MBF 602 seminar- Ian Enochs Friday, April 16th, 2010 4:00pm S/A seminar room

[Cary Rios <crios@rsmas.miami.edu>]

INTERMEDIATE LEVELS OF CORAL MORTALITY PROMOTE ECOSYSTEM BIODIVERSITY

 

Abstract: High levels of biodiversity have been linked to ecosystem stability and resistance to environmental perturbation. Biodiversity may enhance a variety of ecosystem services and have marked economic implications. Within the marine realm, the highest concentrations of metazoan species occur on coral reefs and the majority of species within these ecosystems are cryptic in nature. The biodiversity of motile cryptic metazoans was quantitatively sampled across the four zones of the Playa Larga Reef, Pacific Gulf of Panamá. Organisms belonging to eight phyla and 289 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found in association with both living corals and dead carbonate structures. Sample- and individual-based rarefaction curves were plotted to standardize sample size and Michaelis-Menten equations were fitted to estimate overall OTU richness. Communities associated with dead carbonate substrates were more speciose than those associated with living corals, however living corals were found to host more abundant cryptofauna communities per unit volume. When communities living within reef frameworks and sediments were compared across zones, species richness was negatively correlated with coral cover and positively correlated with the degree of carbonate alteration/erosion.  Conversely, structural complexity and availability of shelter were correlated with higher abundances (but not richness) of cryptic metazoans. These results imply that habitat heterogeneity is more important than percent living coral in promoting high levels of biodiversity.  Mass coral mortality events will likely not result in immediate  reductions in ecosystem species richness. Widespread coral death may correspond to reductions in obligate coral symbiont populations, however it is likely that abundant cryptofauna communities would persist until erosive processes significantly reduce substrate complexity.

 

Ian Enochs

B.S. Marine Science and Biology 2006, University of Miami

Entered Ph.D. program in fall 2006

 

Advisor:

Peter Glynn

Cary Rios
Graduate Studies Office
University of Miami
Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy
S/A 132
Miami, FL 33149
Locator Code: VK
P. 305.421.4920
F. 305.421.4771
http://www.rsmas.miami.edu
crios@rsmas.miami.edu

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