Abstract
Outbreaks of the destructive coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci, present a considerable threat to coral reefs worldwide, and mitigating their impact has proven challenging. The most effective methods to control A. planci require injecting individual starfish with lethal chemicals. While some of these are highly effective, their administration often requires permits, training and access to specialised equipment. We aimed to identify a widely available and highly efficient alternative. We discovered that common household vinegar is lethal to A. planci individuals when injected at the base of one their arms. A single injection of 25 ml vinegar induced functional mortality in <24 h and 100 % mortality in <48 h. These results demonstrate that vinegar is an effective alternative to currently used chemicals. Vinegar is a viable alternative in the toolkit of methods that can control and eradicate local outbreaks of COTS on coral reefs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Barnes JH (1966) The crown-of-thorns starfish as a destroyer of coral. Australian Natural History 15:257–261
Birkeland C, Lucas J (1990) Acanthaster planci: major management problem of coral reefs. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Boström-Einarsson LE, Bonin MC, Munday PL, Jones GP (2014) Habitat degradation modifies the strength of interspecific competition in coral dwelling damselfishes. Ecology 95:3056–3067
Bouchon-Navaro Y, Bouchon C, Harmelin-Vivien ML (1985) Impact of coral degradation on a chaetodontid fish assemblage (Moorea, French Polynesia). Proc 5th Int Coral Reef Symp 5:427–432
Bruno JF, Selig ER (2007) Regional decline of coral cover in the Indo-Pacific: timing, extent, and subregional comparisons. PLoS One 2:e711
Chesher RH (1969) Destruction of Pacific corals by the sea star Acanthaster planci. Science 165:280–283
De’ath G, Fabricius KE, Sweatman H, Puotinen M (2012) The 27-year decline of coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef and its causes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:17995–17999
Glynn PW (1984) An amphinomid worm predator of the crown-of-thorns sea star and general predation on asteroids in Eastern and Western Pacific coral reefs. Bull Mar Sci 35:54–71
Holbrook SJ, Schmitt RJ (2002) Competition for shelter space causes density-dependent predation mortality in damselfishes. Ecology 83:2855–2868
Johnson DB, Moran PJ, Driml S (1990) Evaluation of a crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) control program at Grub Reef (central Great Barrier Reef). Coral Reefs 9:167–171
Kayal M, Vercelloni J, Lison de Loma T, Bosserelle P, Chancerelle Y, Geoffroy S, Stievenart C, Michonneau F, Penin L, Planes S, Adjeroud M (2012) Predator crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) outbreak, mass mortality of corals, and cascading effects on reef fish and benthic communities. PLoS One 7:e47363
KBRF (2012) Crown-of-thorns starfish control manual. Kurishio Biological Research Foundation, Kochi 32 pp
McCormick MI (2012) Lethal effects of habitat degradation on fishes through changing competitive advantage. Proc R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 279:3899–3904
Osborne K, Dolman AM, Burgess SC, Johns KA (2011) Disturbance and the dynamics of coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (1995–2009). PLoS One 6:e17516
Pratchett MS, Caballes CF, Rivera-Posada JA, Sweatman HPA (2014) Limits to understanding and managing outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster spp.). Oceanogr Mar Biol 52:133–200
Rivera-Posada J, Owens L (2014) Osmotic shock as alternative method to control Acanthaster planci. J Coast Life Med 2:99–106
Rivera-Posada JA, Pratchett M, Owens L (2011b) Injection of Acanthaster planci with thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS). II. Histopathological changes. Dis Aquat Organ 97:95–102
Rivera-Posada J, Caballes CF, Pratchett MS (2013) Lethal doses of oxbile, peptones and thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS) for Acanthaster planci; exploring alternative population control options. Mar Pollut Bull 75:133–139
Rivera-Posada JA, Pratchett M, Cano-Gómez A, Arango-Gómez JD, Owens L (2011a) Injection of Acanthaster planci with thiosulfate-citrate-bile-sucrose agar (TCBS). I. Disease induction. Dis Aquat Organ 97:85–94
Rivera-Posada J, Pratchett MS, Aguilar C, Grand A, Caballes CF (2014) Bile salts and the single-shot lethal injection method for killing crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster planci). Ocean Coast Manag 102:383–390
Wittmann AC, Pörtner H-O (2013) Sensitivities of extant animal taxa to ocean acidification. Nat Clim Chang 3:995–1001
Yamaguchi M (1986) Acanthaster planci infestations of reefs and coral assemblages in Japan—a retrospective analysis of control efforts. Coral Reefs 5:23–30
Yamamoto T, Otsuka T (2013) Experimental validation of dilute acetic acid solution injection to control crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci). Naturalistae 17:63–65
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to A. Hoggett and L. Vale for invaluable logistical support. C. Aguilar, A. Buck, R. Cornish, J. Eurich, R. Streit and L. Vitale provided field assistance. LBE was supported by Mahonia na Dari Research Centre, PNG, and by the Ian Potter Foundation 50th Anniversary COTS Control Grant from the Australian Museum’s Lizard Island Research Station (LIRS). JRP was supported by a LIRS Postdoctoral Fellowship, COTS control Grant from the Australian Research Council and Australian Institute of Marine Science.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Biology Editor Dr. Mark J. A. Vermeij
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Boström-Einarsson, L., Rivera-Posada, J. Controlling outbreaks of the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish using a single injection of common household vinegar. Coral Reefs 35, 223–228 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-015-1351-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-015-1351-6