O. faveolata and responded numerically to neighborhood quality (i.e., relative preference for neighboring corals). Thus, conspecific neighbors had the greatest predator-mediated negative effect on focal colony performance followed by O. faveolata neighbors. The results suggest that C. abbreviata mediate apparent competition between O. faveolata and A. cervicornis as both species contributed to the local abundance of their shared predator. Additionally, home range estimates for tagged C. abbreviata were calculated, compared among sexes, and found to be significantly greater for males than for females. Overall, this study sheds light on the foraging behavior of an important coral predator and highlights the potential importance of consumer-mediated indirect interactions in the dynamics of severely reduced populations. The results also have direct implications for conservation and population enhancement efforts.