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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Indirect effects of algae on coral: Algae-mediated, microbe-induced coral mortality
Ecology Letters, Volume 9, No. 7, Year 2006
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Description
Declines in coral cover are generally associated with increases in the abundance of fleshy algae. In many cases, it remains unclear whether algae are responsible, directly or indirectly, for coral death or whether they simply settle on dead coral surfaces. Here, we show that algae can indirectly cause coral mortality by enhancing microbial activity via the release of dissolved compounds. When coral and algae were placed in chambers together but separated by a 0.02 μm filter, corals suffered 100% mortality. With the addition of the broad-spectrum antibiotic ampicillin, mortality was completely prevented. Physiological measurements showed complementary patterns of increasing coral stress with proximity to algae. Our results suggest that as human impacts increase and algae become more abundant on reefs a positive feedback loop may be created whereby compounds released by algae enhance microbial activity on live coral surfaces causing mortality of corals and further algal growth. © 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Smith, Jennifer Ellen
United States, Santa Barbara
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
Shaw, Morrigan Rebecca
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
Edwards, Robert A.
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
United States, Burr Ridge
Fellowship for Interpretation of Genomes
Obura, David Obare
Kenya, Mombasa
Cordio
Pantos, Olga
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
Sala, Enric
United States, La Jolla
Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
Sandin, Stuart Adrian
United States, La Jolla
Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation
Smriga, Steven
United States, La Jolla
Marine Biology Research Division
Hatay, Mark
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
Rohwer, Forest L.
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
Statistics
Citations: 492
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00937.x
ISSN:
1461023X
e-ISSN:
14610248