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Distributions of coral reef macroalgae in a back reef habitat in Moorea, French Polynesia

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Abstract

On tropical reefs where macroalgae are subjected to continuous herbivore pressure, spatial refuges typically are identified as large-scale, landscape interfaces that limit foraging behavior. However, algal distributions and community assemblages may also rely on the availability of smaller scale spatial refuges within the reef. The results of this study demonstrate that the patterns of macroalgal distribution across the back reef of Moorea, French Polynesia, are maintained by herbivores interacting with the small-scale structural complexities of the coral reef landscape. Although the majority of space available for colonization is composed of exposed surfaces, macroalgae rarely are found in the open. Instead, macroalgal occurrence is highest in the protected narrow crevices and hole microhabitats provided by massive Porites spp. coral heads. These distributions are determined initially by post-settlement mortality of young algal recruits in exposed habitats. Rates of consumption for two of the most common macroalgal species found in refuges across the back reef, Halimeda minima and Amansia rhodantha, indicate that algal recruits in exposed habitats are limited by herbivory. While algal abundance and community structure are highly dependent upon herbivore grazing, the availability of small-scale spatial refuges ultimately shapes the distinct community patterns and distributional boundaries of coral reef macroalgae in the back reefs of Moorea.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Grant OCE-0417412 from the National Science Foundation and gifts from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. It is a contribution of the Moorea Coral Reef (MCR) LTER site in affiliation with the California State University Northridge Marine Biology Program. Additional support was provided by student research grants through the University. Thanks to the Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station for the use of their facilities and resources, and to the many associated investigators with the MCR-LTER. Two anonymous reviewers greatly improved this manuscript. This is contribution no. 201 from the CSUN Marine Biology Program.

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  1. A. K. Poray

    Present address: Institute of Marine Science, University of North Carolina, Morehead City, NC, 28516, USA

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  1. Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA

    A. K. Poray & R. C. Carpenter

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  2. R. C. Carpenter
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Correspondence to A. K. Poray.

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Communicated by Biology Editor Dr. Stuart Sandin

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Poray, A.K., Carpenter, R.C. Distributions of coral reef macroalgae in a back reef habitat in Moorea, French Polynesia. Coral Reefs 33, 67–76 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-013-1104-3

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