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Effects of aggregation and species identity on the growth and behavior of mushroom corals

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Abstract

Aggregations of fungiid corals are common on Indo-Pacific reefs, but visible signs of direct competition are uncommon. Although negative interactions between fungiids are generally thought to be negligible, the results of an experiment manipulating aggregation and species identity indicated that per capita calcification rates of Fungia concinna were depressed when surrounded by five other Fungia. The reduction in growth did not vary if neighbors were Fungia concinna or Fungia paumotensis, suggesting that these two related species overlap substantially in their competitive impacts. However, mucus production and movement occurred more frequently in heterospecific than conspecific groups. These results suggest that there is a cost to group living, but depressed growth must be weighed against the potential benefits of successful spawning in conspecific aggregations.

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Acknowledgments

This study was completed during the 2007 Center of Excellence (COE) International Summer Program held at Sesoko Station and was supported by the 21st Century COE program of the University of the Ryukyus. Many thanks to Mr. David Combosch, Mr. Yoshikatu Nakano, Mr. Shigeo Nakamura, and in particular, Dr. Kazuhiko Sakai for assisting on the boat and underwater. Comments from Ms. Kathy Morrow, Dr. Peter Mumby, and two anonymous reviewers improved the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Washington, 24 Kincaid Hall, Box 351812, Seattle, WA, 98195-1800, USA

    R. Elahi

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  1. R. Elahi
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Correspondence to R. Elahi.

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Communicated by Ecology Editor Professor Peter Mumby

Supplementary Material

MOESM1 (DOC 55 kb)

338_2008_403_MOESM2_ESM.eps

Fig. S1 Frequency (mean ± SD) of behaviors (mucus release (a); movement (b); no response (c) by the five neighboring Fungia corals in response to the focal F. concinna in conspecific and heterospecific (F. paumotensis) experimental aggregations. The experiment began on July 8, 2007, and neighboring corals were placed back into contact with the focal coral after observation on each of the observation dates (July 10, July 23, August 4 and 15) MOESM2 (EPS 493 kb)

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Elahi, R. Effects of aggregation and species identity on the growth and behavior of mushroom corals. Coral Reefs 27, 881–885 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-008-0403-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-008-0403-6

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