Skip to main content

The role of herbivorous fishes and urchins in coral reef communities

Environmental Biology of Fishes volume 3, pages 49–63 (1978)Cite this article

Synopsis

Herbivorous fishes and invertebrates are conspicious elements of coral reef communities where they predominate both in numbers and biomass. Herbivores and the coral reef algae on which they feed represent a co-evolved system of defense and counter-defense. Algal species have developed toxic, structural, spatial and temporal defense or escape mechanisms, while the herbivores employ strategies that involve anatomical, physiological and behavioral adaptations. Current research demonstrates that many reef fishes are highly selective in the algae they consume. Food selection in these fishes may be correlated with their morphological and digestive capabilities to rupture algal cell walls. Sea urchins select more in accordance with relative abundance, although certain algal species are clearly avoided.

The determinants of community structure on coral reefs have yet to be established but evidence indicates a strong influence by herbivores. Reef herbivores may reduce the abundance of certain competitively superior algae, thus allowing corals and cementing coralline algae to survive. We discuss how the foraging activities of tropical marine herbivores affect the distribution and abundance of algae and how these activities contribute to the development of coral reef structure and the fish assemblages which are intimately associated with reef structure.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References cited

  • Abbott, D.P., J.C. Ogden & I.A. Abbott (eds.). 1974. Studies on the activity pattern, behavior and food of the echinoid Echinometra lucunter (L.) on beachrock and algal reefs at St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Is. West Indies Lab. Spec. Publ. 4. 111 pp.

  • Adey, W., P. Adey, R. Burke & L. Kaufman, in press. The reef systems of Eastern Matinique. Atoll Res. Bull.

  • Alevizon, W. S. 1976. Mixed schooling and its possible significance in a tropical Western Atlantic parrotfish and surgeonfish. Copeia 1976: 796–798.

  • Bakus, G. 1964. The effects of fish grazing on invertebrate evolution in shallow tropical waters. Allan Hancock Found. Occ. Pap. No. 27. 29 pp.

  • Banner, A.H. 1976. Ciguatera: A disease from coral reef fish, pp. 177–214. In: O.A. Jones & R. Endean (ed.), Biology and Geology of Coral reefs, 3, Acad. Press, N. Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bardach, J.E. 1961. Transport of calcareous fragments by reef fishes. Science 133: 98–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barlow, G.W. 1974. Extraspecific imposition of social grouping among surgeonfishes (Pisces: Acanthuridae). J. Zool. Lond. 174: 333–340.

    Google Scholar 

  • Belk, M. S. 1975. Habitat partitioning in tropical reef fishes.

  • Bhakuni, D.S. & M. Silva. 1974. Biodynamic substances from marine flora. Botanica Marina 17: 40–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birkeland, C. 1977. The importance of rate of biomass accumulation in early successional stages of benthic communities to the survival of coral recruits. Proc. Third Internat. Coral Reef Symp. 1: 15–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blinks, L. R. 1951. Physiology and biochemistry of algae, pp. 263–291. In: G. W. Smith (ed.), Manual of Phycology, Cronica Botanica Co. Mass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowen, S.H. 1976. Mechanism for digestion of detrial bacteria by the cichlid fish Sarotherodon mossambicus (Peters). Nature 260: 137–138.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brawley, S.H. & W.H. Adey. 1977. Territorial behavior of threespot damselfish (Eupomacentrus planifrons) increases reef algal biomass and productivity. Env. Biol. Fish. 2: 45–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryan, F.G. 1975. Food habits, functional digestive morphology and assimilation efficiency of the rabbit fish, Siganus spinus (Pisces: Siganidae) on Guam. Pac. Sci. 29: 269–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, W.E.S. & C. A. Adams. 1972. Food habits of juvenile marine fishes occupying seagrass beds in the estuarine zone near Crystal River, Florida. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 102: 511–540.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cates, R.G. & G. H. Orians. 1975. Successional status and the palatibility of plants to generalized herbivores. Ecology 56: 410–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, A.L. 1973. Benthic algal ecology in deep sea and sand habitat off Puerto Rico. Botanica Marina 16: 171–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawson, E.Y., A.A. Aleem & B.W. Halsted. 1955. Marine algae from Palmyra Island with special reference to the feeding habits and toxicology of reef fishes. Allan Hancock Found. Occ. Pap. No. 17: 1–38.

  • Dayton, P.K. 1971. Competition, disturbance and community organization: The provision and subsequent utilization of space in a rocky intertidal community. Ecol. Monogr. 41: 351–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doty, M.S. & G. A. Santos. 1970. Transfer of toxic algal substances in marine food chains. Pac. Sci. 24: 351–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, I.M. & V. G. Bokhari. 1976. Plant-animal interactions: studies of the effects of grasshopper grazing on blue gramma grass. Ecology 57: 762–772.

    Google Scholar 

  • Earle, S. A. 1972. The influence of herbivores on the marine plants of Great Lameshur Bay, pp. 17–44. In: B. B. Collette & S. A. Earle (ed.), Results of the Tektite Program: Ecology of Coral Reef Fishes. Nat. Hist. Mus. L. A. County, Sci. Bull. 14.

  • Ebersole, J. P., in press. The adaptive significance of interspecific territoriality in the reef fish Eupomacentrus leucostictus. Ecology.

  • Ehrlich, P.R. & P.H. Raven. 1965. Butterflies and plants: a study in coevolution. Evolution 18: 586–608.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, M.S. 1972. The algal turf community in the nest of the ocean goldfish, Hypsypops rubicunda. Proc. 7th Intl. Seaweed Symp. Sect. I., Univ. of Tokyo Press: 55–60.

  • Freeland, W.J. & D.H. Janzen. 1974. Strategies in herbivory by mammals: the role of plant secondary compounds. Am. Nat. 108: 269–289.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, R.N. 1969. The biology and behavior of littoral fish. Oceangr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 7: 367–410.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glynn, P.W. 1973. Aspects of the ecology of coral reefs in the Western Atlantic region, pp. 271–234. In: O. A. Jones & R. Endean (ed.), Biology and Geology of Coral Reefs, 2, Acad. Press, N. Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosline, W.A. 1965. Vertical zonation of inshore fishes in the upper layers of the Hawaiian Islands. Ecology 46: 823–831.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grünbaum, H., G. Bergman, D.P. Abbott & J.C. Ogden, in press. Intraspecific agnostic behavior in the rock-boring sea urchin Echinometra lucunter (L.), Echinodermata: Echinoidea. Bull. Mar. Sci.

  • Hashimoto, V. & N. Fusetani. 1972. Screening of the toxic algae on coral reefs. Proc. 7th Intl. Seaweed Symp. Section IV. Univ. of Tokyo Press: 569–572.

  • Hiatt, R.W. & D.W. Strasburg. 1960. Ecological relationships of the fish fauna on coral reefs of the Marshall Islands. Ecol. Mongr. 30: 65–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobson, E.S. 1974. Feeding relationships of teleostean fishes on coral reefs in Kona, Hawaii. Fish Bull. U.S. 72: 915–1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, R.S. 1968. Ecological relationships in Hawaiian and Johnston Island Acanthuridae (surgeonfishes). Micronesica 4: 309–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, L. 1977. The three spot damselfish: effects on benthic biota of coral reefs. Proc. Third Int. Coral Reef Symp. 1: 559–564.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keller, B.D. 1976. Sea urchin abundance patterns in seagrass meadows. The effects of predation and competitive interactions. Ph.D. thesis, Johns Hopkins University, 39 pp.

  • Lewis, J.B. 1964. Feeding and digestion in the tropical sea urchin Diadema antillarum Philippi. Can. J. Zool. 42: 549–557.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, J.M. 1975. On the relationships between marine plants and sea urchins (Echinodermata: Echinoidea), pp. 213–286. In: H. Barnes (ed.), Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 13.

  • Levin, D.A. 1976. The chemical defense of plants to pathogens and herbivores. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 7: 121–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lobel, P.S., ms. Lunar periodicity, annual seasonality and reproduction behavior of an Hawaiian coral reef fish.

  • Mathieson, A.C., R.A. Fralick, R. Burns & W. Flashive. 1975. Phycological studies during Tektite II at St. John, U. S. V. I., pp. 77–103. In: S. A. Earle & R. J. Lavenberg (ed.), Results of the Tektite Program: Coral Reef Invertebrates and Plants. Nat. Hist. Mus. L. A. County, Sci. Bull. 20.

  • Mattson, W.J. & N.D. Addy. 1975. Phytophagous insects as regulators of forest primary production. Science 190: 515–522.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menge, J., in press. Plant species diversity in a marine intertidal community. Am. Nat.

  • Montgomery, W. L. 1977. Diet and gut morphology in fishes with special reference to the monkeyface stickleback, Cebidichthys violaceus (Stichaeidae: Blennioidei). Copeia 1977: 178–182.

  • Moriarty, D.J.W. 1973. The physiology of digestion of bluegreen algae in the cichlid fish, Tilapia nilotica. J. Zool. Lond. 171: 25–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morse, D.H. 1970. Ecological aspects of some mixed species foraging flocks of birds. Ecol. Mongr. 40: 119–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morse, D.H. 1977. Feeding behavior and predator avoidance in heterospecific groups. Bioscience 27: 332–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moynihan, M. 1962. The organization and probable evolution of some mixed species flocks of neotropical birds. Smith. Misc. Coll. 143: 1–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nursall, J. R. 1974. Some territorial behavioral attributes of the surgeonfish Acanthurus lineatus at Heron Island, Queensland. Copeia 1974: 950–959.

  • Odum, W. E. 1970. Utilization of the direct grazing and plant detritus food chains by the striped mullet Mugil cephalus, pp. 222–240. In: J. H. Steele (ed.), Marine Food Chains, Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, G. B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogden, J.C. 1976. Some aspects of herbivore-plant relationships on Caribbean reefs and seagrass beds. Aquatic Botany 2: 103–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogden, J.C., in press. Carbonate sediment production by parrotfishes and sea urchins on Caribbean reefs. In: S. Frost and M. Weiss (ed.), Caribbean Reef Systems: Holocene and Ancient. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Spec. Paper 4.

  • Ogden, J.C., R. Brown & N. Salesky. 1973. Grazing by the echinoid Diadema antillarum Phillipi: Formation of halos around West Indian patch reefs. Science 182: 715–717.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogden, J. C., D. P. Abbott & I. A. Abbott (ed.). 1973. Studies on the activity and food of the echinoid Diadema antillarum Philippi on a West Indian patch reef. West Indies, Lab. Spec. Publ. 2, 96 pp.

  • Ogden, J.C. & J.C. Zieman. 1977. Ecological aspects of coral reef-seagrass bed contacts in the Caribbean. Proc. Third. Int Coral Reef Symp., U. of Miami 1: 377–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogino, C. 1962. Tannins and vacuolar pigments, pp. 437–442. In: Lewin, R. A.(ed.), Physiology and Biochemistry of Algae. Academic Press, N. Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owen, D.F. & R.G. Wiegert. 1976. Do consumers maximize plant fitness? Oikos 27: 488–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, R.T. 1966. Food web complexity and species diversity. Am. Nat. 100: 65–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, R.T. 1969. Pisaster-Tegula interaction: prey patches, predator food preference, and intertidal community structure. Ecology 50: 950–962.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paine, R.T. & R.L. Vadas. 1969. The effects of grazing by sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus spp. on benthic algal populations. Limnol. Oceanogr. 14: 710–719.

    Google Scholar 

  • Patton, J.S. & A.A. Benson. 1975. A comparative study of wax ester digestion in fish. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 52B: 111–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, R. 1963. The digestion of algae by Acanthurus sandvicensis. Masters thesis, University of Hawaii. 47 pp.

  • Phillips, A.M. 1969. Nutrition, digestion and energy utilization, pp. 391–432. In: W.S. Hoar & D. J. Randall (ed.), Fish Physiology 1.

  • Porter, K.G. 1976. Enhancement of algal growth and productivity by grazing zooplankton. Science 192: 1332–1334.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, K.G. 1977. The plant-animal interface in freshwater ecosystems. Am. Sci. 65: 159–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prim, P. & J.M. Lawrence. 1975. Utilization of marine plants and their constituents by bacteria isolated from the gut of echinoids (Echinodermata). Mar. Biol. 33: 167–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.E. 1961. A contribution to the biology of the convict surgeonfish of the Hawaiian Islands, Acanthurus triostegus sandvicensis. Pac. Sci. 15: 215–272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.E. 1963. An analysis of the fish populations of artificial and natural reefs in the Virgin Islands. Carib. J. Sci. 3: 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.E. 1965. Grazing effects on seagrasses by herbivorous reef fishes in the West Indies. Ecology 46: 255–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.E. 1967. Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies. Stud. Trop. Oceanogr. 5: 665–847.

    Google Scholar 

  • Randall, J.E. 1974. The effect of fishes on coral reefs. Proc. Second Int. Coral Reef Symp. 2: 159–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reese, E. S. 1973. Duration of residence by coral reef fishes on ‘home’ reefs. Copeia 1973: 145–149.

  • Reese, E.S. 1975. A comparative field study of the social behavior and related ecology of reef fishes of the family Chaetodontidae. Z. Tierpsychol. 37: 37–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, D.R., H.P.A. Sweatman, E.A. Fletcher and M.G. Cleland. 1976. Schooling as a mechanism for circumventing the territoriality of competitors. Ecology 57: 1208–1220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romer, A.S. 1966. Vertebrate Paleontology. Univ. Chicago Press. 468 pp.

  • Sale, P.F. 1977. Maintenance of high diversity in coral reef fish communities. Am. Nat. 111: 337–359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sammarco, P.W. 1975. Grazing by Diadema antillarum Phillipi (Echinodermata: Echinoidea): density dependent effects of coral and algal community structure. Assoc. Is. Mar. Labs. Carib. 11th meeting (abstract).

  • Sammarco, P.W., J.S. Levinton & J.C. Ogden. 1974. Grazing and control of coral reef community structure by Diadema antillarum Phillipi: a preliminary study. J. Mar. Res. 32: 47–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, W. & R.B. Searles. 1960. Experimental studies on the ecology of intertidal environments at Heron Island. Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Res. 2: 241–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stickney, R.R. & S.A. Shumway. 1974. Occurrence of cellulase activity in the stomachs of fishes. J. Fish. Biol. 6: 779–790.

    Google Scholar 

  • Syrop, S. 1974. Three selected aspects of the territorial behavior of a pomacentrid fish, Pomacentrus jenkinsi. Masters thesis. University of Hawaii. 48 pp.

  • Tsuda, R. T. & P. G. Bryan. 1973. Food preferences of juvenile Siganus rostratus and S. spinus in Guam. Copeia 1973: 604–606.

  • Tsuda, R.T. & H.T. Kami. 1973. Algal succession on artificial reefs in a marine lagoon environment on Guam. J. Physology 9: 260–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vadas, R. L. 1968. The ecology of Agarum and the kelp bed community. Ph.D. thesis. University of Washington. 282 pp.

  • Vadas, R. L., in press. Preferential feeding: an optimization strategy in sea urchins. Ecol. Monogr.

  • Vine, P.F. 1974. Effects of algal grazing and aggressive behavior of the fishes Pomacentrus lividus and Acanthurus sohal on coral reef ecology. Mar. Biol. 24: 131–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whittaker, R.H. & P.P. Feeny. 1971. Allelochemics: chemical interactions between species. Science 171: 757–770.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. West Indies Laboratory, P.O. Annex Box 4010, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, 00820, USA

    John C. Ogden

  2. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 02138, USA

    Phillip S. Lobel

Authors
  1. John C. Ogden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Phillip S. Lobel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This paper forms a part of the proceedings of a mini-symposium convened at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., 18–19 May 1976, entitled ‘Patterns of Community Structure in Fishes’ (G. S. Helfman, ed.).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ogden, J.C., Lobel, P.S. The role of herbivorous fishes and urchins in coral reef communities. Environ Biol Fish 3, 49–63 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006308

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006308

Keywords

  • Algae
  • Co-evolution
  • Behavior
  • Ecology
  • Communities
  • Seagrass
  • Feeding selectivity
  • Predatorprey
  • Fish morphology
  • Herbivore