We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Cyanobacteria-shrimp colonies in the Mariana Islands.
- Authors
Leber, Christopher A.; Reyes, Andres Joshua; Biggs, Jason S.; Gerwick, William H.
- Abstract
Cyanobacteria have multifaceted ecological roles on coral reefs. Moorena bouillonii, a chemically rich filamentous cyanobacterium, has been characterized as a pathogenic organism with an unusual ability to overgrow gorgonian corals, but little has been done to study its general growth habits or its unique association with the snapping shrimp Alpheus frontalis. Quantitative benthic surveys, and field and photographic observations were utilized to develop a better understanding of the ecology of these species, while growth experiments and nutrient analysis were performed to examine how this cyanobacterium may be benefiting from its shrimp symbiont. Colonies of M. bouillonii and A. frontalis displayed considerable habitat specificity in terms of occupied substrate. Although found to vary in abundance and density across survey sites and transects, M. bouillonii was consistently found to be thriving with A. frontalis within interstitial spaces on the reef. Removal of A. frontalis from cyanobacterial colonies in a laboratory experiment altered M. bouillonii pigmentation, whereas cyanobacteria-shrimp colonies in the field exhibited elevated nutrient levels compared to the surrounding seawater.
- Subjects
MARIANA Islands; CORAL reefs &; islands; COLONIES; CORALS; ISLANDS; WHITELEG shrimp; FILAMENTOUS bacteria; SHRIMPS
- Publication
Aquatic Ecology, 2021, Vol 55, Issue 2, p453
- ISSN
1386-2588
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10452-021-09837-6