Symbiotic crabs maintain coral health by clearing sediments

Coral Reefs

Volumn 25, Issue 4, 2006, Pages 609-615

  Stewart, Hannah L ^a   Holbrook, Sally J ^a   Schmitt, Russell J ^a   Brooks, Andrew J ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

Author keywords

Coral bleaching; Corals; Crabs; Sediment; Symbiosis; Trapeziid

Indexed keywords

CORAL; CORAL BLEACHING; CORAL REEF; CRAB; HOST-SYMBIONT INTERACTION; SEDIMENTATION; SYMBIOSIS;

ANTHOZOA; DECAPODA (CRUSTACEA); SCLERACTINIA;

EID: 33751014522     PISSN: 07224028     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s00338-006-0132-7     Document Type: Article

References (36)

1. Abele LG, Patton WK (1976) The size of coral heads and the community biology of associated decapod crustaceans. J Biogeogr 3:35-47
2. Bellwood DR, Hughes TP, Folke C, Nystrom M (2004) Confronting the coral reef crisis. Nature 429:827-833
3. Coen LD (1988) Herbivory by crabs and the control of algal epibionts on Caribbean host corals. Oecologia 75:198-203
4. Davies PS (1989) Short-term growth measurements of corals using an accurate buoyant weighing technique. Mar Biol 101:389-396
5. Fabricius KE (2005) Effects of terrestrial runoff on the ecology of corals and coral reefs: review and synthesis. Mar Pollut Bull 50:125-146
6. Glynn PW (1976) Some physical and biological determinants of coral community structure in the Eastern Pacific. Ecol Monogr 46:431-456
7. Glynn PW (1980) Defense by symbiotic crustacea of host corals elicited by chemical cues from predator. Oecologia 47:287-290
8. Goldshmid R, Holzman R, Weihs D, Genin A (2004) Aeration of corals by sleep swimming fish. Limnol Oceanogr 49:1832-1839
9. Holbrook SJ, Schmitt RJ (2005) Growth, reproduction and survival of a tropical sea anemone (Actinaria): benefits of hosting anemonefish. Coral Reefs 24:67-73
10. Huber ME (1987) Aggressive behavior of Trapezia intermedia Miers and Trapezia digitalis Latreille (Brachyura: Xanthidae). Journal of Crustacean Biology 7:238-248
11. Huber ME, Coles SL (1986) Resource utilization and competition among the five Hawaiian species of Trapezia (Crustacea, Brachyura). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 30:21-31
12. Hughes TP (1994) Catastrophes, phase-shifts, and large-scale degradation of a Caribbean coral-reef. Science 265:1547-1551
13. Hughes TP, Connell JH (1987) Population dynamics based on size or age? A reef coral analysis. Am Nat 129:818-829
14. Hughes TP, Jackson JBC (1980) Do corals lie about their age? - some demographic consequences of partial mortality, fission, and fusion. Science 209:713-715
15. Kleypas JA, Buddemeier RW, Archer D, Gattuso JP, Langdon C, Opdyke BN (1999) Geochemical consequences of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide on coral reefs. Science 284:118-120
16. Knowlton N (2001) The future of coral reefs. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:5419-5425
17. Lasker HR (1980) Sediment rejection by reef corals - the roles of behavior and morphology in Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 47:77-87
18. Lassig BR (1977). Communication and coexistence in a coral community. Mar Biol 42:85-92
19. Liberman T, Genin A, Loya Y (1995) Effects on growth and reproduction of the coral Stylophora pistillata by the mutualistic damselfish Dascyllus marginatus. Mar Biol 121:741-746
20. Meyer JL, Schultz ET (1985) Migrating haemulid fishes as a source of nutrients and organic matter on coral reefs. Limnol Oceanogr 30:146-156
21. Mills MM, Sebens KP (2004) Ingestion and assimilation of nitrogen from benthic sediments by three species of coral. Mar Biol 145:1097-1106
22. Mokady O, Loya Y, Lazar B (1998) Ammonium contribution from boring bivalves to their coral host - a mutualistic symbiosis? Mar Ecol Prog Ser 169:295-301
23. Patton WK (1994) Distribution and ecology of animals associated with branching corals (Acropoa spp.) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Bull Mar Sci 55:193-211
24. Pratchett MS (2001) Influence of coral symbionts on feeding preferences of crown-of-thorns starfish Acanthaster planci in the western Pacific. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 214:111-119
25. Pratchett MS, Vytopil, E, Parks P (2000) Coral crabs influence the feeding patterns of crown-of-thorns starfish. Coral Reefs 19:36
26. Rinkevich B, Wolodarshy Z, Loya Y (1991) Coral-crab association: a compact domain of a multilevel trophic system. Hydrobiologia 216/217:279-284
27. Schmitt RJ, Holbrook SJ (2003) Mutualism can mediate competition and promote coexistence. Ecol Lett 6:898-902
28. Spotte S (1996) Supply of regenerated nitrogen to sea anemones by their symbiotic shrimp. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 198:27-36
29. Stachowicz JJ, Hay ME (1999) Mutualism and coral persistence: The role of herbivore resistance to algal chemical defence. Ecology 80:2085-2101
30. Stafford-Smith MG, Ormond RFG (1992) Sediment-rejection mechanisms of 42 species of Australian scleractinian corals. Aust J Mar Freshw Res 43:683-705
31. Stimson J (1990) Stimulation of fat-body production in the polyps of the coral Pocillopora damicornis by the presence of mutualistic crabs of the genus Trapezia. Mar Biol 106:211-218
32. Vannini M (1985) A shrimp that speaks crab-ese. Journal of Crustacean Biology 5:160-167
33. Vytopil E, Willis BL (2001) Epifaunal community structure in Acropora spp. (Scleractinia) on the Great Barrier Reef: implications of coral morphology and habitat complexity. Coral Reefs 20:281-288
34. Weber JN, Woodhead PMJ (1970) Ecological studies of coral predator Acanthaster planci in the South Pacific. Mar Biol 6:12-17
35. Wilby RL, Dalgleish HY, Foster IDL (1997) The impact of weather patterns on historic and contemporary catchment sediment yields. Earth Surf Process Landf 22:353-363
36. Zann LP (1994) The status of coral reefs in south western Pacific Islands. Mar Pollut Bull 29:52-61