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Effects of water velocity on picoplankton uptake by coral reef communities

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Abstract

In previous experiments, rates of picoplankton uptake into coral communities were controlled by sponge and ascidian biomass. Those experimental communities, however, had relatively few sponges and ascidians. In contrast, turbulent transport of particles into the momentum boundary layers can limit particle removal by layered, dense bivalve populations. In this study, the role of water velocity in controlling particulate nutrient-uptake by rubble communities was evaluated, in which the rubble was more completely covered by sponges and ascidians. Picoplankton uptake was proportional to concentration over a range of cell concentrations from 3.0 × 105 to 9.5 × 105 heterotrophic bacteria ml−1, 4.1 × 104 to 1.2 × 105 Synechococcus sp. ml−1 and 6.3 × 103 to 1.8 × 104 picoeukaryotes ml−1. The first-order uptake rate constants, normalized to sponge and ascidian biomass, were similar to previous experimental communities. Picoplankton uptake increased 1.6-fold over a 7-fold change in water velocity, 0.05–0.35 m s−1. This increase has been interpreted as a result of higher turbulent transport within the rough coral community (canopy), as indicated by a 1.6-fold increase in the bottom friction with increasing water velocity.

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Acknowledgments

We especially thank Rafel Coma, Jim Fleming and Robert Kinzie for their help throughout the study. Thanks to Fenny Cox and the people of the Point Laboratory, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology for a pleasant working environment and valuable discussions. We thank Thomas Kiørboe for his comments on an early draft of the manuscript. Support for this work was provided by a postdoctoral fellowship from the “Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia” and a “Ramón y Cajal” research contract to M.R. This paper was funded in part by NOAA project R/CR-1, which is sponsored by the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, School of Ocean and Earth Science Technology (SOEST) under grant NA 86RG0041. Additional funding was provided by the TranCom (REN2002-01631/MAR) and by NutriBen (CTM 2005-00072/MAR) projects. We thank Steve Monismith for a critical review of the manuscript. This is HIMB contribution # 1266 and SOEST contribution # 7080.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Coconut Island, P.O. Box 1346, Kaneohe, HI, 96744, USA

    M. Ribes & M. J. Atkinson

  2. Institut de Ciències del Mar (CMIMA-CSIC), Pg. Marítim 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain

    M. Ribes

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  1. M. Ribes
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  2. M. J. Atkinson
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Correspondence to M. Ribes.

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Communicated by Biology Editor H.R. Lasker.

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Ribes, M., Atkinson, M.J. Effects of water velocity on picoplankton uptake by coral reef communities. Coral Reefs 26, 413–421 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-007-0211-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-007-0211-4

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