Abstract
Excessive sedimentation is a major threat to coral reefs. It can damage or kill reef-building corals and can prevent the successful settlement of their planktonic larvae. The surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus feeds on rocky surfaces by sweeping loose material into its mouth with its flexible, broom-like teeth. In addition, it grasps and removes hard substrates with the aid of its special palate structure. It then transports sediment matter off the reef by defecating the ingested material outside the rocky zone of the reef. We analyzed 150 feces samples of six individuals, differentiating between (1) ingested by sweeping and (2) ingested by scraping, and compared their content with inorganic land-derived and marine sediments trapped at the feeding area. Projections based on fish densities, defecation rates, and quantities as well as composition of sediments collected by traps on the same reef site suggest that C. striatus removes at least 18% of the inorganic sediment sinking onto the reef crest. The eroded share in the exported matter is about 13%. This finding points to a hitherto not verified role of C. striatus as a reef sweeper and reef scraper, whereby the first function is by far dominating.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alwany MA, Thaler E, Stachowitsch M (2009) Parrotfish bioerosion on Egyptian Red Sea reefs. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 371:170–176
Babcock R, Davies P (1991) Effects of sedimentation on settlement of Acropora millepora. Coral Reefs 9:205–208
Bardach JE (1961) Transport of calcareous fragments by reef fishes. Sci 133:98–99
Bellwood DR (1995) Carbonate transport and within-reef patterns of bioerosion and sediment release by parrotfishes (family Scaridae) on the Great Barrier Reef. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 117:127–136
Bellwood DR, Hoey AS, Choat JH (2003) Limited functional redundancy in high diversity systems: resilience and ecosystem function on coral reefs. Ecol L 6:281–285
Bothner MH, Reynolds RL, Casso MA, Storlazzi CD, Field ME (2006) Quantity, composition, and source of sediment collected in sediment traps along the fringing coral reef off Molokai, Hawaii. Mar Poll Bull 52:1034–1047
Chazottes V, Reijmer JJG, Cordier E (2008) Sediment characteristics in reef areas influenced by eutrophication-related alterations of benthic communities and bioerosion processes. Mar Geol 250:114–127
Choat JH (1991) The biology of herbivorous fishes on coral reefs. In: Sale PF (ed) The ecology of fishes on coral reefs. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 120–155
Eisinger M (2005) Beiträge zu ökologischen Aspekten der Korallentransplantation auf elektrochemisch erzeugte Substrate als Methode zur Rehabilitation degradierter Korallenriffe. Dissertation, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
English S, Wilkinson C, Baker V (1997) Survey manual for tropical marine resources, 2nd edn. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville
Fabricius KE (2005) Effects of terrestrial runoff on the ecology of corals and coral reefs: review and synthesis. Mar Poll Bull 50:125–146
Fouda MM, El-Sayed AM (1994) Distribution and feeding habits of two surgeonfish Zebrasoma xanthurum and Ctenochaetus striatus in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. J. KAU: Mar Sci 7 Spec Issue: Symp. on Red Sea Mar Environ, Jeddah, pp 233–244
Gibbs MM (2001) Sedimentation, suspension, and resuspension in Tasman Bay and Beatrix Bay, New Zealand, two contrasting coastal environments which thermally stratify in summer. N Z J Mar Freshw Res 35:951–970
Gilmour J (1999) Experimental investigation into the effects of suspended sediment on fertilisation, larval survival and settlement in a scleractinian coral. Mar Biol 135:451–462
Harrington L, Fabricius K, De’ath G, Negri A (2004) Recognition and selection of settlement substrata determine post-settlement survival in corals. Ecology 85:3428–3437
Hodgson G (1990) Sediment and the settlement of larvae of the coral Pocillopora damicornis. Coral Reefs 9:41–43
Hubbard DK (1990) Production and cycling of calcium carbonate in a shelf-edge reef system (St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands): applications to the nature of reef systems in the fossil record. J Sediment Petrol 60:335–360
Krone R, van Treeck P, Schuhmacher H, Nebel H, Epple M (2006) A special palate structure of Ctenochaetus striatus—a hidden tool for bioerosion. Coral Reefs 25:645
Krone R, Bshary R, Paster M, Eisinger M, van Treeck P, Schuhmacher H (2008) Defecation behaviour of the lined bristletooth surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus (Acanthuridae). Coral Reefs 27:619–622
Montgomery LW, Meyberg AA, Fishelson L (1989) Feeding ecology of surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) in the northern Red Sea, with particular reference to Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forsskål). J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 13:179–207
Nelson SG, Wilkins SD (1988) Sediment processing by the surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus at Moorea, French Polynesia. J Fish Biol 32:817–824
Ogston AS, Storlazzi CD, Field ME, Presto MK (2004) Sediment resuspension and transport patterns on a fringing reef flat, Molokai, Hawaii. Coral Reefs 23:559–569
Purcell SW, Bellwood DR (1993) A functional analysis of food procurement in two surgeonfish species Acanthurus nigrofuscus and Ctenochaetus striatus (Acanthuridae). Envir Biol Fis 37:139–159
Randall JE, Clements KD (2001) Second revision of the surgeonfish genus Ctenochaetus (Perciformes: Acanthuridae), with description of two new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 32. Bishop Museum, Honolulu
Rogers CS (1990) Response of coral reefs and reef organisms to sedimentation. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 62:185–202
Schuhmacher H, Krone R, van Treeck P (2008) Underestimated eroder among reef fishes—Experimental comparison between Ctenochaetus striatus and Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Acanthuridae). Proc. 11th Int Coral Reef Symp. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, pp 337–340
Steneck RS (1988) Herbivory on coral reefs: a synthesis. Proc. 6th Int Coral Reef Symp 1:37–49
Wilson SK, Bellwood DR, Choat J, Furnas MJ (2003) Detritus in the epilithic algal matrix and its use by coral reef fishes. Oceanogr Mar Biol Ann Rev 41:279–309
Acknowledgments
This research was financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG, Schu-75/21). We thank M. Fouda, the head of the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, and his staff for the indispensable support, and D. K. Richter for the advice regarding the carbonate quantification. M. Schumann and D. Combosch aided us with the laboratory work. We thank an anonymous reviewer and G. Heiss for some constructive comments and A. Sorensen for stylistic improvements.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
SOM Supporting online material. Short summary: By feeding on loose particles accumulated on the top of coral reefs and defecating in a restricted place adjacent to its feeding area, the surgeon fish Ctenochaetus striatus transports loose particles from the reef, and hence functions as a “reef sweeper”. Movie comment: The tropical reef fish Ctenochaetus striatus (surgeonfish) visits specific places for defecation on sandy bottom beside the rocky reef. Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai, Egypt, Red Sea. The fish stops its normal grazing activities on the reef rock and immediately starts to swim taking the shortest way over the edge of the reef where it stops about 20 cm above the adjacent sand-covered reef floor. The fish then assumes an oblique position with its head upwards and spreads its pectoral fins and deposits a fecal pellet. After this, it returns to the rocky zone to continue grazing. (MOV 6302 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Krone, R., Paster, M. & Schuhmacher, H. Effect of the surgeonfish Ctenochaetus striatus (Acanthuridae) on the processes of sediment transport and deposition on a coral reef in the Red Sea. Facies 57, 215–221 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-010-0239-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-010-0239-8