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Differences in somatic and gonadic growth of sea urchins (Stronglyocentrotus droebachiensis) fed kelp (Laminaria longicruris) or the invasive alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides are related to energy acquisition

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Abstract

The rocky subtidal community off the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia has historically undergone a cyclical transition between Laminaria-dominated kelp beds and sea urchin-dominated barrens. Since the introduction of the invasive alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides, a third community state has emerged: Codium-dominated algal beds. We conducted a 42-week feeding experiment in the laboratory, which mimicked the quantity and quality of food available to urchins (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) in each of these community states. Feeding rate, growth, reproduction, and survival of urchins fed either Laminaria longicruris or C. fragile ad libidum, or L. longicruris 2 days per month, were measured. Although the ad libidum feeding rate on C. fragile was higher than that on kelp, energy intake was lower. Urchins in the ad libidum kelp treatment were larger and had larger gonads than those in the C. fragile treatment. Urchins fed kelp infrequently exhibited little somatic and gonadic growth over the course of the experiment. Regression analysis revealed that urchin performance on these diets was strongly related to energy intake. Diet treatment had no effect on survival or gonad maturation. Although urchins can consume substantial amounts of C. fragile, it appears that they cannot, or do not, feed quickly enough to compensate for its lower nutritional value. Our results suggest that, although urchins feeding on C. fragile are capable of surviving, growing, and reproducing, the replacement of kelp by C. fragile in some areas might negatively affect urchin populations as they continue to repopulate the shallow subtidal zone.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ebony Wicks, Mark Ulett, John Lindley, Allison Schmidt, Olivier D’Amours, and Meagan Saunders for their assistance with diving and lab work. Jean-Sébastien Lauzon-Guay and Marie Auger Méthé and two anonymous reviewers provided valuable comments on the manuscript. The research was funded by a Discovery Grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to RES. DAL was supported by scholarships from NSERC.

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  1. Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, B3H 4J1, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Devin A. Lyons & Robert E. Scheibling

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  1. Devin A. Lyons
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  2. Robert E. Scheibling
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Correspondence to Devin A. Lyons.

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Communicated by R.J. Thompson.

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Lyons, D.A., Scheibling, R.E. Differences in somatic and gonadic growth of sea urchins (Stronglyocentrotus droebachiensis) fed kelp (Laminaria longicruris) or the invasive alga Codium fragile ssp. tomentosoides are related to energy acquisition. Mar Biol 152, 285–295 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-007-0682-4

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