Coral Reefs最新文献

{"title":"Dissecting coral recovery: bleaching reduces reproductive output in Acropora millepora","authors":"Nico D. Briggs, Cathie A. Page, Christine Giuliano, Cinzia Alessi, Mia Hoogenboom, Line K. Bay, Carly J. Randall","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02483-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02483-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Increasingly frequent and severe bleaching events driven by climate change are decreasing coral populations worldwide. Recovery of these populations relies on reproduction by the survivors of such events including local and upstream larval sources. Yet, corals that survive bleaching may be impaired by sublethal effects that suppress reproduction, reducing larval input to reefs, and consequently impeding recovery. We investigated the impact of the 2020 mass-bleaching event on <i>Acropora millepora</i> reproduction on inshore, turbid reefs in Woppaburra sea Country (the Keppel Islands), to improve our understanding of the effects of bleaching on coral populations. <i>A. millepora</i> experienced high bleaching incidence but low mortality across the island group during this event and thus constituted an ideal population to investigate potential sublethal effects on reproductive output. Six months after the heat wave, and just prior to spawning, we collected, decalcified, and dissected samples from 94 tagged <i>A. millepora</i> colonies with a known 2020 bleaching response, to investigate the relationships between stress severity and reproduction. Despite having regained their pigmentation, we detected a significant reduction in fecundity in colonies that had bleached severely. Considering the impact of the bleaching event on the coral population sampled (i.e., mortality, bleaching severity and colony size), coupled with reductions in fecundity, we estimated a total decrease in population-level reproductive output of 21%. These results suggest that reduced reproductive output may impact recovery of coral populations following bleaching and should be considered alongside traditional estimates of coral mortality.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140203114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomics of a novel ecological phase shift: the case of a ‘weedy’ Montipora coral in Ulithi, Micronesia","authors":"Giacomo Bernardi, Remy Gatins, Michelle Paddack, Peter Nelson, John Rulmal, Nicole Crane","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02486-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02486-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Local and global ecological stressors are leading to increased documentation of phase shifts in coral reefs from healthy stony corals to macrophytes. In more rare cases, phase shifts result in sponge, zoantharian or other dominant species. In Ulithi Atoll, Federated States of Micronesia, we have documented an unusual phase shift from reefs with a diverse stony coral assemblage to reefs dominated by a single species of stony coral: <i>Montipora</i> sp.—a coral-to-coral phase shift. This monospecific type of reef lowers fish diversity and biomass, impacting both ecological integrity, and livelihoods of reef-dependent human communities. In this study, we used a genomic approach to characterize such a reef. We assembled a de-novo reference genome and used RAD seq data with thousands of SNPs to determine if different reefs result from sexual or asexual reproduction, if weedy <i>Montipora</i> fragments are transported between islands by human activities, and if there is evidence of natural selection on specific genotypes, thus favoring spreading success. We found that sexual reproduction is predominant in the focal species, that there is no evidence of human-mediated spread, and that some genomic regions might be under selection. While such results eliminate a number of spreading hypotheses, more precise dispersal maps will be important to determine the tempo and mode of ‘invasion’ of <i>Montipora</i> in Ulithi Atoll. This study shows that selection and adaptation may be contributing to the success of a stony coral (e.g., Phase shift). While a stony coral may be successful in a disturbed environment, it does not necessarily provide the type of habitat that is conducive to high fish biomass and coral diversity. These results serve as a cautionary tale for restoration efforts that focus on single species coral resilience rather than ecosystem function.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"155 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140155019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depth distribution and depth adaptation of microbiomes in juvenile and adult scleractinian corals (Pocillopora verrucosa) in the central South China Sea","authors":"Zhenjun Qin, Nengbin Pan, Kefu Yu, Shuchang Chen, Xuelu Wei, Biao Chen, Xiaopeng Yu","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02485-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02485-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Environmental conditions at different water depths on tropical atolls are substantially different, but few studies have investigated the depth distribution and adaptation in the microbiomes of juvenile and adult corals. We collected samples of juvenile and adult <i>Pocillopora verrucosa</i> from different depths on an atoll in the central South China Sea and analyzed their communities of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and associated bacteria. Results showed that the Symbiodiniaceae communities were significantly different at different depths in both juvenile and adult <i>P. verrucosa.</i> Symbiodiniaceae community changed with increasing depth and was dominated by <i>Durusdinium</i> and <i>Cladocopium</i> at 1-m and 20-m depth, respectively. Furthermore, the composition and diversity of Symbiodiniaceae in juvenile and adult corals were different at the same depths. The compositions of associated bacterial communities at different depths also differed significantly between juvenile and adult <i>P. verrucosa</i>. The relative abundance of <i>Endozoicomonas</i> in juvenile and adult <i>P. verrucosa</i> increased with increasing depth, while the <i>Thermus</i> decreased. Our study suggests that juvenile and adult <i>P. verrucosa</i> corals in shallow-water regions associate with high abundances of thermotolerant Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria in the shallow reef flats with high temperature and intense solar radiation, but associate with Symbiodiniaceae and associated bacteria with high photosynthetic efficiency at greater depths.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140155017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A role for encrusting, endolithic sponges in the feeding of the parrotfish Scarus rubroviolaceus? Evidence of further trophic diversification in Indo-Pacific Scarini","authors":"Georgina M. Nicholson, Kendall D. Clements","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02482-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02482-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The speciose scarinine clade of coral reef parrotfishes display significant variation in trophic cranial morphology, yet are often described as generalist herbivores. The hypothesis that many parrotfishes target micro-photoautotrophs is a new framework within which to clarify parrotfish diets. Here, we investigate the dietary targets of <i>Scarus rubroviolaceus</i> using the feeding substrata extraction method and then compare the results to fourteen other syntopic parrotfish species. <i>Scarus rubroviolaceus</i> were followed on snorkel until repeated biting was observed. A 22 mm × 20 mm core was extracted around the bite. We identified and quantified the bite core biota by scraping the top 1 mm from bite cores for microscopy and 16S/18S small subunit rRNA metabarcoding. Filamentous cyanobacteria density on <i>S. rubroviolaceus</i> bite cores did not differ from the other fourteen parrotfish species, <i>Calothrix</i> (Nostocales) being the most frequently observed filamentous cyanobacteria for all fifteen parrotfish species. The 18S metabarcoding analysis detected the encrusting, endolithic sponge taxon <i>Clionaida</i> in the <i>S. rubroviolaceus</i> bite cores. We investigated the possibility of spongivory across all fifteen parrotfish species including an analysis of sponge-associated microbiota detected on the bite cores. This revealed a new axis of trophic partitioning with varying levels of spongivory amongst the fifteen Indo-Pacific parrotfish species. The bite cores of <i>Cetoscarus ocellatus, Chlorurus spilurus, Chlorurus microrhinos, Scarus frenatus</i> and <i>S. rubroviolaceus</i> particularly indicated spongivory. Our findings develop our understanding of parrotfish diet and provide further evidence that parrotfishes are specialized feeders and partition benthic trophic resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140117487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Parasitism in reef fish communities: evaluating the roles of host traits, habitat use, and phylogeny on infection by Scaphanocephalus (Trematoda)","authors":"Rémon J. Malawauw, Julia Piaskowy, Lars J. V. ter Horst, Dana M. Calhoun, Pieter T. J. Johnson","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02480-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02480-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Parasites represent a critically understudied component of reef communities—a knowledge gap that has become more evident as infectious diseases emerge. Here, we test the roles of competing ecological and evolutionary factors in driving infections by an emerging infectious phenomenon: Black spot syndrome (BSS) in Caribbean reef fishes. BSS, a condition associated with localized hyperpigmentation in the dermis and fins of fishes, has recently been linked to infection by trematode parasites in the genus <i>Scaphanocephalus</i>. Using phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models, we evaluated the influence of host phylogeny, habitat preference, body size, and trophic position on infection abundance. Metacercariae of <i>Scaphanocephalus</i> were recorded in 29 of 41 fish species, including 21 new host species records, and within 306 fish (62.3% prevalence). Among species, infection load increased significantly with host body size and decreased with host trophic level, such that large-bodied herbivores tended to support the most infection. There was no significant effect of host phylogeny on infection load. These results suggest the parasite is a generalist in its use of fish intermediate hosts and emphasize the influence of local variation in parasite exposure risk. Overall, the count of visible spots per fish was a positive predictor of <i>Scaphanocephalus</i> abundance among species and individuals, although not all fish species exhibited spots, even when infection loads were high. Findings from this study indicate that <i>Scaphanocephalus</i> infections are far more prevalent in reef fishes than previously recognized and highlight the importance of investigating infection patterns beyond the external symptoms of BSS.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140097248","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Allen Coral Atlas benthic habitat map product for New Caledonia using representative habitat observations from a multi-species fishery assessment","authors":"Andréfouët Serge, Brisset Maële, Georget Stéphane, Gilbert Antoine","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02481-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02481-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Several remote sensing projects have produced coral reef habitat maps globally. This includes the Allen Coral Atlas (ACA) project. The present study focuses on assessing the accuracy of the ACA 6-class benthic habitat products available for New Caledonia in the 0–10-m depth range. The assessment involves using independent control data collected through thousands of in situ photographs of the benthic environment during sea cucumber stock assessments on multiple sites around New Caledonia. The overall accuracy of the ACA benthic product ranked from 20 to 67% depending on the sites and evaluation method. These results are generally lower than those achieved by other global and local coral reef mapping and products which can be primarily explained by the lack of local ground-truth data to train the classifications. In addition, we discuss other significant misclassifications immediately detectable through historical knowledge, and the limited relevance of the classification scheme to represent the actual diversity of New Caledonia coral reef habitats, a key criteria to guide conservation with habitat maps. Overall, the study highlights the limitations of the ACA benthic product that users should be aware of and offer some recommendations and caveats for both potential users and map producers in other areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140097242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Space partitioning within groups of social coral reef fish","authors":"Anael Engel, Yaela Reuben, Irina Kolesnikov, Dmitri Churilov, Ran Nathan, Amatzia Genin","doi":"10.1007/s00338-023-02460-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-023-02460-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Site-attached fish that form social groups may face a trade-off between the advantages of group living and the disadvantages related to intra-group competition for food. A possible solution for the latter is space partitioning among group members. Technological limitations related to individual tagging and underwater tracking hindered such spatial studies in grouping fishes. Here, using underwater video cameras and recent developments in deep learning tools, we successfully tracked the 3D movements of individually tagged fish in 4 groups of the damselfish <i>Dascyllus marginatus</i> in the coral reef of Eilat, Red Sea. Our findings, based on tracking sessions lasting 3–11 min that were recorded during a period of &gt; 1 month, show that the individual fish kept separate foraging spaces with minimal overlap and that this separation was stable in time. When the tidally driven current reversed, the separation was kept, and a corresponding reversal was found in the positions of each fish relative to the coral and its neighbors. We propose that the stable spatial partitioning observed in our study is a primary mechanism through which site-attached species can organize themselves in order to reduce intra-group competition.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140072476","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deoxygenation following coral spawning and low-level thermal stress trigger mass coral mortality at Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef","authors":"Zoe T. Richards, Lewis Haines, Claire Ross, Sophie Preston, Troy Matthews, Anthony Terriaca, Ethan Black, Yvette Lewis, Josh Mannolini, Patrick Dean, Vincent Middleton, Ben Saunders","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02476-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02476-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Oxygen depletion is well recognized for its role in the degradation of tropical coral reefs. Extreme acute hypoxic events that lead to localized mass mortality and the formation of ‘dead zones’ (a region where few or no organisms can survive due to a lack of oxygen) are particularly concerning as they can result in wide-ranging losses of biodiversity, ecosystem productivity and functioning, economic prosperity, and wellbeing. In March of 2022, the annual coral spawning event at Bills Bay (Coral Bay, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia) coincided with elevated seawater temperature, calm weather conditions and a flood tide resulting in coral spawn becoming trapped in Bills Bay. Immediately after, there was a mass fish kill, which is believed to have been caused by local eutrophication resulting in severe oxygen depletion. The impact the deoxygenation and thermal stress event had on benthic communities has not yet been quantified; hence, the principal aim of this study is to document the extent of change that occurred in the benthic communities before and after the 2022 coral spawning event over a spatial gradient from the nearshore to mid-reef. Percent coral cover in the Bay decreased from 55.62 ± 2.26% in 2016–2018 and 70.44 ± 5.24% in 2021 to 1.16 ± 0.51% in 2022. Over the same period, the percent cover of turf algae increased from 27.40 ± 2.00% in 2016–2018 and 24.66 ± 6.67% in 2021 to 78.80 ± 3.06% in 2022, indicating a dramatic phase shift occurred at Bills Bay. The abundance of healthy coral colonies recorded on replicated belt transects at nine sites declined from 3452 healthy individuals in 2018 to 153 individuals in 2022 and coral generic richness decreased by 84.61%, dropping from 26 genera in 2018 to 4 genera in 2022. Previously dominant genera such as <i>Acropora,</i> <i>Montipora</i> and <i>Echinopora,</i> were extirpated from survey sites. Isolated colonies of massive <i>Porite</i>s spp. and encrusting <i>Cyphastrea</i> sp. survived the event and understanding the mechanisms underpinning their greater survivorship is an important area of future research. Long-term monitoring is recommended to track the community recovery process and improve our understanding of the longer-term implications of this acute mortality event on the ecological, socio-economic and cultural values of Ningaloo Reef.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140033625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The community stability of Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria of different morphological corals and linkages to coral susceptibility to anthropogenic disturbance","authors":"Rou-Wen Chen, Zhuoran Li, Jianzhong Huang, Xiangbo Liu, Wentao Zhu, Yushan Li, Aimin Wang, Xiubao Li","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02475-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02475-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Variously shaped corals, such as branching and massive corals, exhibit divergent environmental susceptibility properties. The susceptibility potential of these corals may be regulated by specific symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria. In this study, we investigated seawater characteristics between the north and south zones at the Wuzhizhou Island (WZZ), sampled branching coral <i>Acropora hyacinthus</i>, lamellar coral <i>Montipora informis</i>, and massive coral (<i>Galaxea fascicularis</i> and <i>Porites lutea</i>). Physiological characteristics were measured, and amplicon sequencing was performed to Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial community structure analysis. Corals experienced severe anthropogenic disturbance, with more than 1.4-fold increase in DIN, including <span>({{text{NH}}}_{4}^{+})</span>, <span>({{text{NO}}}_{3}^{-})</span>, and <span>({{text{NO}}}_{2}^{-})</span> in the north of the WZZ Island compared to the southern region. However, massive corals (<i>G. fascicularis</i> and <i>P. lutea</i>) showed relatively less disruption in both their symbiont composition and physiological responses. Notably, <i>M. informis</i> displayed distinct variations, with disturbances in the northern region resulted in a decline in the density of symbiotic micro-algae associated with <i>Cladocopium</i> sp. C26 due to elevated concentrations of ammonium and nitrate. The four coral species hosted different symbionts within the same area. <i>P. lutea</i> hosted <i>Cladocopium</i> sp. C15 with the lowest density of symbiotic micro-algae, along with the lowest Fv/Fm and YII values compared to other corals in the southern zone. <i>G. fascicularis</i> exhibited high abundance of <i>Durusdinium</i> sp. D1 and D4, which showed strong correlation with Fv/Fm. In southern <i>M. informis</i>, <i>Cladocopium</i> sp. C26 was identified as the predominant symbiotic micro-algae that displayed a significant positive correlation with YII. The bacterial community composition and metabolism functional attribution predicted by PICRUSt differed between <i>A. hyacinthus</i>, <i>M. informis</i>, and massive corals (<i>G. fascicularis</i>, <i>P. lutea</i>). Comprehensive analysis revealed different susceptibility properties among branching, lamellar, and massive corals under anthropogenic disturbance associated with changes in Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial community.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140033777","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biology and epibiont community of the red decorator crab, Schizophrys aspera, on the southern Great Barrier Reef","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s00338-024-02479-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-024-02479-8","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>Organismal symbioses are fundamental to biodiversity, evolution, and ecosystem functioning. On coral reefs, many decapod species have formed distinct epibiotic symbioses through decoration tendencies that enhance diet, camouflage, and defence. The red decorator crab, <em>Schizophrys aspera</em> (Majidae: Decapoda), has a broad Indo-Pacific distribution and is a successful predator of juvenile crown-of-thorns seastars (CoTS; <em>Acanthaster</em> sp.). However, little is known of the biology and decorating symbioses of <em>S. aspera</em> on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), where CoTS pose ongoing management challenges. We characterised <em>S. aspera</em> and its epibiont community collected in coral rubble patches on the southern GBR. <em>S. aspera</em> predominantly used sponges (94 ± 1%; mean ± SE) in its decoration, with greater proportions of the carapace covered for juveniles (58 ± 5%) and females (46 ± 4%) compared to males (24 ± 4%). In short-term (8-d) experiments, <em>S. aspera</em> substantially reduced sponge (31%) and algal (47%) cover on rubble pieces, demonstrating its potential to alter sessile communities. The close association of <em>S. aspera</em> with sponges and algae likely reflects its diet and enhances camouflage and chemical defence in its coral rubble niche on the GBR. As sessile taxa are often noxious, we postulate that these symbioses may confer resilience of <em>S. aspera</em> to plancitoxins in its consumption of CoTS. Evaluating how epibiont diversity and biochemistry shape the habitat associations, distribution, and role of <em>S. aspera</em> as predator and prey may be important to understanding its ability to mediate CoTS densities on the GBR and elsewhere.</p>","PeriodicalId":10821,"journal":{"name":"Coral Reefs","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140033804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}