Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease
Abstract Coral reefs are in global decline with coral diseases playing a significant role. This is especially true for Acroporid corals that represent ~25% of all Pacific coral species and generate much of the topographic complexity supporting reef biodiversity. Coral diseases are commonly sediment-...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45730-0 |
| _version_ | 1797274086812942336 |
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| author | Cody S. Clements Zoe A. Pratte Frank J. Stewart Mark E. Hay |
| author_facet | Cody S. Clements Zoe A. Pratte Frank J. Stewart Mark E. Hay |
| author_sort | Cody S. Clements |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Coral reefs are in global decline with coral diseases playing a significant role. This is especially true for Acroporid corals that represent ~25% of all Pacific coral species and generate much of the topographic complexity supporting reef biodiversity. Coral diseases are commonly sediment-associated and could be exacerbated by overharvest of sea cucumber detritivores that clean reef sediments and may suppress microbial pathogens as they feed. Here we show, via field manipulations in both French Polynesia and Palmyra Atoll, that historically overharvested sea cucumbers strongly suppress disease among corals in contact with benthic sediments. Sea cucumber removal increased tissue mortality of Acropora pulchra by ~370% and colony mortality by ~1500%. Additionally, farmerfish that kill Acropora pulchra bases to culture their algal gardens further suppress disease by separating corals from contact with the disease-causing sediment—functioning as mutualists rather than parasites despite killing coral bases. Historic overharvesting of sea cucumbers increases coral disease and threatens the persistence of tropical reefs. Enhancing sea cucumbers may enhance reef resilience by suppressing disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:53:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43375774a7004603ae3ec2c59d78cd46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:53:21Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-43375774a7004603ae3ec2c59d78cd462024-03-05T19:34:00ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-02-011511910.1038/s41467-024-45730-0Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral diseaseCody S. Clements0Zoe A. Pratte1Frank J. Stewart2Mark E. Hay3School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of TechnologyDepartment of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State UniversityDepartment of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State UniversitySchool of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of TechnologyAbstract Coral reefs are in global decline with coral diseases playing a significant role. This is especially true for Acroporid corals that represent ~25% of all Pacific coral species and generate much of the topographic complexity supporting reef biodiversity. Coral diseases are commonly sediment-associated and could be exacerbated by overharvest of sea cucumber detritivores that clean reef sediments and may suppress microbial pathogens as they feed. Here we show, via field manipulations in both French Polynesia and Palmyra Atoll, that historically overharvested sea cucumbers strongly suppress disease among corals in contact with benthic sediments. Sea cucumber removal increased tissue mortality of Acropora pulchra by ~370% and colony mortality by ~1500%. Additionally, farmerfish that kill Acropora pulchra bases to culture their algal gardens further suppress disease by separating corals from contact with the disease-causing sediment—functioning as mutualists rather than parasites despite killing coral bases. Historic overharvesting of sea cucumbers increases coral disease and threatens the persistence of tropical reefs. Enhancing sea cucumbers may enhance reef resilience by suppressing disease.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45730-0 |
| spellingShingle | Cody S. Clements Zoe A. Pratte Frank J. Stewart Mark E. Hay Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease Nature Communications |
| title | Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease |
| title_full | Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease |
| title_fullStr | Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease |
| title_short | Removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease |
| title_sort | removal of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45730-0 |
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