Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem
Trophic cascade theory predicts that predator effects should extend to influence carbon cycling in ecosystems. Yet, there has been little empirical evidence in natural ecosystems to support this hypothesis. Here, we use a naturally-occurring trophic cascade to provide evidence that predators help pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00110/full |
| _version_ | 1818127715748806656 |
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| author | Trisha B. Atwood Trisha B. Atwood Elizabeth M. P. Madin Elizabeth M. P. Madin Alastair R. Harborne Alastair R. Harborne Edd Hammill Edd Hammill Osmar J. Luiz Quinn R. Ollivier Quinn R. Ollivier Chris M. Roelfsema Peter I. Macreadie Catherine E. Lovelock Catherine E. Lovelock |
| author_facet | Trisha B. Atwood Trisha B. Atwood Elizabeth M. P. Madin Elizabeth M. P. Madin Alastair R. Harborne Alastair R. Harborne Edd Hammill Edd Hammill Osmar J. Luiz Quinn R. Ollivier Quinn R. Ollivier Chris M. Roelfsema Peter I. Macreadie Catherine E. Lovelock Catherine E. Lovelock |
| author_sort | Trisha B. Atwood |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Trophic cascade theory predicts that predator effects should extend to influence carbon cycling in ecosystems. Yet, there has been little empirical evidence in natural ecosystems to support this hypothesis. Here, we use a naturally-occurring trophic cascade to provide evidence that predators help protect sedimentary organic carbon stocks in coral reef ecosystems. Our results show that predation risk altered the behavior of herbivorous fish, whereby it constrained grazing to areas close to the refuge of the patch reefs. Macroalgae growing in “riskier” areas further away from the reef were released from grazing pressure, which subsequently promoted carbon accumulation in the sediments underlying the macroalgal beds. Here we found that carbon stocks furthest away from the reef edge were ~24% higher than stocks closest to the reef. Our results indicate that predators and herbivores play an important role in structuring carbon dynamics in a natural marine ecosystem, highlighting the need to conserve natural predator-prey dynamics to help maintain the crucial role of marine sediments in sequestering carbon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:21:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0f147c9392d44bdbbc8760162da90066 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:21:46Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-0f147c9392d44bdbbc8760162da900662022-12-22T01:16:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2018-08-01610.3389/fevo.2018.00110383006Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef EcosystemTrisha B. Atwood0Trisha B. Atwood1Elizabeth M. P. Madin2Elizabeth M. P. Madin3Alastair R. Harborne4Alastair R. Harborne5Edd Hammill6Edd Hammill7Osmar J. Luiz8Quinn R. Ollivier9Quinn R. Ollivier10Chris M. Roelfsema11Peter I. Macreadie12Catherine E. Lovelock13Catherine E. Lovelock14Department of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United StatesGlobal Change Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, AustraliaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaHawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Manoa, HI, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, United StatesMarine Spatial Ecology Laboratory and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, AustraliaDepartment of Watershed Sciences and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United StatesSchool of the Environment, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaSchool of the Environment, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaFaculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, AustraliaBiophysical Remote Sensing Group, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, AustraliaFaculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, AustraliaGlobal Change Institute, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia0School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, AustraliaTrophic cascade theory predicts that predator effects should extend to influence carbon cycling in ecosystems. Yet, there has been little empirical evidence in natural ecosystems to support this hypothesis. Here, we use a naturally-occurring trophic cascade to provide evidence that predators help protect sedimentary organic carbon stocks in coral reef ecosystems. Our results show that predation risk altered the behavior of herbivorous fish, whereby it constrained grazing to areas close to the refuge of the patch reefs. Macroalgae growing in “riskier” areas further away from the reef were released from grazing pressure, which subsequently promoted carbon accumulation in the sediments underlying the macroalgal beds. Here we found that carbon stocks furthest away from the reef edge were ~24% higher than stocks closest to the reef. Our results indicate that predators and herbivores play an important role in structuring carbon dynamics in a natural marine ecosystem, highlighting the need to conserve natural predator-prey dynamics to help maintain the crucial role of marine sediments in sequestering carbon.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00110/fulltrophic cascadesblue carbontrait-mediated effectscoral reefspredatorsherbivory |
| spellingShingle | Trisha B. Atwood Trisha B. Atwood Elizabeth M. P. Madin Elizabeth M. P. Madin Alastair R. Harborne Alastair R. Harborne Edd Hammill Edd Hammill Osmar J. Luiz Quinn R. Ollivier Quinn R. Ollivier Chris M. Roelfsema Peter I. Macreadie Catherine E. Lovelock Catherine E. Lovelock Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution trophic cascades blue carbon trait-mediated effects coral reefs predators herbivory |
| title | Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem |
| title_full | Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem |
| title_short | Predators Shape Sedimentary Organic Carbon Storage in a Coral Reef Ecosystem |
| title_sort | predators shape sedimentary organic carbon storage in a coral reef ecosystem |
| topic | trophic cascades blue carbon trait-mediated effects coral reefs predators herbivory |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fevo.2018.00110/full |
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