First experimental evidence of corals feeding on seagrass matter

S. Lai; L. G. Gillis; C. Mueller; T. J. Bouma; J. R. Guest; K. S. Last; A. D. Ziegler; P. A. Todd

doi:10.1007/s00338-013-1062-9

First experimental evidence of corals feeding on seagrass matter

S. Lai
, L. G. Gillis
, C. Mueller
, T. J. Bouma
, J. R. Guest
, K. S. Last
, A. D. Ziegler
, P. A. Todd

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research - NIOZ
University of New South Wales
Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory
National University of Singapore

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We present the first experimental evidence of a coral (Oulastrea crispata) ingesting and assimilating seagrass material. Tropical seagrass meadows export a substantial portion of their productivity and can provide an important source of nutrients to neighbouring systems such as coral reefs; however, little is known about the mechanisms of this link. To investigate whether seagrass nutrient uptake via coral heterotrophy is possible, we conducted a feeding experiment with seagrass particulate and dissolved organic matter. Using gut extractions and stable isotope analyses, we determined that O. crispata ingested ¹⁵N-enriched seagrass particles and assimilated the nitrogen into its tissue at a rate of 0.75 μg N cm^-2 h^-1. Corals took up nitrogen from dissolved matter at a comparable rate of 0.98 μg N cm^-2 h^-1. While other ecological connections between seagrass meadows and reef ecosystems are well known, our results suggest a previously unstudied direct nutritional link between seagrasses and corals.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1061-1064
Number of pages	4
Journal	Coral Reefs
Volume	32
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-013-1062-9
Publication status	Published - Dec 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments Many thanks to Bert Hoeksema and Kelvin Lim for logistical assistance. This research was carried out as part of the SDWAs Marine & Coastal Research Programme (Theme 2): ‘Dredging and infrastructure development near critical marine ecosystems’ (R-264-001-001-272) with support from Building with Nature and EDB (JBE-project).

Funding

Acknowledgments Many thanks to Bert Hoeksema and Kelvin Lim for logistical assistance. This research was carried out as part of the SDWAs Marine & Coastal Research Programme (Theme 2): ‘Dredging and infrastructure development near critical marine ecosystems’ (R-264-001-001-272) with support from Building with Nature and EDB (JBE-project).

Keywords

Coral heterotrophy
Habitat connectivity
Nutrient transfer
Seagrass

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10.1007/s00338-013-1062-9

Cite this

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title = "First experimental evidence of corals feeding on seagrass matter",

abstract = "We present the first experimental evidence of a coral (Oulastrea crispata) ingesting and assimilating seagrass material. Tropical seagrass meadows export a substantial portion of their productivity and can provide an important source of nutrients to neighbouring systems such as coral reefs; however, little is known about the mechanisms of this link. To investigate whether seagrass nutrient uptake via coral heterotrophy is possible, we conducted a feeding experiment with seagrass particulate and dissolved organic matter. Using gut extractions and stable isotope analyses, we determined that O. crispata ingested 15N-enriched seagrass particles and assimilated the nitrogen into its tissue at a rate of 0.75 μg N cm-2 h-1. Corals took up nitrogen from dissolved matter at a comparable rate of 0.98 μg N cm-2 h-1. While other ecological connections between seagrass meadows and reef ecosystems are well known, our results suggest a previously unstudied direct nutritional link between seagrasses and corals.",

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note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments Many thanks to Bert Hoeksema and Kelvin Lim for logistical assistance. This research was carried out as part of the SDWAs Marine \& Coastal Research Programme (Theme 2): {\textquoteleft}Dredging and infrastructure development near critical marine ecosystems{\textquoteright} (R-264-001-001-272) with support from Building with Nature and EDB (JBE-project).",

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AU - Todd, P. A.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments Many thanks to Bert Hoeksema and Kelvin Lim for logistical assistance. This research was carried out as part of the SDWAs Marine & Coastal Research Programme (Theme 2): ‘Dredging and infrastructure development near critical marine ecosystems’ (R-264-001-001-272) with support from Building with Nature and EDB (JBE-project).

PY - 2013/12

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N2 - We present the first experimental evidence of a coral (Oulastrea crispata) ingesting and assimilating seagrass material. Tropical seagrass meadows export a substantial portion of their productivity and can provide an important source of nutrients to neighbouring systems such as coral reefs; however, little is known about the mechanisms of this link. To investigate whether seagrass nutrient uptake via coral heterotrophy is possible, we conducted a feeding experiment with seagrass particulate and dissolved organic matter. Using gut extractions and stable isotope analyses, we determined that O. crispata ingested 15N-enriched seagrass particles and assimilated the nitrogen into its tissue at a rate of 0.75 μg N cm-2 h-1. Corals took up nitrogen from dissolved matter at a comparable rate of 0.98 μg N cm-2 h-1. While other ecological connections between seagrass meadows and reef ecosystems are well known, our results suggest a previously unstudied direct nutritional link between seagrasses and corals.

AB - We present the first experimental evidence of a coral (Oulastrea crispata) ingesting and assimilating seagrass material. Tropical seagrass meadows export a substantial portion of their productivity and can provide an important source of nutrients to neighbouring systems such as coral reefs; however, little is known about the mechanisms of this link. To investigate whether seagrass nutrient uptake via coral heterotrophy is possible, we conducted a feeding experiment with seagrass particulate and dissolved organic matter. Using gut extractions and stable isotope analyses, we determined that O. crispata ingested 15N-enriched seagrass particles and assimilated the nitrogen into its tissue at a rate of 0.75 μg N cm-2 h-1. Corals took up nitrogen from dissolved matter at a comparable rate of 0.98 μg N cm-2 h-1. While other ecological connections between seagrass meadows and reef ecosystems are well known, our results suggest a previously unstudied direct nutritional link between seagrasses and corals.

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ER -

First experimental evidence of corals feeding on seagrass matter

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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Keywords

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